Brown rice, organic fruits & vegetables, and tofu; what do all these things have in common? They’re one of the hardest things to find in the Bronx! A year ago I decided to change my diet drastically and became a vegetarian.  I was convinced after watching Food Inc. and a variety of films that shed light on the gruesome conditions of fast-food giants like McDonald’s and Perdue’s farm operations.  I acknowledged the fact that going vegetarian might be a little more expensive especially if I were to eat out, but never would I have thought that in my neighborhood in the Bronx as in many other neighborhoods I would have such difficulties finding foods in supermarkets and restaurants that would sustain my diet.

In NYC, Blacks and Hispanics make up for more than half of all new diabetes cases.  Is this a coincidence? I think not.  Neighborhoods that are predominately Black or Hispanic tend to have the least access to healthy foods.  In the Bronx, it’s much easier to find a Popeye’s Chicken Restaurant or any fast-food chain on a major street, and in many cases three or four of them on the same block. But when it comes to organic fruits and veggies or even organic chicken, you’re shit out of luck.  Greasy foods are killing adults and children alike; two out of every three adults are obese and even more shocking, one out of every three children are obese. 

Statistics as disturbing as these are, one can’t help but ponder the question, ‘what can be done?’ Well, for starters, you can head over to your neighborhood supermarket or grocery store and demand organic foods.  Another course of action that can be taken is to call your local representative and tell them that there aren’t enough healthy foods in your neighborhood.  One thing to keep in mind though is that change starts with you, when having dinner cook more vegetables and go light on the salt and butter  Also, try to eat out as little as possible.  Keep in mind that your body is your temple, so lets start treating it that way. Ya Dig?!

~Jeffrey