My journey began with a major surgery to remove a cancerous tumor. As an overweight individual, my doctor and nutritionist consistently stressed the importance of healthy eating for recovery and overall health. I have been committed to this, scrutinizing our food system and its myriad implications. Shockingly, I discovered that food additives, chemicals, and bioengineering are pervasive. Weeks of rigorous exercise and conscious eating culminated in post-surgery meals at the hospital/healthcare institution, where I was served food laden with the very elements my health advisors advised against.

Bioengineered food, according to the USDA, includes food products developed using modern biotechnology, which can introduce new plant traits to achieve desired goals, such as pesticide resistance or enhanced nutritional content. However, this bioengineering process often involves the use of additives, chemicals, and materials. Thus, bioengineered foods, though nutritionally enhanced, often come with potential health risks due to the added unnatural elements.

Hospitals' usage of such food is contradictory. They are the institutions we trust with our health, yet they serve the very food that contributes to some of the health problems they simultaneously aim to alleviate. It is confounding that staples like crackers, jello, soups, and yogurts served after surgeries are often bioengineered.

We need to change this. Hospitals should align their actions with their advocacy, serving food that is free from bioengineering, supporting the patient's recovery and overall health rather than undermining it. Please sign this petition to urge hospitals across the country to eliminate bioengineered food from their menus and adopt a holistic approach to patient care that champions naturally sourced nutrition.