Reduce your mileage IN the supermarket, and thereby save time, money and possibly improve your longevity. Why is this included in time management? Eating nutritious food promotes healthy bodies and this means higher energy levels to meet daily challenges. Nov. 5, 2005

Great, but long article that summarizes the food issue. "Unhappy Meals." By MICHAEL POLLAN Published: January 28, 2007 New York Times.

Read, Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser, 2002, Perennial, Harper Press for a no bias look behind the scenes in where your 'food' comes from and who is making the money in the food industry. Make sure that you at least browse chapter five. It is about the chemical industry that 'taints' an or creates an incredible amount of what we consume. Page 125 in the books lists the ingredients (chemicals) found in a name brand fast food outlet strawberry milkshake. I counted 45. Real strawberry parts ZERO. This is a serious matter and representative of what we don't know about what we are eating.

April 29, 2006. Globe and Mail article classified Schlosser's book as a 'muckraker'. My response, thank goodness someone has the courage to expose what is lurking beneath the surface. Muck indeed.

April 29, 2006. The Globe and Mail. Informative nutrition article from Eugenie Francoeur, Naha Japan. Healthy diet for longevity from Okinawa: a good variety of vegetables, Soya products, fruit, sea vegetables, rice, tofu, kombu, fish, daikon and milk.

My food article below is not intended to disparage the hard work and dedication of employees in supermarkets and other food stores. It is intended to promote the shift from the 'wholesale and unwitting' consumption of processed foods that contain 'questionable' ingredients to those without the long list of chemical additives. Consumer choices have already had many positive effects in this area and selective shopping will encourage the food processors and suppliers to continue to work toward providing healthy alternatives for the customer. I will be writing about the Kellog Foundation and the work it is doing to encourage changes in the food distribution system. See the following website which presents some ideas on realigning food distribution methods with healthy choices. See New York Time article on Oregon company may need trial subscription or log onto http://www.newseasonsmarket.com/seasonings/Links.asp

By understanding the marketing and merchandising in a supermarket you can develop an efficient shopping 'counter' strategy. The diagram below depicts a typical supermarket layout. The key is to reduce your purchase of so called 'food' items items from the red section. Exceptions and recommendations will be added to this page in response to reader's questions.

The supermarket perimeter aisles contain many of the the 'real' foods that you need for a balanced nutritional diet. There may be a rare exceptions of finding good quality foods in the red section such frozen vegetables or porridge oats. However, even the outside track of the supermarket contains numerous questionable 'foods', therefore I would advise being vigilant when making choices. If you are not reading labels yet I strongly suggest you start in the interest of your and your families health. The purpose of this page is help you develop a plan for maintaining good health through healthy eating choices, without becoming stressed in the learning process and making the changes.

The word FOOD is key. I am going to qualify food as an item that hasn't been processed. I suggest that one will remain healthier if FOOD is the primary source of your calorific intake. I do not consider items that have been processed to be FOOD. They are "processed foods." I believe that FOOD is what your body is designed to process. Your body does not need food to be processed before you eat it. Therefore, there is no 'need' to buy "processed foods." The perceived 'need' comes from our responses to marketing and merchandising. I am aware that there are generalizations in my classification. However, I believe that starting a thought process and a shift in habits has merit over getting stymied by semantics. E.g. I suggest that you always read the labels on every item that you purchase. You don't need to know what every item that is listed, but you will be shocked at at the amount of non food that you are ingesting. Note:this page is not intended to challenge diets of people who have special needs. Please refer to my health page for some other perspectives.

Your supermarket - plan view. The red section represents the shelving that is in the centre portion of the store. White is the perimeter.

Exceptions: these are items that you will only find in the centre section, but may have to purchase. Pay serious attention to the ingredients before purchasing.

Cooking oil. Avoid products that contains BHA, a preservative. I prefer pure Sunflower oils.

Salad dressings: I have stopped using the 'typical' bottled dressings. I find that a good quality Virgin Olive oil provides a tasty and healthy alternative. A natural source of vitamins.

Vinegar. Use 'live' vinegars. These can be found in health food stores. They contain live organisms.

Canned goods including soups. Definitely avoid. Preferably purchase dried foods, soak and cook.

Soups and soup mixes. The majority are poor $ value and also contain numerous 'chemical' additives and salt/monosodium glutamate.

Cereals. Oatmeal and millet would be the two cereal choices that have sustained healthy bodies for thousands of years. The current marketing program by the Quaker Oat Corporation reflects a shift of consumers looking for healthier, non sugared cereals. Millet which is a staple in the diet of many eastern countries has great potential in north America. However, efforts by farmers to sell millet are 'suppressed' by the 'corn industry.' See my article on Kellog's Corn Flakes - coming soon. Link from here - April 2006.

Juices. I think munching on an apple or peeling, segmenting and savoring each portion of an orange or a grapefruit provides benefits greater than those received in 'gulping' down concentrated juices. Apples provide roughage. Various parts of an orange and grapefruit (the pulp) contain vitamins. The sugar released by the fruit can be assimilated by our bodies very easily. The amount of sugar delivered in a large glass of fruit juice might create a toxic shock to your system or eventually lead to diabetes. Eating an apple promotes healthy gums, cleans the tartar off your teeth, tones your jaw muscles and gives one a sense of well being (you just 'know' its good for you).

I am planning on a page of my responses to the various ads on TV purporting to promote health products and alleged benefits. What's in your tummy today?

Now what's in most north American's stomachs today - I would guess probably quite a lot of cereal every morning. Nutritious value without the milk? What's in whose wallet?

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