As I have gotten older and quite frankly closer to the end of my life, I've become much more aware of what I put into my body. From food and drink to medicine. Like many of you I have gained weight and it's harder to lose weight as you get older. Many of us have fallen into the trap of eating foods that are convenient but we've also been told that we have to eat foods that are low in fat. And whenever we get a sniffle or an ache, we are quick to take medication.

Over the last few years, I've been thinking about how obese we are as a society. It's something of which we are all aware. Look at photos of our parents, grandparents, and great grandparents. Finding someone who was obese is difficult. In fact, truly obese people were part of the sideshow in the circus. Yet think about how they ate and prepared their meals. Who didn't have a coffee can full of bacon grease in their kitchen? All kinds of high fat food were served at meals.

I remember a nutrition expert making fun of the Galloping Gourmet, Graham Kerr. She showed a clip of the end of Graham's show where he was making a beef stroganoff, he was touting the heavy cream and having left all of the fat on the beef cubes to add to the flavor. She ridiculed him for touting a dish with such a high fat content.

And don't get me started on the prescription drug or over the counter drug industry. We are so quick to use medication for every little thing that might ail us. In fact, there's now the much sought after and desired weight loss drug. I can remember a time if I had a cough my mom or dad would bring me a glass with warm water, whiskey and honey. There were lots of home remedies that quite frankly worked. Over the years I have suffered from seasonal allergies to the point that I would get bronchitis. I would exceed the recommended dose of over-the-counter medication often by 10 times more than the recommended dose. I don't think I've suffered adverse effects but how do I know?

Over the last several months I've become much more aware of and much more deliberate about what I put into my body. A lot of research in both of these areas says we need to return to what we used to do. Bacon grease or tallow should be our primary cooking medium as opposed to nut oils or sprays. Things like oat milk or almond milk are not that good for you. Look at a label on a container of food and you see so many chemical compounds that cannot be good for us. Don't forget all of the negative side effects that you see on a commercial for some kind of medication.

We have made strides in our household toward going back to more natural foods and treatments. I can tell you one thing; the food tastes a lot better. And because our bodies are more adept at breaking down and utilizing natural compounds or substances as opposed to chemically enhanced foods, i do think I'm healthier and I am losing weight. Interestingly, my allergies have not been as severe the last couple of years as I've weaned myself off of nasal sprays.

I can't say our parents, grandparents, and great grandparents knew more than us, because they are the ones that came up with all the chemically enhanced products, albeit I think their motives were understandable. But certainly, I think we'd be a lot better off if we went back to their ways in many areas. So, if you see me hanging strips of meat on the clothesline, mind your own business.