4 Things I Quit Consuming A Decade Ago
Here’s hoping you’ll drop them too!
- Bottled Water. The vast majority of water sold in disposable plastic bottles doesn’t come from the magical, mineral rich springs that the product’s marketing implies. A common source is the same municipal water that flows the through the taps in our homes. Some corporations do drain water from public lands, however, wreaking havoc on natural ecosystems, before trucking the hijacked water into private factories for packaging to be marketed as a smart, healthy choice and sold at a hefty profit to unsuspecting consumers. To borrow a phrase, “Just say no.” I’m not even going down the rabbit hole of plastic from bottles leaching into the water or polluting the planet; I’ll settle for alluding to it.
2) Soft Drinks. Whether you call it soda or pop, these carbonated beverages are one of the primary drivers for the meteoric rise in chronic illnesses that plague so many people in Western societies at younger and younger ages. Sugary drinks have little, if any, nutritional value for humans. Fructose, particularly high-fructose corn syrup, is rocket fuel for metabolic syndrome, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes.
3) Microwave Popcorn. The persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the bags used to microwave popcorn are known as “forever” chemicals because they break down very slowly. They are also water soluble, which means they will eventually make their way into the water we use, our oceans, lakes, rivers and streams. The rainfall. Not only do these toxic chemicals persist in the environment, they bioaccumulate in the body increasing our toxic load while depleting valuable detoxifying resources.
4) Cable Television. Once bringing variety and edge to television that traditional broadcast networks didn’t provide, cable tv is distraction 24/7. Through the ubiquitous drone of reductionist narratives, this all-pervasive medium mostly serves to undermine critical thinking nowadays. Cable “news” is a captured megaphone of contrived consensus that can be damaging to democracy — regardless of the channel — delivered by pandering, partisan, ratings-chasing networks that are effectively controlled by corporate advertisers whose chief objective is to drive viewers toward consumption and as far away from awareness as possible.
Now I’d be lying if I told you that I never drink water from plastic bottles, eat popcorn that’s been microwaved or watch cable tv. Since the body and mind can handle the occasional indulgence or diversion, I’m not worried about that. Usually, it’ll happen during travel, family get togethers, holidays or celebrations. The key, to me, is no longer having the temptation of those things in my home.
Cable television was an expense without value for me when streaming became a reliable option, so I dropped it early in the 2010s. I also invested in a Berkey water purification system and a stainless steel Whirley-Pop stovetop popcorn maker (please do not buy the cheaper aluminum one!) since I LOVE popcorn and want to stay in charge of my own health. I’m not endorsing either of these products, by the way. I’m sure you’ll find something that suits you when you do your own research.
I weigh 5 pounds more than I did when I played sports in high school. And I’m happy to say that I don’t take meds. I don’t believe either statement would be true had I not recognized the harm I would avoid by excising these 4 things from my life a decade ago. Next summer, I’ll be 60 years old.
If you’re still subscribing to cable and consistently putting soft drinks, bottled water and microwave popcorn into your grocery cart, I hope you’ll consider making alternative choices. Ten years down the line, like me, I bet you’ll be glad you did.
— DT
