So many times we reach for pills, when perhaps we could reach for fresh fruits and vegetables that would help us more. Centuries ago, the great physician Hippocrates said, “Our food should be our medicine and our medicine should be our food.” Hippocrates understood the importance of eating healthy foods to help keep the doctor away. In developing countries like Haiti, it is crucial that the population has the proper diet to fight malnutrition, anemia and other ailments since healthcare is not readily available. Ady, Founder and Executive Director of Planting for Hope and Future, has made it his mission to research and find the best crops to grow in order to stock the SW Haitian marketplace with healthy selections of vitamin-rich produce.
Ady has searched for ancient grains from India, tropical plants from Africa, even some plants like Mexican Honeysuckle from Mexico. Now an assortment of legumes such as black beans, and cowpeas (popularly known as black-eyed peas) are filling the vacant land surrounding the mango seedlings that share the land. They spread out like a warn blanket, nurturing the ground with nitrogen as they grow. The cowpeas are especially filled with nutrients, and are good for lowering blood pressure, providing calcium, protein and multiple vitamins that every diet needs.
Haiti ranks last in the western hemisphere on spending per person for health care.
Because of this, the growth of health care has been severely limited. Most rural areas have no access to health care, and few can afford what health care currently exists. Therefore, providing foods to the marketplace that can develop healthier bodies can be the answer to help stabilize the health of the people. So Hippocrates had it right, “our food should be our medicine..” and thanks to Planting for Hope and Future, they are the agronomists that are working to find solutions, grow the right food and make a difference in a country that needs their help.