In nearly one year of writing this column, I have rarely used it as a platform to express my opinions. However, by now you know that I am an advocate of local, sustainable and organic foods and I am a believer in knowing and understanding where food comes from (not just from a grocery store shelf or restaurant kitchen, but where and how it was farmed or raised, harvested, slaughtered, prepared and delivered). And, as a personal chef, personal trainer, nutritional counselor and public health professional, I take an interest in how people care for themselves.

So, with the Summer coming to an end and a new school year upon us, I thought I'd take this opportunity to raise your consciousness about some of the items we consume. As a society, we have become so far removed from the processes that bring us our daily nourishment that it is harming us. Many of us view food as an inconvenient necessity that should be readily available, simple and easily consumed – a quick bite on the run, a stop at the drive-thru.

As we have moved from an agricultural to an industrial, technological society, we no longer understand the work that goes into creating food, so we take our nourishment for granted, and, more disastrously, we consume ingredients that are man-made, -modified or otherwise not meant to be eaten. We are confused by conflicting news reports that wine is healthy…no wait, wine is bad…or coffee is good…no, coffee is bad…or tomatoes are contaminated…oops, sorry, no it's jalapenos or green onions or strawberries. We believe in fad diets and product placement and packaging that claims to be "all natural" or "healthy," when in fact we are having the wool pulled over our eyes by giant agribusinesses and food conglomerates that are simply looking to make a buck. And we do this without thinking. We have stopped caring about our food, which, in turn, means we have stopped caring about our health as individuals and as a society. And that is inexcusable.

Many of us do not realize that what we put in our bodies has a direct effect on the way we feel, how we look, and how we act. Rising rates of obesity, coronary artery disease, cancer, Type II diabetes, and possibly other diseases, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, female infertility and liver dysfunction, can in part be attributed to the increasing amounts of pre-packaged and modified foods we eat.

According to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 34% of American adults aged 20 and older are obese. According to other studies, nearly one-third of children nationwide are considered overweight. Several other recent analyses show that the number of children on adult medications to treat obesity-related illnesses has increased in some cases more than 100% over the past eight years. In 2000, the estimated total cost of obesity in the United States was about $117 billion (yes, that's a "B"). What does this mean? We are not eating properly – at all – and we are not getting enough exercise (another component of becoming and staying healthy).

As you are shopping and packing lunches for yourself, spouse or children, keep in mind these tips to help you eat a more healthy diet. And then, get out and exercise!

Nature makes the best packaging – Earlier this year, I taught a nutrition seminar at Middleburg Fitness Club, and one of the questions raised was, "What do I pack for my kid's lunch?" I had this person recall what he had taken to school when he was a child: You opened your lunch box to find an apple, some carrot sticks and a peanut butter and jelly or ham and cheese sandwich. These are still the best foods for your children, and you, given that the peanut butter contains peanuts and maybe some salt, the jelly contains no high fructose corn syrup, the cheese is not processed, and the ham is low-sodium. Yes, there is a little more thought that goes into shopping and eating these days, but once you get the hang of it, it's easy.

I was over at a neighbor's house the other day and her young daughter was ecstatic when she came into the kitchen and saw all the groceries. "OH! Clementines!" she exclaimed. Foods in their natural states are the best foods for adults and children.

Read the labels – If you insist on purchasing pre-packaged foods, make sure you read the labels. Look at the ingredients. Do you know what they are? Are you happy with them? Are they listed in a satisfactory order? (i.e., is sugar, or any form of fructose, sucrose or syrup, high on the list?)

For example, the first two ingredients of Sunny D, the highly touted "juice drink" for kids, are water and high fructose corn syrup (sugar). Then, the drink contains "2% or less of each of the following," including concentrated juices and canola oil. Who wants oil in their sugar water? Yuck.

Choose foods with as few ingredients as possible. While the Lean Pockets Supreme Pizza is not horribly bad for you based on its calories, fat, carbohydrate and protein content, one pocket (which really can only be considered a snack, as it only provides 220 calories) contains nearly 100 ingredients, including hydrolyzed soy protein, methylcellulose and, mmmm yummy!, L-cysteine hydrochloride. Is anyone else reminiscing about high school chemistry class right about now? And we eat this stuff!

Also, check the nutritional information. The percentages you see are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, which is an average number of calories one needs (men usually need more, women usually need less). Do any of those percentages (other than protein for some meats) seem high, or over 30%? If so, avoid them.

For example, an Oscar Mayer Ham & Cheddar Lunchables, which contains eight small pieces of water-added lean ham, eight small slices of Kraft pasteurized prepared cheddar cheese product and eight Ritz crackers, packs a whopping 45% of your recommended daily allowance of saturated fat, 46% of your sodium RDA and 34% of your protein allowance. What else are you going to eat all day? Lettuce?

And if you send your child to school with a Lunchables "Maxed Out" Ultimate Nachos box, he'll get 42% of his total fat RDA, 25% of his carbohydrate RDA, and he'll certainly max out on his sodium intake, at 54% of his RDA. Are we trying to pickle ourselves and our children?

Don't believe the hype – A lot of packaging is flashy, colorful and bombarding us with "healthy" messages as we walk down the aisles, but the statements are not always true. Be savvy. Don't let yourself be fooled.

Minute Maid Kids+ orange juice states, in big, bold, bright letters, that the boxes contain "100%" orange juice. However, read the fine print of the ingredients and you'll see that there are seven starred ingredients that are "ingredients not found in orange juice." Really? But I thought I just read on the front that it was 100% OJ!

In addition, the "fat free" label doesn't always mean it is better than the fat-containing version. First, we need fat in our diets, as it is one of our primary sources of energy, but fat free also often means there are added ingredients that you'd probably be better off not consuming.

Take for instance Giant brand Light Nonfat Yogurt, which contains eight more ingredients than its Lowfat counterpart (including modified food starch, aspartame and a rainbow of artificial colors).

Finally, the demarcation of "whole wheat" or "whole grain" might not be much different than the regular version. Compare the ingredients and nutritional information. You may be surprised.

Shop the perimeter of the store – You've heard it before, but as much as possible, keep your shopping to the perimeter of the store and gather items from the fresh produce, meats and dairy sections. If you do venture into the center lanes, don't succumb to the beckoning calls of Kung Fu Panda, Indiana Jones, Scooby Doo and Sponge Bob Square Pants. And make sure you read the labels!

Learn more – If you want to learn more about what you should be eating, how you can control your weight and your caloric intake, there are many resources at your disposal. You can contact a registered dietician, your family physician, a nutritional counselor, or visit a multitude of Web sites, including the CDC's "Healthy Weight" page at http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/healthyweight/index.htm. Start becoming aware of your food and you'll find that you'll start to feel better about yourself, your future, and the future of our planet.

Do you have any ideas for the "Your Personal Chef" column? Do you want to see an article on a specific topic? Do you have a recipe you'd like to share? Are you wondering how to replicate your favorite restaurant dish or make your favorite high-fat meal into guilt-free low-fat fare? Always wondered what a cherimoya is but are afraid to purchase one? Email me at eatrightgetfit@gmail.com, and I'll try to include your comments and answer your questions in the coming months!