Two days in to my Lenten project to follow Michael Pollan’s Food Rules—adding a rule or two a day.

I thought I’d just head over to Outpost Natural Foods and dig around in my refrigerator and pantry and easily follow the initial set of rules. The first set in the “eat food” section tell me to eat old-fashioned regular food like my great-grandparents would have recognized and to avoid artificial sweeteners. Michael Pollan's  rational for avoiding high-fructose corn syrup is uncharacteristically stilted; perhaps the high-fructose people would come after him if he said more. A wiser person might follow follow suit and say no more. Not me. I was wondering who is behind the new pro high-fructose corn syrup commercials. I found one of the promoters is the  Center for Consumer Freedom.
 They do not say who they are or who bankrolls their campaigns—only that corporations and individuals are members. I wonder how individuals join them if they are secret about who they are? Some of my facebook friends have discussed this issue. Also see another POV:




I’d imagined that giving up my diet coke would be shatteringly difficult. No big problems except for when I thoughtlessly grabbed one from the garage and started gulping. With a mouth full of beloved carbonated chemicals I had to choose between a swallow or a guilty spit take. I opted for the swallow. Thoughtlessly is the key word here. I have not paid attention. I also pretended not to notice all the one-use cans and bottles. Even though we recycle, this is a wasteful practice I’ve refused to acknowledge. Most days I'm just trying to make it through my to-do list, and I don't want to agonize over every move I make. 


My coffee creamer had to go because it violates all the rules thus far. At only 15 calories, I loved my creamer , and because of the small quantity used  I hadn’t given thought to may daily consumption of this product that includes partially hydrogenated oil, sodium casinate, maldodextrine, dipotassium phosphate, and 7 or 8 more ingredients that never show their face in a pantry cupboard. My creamer is not food—It does not follow the rules. My bottled salad dressing is free of artificial sweeteners. I thought I was home free. I felt smug reading the ingredient list that included mustard seed and rice wine vinegar. The very last ingredient was xanthan gum. So it's out. I also couldn’t eat the multi-grain wraps in the fridge because of a big list of ingredients that sound like they belong in chem lab.



So what have I been eating?



I put half and half in my coffee—wonder if I’ll gain weight? I did a weigh in –so Ill tell you how it goes.

Steel cut oatmeal

Whole grain bread with a short rule-adhearing list of ingredients

Peanut butter made from peanuts and salt

Organic free-range and what seemed like very expensive chicken. Although if I only eat 3-4oz per serving the $11 pricetag for the boneless 2 lbs of meat comes to less than $1.40 a serving. To be honest I never would have caculated three pieces  should be cut into 8 servings if not for the price.

Winter greens from Will Allen’s Growing Power

Oil and vinegar—which I don’t like. I miss the sweet. I need an alternative .

Homemade leek and potato soup. I made a rue with butter and half and half. The creamy soup was so good that my family, who did not want to take part in this project, did want to eat that soup.

Organic carrots

Tea

Honey

I considered buying tuna. When I saw that great bread and Growing power greens I entertained thoughts of a tuna sandwich. I read up on what tuna might be safe to buy—safe for me and safe for the tuna—and although no one is saying that all tuna is to be avoided at all costs, after I did my research and wrote articles I couldn’t bring myself to buy tuna.

Tomorrow we are planning dinner out to celebrate some family birthdays. I am not choosing the restaurant. I will adopt a few more rules and try to figure out how to eat at this restaurant.

Wondering if Pollan knows about this blog? I emailed him and received this personal response from our hero:

"Because of the volume of email I'm currently receiving, I can no longer respond to every email. Rest assured, however, that your letter has been read -- and is greatly appreciated. Thanks for your interest
in my work.



Sincerely,

Michael Pollan"

I'm now the Kathy Griffin of bloggers!

Food Rules Experiment

I’m beginning this blog by documenting my experience with implementing Michael Pollan’s Food Rules. This is my Lenten project. I admit that this is not a traditional religious experience, but I think that 46 days of exploring his 64 rules of eating a diet that is healthier and lighter on the planet is a worthy exercise in opposition to the Western diet of easy self indulgence.

I also write as a National Green Living Examiner, but the experiential nature of these posts isn’t quite right for that venue. I’m sure these posts will generate article ideas for that site. When applicable, I’ll link to those articles.



I’ve been Michael Pollan fan since I read the Botany of Desire. He keeps churning out books about place and food. His ability to amalgamate science and humanistic implications consistently captivates me. He’s authored books about gardening, building, and several about understanding food and eating. He also contributed to the documentaries Food Inc and King Corn.



Michael Pollan books include:



• A Place of My Own: The Education of an Amateur Builder Second Nature: A Gardener's Education

• The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals

• The Omnivore's Dilemma for Kids: The Secrets Behind What You Eat

• A Place of My Own: The Architecture of Daydreams

• In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto

• Food Rules: An Eater's Manual





Although Food Rules synthesizes much of his findings about diet, I don’t recommend it as a starter book for enjoying Pollan’s work. If like me, you’ve been wondering if your relationship with food is as healthy as it could be you might want to try to follow his rules too. I’m wondering, no I’m not wondering. I recognize that my diet is not as light on the earth as it could be. And consequently, I’m not as light as I should be.

I recently wrote a review of Food Rules for the Wisconsin Sierra Club and in the process became motivated to make a change. Coincidentally, I told my husband I was going to give up sweets for Lent before I'd read this book . But now I’ve decided to go a bit further. I’m adopting Pollan’s Food Rules—adding on one or two a day-- and writing about it. I will not be repeating all is rules in the blog, rather responding to them. So if you’d like to follow along, buy the book. At the outset,  I'm planning to write about twice a week, but we will see if that is enough. Watch for new editions of the Food Rule Experiment. Starting tomorrow I’ll be blogging a few times a week about this journey.

Oh--I asked my husband and son if they were in or out.  They both said "out."