Supplementing vs. Nature's Design

[Guest guest]

Nora, I couldn't agree more!

 

What many people forget is that foods grown on " permanent " plants (trees and

vines and such) grown in soil that is NOT plowed up every year. In such

soil, the mycorhyzzal fungus and other natural networks and supporting

microorganisms do grow and establish themselves. Healthy plants arise more

as a function of these organisms' presence than from any particular

" nutrient " in the soil. If there are insufficient nutrients in the soil, the

trees and vines simply will not fruit or will produce only tiny quantities

of fruit, or the fruit will not grow properly into " adults " .

 

At the same time, we can acknowledge that the agriculturally grown fruits

and vegetables are indeed weak cousins of their counterparts in the wild.

It's correct to say that the soil is depleted, the fruits are harvested

before ripening, and the like. And it's correct to say that eating such

foods nourishes us less effectively than does eating foods grown more

healthfully. What is not helpful is to transform such awareness into fear

and then set about trying to " fix " the problem beneath that fear.

 

As I see it, the underlying problem is that we have all been taught that we

can " fix " Nature by tweaking things. Better we should embrace Nature. And

honestly, as I've mentioned before, for many people the solution is to move.

For if we ever wish to create something sustainable AND in groups larger

than about 6 people (not a " real " number , we're going to have to consider

living in locations reasonably designed for human habitation.

 

Best to all,

Elchanan

_____

 

Nora Lenz

Sunday, January 20, 2008 8:18 PM

 

Re: Thank You! (Supplementing)

 

 

It's obviously true that we'd be healthier if we were eating perfect foods

but fortunately this is not necessary in order for us to enjoy a very high

level of health. If nature required us to be perfect, cooked food eaters

wouldn't last 50-80 years like they typically do. Besides, whatever

shortcomings might exist in our foods, supplements cannot compensate for

them.