“Like you cannot plant seeds in sterile soil, you cannot grow without getting some residue on you, without some of the nutrients or compounds of the earth that bore you. You cannot cut and run from your past. You are a living, breathing piece of it. Born from it. Proud product of it. You did not get here on your own. You were not born in a vacuum. You were not brought here by a stork. You cannot claim total independence. “
-Author Unknown
Last year, on this day, my 36 year old sister died. She had been Type I diabetic since the age of 9. In the last years of her life she was on antibiotics for all kinds of reasons but the “primary” culprit was Clostridium difficile (C. diff) that would show it’s ugly face time and time again. Interestingly enough this antibiotic resistant bacteria is treated with antibiotics and thus the cycle fed into itself because C. diff is rarely ousted from the body, especially those that are in hospitals regularly for treatment. Kelsey wasted away for many reasons, a foundation to her slow disappearance over 3 years stood in the empty belly that was her own, she could not assimilate nutrients. It makes sense right? I don’t have to explain to you that 90% of the cells in your body are actually microbial. Click on that pink link. I dare you. When antibiotics are administered for the majority of 3 years, as in Kelsey’s case, there isn’t much a body can assimilate because the crews of decomposers that live in the mouth, gut and intestines, not to mention the ones that create the castle wall of protection (sound familiar?) on our dermal layers have been reduced to what can survive the antibiotics (not incredible diversity there). I had a long conversation with one of her doctors about fecal transplants the response was, “She is too fragile and it could be dangerous”. Oh, I see more dangerous than what’s happening now? I’m not buying it. Shame on you doctor! Fecal transplants are 95% effective in treating C. diff.
When I would visit Kels, I’d bring her my best Compost. The woods were a long way away from the hospital and in her last days, it was rare that she could get out due to quarantine. I brought it for her to experience the smell and softness of the woods. To be grounded. To touch a world containing potentials we have yet to fathom. Containing mysteries beyond those that reside on the moon. Potential. She would open the package, breathe in deeply… sigh… she would wipe the product on her hands, face and then she would become like a child or animal in the forest that was starved for minerals or something. It went up her nose, in her ears…she ate it. Op! Um. Well. Okay.
Kelsey told me that for about three days after ingesting the Compost she would feel nourished after eating. Her digestion was better and more controlled. Then, the antibiotics would kick in again. I’d be away for a few weeks or a month. We’d start over again.
It’s a weird thing. My Dad was Type I diabetic and both of my older sisters also became Type I. We ate well when I was growing up. Venison and trout were our primary meat sources. Sure, living in remote national parks made it hard to access the quality dairy and greens. I can assure you that snickers, chips, soda, cereal of any kind (no cheerios, nothing), was a long 2 hours on a washboard dirt road away from our cupboards.
What is happening here? Just as there is no silver bullet for agriculture there is no silver bullet for human health. We are incredibly complex, dynamic and ever-changing ecosystems. Here’s my two pennies, for whatever that is worth, destroying diversity is killing resiliency. Diversity is our ally and shoo do we need an allegiance right now.
What is the point of putting all of the energy (time, research, fuel, mining landscapes and ecosystem services) towards growing food when it lacks in the ability to satisfy the requirements of what our bodies and animal bodies truly need to thrive? People are not starving because there isn’t enough food, they are starving due to a lack of distribution of food and nutrients within the food. Something is happening. You know it. I know it. It’s in the air. It’s in the water. It is and is not in our “feed”. It’s in the fact that 40% of the American population is obese (different from overweight). This means more diabetics and very expensive, painful and slow deaths of our loved ones. It’s hard to be left here with the memories of how my Dad and Kelsey died. My Father’s decay went on for 20 years. Kelsey’s went on for 10.
Essential nutrients are not being assimilated and are not in food in the way they used to be (related paper). Can we, as consumers, PLEASE drive the market to quality and throw the concept of quantity out the door? That day is coming but Lord have mercy for the slow march, I am tired of my family dying.
I am not blaming any one person or industry for what’s happening. For the most part, we are all participating in it. But please, if you’ve made it this far in my rant, remember that diversity is essential and diseases are indicators of a system out of balance. Diversity can appear to be hard to manage on many levels because each diverse organism has it’s own habits and preferences that play out in a dance, dash or thrash. The dynamic interplay in these processes make the world go round.
This one’s for you Kels.
P.S. If you eat Compost, I take zero ownership over the benefits or consequences of your choice.
A Microherder's Manifesto 