'The Los Angeles Sparks signed a 6-figure deal that will give every player her own custom nutrition plan - the first of its kind in the WNBA,' this is such an eye-catching headline, I had to quickly pounce on the link to see the full title and the article, because I was impressed with the totality of a glaring, forgone conclusion: something big was happening, it was bigger than we can even quantify, and it involved a gaggle of women who were sportswomen, no less, female basketball players--a group that has complained of not enough support from the WNBA in the past--and it signaled a needed change in the department of their visibility, their health and the innovation that was being applied around them, as these women are now very clearly the first in their class, in terms of sensibility and overall wellness and it is a welcomed surprise on the news front.
It absolutely makes sense that a basketball team tailors its players' diet on an individual basis, as it is something that we should have long been practicing in this day and age, I feel. Each woman's needs varies by so many factors, and it truly is an envious phenomenon in terms of longevity and access, as I imagine that such a program is ideal in promoting overall wellness, as it can target individual idiosyncrasies in body functioning and diet in a way that anything else cannot, which is fantastic!
To have such support while your body deals with the stress of a pandemic, professional sports, motherhood, and the like, these women are reaching the epitome of wellness in terms of what we are able to provide to ourselves as a race. It is spectacular that this is happening to a group of black women, especially those we all know are historically, medically under-treated, and uncared for.
This past year's pandemic has brought to light many of the disparities in the medical treatment that black women receive, e.g., this article, and it has been in the news repeatedly, this gaping hole in our need to take care of each other, so it is a huge step in the right direction that the L.A. Sparks are spearheading and I hope that many other teams take notice.
What makes this so outstanding is that this is a team process that is being handled individually, which is often costly, but a key strategy to building teams. When people can be a part of something but still maintain their individual selves in terms of physical and emotional wellness, they are sure to succeed.
This brings me to the other topic that is on my mind, and it is another headline which reads: 'Why Food Deserts Persist in Low-Income NYC Neighborhoods,' and it is a spirited article that highlights the experience of some living in food deserts or having had done so, and the obstacles that they face in terms of their ability to succeed at life.
People in food deserts are notorious for eating processed foods, their only neighborhood access, which leads to many of the chronic health conditions known for affecting vitality, mental clarity, and even for ushering in a preventable death.
"The reason that they're now called food deserts is they don't have full-service supermarkets because they don't make money there. That's the bottom line," is a quote from the article, and it is something that needs to be resolved by allowing people access to healthy food themselves, I carefully opine.
I say this to clearly say that we need more than a capitalistic approach, where everything is about profit because I am sure that when people can produce for themselves, they will not make the same tradeoffs that distributors would make, as their motivation for wellness would not be cramped by other people's rigid, money-grabbing posture. They would surely choose to succeed and live healthy lives and take steps to do so instantly.
If the government continues to consider ways of improving the wellness of the population, it has to consider putting food growing into people's hands largescale, and this means allotting people the land upon which to plant, whether it is via individual plots or a community garden.
Low-income neighborhoods need to thrive, too, as we are always pulling them along like horses by a rope strapped to their feet when we do not allow them the chance to get up and dust themselves off first.
People in such communities are dealing with many challenges, and their need for support is great, and it comes with the support of government interventions that would treat their health needs as more than a business, and more like an investment, which is what it really is.
As I wrote in Ode to America, food affects our concentration, not to mention our growth and development, and enough in the right amounts at the right times is key for optimal performance of children and families, and any disruptions in such are only to create drastic consequences for youths and adults alike at important interims.
My hopes for New York City, and America as a whole, is that issues like these will continued to be tackled with interest and innovation, as the LA Sparks have already showed us what the outcome would be like, if we take the time to listen to each other and if we concern ourselves with each other's wellness:
We stand out from the field, highlight our better selves, and motivate others near and far to continue the same trajectory of individual and collective progress towards our health.
I can surely say that this is something to not only cheer about but be a part of, as each one of us seeks to galvanize our longevity on this earth through our daily actions and cogitations, as I have already talked about in previous articles.
As you work towards your wellness, remember that success is achieved on multiple fronts, and we need to bring important issues such as food deserts into the forefront of our governmental officials' minds, as they are the ones who possess the power to right America's foundation of equality for all.
The economic impacts of food deserts are staggering, I imagine, as it shuttles people towards governmental reliance because of the inability to take care of themselves properly, and the hospital bills and productivity costs of unhealthy individuals are part of our preventable costs as a nation (see here).
I hope that in reading about food deserts, you become motivated to become involved in your local and extended civic duties, as we are a nation of extremes, and the only way that we can come to the middle is through the right governmental approach to food deserts and issues of equity.
I recommend those city officials consider the ideas set forth above, where people are given land upon which they can build their own future and secure their own wellness through independence and other community supports. It is a necessary action that they must take as they continue to man a city that is bold, sleepless, and starving for more prosperity and a new chapter of less racial divisions and more internal drive.
Surely, by addressing our issue of food deserts, politicians would be offering us an economic stimulus that would be felt for centuries, as communities could be helped out of poverty and families set to thrive, as children learn about the right way to fuel their bodies for the long haul.
I also imagine that a lot of our mental health issues in schools could be resolved by just adjusting the food supply so that it is reachable all around; children will be just happier and healthier simply because they are fed better, and this will also improve the lives of the caring adults around them.
Whatever you do, think of how you can contribute to solving this problem throughout America, as history notes that when we all take note of problems that may not seem like they immediately affect us, we are able to advance our culture forward, towards a common goal of prosperity and peace (e.g., think of our past collective accomplishments).
Like it or not, this is the way that we are going to live, I believe, as I am convinced that our humanity is on a trajectory that will advance issues of health and emotional wellness, as therein are intertwined the issues of peace and economic prosperity that we are all seeking. It is right for you to dig in!
WRITTEN BY
ODETTA FRASER GOD