This week begins an important documentary series on PBS exploring the socio-economic impact on the health of our culture:

It often appears that we Americans are obsessed with health. Media outlets trumpet the latest gene and drug discoveries, dietary supplements line shelf after shelf in the supermarket and a multi-billion dollar industry of magazines, videos and spas sells healthy "lifestyles." We spend more than twice what the average rich country spends per person on medical care.

Yet we have among the worst disease outcomes of any industrialized nation - and the greatest health inequities....

Our international health status has fallen radically in the last few decades. In 1980, we ranked 14th in life expectancy; by 2007, we had fallen to 29th. Our infant mortality rate lags behind 30 other countries. And illness now costs American business more than $1 trillion a year in lost productivity.

Healthy behaviors, molecular research, and of course, universal health care are all important. But evidence suggests they miss the most vital factor of all: how the social circumstances in which we are born, live and work can get under our skin and disrupt our biology as surely as germs and viruses.

We produced UNNATURAL CAUSES to draw attention to the root causes of health and illness and to help reframe the debate about health in America.

Posted by Michelle on March 25, 2008 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This Sunday evening, I'll be one of the presenters at the Geek Out Summit : "Indulge your geekiest impulses through interactive sessions with obsessively fascinated individuals"

So, my geeky impulse is (surprise) food. What I'll be discussing, in humored tone, is the chain of events in the last 50 years that lead to the current food industry, where most of our food is produced. It's actually an incredibly fascinating topic that most of us don't know anything about.

The official write up:
From Bombs to Twinkies: The fascinating history of the modern food industry in 15 minutes or less
By Michelle Zassenhaus
Author: www.themindfuleater.com, Wellness Consultant: www.zhauswellness.com

We're just now starting to awake, as a culture, from the 50-year whirlwind that resulted in the industrial food industry - in which most of our food is produced today. But what were the dizzying chain of events that created a thriving market for less-than-a-dollar food products such as twinkies? If the "Omnivore's Dilemma" is on your reading list but it just isn't happening for you, attend this entertaining 15-minute rundown instead.

Important Details:
When: THIS SUNDAY, July 22 2007, 7:30pm
Where: Monkey Town - Williamsburg, Brooklyn NY. RSVP for seats.

Note: the venue, Monkey Town, is an awesome space for audio/visual presentations (which this will be): it's a huge square room with tall ceilings and couches lining the perimeter; the visual portion is projected (huge) onto each wall, and the kind staff serves up drinks and austin-style (and quite delicious) slow food. This is the 3rd event at this space, the others being quite successful. RSVP and arrive early to save your seat.

Posted by themindfuleater on July 20, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)