In early adulthood, many of us, myself included, are already grappling with gastrointestinal issues, chronic pain, and inflammation. The reason? Ingredients lurking in every single food item that we consume. It is astounding that despite our youth, we are so plagued by health issues related directly to our diets.

I have personally reviewed natural-path medicine and the first thing said to decrease inflammation is changing your diet and not eating inflammatory ingredients. Doing so is very hard to accomplish when every affordable and easy to get food is littered with preservatives and chemicals. Even our produce!

Our situation highlights a grim reality: the over-abundance of toxic chemicals and preservatives in our food. It's not only distressing but also exceedingly unhealthy. Various health issues we face are directly linked to these harmful substances. Alarmingly, such chemicals are permitted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States where they claim "are safe in moderation," however numerous other countries have already established stricter regulations on these chemicals because they prove to be unsafe to consume.

To put things in perspective, the entire European Union and other countries like Argentina, Canada, and Brazil have banned potassium bromate, a carcinogen that has been linked to cancer, thyroid disease, kidney damage, intestinal inflammation and reproductive harm. Yet it's usually found in most breads in the U.S. Likewise, the European Union, UK and Australia have banned azodicarbonamide (ADA), a chemical used to whiten bread however it's also used to create foamed plastics like yoga mats and gaskets for mason jar lids. This chemical breaks down into semicarbazide a carcinogenic compound. These are only TWO chemicals as example, there are hundreds more in foods you eat every single day. It's about time the FDA followed suit and prioritized public health over corporate convenience.

We call upon the FDA to ban all toxic chemicals and preservatives in our food. It is not just about a healthy lifestyle; it is about preserving our well-being and preventing a public health crisis. This is our plea for ourselves and the generations to come: Demand higher food safety standards akin to what is observed in other countries.

We shouldn't have to live in fear of what our meals might cost us health-wise. We urge you to sign this petition and join in our fight for healthier and safer food.