The High Cost of Poor Health (or, why I'm an organic foodie)

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Added: Tue. Jul 28, 2009 1:13pm
Posted in: Nutrition

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The guys here at the office like to tease me about my eating habits. I'm more likely to bring quinoa and brussels sprouts to work than turkey or chips; more likely to be pressing tofu for grilling at dinnertime than pressing my mouth against a piece of pizza.


And that's okay. After years of eating blindly, people like Mark Bittman, Dr. David Kessler, Kathy Freston and Matt Goulding have convinced me that with every bite, I'm making a statement. And these days, I choose to say "I'm healthy and organic, and I care about the people and animals that provide me with my needs."

Movies like Food Inc, Food Fight and King Corn make the same case, and are incredibly moving stories. Take a look:



And if that's not enough to convince you to at least THINK about the way you eat, and where you get your food, this statistic from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention might be:

The cost of treating obesity doubled over a decade, signaling the rising prevalence of excess weight and the toll it is taking on the health-care system. The medical costs of obesity were estimated to be $74 billion in 1998, according to a study by federal government researchers and RTI International, a nonprofit research institute in Research Triangle Park, N.C.

The findings were released at a conference on obesity held by the CDC in Washington, D.C. The prevalence of obesity rose 37% between 1998 and 2006, and medical costs climbed to about 9.1% of all U.S. medical costs, the researchers said.

Obese people spent 42% more than people of normal weight on medical costs in 2006, a difference of $1,429, the study found. Prescription drugs accounted for much of the increase.

You can click here to read more in The Wall Street Journal.

The average American is about 23 pounds overweight. And put aside the vanity issues -- when you're overweight, you're more likely to battle diabetes, heart disease, bone issues and much much more.

Travers the cat says, "Go Organic!"

Listen, I'm not perfect -- I can't always justify the high cost of buying organic foods and products, and I'm just as susceptible as the next girl to processed treats and goodies. All I'm asking is that you think first. When you can, make an informed choice about what you buy, and from whom. When you can't, don't sweat it. If every one of us took responsibility for our own health and wellness, the sum total would be a happier, healthier and wealthier society.

Agree? Disagree? Already made some changes in your life? Leave me a comment and let me know!