We can get a free shot to treat a disease — but we can't get free food that prevents it.
💡 The Thought That Started It All
All right, let's think about this for a second. We can get a free shot to treat a disease — but we can't get free food that prevents it.
That simple thought sent me down a rabbit hole. Because when you stop and look closely, there's a strange imbalance in how our society defines "health." Medical care is often free, but nourishment — the foundation of health itself — is treated like a luxury item.
"If prevention truly mattered, wouldn't we invest in it the same way we invest in treatment?"
🧩 The Public Health Paradox
When there's a public health scare, vaccines and essential medicines are publicly funded and distributed quickly. Pharmacies like Walgreens or CVS advertise free shots everywhere. It's seen as a public good, part of keeping society safe.
But when it comes to food — the very fuel that keeps our immune systems functioning — access suddenly becomes a personal responsibility. Fresh produce, whole foods, and nutrient-dense meals are often priced far beyond what many families can afford.
🏙️ Policy Over Produce
Here's where it gets even more complicated: policy.
In many cities — especially here in Texas — even planting a fruit tree can trigger regulations. Local ordinances label them as "unapproved landscaping." Sharing produce from a community garden may require a Temporary Food Establishment Permit, the same type of paperwork restaurants file.
What should be an act of kindness becomes a bureaucratic obstacle course. The message? Healing through food requires permission.
🌳 The Urban Orchard Vision
Imagine neighborhoods lined not just with decorative trees but with fruit trees, berry bushes, and edible gardens — public spaces where anyone could pick something fresh on their morning walk.
This vision isn't a fantasy. Cities like Philadelphia and Los Angeles have already begun developing food forests that feed their communities for free. It's proof that when policies change, possibilities bloom.
💰 The Economics of "Free"
A vaccine is publicly funded — your taxes pay for the research, production, and distribution. Free food initiatives? Mostly volunteers and underfunded nonprofits.
We've normalized spending billions to treat diet-related diseases while investing next to nothing in the nutrition that prevents them.
💡 Every $1 spent on preventive nutrition saves $3 to $5 in medical costs later — yet prevention rarely gets public support.
🧠 Rethinking What's "Normal"
We often talk about healthcare reform, but real reform begins before the hospital — at the dinner table.
Access to nourishing food shouldn't depend on privilege or proximity. It should be a public right. Because when people are fed, they're not just healthier — they're freer.
🌱 The Call to Action
So here's the question: If we can publicly fund medicine to treat disease, why can't we publicly fund the food that prevents it?
- •Plant something.
- •Share something.
- •Ask your city about community gardens and edible landscapes.
Because true health isn't just about treatment — it's about nourishment.
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