by Matt Weik
Take a look at society today. Over 60% of American’s are overweight. What can that be contributed to? For starters, lack of exercise and nutritional self-control. While we have to take responsibility for our own actions, lifestyle, and choices, when do we get to start redirecting SOME of the blame and demand change?
All of us have a need to go to the grocery store during the week to pick up food for our families. Many of us have already thought this, but why if the government is so concerned about our health do they allow poor food choices to be so inexpensive, yet healthy foods you almost need to refinance your mortgage to pay for a month’s worth of food? Some cities have passed or are in the process of trying to pass bills that tax unhealthy sugary drinks by the ounce. People are all up in arms about the prices going up on their favorite sodas. Yet, they shouldn’t be drinking them in the first place.
But when does some of the blame need to be put on companies who know they are selling products that are detrimental to the health of Americans? Do we really need candy which is simply hardened sugar with artificial flavors and colors? Do we really need Twinkies that have no nutritional value at all? Do we need regular sodas flooded with high fructose corn syrup? The answer is simple—No. You might as well label the product as diabetes in a can and obesity wrapped in plastic and foil. So when do we as a society stand up for our health and go to these companies and brands and tell them we want to see a change? Let me rephrase that, not that we want to see a change, but we demand a change. But it has to start with us. All of us. You can’t talk out of both sides of your mouth and demand healthier choices at competitive prices then pull up to the gas station and run in for a soda and candy bar to eat before your meetings that day. It can’t work that way. They win if you do that.
This raises another question. Have we reformatted the way we think and act because we have left these poor food choices and brands affect our lives through deceptive marketing and making you feel good about purchasing their products when in the end the products are truly trying to kill you slowly? The negative effects the body goes through when we eat junk should scare us all. So when is enough, enough? We can’t directly tell manufacturers what margins they need to work off of or what ingredients need to go into their products but what we can do is make a choice not to buy from a certain manufacturer if they don’t align with our views and health goals.
Stop letting brands that are selling you garbage win. Take a stand and refuse to give them your hard-earned money if they don’t align with your end goals for purchasing their product. While they have the freedom to sell pretty much anything they want, we have the freedom of choice. If all of us make the choice that we demand change and refuse to purchase products from a particular brand, they will get the point that they need to realign if they are continually losing sales to competitors who are putting out products that we want. So write to companies and tell them what you’d like to see changed in their products. Call them on the phone and talk to whoever you can and ask for a change. After all, WE are what puts money in their pockets. Without us, they will simply go out of business and disappear. We ultimately hold the power. Now what are you going to do with it?
