What came first the need of sugar or the want of sugar?

Neither.

But for me I didn't know better. I am new to this site and world so I may be posting in the wrong area. But I wanted to share a little about me.

I grew up in a very urban area where crime is normal and its best just to stay in all day. I am 29 now but still in a not so great city, but better city. My parents fed me with Mcdonalds and taco bell. I new nothing about health or eating well. My body was/is ailing and I thought nothing of it, it's normal.

On the birth of my 2nd child (he has food allergies) I started seeing how poisonous the urban life style of food is. I started choosing "healthier" foods it helped my son a bit but I know that is not enough. I stumbled upon this site and was blown away...."what? You mean I don't have to live in the inner city? I can live on actual land, grow my food and eat better???" This thought maybe silly to some but there is (I believe) a criminal lack of education with our city youth. I know many young people, if homesteading/permaculture was taught seriously, would jump on a bus, plane, train or car to live a better healthier life.

My son gave me a gift, to take my health more seriously, and I believe he brought me here, hinting he wants to get out of the city.

My title about sugar is about growing up wanting to "eat junkie foods." I can't change my childhood or adolescence but I will give my children the proper education. Thank you permies.com for existing. I feel like a shackle has been broken. I know I have a loooooong way but I'm taking a step and I hope to keep walking.

Ps. My family is exploring different noncity homesteads/farms/permaculture locations if anyone needs people. I'm ready to get out of the city yesterday, we are located in Los Angeles, but can relocate.

Geraldine

Welcome to permies, Geraldine. Your story reminds me of a family tale. My mother moved from that area when I was a baby (nearly forty years ago)and she thought that there was a solid line of cities spanning the whole nation with only the colors of the street signs to tell them apart. She reasoned that they must have been dipping in and out of the edge of this line when they drove here. She had no clue there was so much unsettled land between the cities. It was several years after she moved here (where you can still drive hours between cities in much of the state) that she even realized she held this misconception.

She's gone on to become the best organic gardener that I personally know. Most of the permaculture techniques I know are either learned from her or something that I was open to learning because I had her example to follow. City isn't a bad place to start from as long as you're heading to the right destination.

edit: It occurs to me that I hear one of the major challenges in people who were raised on fast food in taking control of their diet is learning how to cook. There is a whole section of these forums devoted to preparing food. Everything from making meals, preserving it to last past the harvest, to using it to cure and prevent health problems. A big part of having a healthy diet is adding variety and if you're trying new foods there are often ways to use it that you wouldn't have ever considered. Even old foods can have unusual uses, I love apples added to sandwiches or used with canned salmon to make a more upmarket version of tuna salad.

Geraldine Raus wrote:
.... This thought maybe silly to some but there is (I believe) a criminal lack of education with our city youth.

Geraldine

That is by design.....would you be surprised to learn that the education in the rural areas is modeled on the same template and hence not much better?  Much easier to control a population if they are dependent on the "state" for necessities.

Are you in an apartment in Los Angeles?  Any chance you could start getting your feet wet with container gardening or, if you have a small plot of land or community garden, with a small, intensive garden for just a few things?  Hard to beat the LA climate for growing things!     Welcome here!

Thanks Casie for your story. I'm looking into local wwoofer opportunities and yes cooking is a challenge but I'm slowly getting there.

Thank you for the welcome John. I'm staying with relatives but I'm definitely open to learning about gardening when I have the appropriate situation.