Pay Your Farmer Or Pay Your Doctor. It’s Your Choice by: Kathy Bernier for Off The Grid News
We overplanted our gardens again this year. My husband and I often roll into harvest season with more food than we can ever possibly eat. We eat fresh from the garden all season, try to preserve as much as possible, and are diligent and purposeful about eating out of our pantry all winter—and still have plenty of vegetables left over.
Also again this year, I posted multiple offers on social media for free food. And again this year, there were few takers. Most people are not interested. Others tell me it’s too much of a trip out to the farm to collect it.
I sometimes wonder if there is any overlap between the people who are not interested in accepting my organic tomatoes and eggplant and kale and squash for free, and the people who say the only reason they don’t eat better is because fresh whole foods are too expensive. I also wonder if people would make the 45-minute trip from town to pick up free smart phones or designer handbags if I were offering those instead of food.
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Oh, but that’s different, people might tell me. Phones and accessories are worth a lot of money.
So is good food. If you live on a limited budget—which most of us do—then you have to make judicious choices about where your dollars are spent. And spending money to eat healthy is worth doing.
You can pay your farmer, or pay your doctor.
A healthful diet based on high-quality food is good medicine. Nearly two out of three Americans are overweight or obese, which is linked to myriad conditions including type II diabetes, some types of cancer, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and possibly even Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, obesity can cause additional suffering from issues such as knee and ankle injuries, back pain, sleep apnea and digestive problems. A diet centered on healthful whole foods is an effective strategy to combat obesity and the many health concerns which stem from it.
A Good Chain Reaction
Quality food can kick off a chain reaction that can includes feeling better, becoming more active, requiring less medication, needing fewer medical procedures, recovering from illness and surgeries faster and with fewer potential complications, and more success in fighting off disease. Most people would agree that a good quality of life includes feeling great, having the physical ability to do what they want to do, and not spending a lot of time or money on health care.
This is not to say that good food is an absolute panacea. It is true that healthy eaters can and do get sick, and it is possible for people who thrive on junk food to live long happy lives. But the evidence connecting a good diet to good health is solid.
