“Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns”…

This year, unlike others my “Delicious Autumn” has changed its Taste and Flavors… When I look at nature from my window I get a tiny tear in the corner of my eye and a lonely gurgle in my stomach …
We were fortunate enough to be born in a country that has it all (the four seasons,the availability of fruits and vegetables throughout the whole year and when compared to other countries we have a self sufficiency of local fruits and vegetables production and don’t need to import) and unlucky to witness the changes and feel the bitter loss due to our irresponsible politicians actions and reactions …
The first natural rain drops that we used to eagerly wait for during this season, became an anxious alarming unwanted catastrophe… They would just cause the garbage, dumped in various open-air spacious locations in different Lebanese areas to disintegrate into the soil reaching underground water reserves such as natural wells and fossil water (non-renewable)… Resulting in polluted water, air, vegetation and on the long run expected plagues similar to ww1, ww2, due to uncontrollable numbers of rats roaming the streets on a garbage feeding mania!
This year, My “Delicious Autumn”offers on its menu revisited diseases such as: Cholera, Typhoid, Dysentery, Dengue fever… With increased risks of developing food poisoning, gastroenteritis, enteric fever and higher rates of cancer as the exposure to untreated chemicals is also on the list!
I am suffocating and sometimes feel this “shortness of breath” … In reality the air I’m breathing is contaminated with various toxic substances such as carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane which lead to many deadly respiratory diseases…
I’ve always highly encouraged the consumption of fruits and vegetables as part of a heathy balanced diet plan and I feel so sorry today for my country and its citizens in the name of nutrition and healthy eating, to be discouraging the consumption of non-organic Fruits and vegetables and to be increasing everyone’s awareness about consuming foods from reliable sources that won’t be using polluted waters… A difficult task that requires a lot of efforts and that would be preventive from all of the above diseases…
I am sorry once again Mother Nature for what we have done to You… You have been a vital source of our daily oxygen intake… Until the moment our toxic politicians released their chemicals in the air and became our daily breath of air …
I will remain faithful and will take every preventive action and share it with all of my followers to decrease the chances of developing diseases:
-Consume organic fruits and vegetables from reliable sources and make sure they do not use polluted waters for irrigation
-Consume frozen vegetables or jarred ones and avoid canned ones if option number one is not available
-If you have a garden, rely on its use to plant seeds this autumn !
-Become a Flexitarian and reduce your consumption of red meat and poultry to once every two weeks. Rely on the consumption of grains (lentils, chickpeas, Mung beans, Millet, beans, favs beans, etc.)
-Consume imported fresh seafood: shrimps, tuna, etc.
-Always ask for bottled waters and avoid swallowing Tap water and brushing your teeth with tap water!

-While ordering your cocktail at the bar think twice about the water source of the ice cubes … Many alcoholic drinks don’t necessitate the use of ice cubes and can be consumed moderately; wine, whiskey, etc.
-Be picky when eating out and always double check the sources of offered food choices !
-Smokers: please Stop smoking! Your body is already inhaling enough chemicals released In the air!

-Vitamin supplements are always a good option to increase the availability of antioxidants in our bodies to fight all the free radicals caused by polluting factors and reduce the risk of developing cancer!

“There’s a time in your life where you’re not quite sure where you are. You think everything’s perfect, but it’s not perfect… Then one day you wake up and you can’t quite picture yourself in the situation you’re in. But the secret is, if you can picture yourself doing anything in life, you can do it.”
Dietitian Nicole Maftoum