Weekend movies & the bohemian lifestyle.
Chris and I watched two movies last weekend. The first time in awhile we took the time to lounge, eat ice cream, and enjoy a couple great movies. First we watched: Finding Neverland. Loved this film. About writing and dreams and imagination and living and dying. Makes me want to read Peter Pan - especially since my only association with it is the Disney movie. It will go on my list.
The second movie we watched and seriously made an impact on my life: Super Size Me.
Have you seen this documentary? You should.
[ READER BEWARE: the following comments could be considered radical. ]
Made me think long and hard about the kinds of THINGS (read not real food) I have put into my body over the years. I am now officially on a REAL FOOD campaign. We made the decision earlier this year to make the change to organic fruits and vegetables - this was mainly due to Simon's diagnosis and our desire to get rid of the things that he just does not need in his diet. I have been reading labels - looking for ingredients that occur naturally, that I can pronounce.
But I have still been eating fast food and other items that are processed and modified and enhanced and filled with sugar and fat. All those foods that taste so damn good and make you want more and more.
After seeing this movie last weekend I will not be visiting fast food restaurants again. YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT.
I have been lovingly called bohemian in the past. Looked it up today:
BOHEMIAN
2: unconventional in especially appearance and behavior; "a bohemian life style"
3: a nonconformist writer or artist who lives an unconventional life
I guess wanting to eat real, whole foods is unconventional these days. Bring it on. I want to feel good and put things into my body that feed my brain, my heart, my soul. So I'll keep you posted.
So, Cathy and Donna - no more BK on our adventures.
hmmm...i think i've been avoiding the movie. not wanting to give up my sinful delights...maybe I'll give the documentary a go - my waistline sure could use it!
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good for you! i haven't supported mcd's in any way in over 10 years. our family is vegetarian, so no fast food for us, aside from subway. the hardest thing for me to give up was their fries. someone asked how i did it, "didn't you like them?" "yes, i replied, but i like ME better." same as when we boycot something -- sure, we may like it... but we like justice more.
jmho :)
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Ali,
I wanted to comment about both of your movies.
First, Finding Neverland- Wonderful movie. My sister died last year leaving an active boy in our custody. The movie really hit home about having dreams.
Super Size Me!!! This really opened our eyes to what we are eating. Wow! I can't believe what fast food can do to our bodies.
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Awesome for you and your family, ALi !
Reading FIT FOR LIFE about 10 years ago changed my life. I never liked fast foods outlets and never liked McD, Burger King and such. But I got interested in organic foods, which tastes so much better and are so much more accessible now that they were 10 years ago, at least here in Canada.
Whenever I travel in the States, I always check the yellow pages for the health food stores and go buy my food there instead of going to the restaurants. I also always check the labels for contents in foods as so many companies nowadays uses words like "healthy, natural, etc" and when one checks the labels, I read processed, enriched, etc, which means that the nutritional quality has been taken away from the foods.
I ate healthy and organic all during my pregnancy, including replacements for milk and milk products. I thought it was the best gift I could give to my unborn child. He has hardly ever been sick, no colics either.
Just a little story here. When I was pregnant with my son, a friend of mine asked me what would happen with my son when I got invited to his friends' birthday parties that would be at McDonald's. She was horrified that he would have never been to McD. !!! I told her that he would go to McDo and bring his own food or we'd cross that bridge when we'd get to it. But I thought it was so peculiar to see people horrified that McD. would not be a part of my child's life. There are much more important and valid things in life than McD.
I think that what time and money people save by going at McDo, they pay back way more in their children's behaviour, attention span, concentration and HEALTH ! Raising children is all about giving them the best education, and that in my opinion also means food education !
Keep up your good work in eating better, Ali ! THe payoffs are so extraordinary !
Danielle
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I find cleansing is a great way to feel healthy and get rid of all the toxins in my body. I am currently doing a five day fast with an, um, colon cleanse. It's called Blessed Herbs. It's pretty intense, but there's nothing like a little spring cleaning!
Best of luck with your organic food adventures.
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Ali- Yeah for you and your family! I haven't eaten fast food for 8 years now and I don't miss it one bit! I don't even consider it food. I watched Super Size Me a couple of months ago and I think every school should show this movie and it should be required for every human on the planet to see this!! It's amazing how when you get off the junk your taste buds change and you don't really want the junk anymore. That stuff is loaded with chemicals that makes your body crave it. Anyway I just wanted to tell you I think your post is awesome and I'm excited to hear about your real food journey. :)
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Whole foods are getting less unconventional. Or at least the stores that sell whole foods . . . but perhaps everyone likes the ideal of health and vitality and buys them and then the veggies just rot in the veggie bin while we drive through the McDonald's drivethrough? Ha.
But seriously, down here in SoCal, where we've always been a bit "out there," whole foods are becoming the norm for people who can afford them and take the time to plan the better meals.
But it shouldn't cost more to eat better. Does this bug you? It bugs me.
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Our 10 Year old watched it with us and has yet to eat another chicken nugget after the part on how McD's makes Chicken Nuggets.
Did you hear that him and his wife are doing another documentary? Showing a couple living on minimum wage for 30days in America.
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Hi Ali! I've seen both movies. I didn't really get 'Finding Neverland', but my parents just loved it. While on vacation I stumbled upon 'Super Size' me when I was searching for movies in our hotel room. I hate fast food/processed food and HARDLY ever eat it so this movie just affirmed everything I previously knew... it also really opened my eyes to all the campaigning these companies use and how they make deals with high schools. So sad!
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Oh my freakin' heck! I have been "sorta" on this campaign, as well (read with VERY little success). I am a junk-food-aholic and believe me it shows (read big butt and big gut)
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