I have been waiting like an over excited teenager for this trip of a lifetime which has involved three days in Honalulu on Waikiki Beach, five days in Maui, four days in Vegas and the Grand Canyon and a week in LA and I have to say that I love it!
I was fully expecting to be overburdened with vast, gargantuan plates of food wherever I went, but have been pleasantly surprised! Hawaii is like a fit chick's paradise, with great running tracks with awesome views, clean air, the most amazing sea that can entertain you for years and a pretty healthy selection of food available. Every morning I ran along the sea front along with loads of other healthy dudes and girls, and was delighted to find several people under banyan trees meditating or practising their own yoga. Obviously there was an abundance of burgers and soda available, but I mostly ate super-fresh and succulent Mahi-Mahi fish, shrimp and amazing fruits and salads so felt pretty good.
One thing that I have noticed throughout each state though is that it is nigh on impossible to purchase 'whole' foods and labeling is really misleading. Take, for example, a packet of 'Healthy Matcha Green Tea latte' which promised to be super healthy and full of anti-oxidents. What it actually contained was: Fructose, non-dairy creamer, (coconut oil, corn syrup, sodium caseinate)......dipotasassium phosphate...mono & diglycerides.... blah, blah blah and then at the bottom of the list is Japanese Matcha tea! I have not been able to find a single yoghurt for breakfast that does not contain syrups, flavourings and other nasties and as for a white coffee - what is this non-dairy creamer stuff? I just want a simple shot of good old cow juice and all that is available is this - 'water, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, corn syrup solids, corn syrup, sodium casinate , dipotassium phosphate, sugar, mono & diglycerides, silicon dioxide, sodium stearoyl lactylate, soy lecithin & artificial colours'. Phew! I find it really scary that most Americans seem to be ingesting this kind of chemical and non-food food on a daily basis. What does the body do with all this cr*p? I am intruiged and would love to know more.
In the mean time, I am starving so am heading out to a great restaurant on Ventura called 'Good Earth' which has organic, antibiotic free meat. From one extreme to the other: I guess that is the USA for you!