My parents were not hippies. They are not environmentalists or members of a cult who think the government is out to get them. They're just people from a small town who grew cucumbers and tomatoes in our suburban backyard. So I cannot explain what made me so interested in what I eat. Well, there is one thing...

My powers of deduction.

I don't want to brag, but after careful study of popular media, rock music lyrics, the Bible and the waistline of the general public, I have concluded that what we eat can kill us in grotesque, slow ways.

Or, it can enhance the time we have, making us lighter, smarter and prettier. It's true.

I know that in some areas organic foods are hard to find and often expensive. So when I am at the grocery store buying these items I like ask myself a few questions -

How much more expensive will our health insurance be if one of us has to fight diabetes?
How much money did I spend on Taco Bell in high school?
How inconvenient is open-heart surgery?
How much do I want to see my own grandkids?

You get the picture. This little dialog usually helps me shop with confidence in the produce aisle and I hardly make an appearance at a fast food restaurant anymore unless there is no where else to find food and I am so desperate that my stomach has begun eating itself.

Eating healthy doesn't have to mean eating organic or becoming a vegetarian. In my opinion (and we all know my opinion is of great value here since it is my website) the best thing a person can do regarding their diet is to read the labels of their favorite foods and poke around a little on the internet about what they are eating. Once you find out what is in your foods, you'll naturally make better decisions. Unless you are a stupid musician living in Nashville who would eat fried socks dipped in butter and smokes two packs of Camels a day. In that case, I cannot help you.