Blog Action & World Food Day 2013

Today, Oct. 16, is blog action day, "a free annual event, that has run since 2007. It’s aim is to unite the world’s bloggers by posting about the same issue, on the same day, in order to raise awareness and trigger a positive global discussion around an important issue that impacts us all, raises awareness or even funds for not-for-profits associated to the theme issue."

This year, the theme is Human Rights.  As a health and nutrition blogger, I have participated in the water, food, and power of we themes over the years.  Human Rights is a very important topic for us to write about and this year Amnesty International is a partner.  Amnesty's vision is for every person to enjoy all the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards..  A short interview with Salil Shetty, who is the Secretary General of Amnesty International, gave me perspective on how lucky I am to be able to blog and express my opinions on-line.  We take it for granted that we can share photos, recipes, thoughts, and beliefs with the rest of the world.  Freedom of expression wasn't even on my mind when I was thinking about this year's topic.

I was thinking about the right to have food, or food security (when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life), which is mentioned in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights:

Article 25.

(1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control. 

Many of the rights that Canadians enjoy are the same things that you may hear people complain about - the right to own property, the right to work, the right to rest and leisure, the right to education.  We forget how lucky we are.  One reason I love to travel is that it reminds me of these things and causes me to think beyond possessions.  I can do a lot more to give back, but one way I currently reach out is through kiva - to allow access to capital to help people improve their own lives.

Today is also World Food Day, another reminder that we have so much and yet there is poverty all around us.  This year's focus is "Sustainable Food Systems for Food Security and Nutrition" (read more).  The food is there, but we have extremes of people eating too much in some parts of the world and people going hungry in others.  Below is a video on hunger...



To help end hunger, I have decided to fundraise for Canadian Feed the Children - please join me and make a donation.  Click the "Help Support Stephanie Langdon, Click Here to Donate" link on the top right corner of my fundraising page to be sure that your donation is included in my fundraising efforts and reflected on my goal meter.

Comment to let me know what you're doing for Blog Action Day, World Food Day, and to help end hunger.

Cheers,
Steph Langdon, RD
something nutrishus counselling & coaching
www.nutrishus.com

Feeding the World

I was able to attend a lecture last night that fits quite well with the topics discussed on World Food Day and Blog Action Day.  Raj Patel was in Saskatoon for the Whelen Visiting Lecture series.  His talk was titled How to Feed the World.  The award winning writer, activist, and academic drew quite the crowd.  The room at the Bessborough Hotel was filled to standing room only.

Raj provided us with a history of the green revolution to help us understand the current state of obesity and starvation in the world.  The green revolution was originally designed to fight communism and deals with seeds, population control, and state support.  He also talked about the World Bank and economic structural adjustments that it applies to countries (such as decreased government funding for healthcare, education, and agriculture).

He talked about the "free market" which only has willing buyers, not willing sellers and continues to leave countries undeveloped and in poverty.  Raj is quite interested in Malawi and discussed how the community has come together to avoid the need to purchase expensive fertilizers.  The farmers have been given the ability to experiment and come up with new techniques and have since increased production by 20%.  This brought on the topic of food sovereignty which is when communities make decisions about their own food and agricultural policies.

Raj made interesting connections such as violence against women and hunger.  He said that 60% of the people going hungry in the world are women and girls.  Thus, when agriculture is successful, women are harvesting more and things like breastfeeding fall off.  Again, this is where communities coming together can create change.  In Malawi they have recipe days where the women come together and cook, but also communicate and share frustrations and thus are able to move towards change.

Yes, the disparity and huge differences between the obese and the starving come down to distribution and equality, but many people struggle to know where they can help.  The things that stood out most to me in the lecture were the ways that Raj described our current situation - we're expecting countries to develop, but we're not letting them control their food systems.  He talked about not letting the food system control us, because we have come to see that as normal.  In order to create social change, Raj encouraged the room to dream differently, think outside the structures that think us, break a law everyday, and do the work that needs to be done (and the work that needs to be done is unpaid).

There are so many issues that can be linked back to food security - violence against women, education of women, etc.  We need to help in all of these areas, but we also need to let countries create a sense of community and have a say in what is right for them.

For those of you who missed the lecture, they mentioned that you will be able to stream it on the U of S Centre for Continuing and Distance Education website and it will also be on cbc television.  

Steph Wheler, RD
something nutrishus counselling & coaching
www.nutrishus.com

Let's Talk About Food

Today is World Food Day and Blog Action Day.  As a Registered Dietitian I talk and read about food daily.  My clients are often wanting an understanding of what healthy eating looks like in their life or for their sport.  For some people the issue is access to and availability of food - this is called food security.  Food is a basic human right and we need food to survive in this world.  The World Food Summit of 1996 defined food security as existing “when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life.”

I strive to help people lead healthy lives now and in the future.  A part that I don't forget, but often am not focused on is those who do not have access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food.  We are surrounded by food on every corner in our society.  Obesity and overweight seem to be overshadowing underweight as children are spending more time with electronic devices and are becoming less active.  Food plays such a large part of traditions, celebrations, cultures, and for most of us food is consumed a couple of times every day. 

It becomes a habit and as we search the cupboard or fridge wondering what to eat, we may forget that many people do not have a cupboard or fridge to look through. 

For today's post I wanted to share a couple of questions with my answers, feel free to comment with yours!


1) What is your favourite food? Right now it would be cherries or raspberries (but they're harder to get in the Fall and Winter).

2) Would you choose sweet or salty? I am definitely more of a sweet tooth and enjoy the occasional dark chocolate.

3) What is your signature dish? When I have a family I would love to be known for making great soup and lasagna.

4) What ethical and mindful food choices do you make? We purchase the CHEP Good Food Box regularly, get free trade coffee beans from 10,000 villages, occasionally shop at the farmer's market, and try to support local restaurants.   

Steph Wheler, RD
something nutrishus counselling & coaching 
www.nutrishus.com