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Spending hours in the kitchen straining, blending, and dehydrating my groceries so I can "enjoy" a feast of dried banana chips and pureed carrots is not my idea of an afternoon well spent. Despite the dedication required and the unappealing menu, the Raw Foods lifestyle has been gaining more and more followers. Strict devotees of the diet survive on uncooked foods such as fresh vegetables, berries, and nuts, while some less strict followers add the occasional cooked fish to their meal plan. The basic principle behind the seemingly dramatic diet is simple: Ancient man had no Cheez-its or Reese's Puffs, so neither should modern man. The human body was not made to digest the toxins found in many of the foods we eat, leaving us feeling sluggish, irritable, and 17 pounds heavier than our ideal weight. By feeding the body what it naturally craves, you can increase energy, acquire a glowing complexion, drop a few pounds, and ultimately attain better physical health.
While I realize that not everyone shares the same devotion to self-discipline as do devotees of the Raw Foods Diet, many of us do still strive to maintain a healthy lifestyle. We often do this by opting for things that say "all natural" on the label because we have been inculcated with the idea that, as George Orwell or one of his barnyard friends might say, "Natural good. Processed bad." We know our bodies were not particularly made to digest sodium aluminum sulfate, fumaric acid, or red dye 38, so many of us try to stay away from these highly processed foods as much as possible. This obsession with living as organically as possible, however, seems to be confined to the kitchen. Many of us simply ignore the health risks of our seemingly innocuous daily routines. While we may strive to embrace our ancestors' diet, we still continue to mutilate our bodies in other ways in the interest of self-improvement.
In the world of fashion, high heels are king. While the immediate confidence boost provided by slipping on a new pair of stilettos is undeniable, the health risks may not be worth it. According to the American Podiatric Medical Association, the possible risks of prolonged usage include back problems, knee injuries, and hammer toes, not to mention what I like to call, the ever attractive, "high-heel wobble," defined by a woman's incessant need to jut her arms out in an attempt to balance herself and avoid the inevitable trip, slip, or tumble. Podiatrist, Teisha Chiarelli asserts that many of these problems arise because wearing high heels forces the body to assume an unnatural position. The hips and bottom are forced back, out of line with the rest of the body, the toes are smashed into a tiny space, and, with excessive wear, the calf muscles actually become shorter. We are dramatically changing our anatomy in the name of beauty, and the results are often extremely painful.
An unfortunate side effect of high heels
Donning a pair of spindly shoes is not the only way in which we embrace the unnatural in the pursuit of physical perfection. Makeup not only can cause significant damage to one's skin, but according to an article on the Women's Health Resource website, "chemicals in makeup have been linked to cancer, immune dysfunction, and depression." Think about it: cosmetic manufacturers' aim is to sell a product, so oftentimes, they may mislead the consumer into falsely believing they are purchasing something that will improve their health. Companies are not necessarily concerned with the long-term effects these products may have on consumers. When a product seems too good to be true, it probably is. Though some companies, like Physicians Formula, have introduced newer, seemingly healthier cosmetic alternatives, we must still be conscious of the potential health risks of the unnatural ingredients we slather onto our skin on a daily basis, all in the seemingly never-ending pursuit of a wrinkle-free face and tan skin.
In light of current trends, it seems as though we enjoy living as raw as possible, but only when it enhances our appearance. When the natural alternatives do nothing for our looks, we are more than willing to abandon these components of the natural lifestyle. Adding more fruits and vegetables to our diet will improve our skin and our measurements. Trading heels for flats and tanner for a sunhat, however, will make us short, stumpy, and pale, so we are less likely to make the swaps. If devotees of the raw foods diet are, in fact, concerned with going back to their ancient roots, touting the benefits of a natural lifestyle, they should consider generalizing these practices to other areas of their lives. Of course, it would be criminal to dispose of all of my beautiful shoes and to subject all those around me to the frightening reality that is my naturally pale skin, but I will try to be more conscious of the effects of my diet, shoe choice, and makeup application can have on my 21st century body.
