Sage Davis

Humanities
Jessica McCallum
05.28.19

Chicken or the Egg

Throughout my life I have always had chickens, providing us with eggs, keeping the
bugs out of our yard and on a very rare occasion, giving us fresh meat. Not only have I had
chickens all my life, but my family has also kept a garden for fresh greens and other plentiful
vegetables. We have sold our eggs and chickens to make some money and also to keep people
aware of the organic versus inorganic epidemic. When I say the inorganic versus organic
epidemic, I mean that in this world, we focus too much on the convenience of things rather than
the salubriousness of the products. As one of the experts in the movie “Fresh” reflected,
“Humans are terrified of inconvenience.” This quote could not be more accurate when it comes
to the food ethic of the average American. We eat whatever we can whenever we want. I can
not say that my ethic is any different though. I am almost always hungry and I will eat just about
anything within arm's distance if I am hungry. However, this is not the only “ethic” I have towards
my food. Though I tend to eat a lot and almost everything I do pay a lot of attention to how often
(if I ever) eat junk food, how much I eat, the sugar I consume and how healthy the food I am
eating is.
As I said, I have raised chickens all my life which has caused me to focus more on what I
eat and where my food comes from. I think that it is so necessary to know where your food
comes from, what is put into that food, and how far it has to travel to get to you. Being able to
grow/raise your own food is such a luxury that I think everyone should have and it plays into
how I eat and even live my life. Having had eggs that are richer in the protein and omega 3 and
4 than the store-bought food, I can almost say that I was spoiled with healthy food. I value
healthy food and all that it brings to my body. Not only do I value these things, but my family
values them as well making it easier for my family to make the decision of paying more for better
food as well as growing/making our own food. As a family, we do not eat out very often, saving
us money, and knowing that we could make food for less that is healthier for us at home. We
make a lot of food from scratch which is not only healthier, but it gives you more satisfaction
when you eat, knowing that you made that meal, put your time and effort into it, not paying
someone to do it for you. My family is also very active and eats a lot of food meaning we have to
make more and buy more however it is always worth it.
Being part of a very active family and living a very active lifestyle means eating a lot of
food and having to be prepared for that. I began racing and biking in general on my 5th birthday
when I got my first bike without training wheels. I did a race that day, won my first race and
found the love of my life, biking. I now ride all the time, whenever I can and race as much as
possible which also means that I eat about as much as a full grown elephant. That was an
exaggeration… kind of. Racing is a lot of things combine, your strength, your mental game, and
my favorite part, what you eat. A racers diet consists of a lot of healthy food and the occasional
junk food. For me personally, I eat a lot of homemade food and as healthy as I can. Now before
a race is a different thing. Eating before a race, I think, is one of the most crucial parts to riding.
It gives you the energy and the base to begin building up to your race. The night before a race I
will eat a lot of pasta and vegetables as well as red meat. This is called carb loading;
 Sage Davis
Humanities
Jessica McCallum
05.28.19
Carb-loading is a strategy used by endurance athletes, such as runners, to maximize the
storage of glycogen (or energy) in the muscles and liver. I eat the red meat because I am
slightly anemic meaning I don’t have enough Iron in my blood. I eat vegetables because they
offer a lot of nutrients that gives me the energy to get up and race the next day. The morning of
my race I will wake up at a reasonable time to give me time to warm up before the race and time
to eat. I normally eat a bowl of oatmeal with fruits and some eggs. I will also have a bottle of
tailwind, amino acids so that my muscles will have the nutrients they need to be as strong as
possible. I try to not overeat these mornings because the last thing you want is to feel like
throwing up. During the race, I will have some snacks on me but I rarely eat them. Then after
the race, by far the best part, I get to eat whatever I want and a lot of it. Food is of high value to
me and after a race, even higher. I can appreciate it more for every little bit of energy, salt,
sugar, and every other nutrient I gain from eating. After this period of eating whatever I want,
which usually lasts about a day, I will begin watching what I eating and eating healthier again. I
found a way to keep my body in check while doing everything I do and that is appreciating and
putting care into the food I eat.
Due to me putting care into the meal and living my life as I do I can’t help but feel bad for
the animals in captivity so it is very important for me to support the healthy lifestyle that animals
need as well. I do my best to put my money into food that is well cared for and appreciated. This
is also why I enjoy having chickens, we care for the chickens just as we do any other pet we
have, and giving this care, they give back to us with the eggs and sometimes even meat. I love
chicken, it is my favorite meat and knowing that our chickens have the best life we can provide
them is such a wonderful thought. Not to mention, the eggs taste so much better and are more
rich in nutrients and healthier. My lifestyle calls for a lot of food but not just any food, healthy
food, cared for food, appreciated food. If you don’t know where your food came from how can
you say thanks to that cooperation? I eat because I need to but I am thrilled to learn more about
it and incorporate it even more into my current lifestyle.