Food & Water: Is Something Wrong?
American food & water is poisoned.
Yes, it’s a tragic truth. Obesity, diabetes, heart failure, and cancer run rampant through American society. Metabolic dysfunction, inflammation, food intolerance, allergies, and gastrointestinal issues are increasingly common in the west. However, it’s not supposed to be this way.
Food and water both have direct effects on our health, and are the primary factors in determining good or bad health outcomes. For this blog post we will specifically focus on food & water. Follow-up posts on general health will include a broader scope with lifestyle & pharmaceutical impacts.
Yes, something is wrong.
America has some of the worst health outcomes around the globe, and the largest health care budget. So, why is our population's health so bad if we have the “best” medicine and doctors? And why is the food and water poisoned? Multiple things are occurring simultaneously. The list below includes what I think are some the most important factors driving these issues, related specifically to food and water (this list is not all inclusive):
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Herbicides & pesticides
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Seed oils
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Vaccines
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Antibiotics
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Ultra processing
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Heavy metals
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Artificial ingredients
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Microplastics
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Genetic modification
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Fluoride
We could write entire books based on each of these points, so I’m going to briefly summarize a few of them below.
Before we get into the weeds, it’s important to note that I am not a doctor. I recommend you do your own research and seek out reliable, non-traditional, sources such as Dr. Paul Saladino, Dr. Casey Means, and The Holistic Nick (can be followed on X), among many others, for more information.
I have, however, spent the last several years extensively researching food, water, and health. I have tried a multitude of doctors, diets, detoxification protocols, supplements, lifestyle changes, and pharmaceutical drugs (not recommended), in order to address chronic illness stemming from the factors mentioned above.
Traditional / conventional modern day doctors are basically taught at universities to disregard food and water. They typically learn very little, if any, about these topics in school. When it comes to chronic illness, they also learn very little, and are often unequipped to address ongoing issues. Why? Because, they are taught to focus on how pharmaceutical drugs can be used to treat symptoms rather than to seek the root cause of an illness.
This is all to say, if you suffer from chronic illness, it might not be an easy fix. Information online and recommendations from “experts” is often confusing, and typically does more harm than good. Is that fair? No, of course not. But the silver lining is, we can identify this fact and begin to address it ourselves. We can treat chronic illness before it causes further problems. These issues are reversible.
So, what’s wrong with this stuff?
Herbicides & pesticides
What are they used for?
-Killing off and deterring bugs and other pests
-Killing off weeds
Why are they bad?
-The poison goes directly into your food, or runs off into your food from where it was sprayed. There’s a reason why they wear hazmat suits when spraying this stuff…
Seed oils
Why are they bad?
-They were created about 120 years ago as machine lubricant
-Highly processed, refined, and unstable
-Directly linked to nearly all chronic diseases
Ultra-processing
Why is it bad?
-Depletes micronutrients
-Mechanically and chemically broken down
-Promotes inflammation through oxidation and insulin spikes
Mid-1900's Crisco ad - It's digestible!
This is a very brief summary and only touches the tip of the iceberg. Research all of them, dig deep, and obtain your own knowledge.
Below, I list, what I believe to be, the highest, medium to low, and lowest, food quality standards. This is based on current American food quality. Hypothetically, most food would be fine if it wasn’t for the poor American food system, processing, and manipulation currently in place.
Highest Food Quality Standards:
-Organic (no synthetic pesticides or fertilizers)
-Non-GMO (not genetically modified)
-No antibiotics, hormones, or vaccines
-Locally grown, raised, and sourced
-Unprocessed
-Raw & unpasteurized (dairy)
-Home cooked
-100% grass fed and finished (red meat)
-Pasture raised / non corn & soy fed (poultry and eggs)
-Wild caught seafood
-Naturally occurring sea salt
-Single ingredient foods
-Naturally sourced fats and oils with low processing (tallow, butter, ghee, etc.)
-All natural ingredients
Medium to Low Food Quality Standards:
-Local & high end restaurant bought / cooked
-Free range (poultry and eggs)
-Grain fed or grain finished (red meat)
-Farm raised fish (not recommended, but still better than processed food)
Lowest Food Quality Standards & Ingredients:
-Fast food
-Vegetable & seed oils (canola, soybean, corn, sunflower, sesame, safflower, etc.)
-Non-organic
-Hormones, antibiotics, and vaccines
-Processed / ultra processed
-GMO’s (genetically modified)
-Heavy metals
-Microplastics
-Artificial ingredients
-Pasteurized (dairy)
-Contains gluten
-Bleached flour
-Caged & cage free / corn & soy fed (poultry and eggs)
-Processed added sugar
-Processed table salt
-High fructose corn syrup
Note: If you stick to all natural food, but it’s not up to the highest quality standard, you’re still going to be better off than consuming the lowest food quality. I did not include bread because I don’t eat it. However, homemade bread from high quality ingredients can be an option.
Food
So what food is healthy? If you were like me, the lowest food quality list just eliminated 99% of your diet, refrigerator, and food pantry.
Over the past several years, here’s what I’ve personally found to be the best options:
Oils & Fat (All organic)
Best:
-Unrefined cold pressed extra virgin coconut oil
-Grass fed beef tallow
-Grass fed butter
-Grass fed ghee (clarified butter w/o lactose)
OK, but not ideal (undergoes oxidation when heated):
-Extra virgin olive oil from single origin in a dark glass bottle (probably sourced from Spain or Italy)
-100% cold pressed & unrefined avocado oil from single origin in a dark glass bottle
Red Meat (all Organic)
Lamb: Grass fed & finished
Wild Game
Beef: Grass fed and finished (100%)
-Ground beef
-Steak
-Roast
-Organs (heart, liver, kidney, etc.)
-Broth
Poultry (All organic)
-Chicken (I prefer dark chicken): Pasture raised or free range (if needed), antibiotic and hormone free, corn and soy free (ideal, but can be difficult to find)
-Eggs: Pasture raised, local, corn and soy free, antibiotic and hormone free
-Turkey: Pasture raised or free range (if needed), antibiotic and hormone free
Seafood
-Wild caught fish
-Oysters
-Wild caught shellfish
Dairy (all Organic)
-Raw, local, A2, non-homogenized
-Low temp pasteurized (prefer raw)
-Raw milk kefir
-Raw yogurt
-Colostrum
Fruit (all Organic)
-Strawberry
-Blueberry
-Blackberry
-Raspberry
-Pineapple
-Banana
-Orange (juice)
-Pomegranate (juice)
-Coconut (water)
-Zucchini
-Squash
-Green beans
Vegetables (all Organic & cooked)
-Sweet potato
-Potato
-Carrots
-Broccoli (not my preferred)
Grains (all Organic)
-White, jasmine, or basmati rice
Local Honey (Organic & glyphosate free)
Other (all Organic)
-Dark chocolate, 85%+ cocoa (w/ raw cane sugar if added)
-Fermented vegetable’s
Water
Our water is contaminated with a variety of harmful elements (PFA’s, lead, arsenic, microplastics, prescription drugs, etc). These creep in, either, by the recirculation of contaminants, or on purpose. Fluoride for example, is pumped into the system, intentionally, and has been proven to cause lower IQ in children.
Water can be ingested through tap water in a variety of ways. You can ingest through drinking tap water, washing dishes, or bathing (absorbed into skin). We can filter these contaminants out or avoid them in a few different ways. I recommend researching each brand and method to determine what specifically is contained and removed:
-Reverse osmosis
-Spring water
-Mineral water
-Berkey filters (with fluoride filters added - my choice)
-Using well water
-Home filters
-Shower filters
-Faucet filters
Cooking Equipment
Using the right cooking equipment can help eliminate harmful substances from entering your food. Non-stick pans contain PFAS (A.K.A. “forever chemicals”). Plastic containers allow microplastics to leak into your food when heated. Wrapping food with aluminum foil allows heavy metals to leak into your food as well.
Here’s some good options for cooking:
-Cast iron (skillets, dutch ovens, etc.)
-Stainless steel (pans, grills, pots, etc.)
-Wood (spatulas, cutting boards, etc.)
-Glass (leftover containers, bowls, etc.)
-Porcelain or ceramic (plates, bowls, etc.)
Places to Eat and Grocery Shop
Shifting to a healthy diet will inevitably limit your options, because American options are generally poor and unhealthy. This is currently an unfortunate reality.
However, if enough consumers choose healthy options, unhealthy vendors and restaurants will be forced to make changes, or go out of business (unless they are fed money by the government - but that’s another conversation…). We, the consumer, can give power to healthy vendors and restaurants, especially at a local level. In the long run, what we do with our dollars will help further determine our options.
You may not necessarily have all of these places near you, but the list below includes options that I’ve found to provide a healthier food selection, whether you are cooking at home or eating out.
-Local farmers & meat markets
-Self-farmed and gardened food
-Trader Joe’s
-Whole Foods
-Steakhouses
-Modern American Restaurants
-Seafood restaurants
-High end / local restaurants that cook with butter or olive oil
Note: Nearly all restaurants cook with seed oils. If you are eating out, always try to request your food be cooked in butter or olive oil. This is the best way to avoid food cooked in seed oil, although it still may find its way into your food if they regularly cook with it. In an ideal world, it would be best to find places that do not cook with seed oils.
Note: A good general rule of thumb when grocery shopping - stay out of the middle isles. Shop the fresh food sections on the outside. Try to stay away from processed foods or packaged items.
Conclusion
If you want to optimize your health, this is a good place to start. If you struggle with brain fog, inflammation, chronic pain, gastrointestinal issues, weight loss, allergies, and more, adjusting your diet should be your first step. Not all people are the same, so your diet may need to be tailored to your specific situation based on food intolerances, macronutrients, and micronutrients.
Again, I recommend you do your own research. I am not a doctor, and am still on this learning journey myself. Not everything in this article may be what works best for you. But I guarantee you this, being intentional and knowing about what goes into your body, can only help you.
If you want someone to guide you through dietary changes, conventional doctors are not likely your best option. If you want to find a good doctor, look for one who is practicing holistic methods. Pharmaceuticals are not the cure, they are the bandaid. Look for a doctor who will take a natural approach, ideally someone who understands food and can provide detailed and tailored advice. Finding a good health coach can be an option as well.
The reason our food and water is poisoned is multi-factorial. Much of it is intentional, but not all. The big pharma / big healthcare / big government / big industrial food complexes are certainly at play. Sick people make great customers for the healthcare system. Future blog posts may dive down this rabbit hole.
For now, I hope my fellow Americans, neighbors, friends, and family find health and understanding when it comes to these topics. It is very important that we regain this lost knowledge our ancestors once intuitively knew.
-The Warrior Saint
11/24/2025
