Gosh if we had a dollar for every time we have heard ““It Didn’t Hurt Me As A Child”… well let’s just say we’d be swimming in dollars – lol

“You are what you eat” – that was a big statement going around when I was a child…

But although it may not have ‘hurt’ you as a child – how are things today?

🤔 Is there any cancer in the family?
🤔 What about hormone issues?
🤔 How’s the blood pressure, heart disease?
🤔 And overall health???

We have two major goals here at additive-free lifestyle which are:

1: Education
2: Awareness

So, let’s look at some stats:

  • During the past 50 years, the amount of synthetic dye used in foods has increased by 500%.
  • Food colour ingredients market size to cross $3,759 million by 2027
  • The global food additives market size was valued at USD $118757.56 million in 2021 ($118.75756 billion) and is expected to reach USD $161718.45 million by 2027.  It is a profitable business to be in!
  • Out of 10 babies’ umbilical cord blood tested, scientists found 287 chemicals.  Of the 287 chemicals they detected in umbilical cord blood, they know that 180 cause cancer in humans or animals, 217 are toxic to the brain and nervous system, and 208 cause birth defects or abnormal development in animal tests.

Hummm – “so a little bit didn’t hurt me as a child” doesn’t really stack up for us because the decisions being made back then, and all the decisions that have been made since, now see us in the situation we are today with our health care systems overflowing and in a crisis point.

As a society, we are consuming more processed foods than EVER before. Our children are growing up with the notion that meals come from packets, and snacks are plastic-wrapped goodies. The art of cooking from scratch and the joy of growing fresh fruits and vegetables in the backyard, experiences that were commonplace for our grandparents, are becoming rare.

Next time you hear someone say “It didn’t hurt me as a child” ask them …

  • When did they have their first Zooper Dooper?  18 months old?  Two?
  • How old were they when they had McDonalds?  And how often did their parents buy it?

Macca’s didn’t even come into the country until 1971 and that was in Sydney…

  • KFC came to Sydney in 1961
  • Pizza Hut was 1970
  • Hungry Jacks was 1971

They were all in Sydney and not as readily available as they are today!

Let’s look at kids’ sport:

  • Cut up oranges and water were the choices available to us as kids.  These days kids are drinking brightly coloured sports drinks and offered lollies.  When did fruit disappear?
  • Fish and chips was the take-away of choice, I can’t remember growing up with ‘drive-thru’ as the norm, and let’s not go down the path of Uber Eats with pretty much anything delivered at any time of the day.

This is the grim reality of today. Our children are ingesting more processed food than any generation before them. So, when someone tells you, “It didn’t hurt me as a child”, don’t hesitate to stand your ground. You have every right to reject food that might have adverse effects on your health, without fearing judgment. After all, you are the one who will bear the consequences of consuming that food.

We want to emphasize that this episode is not meant to shame anyone. We’ve all been there, making less-than-perfect choices, and none of us are completely without fault. But it’s essential to be aware and understand the implications of the phrase “a little bit won’t hurt.” Whether it’s a splash of perfume or a dash of food color, these “little bits” can add up and do matter. So, if you’re on a journey to reduce your toxic load or cook more at home, know that your efforts are valid. When faced with comments like these, feel empowered to say, “It does matter to me and my family, and today, I choose to say no.”

If this episode struck a chord with you, or if you know someone who could benefit from this information, don’t hesitate to share it with them. And if you’ve enjoyed this or any of our previous episodes, we’d be thrilled if you could leave us a review on your favorite podcast app. Your feedback not only helps us improve but also aids in bringing our podcast to more listeners like you.

Much love,
Jo & Tracey x