Sometimes, realizations suck. Especially the sort that make your ears burn as your realize that you’ve made some really bad decisions.

Food in America is huge - I mean, it’s like an obsession really. We have grocery stores, fast food, not-as-fast food, expensive restaurants, food parties, food television shows and networks, food blogs, food this and food that —and then we also have tons of things like groups and programs and gyms and nutritionists that deal with FOOD FOOD FOOD. So, for a bunch of FOOD obsessed Americans, why is it that we seem to pay less attention to what goes in our mouths and bodies? How is that, exactly?

Let’s be clear, though - I’m just as guilty as any one, so if there’s any finger pointing it’d be at myself. Nonetheless, I find it sickening that we as Americans would be more willing to invest in a big screen TV than organic, pesticide-free fresh produce and quality antibiotic-free meats.

I GET it when your finances look like you can barely budge - much less make a switch to organics. DUDE, I GET THAT. I get that we live in a world where the bill collectors really couldn’t give a left foot if your family was able to eat adequate groceries. I GET that WIC in most states still doesn’t give organic or equally nutritious foods, but instead overly processed crap. Trust me, I’ve been there and done that - and I GET it all. But, where do we draw the line?

We go through the McD drive through and buy a round of burgers off of the dollar menu and feel JUSTIFIED because hey, it only cost a dollar. We walk through the produce aisle and skip over the organics that cost a dollar more and then we skip produce all together because Chef Boyardee is on sale for 10 for 10 dollars. We grab blue cardboard boxes of cereal because they promise to give our children extra vitamin C or fiber (probably in forms that won’t even digest in their systems because they aren’t natural) and we BELIEVE them. We stock up on juices with the main ingredients as water and sugars (going by many names these days), and we don’t bat an eyelash.

And then we wonder why we are so tired. Why our kids keep getting sick. Why our jeans won’t fit no matter how little we’ve been eating. Why we feel achey and why we wish we could bury ourselves beneath the covers on most days. Why we feel defeated before we even begin our day.

We wonder these things as we spoon in another mouthful of overly processed food.

But, when will it occur to us that you get what you pay for?

When will it occur to us that when you put crap IN your body, it shows. It manifests. In a million different ways.

Scientists have already shown us - proven to us - that half the junk we shove our faces with causes diabetes, cancers, depression, cardiovascular, and joint problems. We still don’t listen.

Families, School boards, hospitals - they all want to cut corners when it comes to cost - especially on food. But, what if we were discussing an un-safe vehicle, or hazardous fumes - would we cut corners then?

We try to economize everything - we may insist that we’re being economical with clothing purchases, but we’d rather be kicked in the head than wear something unfashionable. We’d rather look “cool” or “hip” or “cute” than fill our bodies with healthy nutrients. We insist we can’t afford the extra cost of organics, and yet we’re unwilling to give up the paper towels, styrofoam, plastics, and bottled water. We complain about our health but guffaw at the thought of buying locally grown produce or *gasp* growing it ourselves.

And in the end? Most of us will pay more in medical bills to FIX the problems that could’ve been avoided.

Welcome back!