#4 The Fellowship

Hi Everyone,

Happy January! I’ve come to appreciate how much of a difference a little sunshine can make during the winter.

Quote from last week:

“It seemed to me that I had several more lives to live, and could not spare any more time for that one.” — Thoreau

Vamos!

Society

Oreos and Raisin Bran.

Last week, I did some digging.

In the early 1980’s, public sentiment around cigarettes shifted dramatically. At the time, the largest companies in the world were tobacco giants (aka cigarette companies) and they knew change was coming.

To put it in perspective, it would be like society turning against social media today.

First came the U.S. Surgeon General’s reports on the deadly consequences of smoking. Then, in 1984, the Comprehensive Smoking Education Act required cigarette packages to include warning labels:

‘Smoking Causes Lung Cancer, Heart Disease, Emphysema, And May Complicate Pregnancy’

Death Labels = bad for business.

Faced with changing tides but piles of cash, the top tobacco companies turned their attention to…

Food companies.

• In 1985, Philip Morris bought General Foods (think Jell-O, Grape Nuts, Raisin Bran, and Cool Whip) for $5.6 billion. Then in 1988, they acquired Kraft Foods (Kraft Mac & Cheese, Lunchables, Philadelphia cream cheese) for $12.9 billion.

• Meanwhile, in 1988 R.J. Reynolds merged with Nabisco (Oreos, Ritz Crackers, Wheat Thins, Chips Ahoy) in a $25 billion deal, the largest buyout in history at that time.

But they didn’t just own these food brands, they used their expertise in product formulation to enhance them.

And thus, hyper-palatable foods (HPFs) were born. What we commonly refer to as ultra-processed foods.

These are foods engineered to be almost impossible to resist, combining high levels of fat, sugar, sodium, and other additives.

By the 1990s, tobacco companies were producing about 50% of the food in American. Studies found:

• Tobacco-owned foods were 80% more likely to be high-carb and high-sodium

• And were 29% more likely to be high-fat and high-sodium than foods not owned by tobacco companies.

We often blame ourselves for eating unhealthy food, but we rarely acknowledge what we’re up against. It’s not just “one Oreo”, it’s a perfectly engineered product designed to make you crave more.

By understanding the history and science behind these foods, we can make more informed decisions and help others do the same.

Also, some good news: Red Dye 3 was finally banned by the FDA!

Nature

How can you love the Creator but not the Creation?

I see food as to nature what a child is to their mother.

We wouldn’t expect a child to thrive without their mother. But when it comes to food, we’ve been separating it from its source for a long time.

With current farming practices, we have an estimated 40 harvests of useable soil left.

And in the U.S., conventionally grown food accounts for 94% of the food we eat.

Our demand far exceeds what our soil and environment can sustainably support in the long term.

Conventional farming relies on one billion pounds of pesticides per year in the U.S. alone.

These are chemicals that are not meant to be ingested by humans or Mother Nature.

Farmers often are incentivized to plant the same crop in the same place over and over again. This practice, known as monocropping, depletes the soil of nutrients, leaving it weaker with every harvest.

Imagine eating the same food every day for the rest of your life and expecting your body to thrive. Tough.

Just as we need a variety of foods to stay healthy, soil needs crop diversity to regenerate and stay healthy.

Enter Regenerative Agriculture: The Yoda of Farming.

Regenerative farming gives back to nature, leaving the soil and environment stronger than before. It’s the opposite of conventional farming.

Here’s how it works (with human equivalents):

It rotates crops (eat multiple foods), avoids pesticides (don’t eat chemicals), minimizes digging up the soil (minimize stress), creates composting (eat nourishing foods), and incorporates animals to roam freely (get active).

The benefits:

It leads to stronger soil, cleaner water and air, 30 percent less water use, nutrient-dense foods, and it stores CO2 deep in its healthy root systems.

Amazing!

As consumers, we hold the power to shift this system. By choosing organic, grass-fed, and regenerative food when possible and sharing this knowledge with others, you’re supporting better practices for yourself, your loved ones, and the planet.

Spirituality

Two Truths

How can each person be special while still being just a tiny part of this vast universe?

You know those moments in movies where the camera focuses on a single character, then slowly zooms out until you’re in space, looking at Earth? They were once the center of the story, but now they’re gone.

Two opposing truths.

In every story, there’s a world. In that world, there’s a set of characters, each with unique roles and skills. Every role, contributes to the unfolding of the greater story.

I believe we, as human beings, are similar. Invaluable characters in the greatest story ever told.

The story of life.

I once heard that the time we spend on this planet, compared to the age of our world, is like the flicker of a firefly in the night.

And yet, you, the person reading this right now, have never happened before and will never happen again! 1 of 1.

It is both. You are here only for a moment. And you are valued beyond measure.

I believe that’s the beauty of it all.

Human Psychology

Auroville — The City of Dawn

I frequently visit Casa De Luz, a wonderful oasis filled with wellness spaces, restaurants, cafes, and people that smile at you when you walk past.

One of my favorites spots there, is the Cacao Lounge.

One morning, I walked in and was greeted by Matt, one of the baristas. He’s 18 years old, with charisma that lights up the room.

Behind the register, on his left side, sat a book. 600 pages thick…on financial accounting!

An 18 year old reading an encyclopedia on accounting, for fun? Huh.

Curious, I began talking to him. Matt shared he had just moved here from India, where he grew up in a community called Auroville.

Auroville is a multicultural space, where people from around the world live together without politics or creeds. Goods and services are shared, and each day, Matt went to school to study the art of Yoga.

He was encouraged to explore his curiosities. And it shows.

Every time I visit now, I see Matt behind the register, reading another book.

It’s fascinating how the right environment can nurture someone’s natural interests.

It’s a good reminder for me: Are my surroundings encouraging my curiosity?

Another Quote: “Life is the sweetest at the bone” — Thoreau

Thing I Tried: I filled in for a Hyrox competition this morning! Absolute blast! It’s like Crossfit but you don’t have to walk on your hands.

Music I Listened To: Stone in Focus, an incredible addition to when I am working.

That wraps up this edition of the newsletter! Thank you for reading! If you think someone else might enjoy this, please share it with them.

Peace and Love,

Ben