Fast Food vs. The Grocery Store

Today's Time shared a story by The Week and reported a fast food to grocery store ratio of 5:1. My first thought was, "Naturally, it is much easier, faster and less expensive to build a fast food restaurant versus a grocery store." Fast food stores are much smaller and sell far fewer products than the tens of thousands sold in most grocery stores today.

My second thought was, "Hey, there is an idea. Create a fast service, whole food, small footprint grocery store concept that could be built in a few months and placed all around the country in the food deserts" (defined as 20% of the people living below the poverty line and at least 33% of the people living more than a mile from a supermarket).

For purposes of writing this blog about it, I went to google maps and searched for grocery in Baltimore, Maryland. The map below shows the results.



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I must admit, I was surprised. There are many dots on the map when I really expected only a few. I started clicking on these dots and the vast majority of them are small, single site, and (presumably) locally-owned corner stores. The small business entreprenuers still exist!

I think did a search for fast food in Baltimore and got many fewer results (see below). Personally, I find this encouraging. I admit the results are not perfect as Google is not perfect and there may be some errors in the data. And, still. At least in Baltimore City residents have many more corner grocer options which, in many cases, would be more convenient than fast food. So....


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... what is going on? The full article in The Week went on to examine the issues more in-depth: price, taste preferences, ease, etc.

Maybe access to a grocery store/supermarket isn't much of a factor in obesity. Maybe it is the qualtiy, health and prices of food available in the corner store. I've been in a few and many of them sell the highly processed, overly preservatived, packaged food which make up the diet for far too many Americans.

Instead of a press release moment where The White House talks about how Wal-Mart has graciously agreed to put more fresh food in food deserts, why don't we create a new program through the Small Business Administration to help these mom n' pop, corner markets be a better resource for healthy food options in their communities? A combination of training for the store owners, subsidies to buy fresh foods (and bonuses for the fresh food they sell), plus education for the store owners and their customers on ways to eat healthy on a budget. We could have little cooking classes all across the nation.

This ground-up, community-based strategy could have a huge impact. It would bring people in a community together in support of better health. It would be a boon to the small stores, many of whom who struggle to remain profitable and open. It would encourage and support small, locally-owned entreprenuers.

There isn't really a need to re-invent the wheel, America (or rely on the big corporations to "save" us). We can simply recognize the resources we have and support them to do good for everyone.

Health is Not *only* the Absence of Sickness

Recently, I attended a focus group with a small group of women to talk about health. The group was asked the question, "How do you know your family is healthy?" The overwhelming response was because they weren't sick. I must admit, I was surprised.

Being healthy and well is so much more than "not being sick." Much like being happy is much more than not being sad. Or being fulfilled is much more than a good job or a good set of friends.

I've wondered, since the focus group, how we can expand the defintion of health and wellness so that it helps people reach higher and strive for more than "not being sick."

Maybe part of the global challenge to get people to take better care of themeselves is their definition of health is too narrow. In the land of "I'm healthy because I'm not sick" people wouldn't be as likely to make positive proactive choices before they got sick. Why would they? Let's face it, quitting smoking isn't fun so why would you torture yourself by trying to quit before your first heart attack? After the first heart attack, the story gets much different. If you want an incredibly inspiring story about health and cancer read about Kris Carr.

So, why should you work on your health if you're not sick? Because you'll feel better. Because there is so much possibility in life and so many things we can do during our lifetime and all of those things are easier when you feel well. Feeling well is (in my definition) having energy, passion and a sense of awe. It is believing in something and working to make it better.

I imagine a world where the vast majority of people report "feeling well." I imagine a world where, with all of this positive energy, we come together to solve the world's problems. Energy. Heatlhcare. Hunger. Disease. War. Well... why not?

"How far is far, how high is high? We'll never know until we try." From the Special Olympics Song.

Mantra After Me

As we slide into the weekend, feverishly wrapping up the last items on our to-do lists, I thought I'd share an idea to help you manage the panic and stress that comes with that too busy feeling. If you're proudly wearing your busy badge, this mantra is for you.

When you begin to feel the old familiar "I will never get this done!" feeling this is what you do:

1 - Push the pause button on your mind (most often found in the middle of your forehead)
2 - Take a deep breath
3 - Repeat to yourself the following mantra: "There is always enough time. There is always enough time. There is always enough time."
4 - Take a deep breath
5 - Resume your tasks

Simple. Quick. Easy.

You can do this anywhere and people likely won't even notice. Unless... unless, of course, you are pounding on your pause button repeatedly. Then people might just think your nuts. Which comes with some upside, as well.

Enjoy your weekend!

10 Lists Amended

Yesterday, we blogged about Dee's blog on "10 Lists You Should Write Before You Die." I've been developing my lists for quite some time now and offer a few changes based on my experience. To review, here is the original list:

• 10 people who helped me most in my life
• 10 most memorable places I've visited
• 3 best things I've ever made
• 5 best days of my life
• 10 best friends I've ever had
• 5 best journeys I've ever made
• 10 things that gave me the most pleasure
• 5 best books/movies/TV series
• 5 best gifts anyone ever gave me
• 10 things I wish I had done but didn't

Dee is perhaps more reasonable than I by keeping the list of lists to 10. Since I'm not one to contain a great idea, I'm adding some lists. If you live to be 100, it would seem making a list of only 73 things leaves a great deal left unsaid. Granted, the idea is to make the list meaningful versus a yearly accounting of one's life.

At any rate, here are my suggested additions:

• 10 favorite songs
• 10 best gifts you've ever given
• 5 places you most love to be in the world
• 5 things you did and wish you hadn't
• 5 things you'd like people to remember about you

With my additions, we're up to the 15 Lists to Write Before You Die for a total of 108 entries. A lovely number, if I do say so myself. More tomorrow...

10 Lists to Write Before You Die

This blog, posted in 2008, contains a list of 10 lists you should write before you die. Kudos to Dee for a great blog that I've used several times. The 10 lists:

• 10 people who helped me most in my life
• 10 most memorable places I've visited
• 3 best things I've ever made
• 5 best days of my life
• 10 best friends I've ever had
• 5 best journeys I've ever made
• 10 things that gave me the most pleasure
• 5 best books/movies/TV series
• 5 best gifts anyone ever gave me
• 10 things I wish I had done but didn't

The original blog suggests these lists are a good exercise for those nearing the end of their life. While a great idea, I think there are several ways to build on the idea. Go to the link and read the original post (great, great stuff) and then stay tuned for my other ideas (and some fantastic stories) on the topic during the rest of this week.

Don't Eat Anger

Most likely, we've all had the experience of feeling our own anger or having someone else's anger directed at us. Neither situation feels particularly good. And, neither situation is particularly good for our health. Experiencing anger, either inwardly or outwardly, increases negativity around us and our body doesn't discriminate if it is our anger or someone else's. To the body, anger is anger and it sets off a whole series of biochemical reactions which can negatively impact our health.

It is also unhealthy to feel anger and eat it. Some of us (hello women!) want to be seen as the "good girl" so we don't express our anger, we simply swallow it. Now we are not only experiencing anger but we are consuming it and keeping it inside us where it can fester and continue to negatively impact our health. I've heard some people theorize cancers are caused by eaten anger that, over time, begins to eat away at our bodies. Interesting, eh?

The point of this writing is not to depress you or cause you to begin to spew anger at those nearby (unfortunately, we often direct our anger at those closest to us and are incredibly sweet to strangers). The point of this writing is to give you a productive and, dare I say funny, way to get rid of any anger you may have stored up and a way to disperse any anger you feel in the future. This is a very simple process and one which can be used anywhere (granted some people may think you a bit odd if you do so in public). I give credit for this exercise to Joshua Rosenthal, founder of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.

Step 1: Growl.

Growl aloud. Use your claws, if you are so inclined. Growl big. Growl loud. Growl and use your best lion or bear or panther or coyote voice.

Step 2: Spew.
Raise your voice and, in only made up words, argue. No real words (in any language) should be used. Use your hands, get your face muscles involved and spew. You can think all of the real words you wish, though I contend you'll be laughing in about 10 seconds and will completely forget any real words of anger you may have felt. The idea is akin to the Far Side

cartoon about what a dog hears. "Blah, blah, blah." But when you're spewing your made up words use all of the passion you feel in your anger.

I practiced this exercise with my classmates. And, we were all laughing in seconds. The exercise is brilliant because it gets your energy moving and moves the anger outside of your body. And, you start to laugh and realize how very silly most actual arguing sounds. Life is simply too short to have anger and is really too short to hold on to it.

So next time you feel angry, either at yourself, your partner, your kids, your co-workers, your boss, or traffic remember two simple things... growl and spew. Enjoy!

Labels

Have you ever noticed a car covered in bumper stickers? You read the stickers, like some of them, completely disagree with others, and in the span of 60 seconds or less have made a judgement about the person who owns the car. Perhaps none of the stickers are controversial, they only give you an idea of the interest of the person driving. I recently saw this truck at a gas pump. The license plate was from a running club, one bumper sticker said 26.2 and the other JFK 50. Clearly, the driver was a runner. Why do people label their cars, and themselves, and what do those labels mean? Are they bragging? Are they seeking a community? Are they trying to make a political statement?

Could we change our labels and, by doing, so change our lives? Imagine you are someone who desperately wants to lose weight. Imagine you are obese and all of the clothes you wear are big and dark to camouflage the fat. Contrast this "label" with the ones donned by athletes. We've all seen the healthy, fit looking people running about during our weekend errands. What would those people look like covered in yards of fabric and all dressed in black?

What if the people who wanted to lose weight wore athletic shoes and clothes during their weekends out? Would they be more apt to adopt the behavior of those more athletically inclined? A quick Google search revealed several theories about how clothing choices impact children, especially teens. I found nothing compelling on adult behavior and clothing choices. I think there is a theory to be studied in this tiny idea. Suggest diet and exercise changes to a group of people, one half of them are given athletic clothes and the other half told to wear their normal wardrobe. I suspect the athletic clothes group would show greater weight loss after a few months.

As you choose your wardrobe for tomorrow, take a few moments and ponder. What labels do you wear?

Progress You Can't Yet See

Today is the day, you say. Today is the day you are going to start a new exercise program and work up to the six-pack abs or rock hard glutes. For the first few days, things are going well. Abs are crunching or glutes are tightening and you're focused on your goal. After a few days, you check the mirror and notice no changes. Abs still flabby, glutes still sagging. You power through a few more days and check again. No progress. The ugly voice of discouragement starts to creep its way in. Perhaps you aren't working hard enough. Perhaps the muscles will never appear. You wonder why you're spending all of this time and effort on this seemingly futile pursuit.

The difference between success and failure at this very moment is your ability to see the progress you can't yet see. Below the surface, changes are happening. Deep in your muscles, they are beginning to respond. They are accepting and understanding the environment is changing and they have to begun to grow and develop and adapt to the world. How, you ask, do we know this? If you are skeptical, we can look at one example in nature to prove our point.

This year in Maryland, we experienced an unprecedented amount of snow. Nearly four feet when all added up. Over a month went by where I was unable to access my backyard. As the season began to change and the snow melted away, I took an opportunity this morning to walk outside and survey the damage . Upon walking around the corner of the house, I found this lovely surprise.

I had forgotten about planting the garlic bulbs months earlier when the warm sun of early fall still fell upon the earth. So after all of the snow and all of the appearance of no progress, here were these lovely little shoots of garlic leaves pressing their way toward the sky.

The moral of this story? Even if you can't see progress each and every day, know that spring will come, things will happen and take comfort in the progress you can't yet see.