$161 Billion each year..............the true cost of cancer treatment and cancer survivorship (and/or lack of it) concerns, all rolled up into one crushing figure. What else could be done with that money?
I don't think a study like this has been done with US cancer data, taking the economic/productivity loss into account. Here is the link to the press release of the study, which includes a second study about the huge toll (economic, disease, quality of life) that cancer takes on cancer care-givers, which the study calls 'the hidden patients'. Yes, I know this, too...........
I don't know what else to add that would be succinct. However, these data make me even more committed to my current professional and personal touchstone, written by my friend Angie Tagtow, MS, RD, in which she says:
"Healthy soil grows healthy food,
which nourishes healthy people
who create healthy communities."
We could easily sell all of our organic garlic by shipping via internet sales all over the country, and likely for higher prices than we sell at our four local farmers markets. However, our business model has been intentionally developed to sell it all locally, and sell it preferentially to individual eaters who are going to go home to cook, thus experiencing the lively taste of a truly new food. Our customers tell us over and over again that they just cannot go back to 'store-bought garlic'. We like hearing those words and seeing their smiles. :)
Our customers also come from all parts of the economic-spectrum of our community; they are not just from the 'high-end'. Many of them use food assistance programs to purchase our garlic, and we participate with every program possible. It is the increase of all individuals who become committed to doing more purchasing of locally grown organic food, supporting local organic farmers, growing the local economy, plus just as importantly, enjoying cooking with healthy foods along with eating with family and friends (reducing the 'grab and go' mentality of our unhealthy processed and fast food society) that we are intentionally working to nourish and cultivate.
I added a little more than I intended past the 'succinct' remark. :)
I'll be posting a little more frequently now since we are done marketing (100% sold out), are planting for our 2013 crop, the daylight hours are decreasing, and I am still resting a hurt foot from a freak horse accident. My husband says I can now add 'horse wrangler' to my eclectic resumé. :)
Cultivate your life - you are what you grow - inch by inch, row by row,
Diana Dyer, MS, RD
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