Do you know what you are eating?

I have been consumed with cynicism lately towards the food industry in this country and I have growing mistrust for all they make and put on the shelves for us to eat.  There are so many conflicting stories about how eating this is okay and eating that is okay.  I have been doing my own research and have determined a simple fact.  The more you make yourself from whole ingredients, the healthier you will be.
It is difficult to make all things from scratch, but most things can be made very cheaply from scratch and the flavor is amazing.  Many of you may say, "I don't have time to cook from scratch.".  I am here to tell you, you do.  I don't spend my time in the grocery stores or in my car driving to stores very much anymore and that time is what I now use to create foods in my home that I would have purchased before.  I have found it is not only easy, but my family likes it better.
I have a recipe on this blog for homemade ranch dressing.  It took me about 10 minutes to make at my house.  I couldn't have gone to the store and bought it in ten minutes.  And, I would have found ten other things I didn't go to the store for and purchased those.  So making foods yourself saves money all the way around.  I saved on gas, the purchase of the dressing, and the savings from unplanned purchases.  Store bought ranch dressing has all kinds of preservatives in it to make it shelf stable.  When you make it yourself, you eliminate all of those additives from your diet and enjoy the clean taste that comes from eating fresh foods. 
We have to be mindful of what we are eating when it comes to processed foods.  Most of them contain high fructose corn syrup and soy ( http://preventdisease.com/news/09/073009_soy_lecithin.shtml ) in some form.  I challenge you to try to buy a product that doesn't have either or both of those additives in them.  If your diet consists mostly of opening a can or a bag of food then you are getting infinitely more soy and sugar then you realize and a diet heavy in these things leads to some very real and serious health problems.
The studies done on these chemicals and substances to prove they are safe (that are approved by the FDA) serve no other purpose than to fatten the wallets of the companies selling the products.  They make otherwise bland food have taste and last on the shelf or the produce isle longer without spoiling.  It is not unlike the tobacco companies stating their studies show that smoking is not bad for your health.  Companies can't make money if people aren't buying their products, so they have to say they are safe. 
When we eat foods in season, straight from our gardens, free of chemicals the health benefit is unparalleled.  We have to ask ourselves whether we want to pay for good, healthy food in this country or for doctor bills. 
Read labels, buy food in its original form and create your own meals.  It isn't hard and it is worth it for a better way of life.  Try to buy local and organic whenever you can.  Minimize your contact with pesticides, chemicals, preservatives, additives, hormones, and antibiotics in your food.  It can be done, you have to be more aware of what you are eating.  The health benefit is worth it.