Would you ever think, food contamination and depression could be linked? I definitely didn’t think they were until I read a post about a cook in a prison kitchen who encountered packaged chicken that was labeled “unfit for human consumption”. I’ve also written about it in my book, Subprime Felon: Inside Federal Prison Camp.
It’s incredible that prison institutions would allow that type of food into the prison system and never notify the inmates. Foods with that label are full of contamination and are injurious to health. Those types of foods are derived from animals that are unborn, stillborn, heavily contaminated with bacteria. According to Dr. Mercola,
“Contamination of meat by heavy metals, veterinary drugs and pesticides is a problem which the U.S. government has for the most part ignored. And while bacterial contaminants can be killed by cooking, chemical residues stay in the meat.”
This type of meat is considered unsafe and usually isn’t placed on the market for human purchase. In fact, because of that, there is a class action lawsuit at four prisons in Oregon regarding this matter. This issue creates more problems within the prison population. Heavy metals and pesticides have a lethal effect on the mind and body. It’s no wonder why so many inmates fight depression. Even after their release, depression can linger since metals and chemicals are stored within the body.
“The metals most commonly associated with depression are lead, mercury, and cadmium. These are commonly found in our environment. We can trace the origins of these particular toxins to industrial factories, dental amalgam, welding equipment, cigarette smoke, and old galvanized water pipes. Even natural medicines, such as Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine herbs, have been implicated as sources“ (Naturopathic Doctor News & Review {NDNR}).
Pesticides are known to lower brain, immune, and endocrine functions. Heavy metal toxins also affect brain functions as well as gastrointestinal and joint issues. If you’re a health nut like me, then you are concerned about the food you ate while in prison camp. Even if you didn’t go to prison, you’ll never know if your food was unfit for human consumption. However, research has found that there are some things we can do to combat this.
Heavy Metal Testing
We can get tested for heavy metals and see how much of a particular metal we are storing within our bodies. Hair most likely the best way to test since it can tell if you’ve had prior exposure to heavy metals. The longer your hair is, the better the test will be. However, if you have short hair or no hair, you can still get a blood or urine test. This test will only indicate heavy metal levels if you are currently in contact with heavy metals. If metals are found, there is a process called chelation that you can go through to remove the toxins.
Nutrition
The NDNR reports that certain minerals are effective in reducing chemicals in the body. These minerals include magnesium, selenium, zinc, calcium, and manganese. They are known to prohibit toxins from being absorbed into the cells and stop toxins from being used within the body. If you have any vitamin deficiencies, now is the time to start taking your vitamins and developing a healthier meal plan.
Proper Food Habits
If you are cooking often, make sure you follow proper protocol in the kitchen. Don’t allow your meats to stay unfrozen for more than two hours at room temperature. Don’t let uncooked poultry to stay in the fridge where its juices could drip onto other food items. Also, make sure to thoroughly cook meat to the correct temperature. Many times, prison cooking personnel are unable to follow these simple rules – if you were sick in prison, this could be the reason, if not, then maybe you should have been a germaphobe like these men I met in prison.
Supplements
If you suspect that you have trouble with depression that may be linked to unfit food, try taking vitamin C and vitamin E as they are known to help eliminate toxins rapidly. This is probably the easiest thing you could do to combat depression linked to toxins.
Remember, this world is growing larger and larger populations in every city. There aren’t enough people to properly check food contamination. There are companies worldwide that are fighting the necessary research needed to find treatments for food contamination and depression. Agricultural companies aren’t able to keep up with the demand of humans eating three times a day and prisons say they aren’t able to afford adequate food supplies, so as a human being it is up to you to make sure you are eating the best, safe food.