Food is the single biggest determinant of health. It’s also the foundation of family and community. Food is the number one priority in our house. It’s that important. But life seems to have a habit of getting in the way.

We think of disease as serious. Because by the time we receive a diagnosis it often is. But disease starts long before any clinical symptoms manifest. If we can recognise the early signs and take action, we can delay or even avoid serious illness. Sadly, our medical system is not set up to do this. It requires a bit of DIY.

The dangers of manufactured food were firmly hammered home in my previous post Redefining Healthy Food: Part 1 (I’ve got the calluses to prove it). So, today we can move on. We’re leaving behind the barren and treacherous wasteland of fake, harmful food. And heading to the lush, safe pastures of real, natural food. The journey is not easy, but we have an evolutionary map, and our own body as a guide.

We all know what healthy food is. Or do we? It’s a term that’s so overused and misunderstood, it has become meaningless. Confused by misinformation and clever marketing. Clouded by other factors which influence our food choices. We’ve lost sight of what healthy food really is. It’s time to get our objectivity back. It’s time to redefine healthy food.

We spent much of Thursday night in hospital with Gabriel. It was a lung infection. The doctors and nurses did their jobs. And did them very well. I’m just not sure we did ours.

The answer to this question may come as a surprise: You do. You just don’t realise it. So you’ve ceded control to others. People who have no interest in your health. We’ve all accepted that sickness is just a part of life, and that we, as individuals, can’t do much about it. This is a position most of us would rather not be in, but we feel helpless. Well, it doesn’t have to be this way. The reality is you can influence your health more than you know. Whatever state you currently find yourself in, you can take back control. You own your health, and you can choose to be better.