Science-Of Food and Others

So I am reading Michael Pollan's new book "In The Defense Of Food" (thank-you Santa for a Border's card!) and it is good. He is way more eloquent, and a better writer, in explaining the idea of the closer we eat to nature, the better off we are. I am only halfway through it, but he has yet to disappoint me (and if his name sounds familiar, it is because he wrote "the Omnivore's Dilemma",which I have also blogged about).
One thing that struck me immediately about these food theories is the parellel between food and Science, and Science and everything else. Science, and so called progress, has not always been our friend. I am not against Science, and this just isn't a disclaimer. Everytime I turn the heat on to my house, or flush the toilet, I am pretty happy. And when I travel, we never mention covered wagons. But I defintely think that we have let Science have to much control. In the 1920's, 30's 40's, 50's and even as late as the 60's, Science was the answer to all that ailed. Raising non-perfect kids? Science has a book. Grass not as green as the neighbors? Science has a spray. Feeling blue? Science can recommend medicine, therapy, and/or a certain vitamin. House dirty? Science has a cleaner/germ buster. Truly, until the "hippies" came along, there wasn't a loud crowd (although there have always been dissenters) that was willing to buck the system.
What do we have now? A civilization that not only is losing the ability to think for itself, it's almost scared too. When I had Asa, a friend gave me a book based on Touchpoints-were to touch kids to calm them down. Where I come from we called that a hug. Everytime her kids do something wrong, she has a book to expalin what her reaction should be. A perfect parent courtesy of Science. A person I come into contact with in regards to my job (but I refuse to say how to protect privacy rules) is so convinced the Medical Community can find an answer to her numerous aches and pains, she refuses to contemplate that she is over-weight, and based on the limited conversations we have, leading a very in-active lifestyle-both of which could be causing some of her issues. (and we know this thanks to Science!)
So where does this leave us? Well, for starters, the old ways weren't all bad, even if they weren't perfect. I am eternally grateful, and so happy, that not a single medicine I can think of calls for cow dung or human urine as an ingredient-and once upon a not to distant future, both were used. Yuck. But some of the stuff we used to use was pretty good. Science, hip hip hooray, has shown that honey has immunity properties, and oil of rosemary when added to hot water and left to steep, cam help with respiratory issues. Sitting outside for dinner at Cousin Monika's house I noticed the lack of bee's-she had a row of marigold's planted. Bee's hate marigold's, but only Science knows why. And I have blogged extensively on how I have thrown out the books to raise Asa. If he needs to see a therapist, well, Science can be his friend, but I hate to say that a book taught me how to hug my kid.
So food and Science has had some pretty interesting results and truly, if anyone is interested in the field, check out this book. The author also has a limited interview in Sunset magazine this month, and the whole interview is on the website for the magazine if anyone is interested.