By Juliane Saary-Littman
Presidential candidate Marianne Williamson said during the first Democratic debate “we have a sickness care system in the United States. We just wait until somebody gets sick and then we talk about who is going to pay for the treatment and how they’re going to be treated … It gets back to not just big pharma, not just health insurance companies, but it has to do with chemical policies, it has to do with food, it has to do with drug policies, and it has to do with environmental policies.”
I don’t think that Williamson should be our next president, but I do believe that she is making a good point and some politicians, scientists, and engaged citizens are addressing or have tried to address these issues. Unfortunately, it’s human nature to act only once something has happened, once a sickness has struck. And it certainly doesn’t help that a sick patient is more lucrative than a healthy one.
On the other side, the National Cancer Institute says that “making strides in cancer prevention is not only a public health imperative, it is also an economic imperative. By 2020, the United States will spend an estimated $174 billion each year on cancer care.”
So why is it that research into cancer prevention receives only a fraction of cancer cure investments and only focuses on areas such as nutrition, physical activity and tobacco use? There is no mention of environmental exposures such as engine exhaust, pesticides, and other chemicals, like the exposure of many Long Island residents to chemicals such as 1,4-dioxane that currently have no standards set for maximum levels allowed in our drinking water.
We all know that our government is not a corporation, nor should it be. But it should take a page out of the corporate playbook, find the root cause of this $174 billion problem and eliminate it. It won’t be fast, but we will never find a cure if we don’t start looking more diligently at causes. And this strategy should be applied to a lot of different illnesses.
Let’s not rely on our government. There are a couple of steps we should do to address those root causes:
- First, and you probably have already heard this, support public officials who recognize prevention as a major cost saver and are pushing for environmental exposure limits that will keep us healthy.
- Second, when you hire somebody to take care of any part of your home, like cleaning services, painters, or landscapers, make sure to ask them about the cleaners, paints, fertilizers or pesticides they are planning to use on your property. And don’t just believe them when they tell you that all products used are perfectly safe. Do your own brief research to confirm their statement, just to be sure. Especially if you have young children at home and the service is part of a franchise with an out-of-state head office as some may follow their more lax home state safety standards.
- Finally, we all need to recognize the long-term health benefits of not only eating healthy, but also supporting farmers and landscapers that keep our soil healthy. Simply put: Healthy soil -> healthy plants -> healthy people.
Scientists have found that letting children play outdoors in the mud, aka healthy soil, is the best way to ensure they develop a strong immune system and fewer incidences of sickness or diseases such as asthma.
Healthy soil is so important for life on Earth yet so poorly understood or appreciated. Science and technology brought us the “green revolution:” chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, super-sized tractors, genetically modified crops adapted to agricultural chemicals. What is rarely apparent is the damage this is causing to the soil.
Let’s all stop using synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, and let’s buy organic produce which has been grown in healthy soil whenever possible. It won’t break your bank, especially if you eat with the season. I am a strong believer that in the long run eating organic will save you a lot of money by avoiding those sky-high medical bills and missed work or school days. You could even consider it your personal contribution to eliminate the $174 billion problem.
I look forward to seeing you on Saturday mornings at Port Washington’s own (organic) Farmers Market at the Town Dock.
