Diet & Privilege

One in nine people on this planet don't have enough food to eat to lead an active lifestyle. People all around me don't know if they have enough food to get through the week. Here I am, like a spoiled little princess, saying I don't want any ice cream.

As a volunteer at the food bank, many years ago, I asked one of our patrons whether he was vegetarian. "Only when I can afford to be," he answered, opting for the omnivore's kit. That didn't make any sense to me at the time; this food bank catered to vegetarian and vegan diets. I understand now that special diets are a form of privilege.

Privilege is a special right or advantage available only to a particular person or group of people. The term is commonly used in the context of social inequality, particularly in regard to age, disability, ethnic or racial category, gender, sexual orientation, religion and/or social class. Two common examples would be having access to a higher education and housing. Privilege can also be emotional or psychological, regarding comfort and personal self-confidence, or having a sense of belonging or worth in society. It began as an academic concept, but has since become popular outside of academia. Source.

Even special diets for health are a form of privilege in a world where you are lucky to have something to eat.  Special diets are a form of privilege even when access barriers to special diets is imagined, like the man who couldn't afford to be a vegetarian at the food bank.

A community food bank in NJ

Now that I know I am exercising a form of privilege by eating and sharing a special diet to benefit my health, how do I address this social inequality?

One way might be by sharing inexpensive recipes that are consistent with the anti-inflammatory diet, like my turmeric tofu scramble, which uses left-over vegetables. I should be looking for lots of those in the future because I'm not rich, just self-entitled: privileged. There have been many times in my life that I had no reservations about buying the organic macaroni  and cheese with my last five dollars, instead of saving $4.50 with the non-organic generic brand.

To find out more about my journey in exploring food as medicine, like my Facebook page.