Intense.  It's the only word to describe today.  

The weekend had been full of revelations about funding ties between non-profits and industry, an issue close to my heart given what I'd learned in the food allergy world back in 2006.  And quite honestly, I began to wonder, given the enormous wealth, vested interests and interplay between industry and non-profits, if we even stood a chance at open and fair science.  

And then I had an email in my inbox from a mother of three battling breast cancer.  Then another from a 25 year old about to enter the army, more from cancer survivors and then one from an EPA scientist worried about the foods that his kids are eating.

His stopped me in my tracks.

And once again, I reflected on the fact that there is so much more that unites us than divides us.  And the common thread that weaves our stories together is the love that we have for those that we care about.  It's universal.  It's a rocket fuel. It makes the impossible possible. It gives us permission to lend our talents. 

And it is our collective talents that will create the change we want to see in the world.  

Recently, the social media food world has been abuzz with a Chipotle commercial that includes a song by Willie Nelson urging us to go "back to the start".  The premise is that agriculture is no longer what we want it to be with too many toxic inputs, externalized costs and unintended consequences.

Anyone who knows me knows that I have real concern over the way that our current agricultural system is structured: farmers are contractually obligated to buy certain products, while using seeds that have not been tested for their long-term performance and then have to be licensed for use due to their patents, and are obligated to a system in which at any time, fuel, fertilizer or licensing fees can suddenly spike, impacting their incomes, their livelihoods, their debt levels and so much more.  

And yet at the same time, modern day farming has brought tremendous advances.  Having spent time with farmers in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Washington state and other parts of our amazing country, I am in awe of what farming looks like today. I have listened and learned about tractors outfitted with computers that enable things their grandfathers could never have dreamt of.  A recent post, highlighted by Monsanto on Twitter and seen on America's Farmers blog (written by a farmer's wife who is also a mother of four) shares that insight and paints the picture of what farming looks like today for those who haven't been able to get there themselves. She writes:

"Today, a farmer feeds 155 people. In 1960, one farmer fed only 26. Today, our tractors and combines are mostly run off of computers...dropping one seed every six inches for proper placing of a corn plant. Our sprayers and manure spreaders are also monitored by computers to spread correct amounts of nutrients over our precious soils..." 

And as I reflect on all of it, of the passion, the dedication and the love on display, including Bill Gates recent public relations tour to rebrand farming as 'high-tech agriculture," I can't help but think that what we need isn't a rebranding campaign or a food fight but a food education, one in which there is an honest  dialogue, with experts brought to the table, from all parts of the food continuum.  

A dialogue that educates, revealing the limits and constraints we have not yet seen because of the lack of open science due to the patents that protect the changes in our food supply as intellectual property of chemical giants.  

A dialogue that informs not just to farmers, but also livestock breeders and consumers, one that brings truth and transparency to the table, that isn't afraid of labels that are so descriptive and informative that farmers and consumers are given the freedom of choice on which our country was founded.

A dialogue that through its revelations, lowers the barriers to entry so that rather than a monopolized food supply that does not allow for the best, most efficient, effective and affordable products to be brought to market, we can create a food system that gives farmers financial flexibility to choose the best practices, consumers the information they need to make an informed choice when it comes to feeding their families, and data required to build a food system that is embraced around the world, so that once again, American farmers are restored to their place of admiration.  

We're not there yet.  Not close, so until we are, I'll keep working on it, and I hope that you will, too.  Lend your voice to the food dialogues, lend your talents to creating a healthy food system, and remember, that the most important thing that you could do before doing anything is to listen. 

Sometimes, you just have to put it out there.  Lay it all on the table and boldly see what happens.  

That's a bit how I feel today, heading into a panel on Role Models for Social Media Week in NYC.  We are going to be talking about food trends, the role that the media, chefs, entrepreneurs and bloggers play in dictating those trends and what each and every single one of us can to do create the kind of food system that we know our families are worthy of. 

No subject will be off limits, which means we will be addressing everything from eating disorders to recipes to athletes.  Intimidating, yes.  Exciting, definitely.  And I've learned over the last few years just how important it is to really lean into those emotions.  All of them.  To not shut any of them down but to bravely step into an unknown space and learn, just as the chart below suggests, so that together, we can:  Be brave.  Be kind.  Be the change.

Sometimes it feels as if the world we grew up knowing has been thrown into a cuisinart and spun into something new.  And in some ways, it has.  With innovation and technology providing all kinds of never-before-seen solutions, this progress has been both awe-inducing and stomach-churning.  

Pick your headline and decide for yourself which way you want to go: from technology that enables us to connect with each other in ways never imagined to agrichemical ingredients being fed to the animals we eat, innovation is driving rapid change, as seen in these recent headlines:

• Last week Apple customers visited stores on four continents to deliver 250,000 petition signatures demanding better working conditions at factories making iPads and iPhones. (The delivery made news on CNN).  Just this week, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced immediate factory inspections, showing that the pressure is working
• McDonald's responded to the 100,000 people (and groups like the Humane Society of the United States) who told the fast food giant to stop sourcing pork from factory farms using inhumane "gestation crates," (cages so small that pigs can’t move or turn around).McDonald's told all of its suppliers yesterday to start phasing out the cages -- an earthquake for the food industry.

And as this change continues to happen, often at warp-speed, it is important to lend your voice.  If you don't think that one person matters, think again.  One person can make an enormous difference.  You can affect the change you want to see.  So start where you stand, with what you have, where you are.  Leverage the unique skills and talents that you possess with something that you are passionate about and create the change you want to see in this world of ours.  We've only got one shot at this, so be brave, be kind and be the change.

Today, so many of us are looking for insight into ways that we can protect the health of our children.

Thankfully, Dr. Oz recently brought a much-needed awareness to what exactly is in the juices that we are giving our kids.  As he did so, I turned my attention to the sweet stuff and came across this infographic from Health Science that highlights just how much weight-promoting sugar is now found in our "fruit juices".

Did you know that that an 8 ounce serving of juice contained more sugar than 2 1/2 donuts or a can of soda? Me neither.  

But since there is no prescription more powerful than knowledge, with the rate of having a food allergy is 59% higher in obese children, this new-found information might do more than help reduce the obesity epidemic we are seeing in our children, it might help reduce the burden of allergies, heart diseases and other conditions weighing on the health of our families, too.

In a world in which we are constantly worried about the health of our families, the stability of our jobs, paying the mortgage and all of life's responsibilities, the simple act of trying to eat healthy often becomes a challenge.

Not to mention that if your family is anything like mine, then you've most likely got some picky eaters, limited time and a limited budget with which to pull all of this off in a world of soaring food prices.

So here are a few tips for those who want to start buying organic food but don't want to pay the high price:

• Go Orgo-Generic. Major grocery store chains like Safeway and Kroger, and big box food retailers like Costco and even Wal-Mart, now carry their own organic foods. And all foods labeled "USDA organic" are created equal, no matter where you find them. No need to upscale your grocery store when Wal-Mart gets it done.


• Buy Frozen. Frozen foods (like strawberries and fish) are cheaper than those that are delivered fresh. So if the prices on fresh produce are eye-popping, cruise on over to the frozen food aisle for a discount.


• Eat with the Season. Retrain your taste buds to think like your grandmother did. She didn't eat strawberries in the middle of winter. Locally grown foods are usually cheaper than those flown in from another hemisphere so if you eat with the season, you'll be eating more affordably.


• Skip the Box, Embrace the Bulk. Food that comes in boxes costs more because of the packaging costs associated with designing those pretty pictures! When you buy in bulk, you're not paying for all of the packaging, you're paying for the food which is what you want anyway. So slide on over to that bulk food aisle in Safeway and look for noodles, cereals, rice and beans in your local grocery store.


• Support the US economy and Buy Local. You can save money by becoming a member of a local farm (just like you became a member at Safeway or Costco!). How do you find a local farm, you ask? Well, thankfully, the USDA now has a list of online sites to help you find the closest farm near you.


• Comparison Shop. You wouldn't buy a car without comparison shopping, so before you even head out the door you can compare the prices of organic foods at different retailers from the safety of your own computer.


• Coupons, coupons, coupons: Organic bargains are everywhere so click on About.com's Frugal Living page where you will find All Organic Links.


• Grow One Thing. If you're as busy as we are, there's not a chance in creation that you are going to be able to feed your family off of your home-grown harvest, but you will find that growing a tomato plant can be incredibly inspiring. And it's not as intimidating as it seems. So pick one thing to grow -- you can do it (we all grew lima beans in cups as kids, right?).


• Find a Friend.It is way more fun when you share this adventure with someone else, so be sure to find a friend, share this link and get back to us with your success stories (and if you have a tip that you want to add, please post it in the comment section below!).

Good luck! And keep us posted on your success stories at our website.