Victory Gardens.

During both WWI and WWII our nation sent ships, tanks, guns, men and countless tons of material to war. On the home front people were asked to sacrifice creature comforts, buy war bonds and grow victory gardens.

 Every where you looked gardens popped up on street corners, back yards and roof tops to help feed the masses back home.  People were growing their own food and eating what they grew. During both WWI and WWII heart disease decreased significantly. Why?  Victory Gardens.  The American people were eating more vegetables, less meat and fewer breads made with processed white flower.

 Because our boys deserved the best American Industrialization could offer all the food Americans were in the habit of eating and causing heart disease was sent over seas, to war.  Since life expectancy of a front line serviceman was measured in weeks and months the long term effects of eating processed foods wasn't considered.  They were sent meat, flour, canned goods, salt, whiskey, beer, coca-cola, candy bars, chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco, cigarettes and a host of other goods that were no longer readily available on the shelves back home. As a result everyone back home was forced to eat healthier. Of course with the end of each war everything went back to normal and heart disease rose to its pre-war rate as we once again began consuming processed foods and victory gardens faded away.

 Should we begin thinking about growing our own food again? Should we start shopping at a farmers market for our vegetables promoting local agriculture and local economies?  Victory gardens got people outside in the sun, gave them exercise and probably relaxed them a bit to.  The activity of tending their garden likely took their mind off their loved ones who were in harms way creating a peace of mind during a very stressful time.

Perhaps its time we grow our own victory gardens and create our own personal victories in wellness.