This is it. My legacy lies in my children and in the efforts I make with goodsugar and the health food movement. Over the past 15 years in the juice and vegan food industry, I was like a garden flower waiting to bloom—held back by money’s influence. At key points in my career, financial pressures skewed my decisions. When funds were tight, I made short-term choices out of necessity. When money was abundant, I lacked the insight to see the bigger picture of what I could accomplish in this industry. Now, I understand that my voice matters, and I’m determined to use it to make a difference.
Let’s start with supermarkets. They’re mazes of deception. Not only do they manipulate shoppers to purchase certain items, but the food producers themselves rarely have the consumer’s best interests at heart. Their primary focus is shelf stability, not health. Add to this the fact that most consumers have overly conditioned taste buds, influenced by processed and sugary foods. If we lived off the land, eating out of necessity, our preferences would be far simpler. But in today’s environment, when hunger strikes, we reach for foods that stimulate but don’t truly nourish. Over time, our brains become hardwired to crave what’s convenient rather than what’s good for us.
This pattern is further complicated by how food is processed and presented. Most of us don’t see ingredients in their original state. We buy a cupcake and don’t think about the flour, the butter, or the farm it came from. This detachment from the source of our food weakens our connection to what we eat. It’s like losing touch with a natural water source—if we could see the stream we drink from, we’d be more vigilant about protecting it. The same goes for food. When we’re disconnected from its origins, it’s easier to accept additives, food colorings, and synthetic preservatives—things that should never have been part of our diet in the first place.
And why do these things exist? The answer is simple: money. Profit drives the addition of lab-created substances to food, not concern for health or wellbeing. These additives fuel a cycle of convenience and ubiquity that leads to widespread consumption of items that harm rather than heal. The only way forward is through awareness and vigilance. Don’t take my word for it—educate yourself. Look at what’s in your pantry, your fridge, and your grocery cart. Most of it isn’t designed to nurture the human body. It’s designed to make money.
Even areas that seem untouched by additives—like fish markets—aren’t free of issues. Overfishing and environmental degradation wreak havoc on marine ecosystems. The motivation again? Profit. It’s not about conspiracy theories; it’s about acknowledging the objective reality of how the food industry works. From farm to table, the entire system is shaped by economic interests, often at the expense of public health and the environment.
For too long, we’ve accepted this reality and become locked into patterns of consuming junk food. It’s time to bring these issues to light. I may not be the ultimate spokesperson for this movement, but I hope to inspire others. Maybe someone out there—more skilled, more modern, and more effective—will rise up, speak out, and help us shift our collective mindset.