Melody Bojang, RD, LDN
Welcome to the chronicle of all things necessary for SALUS-a Latin root, which means health. As a stakeholder in the latter, it is time I share this epiphany: The conventional agriculture process has grossly neglected our Mother Earth and the direct beneficiary of that neglect is the soil. Yes, I agree that this ‘light bulb’ can’t compete with that tweet that just hit your cell. However, what is relevant is YOUR FOOD.
Chemical fertilizers and pesticides were never meant to be apart of our agriculture family and subsequent biology, yet we chew and swallow an unmeasurable sum everyday. This truth in mind is the basis for no longer sitting on the side of indifference- i.e., attempting to heal the sick by recommending “eating right” when alot of those choices available are pseudo versions of nutrients vital to life and/or so altered from the organic state that we should not wonder why our hair is falling out, our thought processes are vague, and diseases-although medically-managed, are still on the rise. Moreover, I can no longer accept the statistics that plaque my community.
Thus, I invite you on an excursion were passion inevitably meets science. Where failure is better than more of the same.
Where at least bending, leaning, sweating and walking up and down Home Depot’s aisles foster more health benefits. This road less traveled places my feet upon some brown stuff sprinkled with the green stuff and nurtures a respectful relationship between a human being and the land upon which one will attempt to grow food. Understanding that curiosity is human, let me address this quickly and honestly: I don’t know the outcome. What I do know is that cabbage, broccoli, eggplant, onions, or members of the fruit family will meet the world with respect and natural materials fed to the land. I suspect quality of life and food “as thy medicine” will be the reward.