Perhaps the following would be apropos at this point...

I just got home, exhausted and drained, from carting bags home from the
grocery store, having paid $18 for some fruit and veggies - nothing more,
just f & v. (Oh, yea, I know they're good for me; so do all the WISE women.)
Why did I not take a bus? Because the bus doesn't stop at the market and
because the $1.50 fare would have meant less f & v. I never take a bus, but
walk everywhere.

It happens that I have a bad leg from a car accident at the age of 13,
curvature of the spine from five years as a letter carrier and dance
teaching, and a heart problem from rheumatic fever as a child. Yet it wasn't
until four years ago - about 18 months into my poverty spiral - that these
began worsening markedly and getting in the way of my carrying on with my life. 

It also happens that I live on the top floor of a third-floor walk-up, which
in turn is located at the top of a steep hill. I live more than 2 kms from
the closest (and most expensive) grocery store. The cheapest grocery store
is almost 5 kms away. This is the cheapest building I can find to live that
yet gives me a sense of security. 

I choose to eat less in calories but healthily. Those f & v are going to
have to last me considerably longer than they would most people. 

But it's a catch-22 situation, as with the reduced caloric intake and all
the walking I do, I'm not getting enough vitamins, minerals, protein, 'good'
fats, etc. This lack is showing up in the state of my teeth, gums, nails,
skin, ability to think clearly, and so on. It also means I feel hungry a lot.

Other WISE women choose the other course: they eat more, but less well.
Whichever way we choose, we end up nutrionally depleted.

By the way, we WISE women also try to buy ethically, i.e., to buy only
Cowichan Valley or Vancouver Island grown, minimally BC grown products.
That's tough to do, though, to act ethically when you're hungry.

Ocean

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