Michelle Obama Linking Food and Health
Published June 20, 2009 @ 03:06PM PT
Via Obamafoodorama, the First Lady talks about food and health outcomes at the White House garden harvest celebration:
Michelle Obama: ... But unfortunately, for too many families, limited access to healthy fruits and vegetables is often a barrier to a healthier diet. In so many of our communities, particularly in poorer and more isolated communities, fresh, healthy food is simply out of reach. With few grocery stores in their neighborhoods, residents are forced to rely on convenience stores, fast food restaurants, liquor stores, drug stores and even gas stations for their groceries.
These food deserts leave too many families stranded and without enough choices when it comes to nourishing their loved ones. And sadly, this is the case in many large cities and rural communities all across this nation. So we need to do more to address the fact that so many of our citizens live in areas where access to healthy food, and thus a healthy future, is simply out of reach. ...
It's a resonant message, one that people across the country have been coming to independently, as evidenced by the spread of urban rooftop gardening and edible landscaping. (It's even spread beyond our borders, with Britain's Queen Elizabeth joining the kitchen garden movement.)
Even the American Medical Association, staunch opponents of serious health coverage reform otherwise, are saying that we need to reform food policy.
Indeed, money spent on good food policy now is far less expensive than treating diet-related diseases later.
We are what we eat, as much as we ever were. Why not take it seriously?
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Comments (2)
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Author
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Natasha is an amateur eater with severe snarkolepsy and a c. 2002 blogging habit. She had a fabulous time studying ecological agriculture and policy at The Evergreen State College, and even did her homework while writing at various times for pacificviews.org, boomantribune.com, and mydd.com.
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Sounds like we may be waking up after all. Thanks for the scoop. Now I just hope this isn't an invite for Monsanto and other big agro companies.
Posted by Don McAdams on 06/20/2009 @ 11:15PM PT
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Not really a reply, just a comment, but couldn't get the comment box to work...
"Healthy food is out of reach." What a load of rubbish! FOOD DOES NOT COME FROM STORES! Even if someone lives in an apartment, they can still grow their own tomatoes, lettuce, peas, and beans in a window box. I have a friend that grows lettuce year-round on her window ledge.
And if someone has their own patch of dirt, they most certainly can grow their own produce in quantities. The trouble is, most people are too LAZY to do it!
Or their PRIORITIES are such that they couldn't care less about healthy food. Sorry, it's not "politically correct" but it's TRUE. I work in ER, and have patients that can afford tattoos, cigarettes, candy, chips, multiple piercings, alcohol, and cell phones (which I can't afford)...but "can't afford" a $4 medication from Walmart! WHAT NONSENSE.
As for me, I can't afford NOT to grow my own food. Yes, it takes hard WORK, and YES, you get tired after weeding all day in 95 degrees...but it's worth it. The main trouble is, too many people have forgotten about, (or never knew what it was in the first place,) WORK ETHIC.
Posted by emily matthews on 06/26/2009 @ 03:17PM PT
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