introduction
The effects of consumption on health.
Beware of what you eat
You are what you eat
It is important to know what you put in your mouth, how it is produced and what is inside.
But also, in more general: One should know which products you use, what they are made of, and how they are manufactured.
Not everything you buy is edible, but still it can, directly, or indirectly, affect your health by the way the items are produced.
The way people produce food and items, vary all over the world, and changed over time. I think one should be aware of these changes.
Why is this knowledge so important?
Salvadora persica
One day I bought some Miswak wood. Chewing on it would be good for your teeth. A few weeks later my husband went to the dentist because one of his teeth was broken. The dentist and his colleagues discussed whether this toothbrush method is only meant for people with African genes. The dentist explained that although it is often said that african people have stronger teeth, this is only true for 20%.
In his career he has helped many homeless people in the Netherlands.among them there were people from all over the world. Some of them had perfect teeth when they came here, but because of the change in diet (less whole grains, no more fresh fruit) their teeth started to deteriorate.
This happened a few years ago, and it made me think about how people look at food these days. Where I live, many people find cooking time consuming. They rather buy prepared meals in the supermarket and shove them in the microwave. Eating is an uncomfortable necessity for them, and not something to enjoy or make you feel fit and healthy.
Maybe you think; “That it is their own business”. But this trend results in the fact that I have to walk for miles every day, because so many grocery stores, butchers, and bakeries have disappeared.
If you don’t make cokin a hobby, you won't get a decent meal on your table. (Some people don't even own a table.)
I have seen things changing in the place where I live since 1990. But how is this in other places? What consumption habits does one have in the rest of Holland, or even further to the south; belgium, France, and Spain?
Besides food we also consume goods like clothes, furniture, electronics. Did these habits change as well, and can we find differences between regions?
To investigate this, my first plan was to start walking from Leiden to Santiago de Compostela. (Ok; maybe I would hop on a bus when it would rain ;-)). During this voyage I would stay at different places to earn some money. In the meanwhile I would be able to study people's consumption habits.
Considering Corona this research method is not an option now. I decided to do my travelling virtually. Google Maps will have to assist me.
