I did not anticipate feeling the way I did today. The roughly 15 or so regulars at the weekly support group were for the last time treated to a cooking class and subsequently led by Dr. Ask, through our final recovery session. Oddly enough, it felt more like a beginning than an ending.

While some individuals conveyed their intent to return to carnivorous habits after our month officially ends on the 7th, others had influenced their families sufficiently to turn their respective households into plant munching vegetarians. I was moved by the thoughtful insights we collectively shared about our experiences. I usually lead discussions about public health in the classroom environment. Today there were no leaders. It did not matter who held what degree or title, we shared our struggles, successes, and failures as equals.

Perhaps it was the vulnerability associated with public risk taking. Perhaps it was the adrenaline rush of a new adventure. Or just maybe it was the camaraderie I felt with our challenge participants, as we indulged in the delightful fruits of living the University’s motto –to make man whole. For my part, the Challenge has been a professional highlight that has revitalized my sense of purpose and commitment to public health.

Tomorrow: Does milk do a body good?

I sense the nature of the last few entries have achieved a level of morbidness that some find distasteful. While the cold facts are indeed gruesome, options abound to remove your support from the unsavory aspects of large scale agri-business. There are many farms throughout the world where animals, fruits and vegetables are raised or grown in a semi-natural and sustainable condition. These farmers sell their products largely to a local market.

One of our blog visitors early in the challenge posted the website of her local farm. Please visit the site: www.chestnutfarms.org. This is a good example of food grown and consumed locally. Another example of this in southern California is the Inland Empire orange co-op.

I encourage you to search out and support these farmers, and enjoy the taste and textures of fresh, naturally grown foods (including eggs).

When I think of free range chickens I conjure up the thought of animals frolicking about the way nature intended. Scurrying after grasshoppers on a wind swept hillside, drawing a deep draught from a gurgling brook, or simply lazing away the day under the cool shade of a willow. Regretfully, most of this is delusion on my part. There are no legal or commercial definitions governing the term or the claim “range” or similar advertisements on egg cartons, such as “free running,” “free roaming,” or “free walking.” Birds raised for meat may be considered “free-range” if they have U.S. Department of Agriculture-certified access to the outdoors. The irony here is that the USDA relies upon producer testimonials to support the accuracy of these claims.

No other criteria of environmental quality, the size of the outdoor area, the number of birds confined in a single shed, or the indoor or outdoor space allotted per animal-are considered in applying the label. As with free-range laying hens, many “free-range” broilers live in a facility with only one small opening at the end of a large shed, permitting only a few birds to go outside at any given time. The term “free-range” “doesn’t really tell you anything about the animal’s quality of life, nor does it even assure that the animal actually goes outdoors. The final insult to free range hens is that they too have their beaks clipped to reduce the risk of injury related to being pecked by their neighbor.

Tomorrow: Do we need any animal products, including dairy, to sustain and nourish us?