What is Codex Alimentarius and the WTO? An Unmasking of Global Food Policy

You’ve likely never heard of Codex Alimentarius, but it governs what’s on your plate.
This global food standards body, created between 1961 and 1963 by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), claims a noble mission: to eliminate trade barriers and protect consumers. But when you dig deeper, you uncover a web of influence, bureaucracy, and corporate agendas that raises critical questions about food sovereignty, consumer choice, and health freedom.

Let’s break it down.

What is Codex Alimentarius?

Codex Alimentarius (Latin for "food code") is an international body with 189 members, including 188 countries and the European Union. Its stated goals:

• Develop uniform food standards for global trade.

• Protect consumer health.

Sounds good, right? Except, the reality reveals an agenda far removed from these ideals. Codex isn’t just about food safety or fair trade; it’s about control—of food production, supplement availability, and even what constitutes “healthy eating.”

The Hidden Agenda of Codex:

• Restriction of high-potency supplements.

• Push for genetically modified (GM) foods—with no labeling transparency.

• Limited access to beneficial natural remedies, often requiring prescriptions.

The bureaucratic machine is vast, fragmented, and highly technical. With 27 committees hosted by different countries, each focuses on specific areas:

• Switzerland handles mineral water standards.

• Germany oversees nutrition and special dietary use foods.

• China governs food additives.

These committees submit guidelines to the main Codex Commission, where they are reviewed and often rubber-stamped.

The meetings—held in Rome, Geneva, or elsewhere—showcase an elitist, top-down agenda. Behind a podium sit attorneys, bureaucrats, and corporate representatives. These are not individuals vested in your health or freedom of choice; they’re vested in protecting trade interests and corporate profits.

Codex: The Reality Behind the Curtain

Despite its claims of promoting health and safety, Codex operates largely under the influence of trade organizations and corporate lobbyists. While non-governmental organizations (NGOs) participate, 85–90% represent trade interests like the International Dairy Federation and World Sugar Research Council.

The National Health Federation (NHF) is the lone health-freedom organization present at Codex meetings. It exposes the true nature of these deliberations, advocating for consumer rights and health autonomy.

The guidelines Codex pushes often align with corporate interests, creating policies that are:

• Anti-natural foods and supplements: Restricting remedies that heal.

• Pro-pharmaceutical and GM foods: Advancing industrial solutions at the expense of health.

• Detached from consumer needs: Prioritizing economic interests over wellbeing.

Take, for instance, the “Follow-up Formula Standard,” which targets mothers in developing countries. It encourages them to transition from breastmilk to commercial formulas, exploiting vulnerable populations under the guise of nutrition.

Or consider biofortification, where nutrient-enriched foods hide genetic modifications, misleading consumers into believing these are natural solutions.

Even pesticides are addressed with alarming leniency. At Codex’s Pesticides for Evaluation meeting (hosted by Australia, a known ally of pesticide producers), chemicals like Chlorpyrifos—a neurotoxic agent derived from WWII nerve gas—are approved for widespread agricultural use.

These aren’t isolated issues; they reflect Codex’s broader philosophy: a consolidation of food power into the hands of the few.

The Role of the WTO: Enforcer of Codex Rules

The World Trade Organization (WTO) is Codex’s muscle. Established in 1995, the WTO enforces global trade agreements, including those that rely on Codex standards.

The WTO’s structure mirrors Codex’s elitism:

• A Ministerial Conference (its highest body) sets the agenda.

• A General Council of representatives enforces compliance.

• Member states are bound by agreements that prioritize trade over sovereignty.

While the WTO markets itself as a champion of globalization, its policies often harm smaller nations and regional economies, favoring industrialized countries. For example:

• The WTO promotes the “most-favored-nation” rule, which requires all members to offer the same trade terms to every other member. On paper, this sounds fair; in practice, it benefits powerful economies that dictate these terms.

Critics argue that WTO agreements exacerbate inequality. The entry of China into the WTO in 2001 caused a seismic shift in global markets, driving down labor costs and destabilizing traditional industries.

The WTO enforces Codex standards through trade penalties. Countries failing to comply with Codex guidelines risk economic retaliation, locking them out of global markets. This creates a coercive system where food sovereignty is sacrificed for economic participation.

A Return to Localization: The Way Forward

The current system—Codex standards enforced by WTO muscle—reduces nations to spectators in their food sovereignty. Regional needs are ignored, and health freedom is sacrificed at the altar of global trade.

The alternative? Localization.

• Decentralize power to regional governments.

• Enable autonomous decision-making on food production, labeling, and trade.

• Prioritize people’s needs over corporate interests.

Localization would restore balance, allowing communities to decide what’s best for their health and economy. It challenges the unchecked globalization driven by Codex and the WTO, giving power back to the people.

The Stakes Are High

The Codex Alimentarius Commission and the WTO represent a centralized approach to food policy that’s out of step with local realities and consumer needs. They push an agenda shaped by corporate interests, where health freedom is a casualty.

The fight for health autonomy isn’t just about supplements or labeling. It’s about resisting a system that puts profit before people.

The question is: Will you accept the plate Codex serves you, or will you demand better?

4o

Unlock the Creator Within: Rediscover Flow & Freedom

We’re all creators.

Whether you realize it or not, creation is woven into every moment of your life.
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The way you solve problems, choose and cook your meals, or pick up a new skill—it's all creation.

Creation isn’t reserved for artists or innovators; it’s in every small decision, every bit of growth, every move to take control of your life.

Imagine what life could feel like if you embraced this power.

Not just for “getting things done” but as a path to something deeper.

A life where every skill you pick up, every new thing you learn, becomes a step toward greater freedom, clarity, and joy.

Continuous Creation & The Flow State

There’s something about creating that brings us back to ourselves. It’s that feeling when you’re so engaged, so absorbed, that time falls away.
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That’s flow—a state where you’re so focused, everything just clicks.

Flow isn’t some mystical state you’re lucky to hit once in a while.
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It’s a skill. And it comes when you lean fully into creation—when you stop focusing on what’s next and allow yourself to be fully present.
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When you take on a new skill or a challenging project, that flow unlocks naturally. You feel more alive, more capable, and completely in sync with yourself.

And guess what? You don’t need anything special to get there.
Just the willingness to start.
The willingness to commit to the craft of learning, growing, creating.

Creating Freedom Through Food

At some point, creation becomes more than just an activity. It becomes a way of reclaiming control.

One of the purest ways to practice this is with food.
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We’ve all seen how our food system prioritizes speed over quality. But what if we took food creation back into our own hands?
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Food sovereignty is about exactly that—having control over what you eat, knowing where it comes from, and understanding what goes into it.

Imagine crafting your own plant-based cheese. Yes, vegan cheese from scratch. It’s not just about making food; it’s a sensory experience. You’re working with your hands, smelling the ingredients, tasting, adjusting. You feel the textures, see the transformation. It’s creation in its simplest, most powerful form.

And the result? Food that’s nourishing, sustainable, and made with intention.

The skills you build are more than just ways to pass time.
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They’re your toolkit for a life of freedom, flow, and fulfillment.
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Whether it’s learning to make vegan cheese or picking up any other skill that feels true to you, each act of creation brings you closer to a life where you are fully in control, fully alive, and fully yourself.

This is what it means to be a creator.

The Power of Taking a Break: The Mental Fast You Didn’t Know You Needed

We’ve all been taught that success is about more effort, more hours, more grind. But what if I told you that stepping away—taking a break—could actually be your secret weapon?

Think about fasting. When you fast, your body stops processing food and shifts into repair mode.

Instead of constantly digesting, it’s healing, detoxifying, and optimizing.

Your brain works the same way.

When you’re constantly feeding it tasks, notifications, and stress, it’s busy just keeping up. But when you take a break, your brain has the space to reset. It processes everything you’ve been working on, quietly connecting dots in the background.

That’s why your best ideas come to you when you’re not working—like in the shower, or on a walk. The brain finally gets room to breathe.

But here’s where it gets really interesting, especially for those of us with ADHD. Ever feel like the world just wasn’t built for your brain? In Hunter in a Farmer’s World, Thom Hartmann talks about how ADHD brains are wired like hunters—always scanning, reacting quickly, and thriving in chaos.

Back in the day, hunters needed to be quick, adaptable, and hyper-focused when the time was right. Now? We live in a society designed for farmers. Everything is about routine, structure, and slow, methodical progress. That’s why constantly grinding feels like forcing a hunter to plow a field for hours—it doesn’t align with how your brain naturally works.

You need breaks. You need space.

Taking breaks isn’t just a “nice-to-have”; it’s a necessity, especially for those of us navigating ADHD, anxiety, or burnout. When you’re pushing non-stop, you’re not giving your brain the chance to recharge. You hit brain fog. Stress piles up. Creativity dries out. But the moment you step away—even for just a few minutes—your mind gets the chance to wander, process, and reset. And that’s when things start clicking again.

The best part? Taking a break is like a mental detox. Just like fasting makes your body more efficient, taking breaks makes your brain sharper. When you stop feeding it the endless stream of tasks, it starts to clean up the mental clutter. Suddenly, that problem you’ve been stuck on starts to unravel itself. You get that “aha” moment you’ve been waiting for.

Here’s the real kicker: If you’ve got ADHD, these breaks are even more important. We’ve all been there—sitting at a desk, trying to focus, but nothing is happening.

It’s like your brain just won’t cooperate.

That’s when taking a break becomes a superpower. When you step away, your brain resets, and when you come back, you’re way more likely to tap into that hyperfocus we know so well. And hyperfocus? That’s when the magic happens.

But let’s not kid ourselves—there’s a guilt that comes with stepping away. We’ve been programmed to think that more work equals more success.

Hustle culture tells us that if we’re not constantly producing, we’re falling behind. But here’s the reality: more isn’t better. In fact, working non-stop can actually tank your productivity. Every extra hour you push starts to feel less effective. That’s because your brain, like your body, needs time to recover.

Breaks aren’t just about productivity, though. They’re critical for mental health. Stress, anxiety, burnout—these are the byproducts of always being on. When you’re constantly working, your nervous system stays in overdrive. Fight-or-flight mode kicks in, cortisol levels go up, and your ability to think clearly and creatively tanks.

Taking a break allows you to reset, to calm your nervous system, to get out of that constant reactive state.

For people with ADHD, breaks also help regulate focus. We all know how hard it is to stay locked in on tasks that don’t naturally engage us. It’s like trying to see through fog. But after a break? The fog clears. Suddenly, those impossible tasks start to feel doable.

The truth is, breaks aren’t about doing nothing—they’re about shifting energy. It’s not about shutting off your brain, it’s about feeding it something new. Go for a walk. Put on some music. Stretch. My favourite? A session of Yoga Nidra.

Whatever gets your brain to stop grinding and start wandering.

That’s when the real breakthroughs happen. That’s when creativity flows, when clarity returns, and when you find solutions to problems that felt impossible just a few hours ago.

So how do you make breaks work for you?

It’s simple. You just need to be intentional about it. Here’s what works for me:

• Micro-breaks: Every hour, stand up, move around, breathe, or just stare out the window. Five minutes is all you need.

• Movement: A walk, some yoga, anything that gets your body moving. Physical activity has a way of refreshing your mind.

• Unplug: No screens, no notifications, just space. Give your brain a break from the digital overload.

• Creativity: Paint, write, play music—whatever sparks joy and engages your mind in a different way.

• Reflection: Use your breaks to check in with yourself. How are you feeling? What do you need? This kind of mindful pause can reset your focus for the rest of the day.

The key is to build these breaks into your day like they’re non-negotiable. Because they are.

Remember: taking a break isn’t about losing time—it’s about gaining clarity, creativity, and focus. And when you make rest part of your routine, you’ll find that you’re more productive, more creative, and just generally in a better headspace.

So, this week, give it a shot. Take a step back.

Watch how much more you can actually achieve when you let yourself breathe. Let the breaks work for you.

Thanks for reading
With Gratitude
Tomaso

From Overwhelm to Flow: The Art of Cooking in the Moment

The Problem Isn’t Knowing What to Do—It’s Doing What You Know

There was a time when I thought I needed to absorb everything. I was addicted to the idea of mastery—learning every technique, every philosophy, collecting bits of knowledge like trophies.

I believed that if I could just learn more, somehow, things would click into place. But they didn’t. Instead, I felt stuck, overwhelmed by my own inaction, despite everything I knew.

The guilt followed closely behind.
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Why couldn’t I change?
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Why did it seem like I was always a step behind, watching others achieve what I couldn't?
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That’s when I began looking deeper—into my brain, into the ways I functioned that seemed different from others.

Organizing, prioritizing, managing time... these weren’t just personal struggles. They were ingrained patterns that felt impossible to overcome through sheer will.

But I also believed in epigenetics. I believed in the power we have to change our biology by changing our environment, both inside and out.
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My brain, my habits—they didn’t have to define me.
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The mind is simply where our attention goes, and if I could learn to master my attention, everything else would follow.

Control and Flow: From the Kitchen to Life

In the professional kitchen, I found a system that worked. I thrived on structure: prepping for service, managing a team, hitting deadlines, delegating tasks.

There’s a flow that happens in that environment, an intense focus that pulls you into the present moment. The world fades, and all that matters is the task in front of you. That hyperfocus? It’s where I excelled.

But outside of the kitchen, in the everyday world, it was a struggle to replicate. It’s one thing to enter that state when you’re cooking for 200 people or at the pass during a busy service under pressure. It’s another to find that flow when you're alone at home, cooking dinner for yourself and your partner.

Without that external pressure, the focus didn’t come as easily. I was still distracted, overwhelmed by the emotions and endless thoughts running through my mind.

Then, on my reading time I came across a piece by Russell A. Barkley: “You need to work with your brain, not against it.”
That simple phrase shifted my entire perspective.

I realized that control was an illusion—it wasn’t about forcing myself to be different, but rather about aligning my systems with the way I naturally function. I had to stop fighting against my own mind.

Letting Go of Control: Cooking in the Moment

Here’s where cooking became more than just a task—it became a meditation. I had my structure, yes, but I needed to let go of perfectionism, to allow space for the process to unfold organically.

The kitchen became my playground, where I could experiment, fail, and adjust without pressure. In doing so, I tapped into something deeper—a state of being where attention flowed effortlessly.

And there’s science behind this. When we shift our focus inward and operate from a place of calm, our brain waves move from the fast, reactive beta state into the more relaxed alpha state.

This is where creativity thrives. It’s the sweet spot where our thoughts quiet down, and we become more connected to the present moment.

In the alpha state, the brain's compartments that usually work separately begin to communicate more effectively. Coherence is achieved, and the chaos inside starts to settle.

This shift isn’t just psychological—it’s biological. When we allow ourselves to relax into the process, the brain stops working in survival mode. Instead, it synchronizes, creating a flow where ideas and actions come together seamlessly.

The Freedom of Not Knowing

The key to it all? Letting go of the need to control everything.

When we try to control every outcome, we’re activating the part of the brain that’s in constant survival mode, endlessly shifting between different stimuli. But when we relax and trust the process, something amazing happens.

We enter the unknown—the space where creativity and intuition thrive. In the kitchen, this means cooking in the moment—adjusting flavors, playing with textures, and allowing the dish to evolve naturally.

In life, it’s the same. It’s about embracing the unknown, trusting that you don’t have to have every answer, and understanding that real growth happens when you release control.

This is where the coherence of brain waves comes in. By stepping away from narrow focus and allowing our attention to flow freely, we stop activating those reactive, stress-driven states.

Instead, we cultivate a state of coherence—where the mind, body, and emotions come into alignment, and our energy shifts from disorder to order.
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Just cook, smell, touch the ingredients, mesmerise watching the soup bubbling up. Chop and slice endlessly if that's your peace so let it be.
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Hope this resonates with some of you, and it helps somehow
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Thanks for reading
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WIth Gratitude
Tomaso

The Why Behind the Journey: How Meal Planning and Self-Mastery Shape My Mission

What are you doing?

There’s something I like to remind myself of, and it’s the most important question:
Why am I doing it?

As cliché as it sounds, the "why" is the foundation of your mission. It defines your purpose and keeps you on track, especially when the objective seems far away.

Almost two years ago, when I decided to dive into this creator/educational space, sharing myself on the internet, I had no idea about the psychological challenges that would come with it.
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Trends, algorithms, "competition"—and that’s not even counting the new skills I had to learn, from videography to design and marketing. Distractions? Everywhere.

I knew I wanted to be honest and transparent, hence the name of the channel, and to share my knowledge and the journey that got me here. But the noise out there is louder than ever, and gaining clarity became a priority as soon as I recognized those distractions.

You’ve probably heard me say it before, but food has always been just my medium.
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There’s so much more behind it when I talk about my philosophy and the self-mastery required to live the good life—or at least my version of it.

That’s what I want to share: the bigger vision, the processes, systems, and tools that transformed my life.

Inspiring and influencing (if you see me as an influencer—hopefully not, lol) is one thing. But empowering is my real goal.

That’s where I place my intention—creating deeper connections and building a community with shared values.

A community of Mensches. Corny? Maybe, but I like it.

This is why you’ve seen me spending less time on social platforms, focusing mainly on IG, and putting TikTok and YouTube on the back burner (I’ll be back on YT soon) also sending you this journal as often as I can—at least once a week for now—but more importantly...

I’ve spent the last five months building something special for you.

To be honest, I crave mental stimulation. I can’t just do what other creators are doing—it gets boring. If I’m not passionate about it, how can I serve you in the best way? I can’t.

I’d rather experiment with my ideas and start new conversations. Consider what I have done on the platform as the icebreaker. Let’s go deeper.

So, what is it?​
The first problem I solved in my life was lack of time.

I needed more time to train, work on my business, start new hobbies, read, travel, spend quality time with loved ones, rest, and study—to build the best version of myself.

It’s all a work in progress, don’t worry :)

And that’s the first challenge I want to help you with!

“With food?”
Yes, sort of.

In short, the tools I've developed come directly from my professional career—over the years, I've learned how to streamline operations, manage teams, and execute projects efficiently, and I’ve brought those same principles into my personal life.

Little did I know, I was building compensational tools for what I later discovered to be neurodivergence.

These were techniques I used to bring clarity, structure, and focus into my daily life.

If you're a creative—in the broadest sense of the word, not just the “cool” social media label everyone seems to chase—you’ve likely experienced diverged thinking.

The constant flood of ideas, thoughts, and solutions can be a blessing, but it also comes with its challenges.

And while everyone shout to think outside the box (because that can lead to brilliant, unexpected solutions if you know where to look) the outside of the box is.. BIG AND VAST.

It can be overwhelming, filled with the unknown, and hard to navigate without a system.

That’s how THE BLANK PAGE TERROR was born–and this is where structure comes in.

The blank page terror happens in all areas of life, not just in art or creativity.
And the solution? Put limitations on your creativity—a framework, a blueprint.

It's ironic, but the more efficient you are, (through the self-imposed limitations) the more creative freedom you’ll discover.

So while I recognized familiar patterns and solutions that could be replicated, I pulled them into the box–to focus, narrow down the endless options, and actually start!

Now back to the mission, how do we save time, money and stress?

One problem at a time. (LITERALLY!)

The real issue isn’t time itself. We all have 24 hours in a day. The difference? How you use those hours. Some of us can do more. Not just more—we can do better.

Here’s the thing: My non-negotiable priority has always been health—mine and my family’s. The pursuit of peak performance, self-discovery, and self-mastery all stems from this foundation.

And it all starts with how I fuel my body.

It’s simple: daily fuel and maintenance make the difference.

I can whip up meals fast, but only if I know what I’m doing. If I don’t? My mind drifts.

Suddenly, the fridge looks like some parallel universe. The cabinets? Massive mountains from another dimension. The kitchen? A desert stretching as far as I can see. You get the point.

But let’s cut the fluff.

It all boils down to one word—a word that’s been misused, misunderstood, and ruined by so many who didn’t know what they were doing.

They get caught in unsustainable loops, eventually giving up on something that was meant to be the solution from the start.

I’m talking about Meal Planning. Yeah, technically two words—but don’t roll your eyes just yet. This isn’t the rigid, over-complicated mess you've been led to believe.

It’s not about strict regimens. It’s a system—a flexible and customizable framework that actually gives you freedom. It covers three core aspects, and if you master them, they will transform your life. 

1. Categorization

2. Scheduling

3. Personalization

Categorization: This is your foundation. It's what holds everything together.
I learned it implementing and running systems RMS (recipe management software). It's all about finding your “one source of truth,” feeding it the right information, and automating whenever possible.

In life, it’s no different.

You might not realize it yet, but your life is a big operation.

Your body alone burns 80% of its energy just digesting food. Now, think about that for a second. It’s wild. Your machine—the human body—requires serious fuel to perform.

But we’re spending not only our energy but our time on this process?
That’s crazy. I want my time back. I bet you do, too.

Scheduling: This is where we win. We take time to:

·       Plan: Use the categories you’ve created, choose your meals, and block time in advance. The blank page syndrome? Gone. You’re walking into the kitchen with a mission. A clear job to do.

·       List: Make your shopping list. Think about it—how long does it normally take to do your grocery shopping? It could take much less.

Personalization: Now, make it yours.

Personalization makes the plan stick. If you leave it too broad, it won’t feel like yours—it’ll feel like someone else’s.

Take my recipe, used them first and tweak it to fit your style with time, and now you’ve created something you’ll remember. Don’t forget to credit me, though ;)

Seriously, personalization is the secret to mastery. Think about how we learn from mentors. It’s in our nature, that is what we do since we are born, we look at our mum and repeat, that’s how you learnt how to speak!

Here’s the reality of what you’re saving:

·       Time: At least 4 hours. Let’s break it down:

o   Meal Planning: Now I bet you can't even quantify how long it takes you to decide for each meal but let's say that you learned the basics of planning and spend, 30-60 minutes per week. Deciding on meals, considering preferences, and choosing recipes can take some time.
But once you get into a rhythm, it’s a breeze. With my tool, an instant!

o   Shopping List: 30 minutes at leasy. Compile what you need and what you already have, then knock it out. With my tool? Automatic!

o   Travel Time: 15-30 minutes each way to the store.

o   Shopping: 60 minutes (if you are lucky) depending on the store’s layout, crowds, and your familiarity with it.

Total? 3/4 hours or more every week. But once you’ve got the system in place, you’ll be able to slash that down to 30 minutes max. If you shop online and get it delivered? Even less.

And that’s not all.

Money: What’s the cost of a meal plan compared to the chaos of random weekly shopping?

Impulse buys drop, you stop overspending, and you only buy what you need.

In fact, meal planning could save you up to 20-30% on your grocery bill. Add it up over a year—that’s a few hundred pounds back in your pocket.

Stress: Meal planning simplifies your life. The "what’s for dinner" panic? Gone.
The blank page syndrome in the kitchen? Gone.

When you reduce daily decisions, you create mental space for the things that really matter. You become more productive, more creative, and more focused.

A BIG Plus: Minimized Waste: Here’s a fact—30% of the food you buy likely ends up in the trash. Crazy, right?

Meal planning directly combats that. You buy what you need, use what you have, and waste less.

Not to mention, you’re saving the planet while you’re at it.

This isn't an impossibility for you.

I hope this helped giving you some clarity and got you excited on what’s coming!

Thank you for reading.

With Gratitude,

Tomaso