america's health goals!

[me&thegals]

Yeah--I have several friends who can only afford catastrophic healthcare coverage. Not exactly a great system for getting little things looked at or double checking labs to see how the BP is doing.

As for labor and delivery, my 2 hospital experiences were not great. My doctor was very flexible and willing to let me do what I wanted, but the hospital was way overcrowded and staff fairly unavailable both times. My sister just gave birth at home and had a wonderful experience. I would love the chance to do it over again!

Not to get obsessed on food, but if you believe "You are what you eat," it's hard to imagine Americans getting much healthier on the current food system.

 

[FarmerChick]

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[hikerchick]

You hit the nail on the head, FC. Many people in the inner city do not have cars; and supermarkets and health food stores are scarce there. All that is within walking distance for most is a convenience store. It is a real problem for city dwellers. Where are they supposed to buy fresh meat and veggies?

 

[me&thegals]

So very true. Plus, not everyone has fridges or stoves for preparing some foods, or even the teeth for eating them. Seriously. I had the great problem of an overabundance of sweetcorn last summer, which I brought to the food pantry. The guy in line who helped me unload had to bike several miles home (with 2 dozen corn?), and then didn't have much for teeth or cookware.

 

[Wifezilla]

Where are they supposed to buy fresh meat and veggies?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJypFEA33lU
http://www.technologyforthepoor.com/UrbanAgriculture/Garden.htm
http://video.the-landscape-design-s.../rooftop-garden---small-roof-top-gardens.html

While I am not in the inner city, I am raising quail in my little suburban home. Of course, I am getting them outside as soon as I can but if you have room for a dog or cat, you have room for something that can get you meat and eggs.

When a woman gets preggers and she does not get proper nutrition, some of the things that happen are deformities of the skeletal system of the child. This is very noticible in the mouth, with a small mouthful of overcrowded teeth and lots of cavities. It is not genetic, it is nutrition. That was well-documented half a century ago, but for some reason, it is still not what we are taught. Sadly.

Exactly! Our diet effects dental development and dental health. I have a lot of crowding which led to cavities. I also was fed a very high carbohydrate diet which fed the harmful bacteria.

 

[hikerchick]

Most inner city residents are not allowed to have livestock or chickens.

 

[FarmerChick]

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[abifae]

Or do we simply not have the choice?

LOL. them's fightin' words!!

we have a choice about EVERYTHING! it's just sometimes all your options suck

i'm autistic and have a LOT of annoying little health issues, no insurance, and no desire to go to a doctor because i assume they'll throw meds at me, not help me get to the root of the issues.

but i hate feeling like crap. i mean, seriously, can't stand it. so i changed my lifestyle. quite a few times. lol. and probably will again and again until i find out what makes this crazy body function like a human born on this planet really ought to.

fairy changeling children aren't ADAPTED to this world, that's what!

 

[me&thegals]

I can't find where I said that, but I imagine it was tongue in cheek. Most of us have plenty of choices. Not all of us do, though. Sorry, but I can't remember the context in which I said it...

ETA: Ahh. Now I found it. I was referring to people who need to work incredibly long hours to make ends meet. Fortunately, when I'm working those incredibly long hours, it is while munching on organic fruits and veggies as I prepare them for sale and working my body physically, outside, soaking up sunshine.

I just feel for people whose very long hours and hard jobs also trash their bodies and their time.

 

[abifae]

me&thegals reply 19 "Could this partly be America's love of productivity and money more than most things? Are we happier working insane hours and earning more $ than slowing down enough to have the time for friends and family, good food, exercise? Or do we simply not have the choice? I imagine it's a different answer for everyone."

LOL.

I'm not really picking a fight, I just hate the phrase "no choice". Mostly because I've spent too much time on survivor and autism boards.

It really IS hard to have good food choices in the city when your food options are grocery stores that stock junk. *shrugs* I'm lucky in Colorado. We tend to have a lot of Whole Foods and little markets and Vitamin Cottages and farmer's markets in the summer and we're surrounded by share farms that deliver to the farmer's markets.