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Martha lives in Illinois and was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in January 2015. She has a husband and three children, ranging in age from 12 to 18, a dog and a lizard.
Metastatic cancer puts me in one of the least-best spots in this new world with COVID-19. Cancer patients, like others with possibly life-shortening conditions, are right to be especially concerned about staying safe.
I've had five years of practice thinking about what is most likely to happen to me over time with stage four cancer. Good practices and good luck has meant that, to the outside world, my life has remained much the same as pre-cancer: I am a parent, I write and edit words, I walk my dog, I watch movies with my husband, I go to soccer games, I drop my daughter off at college, I have hair and I exercise.
These outer signs of normalcy can be at odds with my inner world, where I worry that I won't get to see my daughters or my parents again, that my husband will have to watch me get sicker, and, most recently, that I may need care but will not receive all that I need.
Fresh and local food delivered right to your door? Sign me up! Crescent City Farmers Market has partnered with Top Box Foods and the Refresh Farmers Market to provide you with healthy, local, and affordable food delivered to your home twice a week. Ordering a CCFM box will support our farmers and producers while making sure your family is nourished and safe. Not only will you be able to continue to support our vendors, but having your groceries delivered ensures greater social distancing.
So how does it work? The $40 CCFM box is currently offered twice weekly and you can order online at Top Box. New boxes are available for order on Tuesdays (for Friday/Saturday delivery) and Saturdays (for Tuesday/Wednesday delivery). Supplies are limited and they’ve been flying off the shelf so follow us on social media (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) for updates on when sales launch. When you get your box, tag us in a pic of all the great dishes you make with it - we love to see the fruits and veggies in action!
Boxes also qualify for purchase through our Market Match program for SNAP benefit users, doubling your buying power and cutting the price in half. Choose “pay at pickup” and Top Box will contact you directly to process your SNAP payment and to receive your dollar for dollar match.
Check out the Top Box site for more information on the current delivery radius which includes Orleans Parish and parts of Jefferson Parish. And if you miss out on the CCFM box or need one of a different size, Top Box also has additional box options that support local growers and producers that can be delivered right to your door as well!
GOOD FOOD WORD OF THE WEEK:
While Market Umbrella is known for our farmers markets and fresh food access programs, food systems work touches on many social, economic, and environmental issues. The Good Food Word of the Week seeks to shed some light on these parts of our work and the way we talk - demystifying the jargon.
Whole food
This week’s Good Food Word is Whole food - Whole foods are unprocessed fruits, and free from additives. If you’re looking to add more whole foods to your diet, search for things that can go straight from a field to your plate without any steps in between. Options include vegetables, fruits, nuts, and sustainably-sourced meats and fish.
PICKS OF THE WEEK:
New Orleans Food Policy Advisory Committee
During this time of uncertainty, we know that access to fresh healthy food is of utmost importance for all. With job loss, travel restrictions and school closures, knowing how and where to access food is a challenge. We hope to alleviate some of that worry by keeping the community informed of where to access food during this crisis. For a multitude of Covid 19 resources visit nolafoodpolicy.org/covid-19
You can help!
For those of you that have been fortunate enough to not have this crisis drastically impact your financial situation, please consider supporting the Crescent City Farmers Market with a donation to help us fulfill our responsibility to the local food economy and our food producers, as well as vulnerable community members who have come to depend on our food access programs like Market Match. Your generous contribution will help fund our continued operations so that we can work to develop more ways to connect our community to local, fresh food in the face of this pandemic. You can donate now on the donation page of our website.
VENDOR OF THE WEEK:
Support Crescent City Farmers Market Vendors by Purchasing Directly
Even though markets may be closed, vendors still have plenty of product to sell! Many vendors are doing deliveries or offering options for pick-up, allowing you to buy from our producers directly. Some farmers are offering pre-ordered, customizable CSA boxes available for pickup. You can visit the vendor page on our website for a complete list of our vendors’ contact information, current availability, and pick-up or delivery options.
RECIPE OF THE WEEK:
Honey Butter Glazed Carrots
Check out this recipe from Modern Honey! The name says it all. Carrots are packed with beta-carotene, fiber, vitamin K, potassium and antioxidants while local honey gives your immune system the boost it needs. Heat ‘em up and eat ‘em up!
What’s your favorite dish to make after visiting the Crescent City Farmers Market? Share your recipes with us on Instagram or Facebook or even Twitter and it might be featured in our weekly newsletter!
Many of us have seen it, that Doctor who is giving you detailed instructions on how to clean up your groceries after you get them home. He’s stressed out and so are you by the end of it! And the video has TWENTY MILLION views. : – O
That is a lot of stressed out people. As if we’re all not stressed enough already.
Thoughts from dietitians
My oncology dietitian friend posted the video on her feed and asked for dietitian feedback. I love dietitian crowd sourcing because when it comes to food we are a very scientific and also very pragmatic group. That’s what we’re trained for!
Not just to understand the science of food and nutrition and how it nourishes our body, but equally as important is that our training makes us experts at translating that information into giving advice on practical everyday choices you can make for yourself and your family.
Us dietitians prefer not to freak out about food related things. We will educate you on the facts and help you make a reasonable choice.
Here were the responses from oncology dietitians that I know from all over the country!
“I can’t find anything on the CDC or FDA websites that endorses the type of cleaning this well-intentioned doctor is suggesting. They might be good steps to take if someone is caring for someone at home who is infected and trying to minimize spread in the home, but I’m afraid this is a lot of work/fear, for limited benefit over and above handwashing and other recommended precautions.”
“People carry covid. I think this is overblown. Makes people worry about things that aren’t necessary. ”
“This is so unnecessary. Breeds anxiety and paranoia.”
“This video (the guy) echos the potential spreading of information/misinformation in the nutrition world.”
“When someone sounds glib and intelligent and shares “some truthful/accurate information” smart, intelligent people will believe it”
“Wiping everything down with the same paper towel doesn’t seem to fit his point”
“He also said the outside of the fruit is porous like skin, so without saying it, he’s saying the soap will makes it’s way to the inside.”
Other things that were pointed out about the video:
VERY IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER! Coronavirus is NOT a foodborne illness. There is currently is no evidence of someone transmitting coronavirus via food packaging or food itself.
One person noted that the doctor is internal medicine doc, not an infectious disease expert
What Do We Know About Grocery Shopping During This Pandemic:
Basically, the likelihood of transmitting the disease from food or packaging is low.
You do want to use common sense measures like not touching your face while shopping, using sanitizer after leaving the store and/or washing your hands as soon as you get home, rinsing your produce before you eat it, and cooking foods to proper temperatures!
What does Julie do? I have actually been avoiding the store as much as possible. Why? Because delivery is amazing, that’s why! And I don’t stress that my delivery person is contaminated. I put the food in my pantry and fridge and use my same food safety techniques as usual.
Also, when I needed bananas, I did go to the store for myself. I kept my distance, didn’t even use a cart or a bag and used a real checkout person because the self checkout was long and I was in a hurry!
No, I did not wipe my bananas down with wipes. I washed my hands before I ate. And I enjoyed every bite. YUM!
Also, check out this article from the Washington Post, which does a good job of summarizing the issue. I really like how they walk you through the worst case scenario, which is so unlikely and even if it happened, you would not likely contract disease. We can all calm down about it!
We can never eliminate all risk; the goal is to minimize it — because we all will occasionally need to go grocery shopping and receive supplies in the mail.
But if you take basic precautions, including washing your hands frequently, the danger from accepting a package from a delivery driver or from takeout from a local restaurant or from buying groceries is de minimis. That’s a scientific way of saying, “The risks are small, and manageable.”
I hope this is helpful to ease your concerns about grocery shopping. We all need to find things to do these days that bring joy, and cooking can be one of those!
CancerDietitian.com is brought to you by Cancer Services, Inc., a community-based non-profit organization in Winston-Salem, NC with a mission to "enhance health, life and survivorship”
Julie Lanford MPH, RD, CSO, LDN, is the Wellness Director for Cancer Services. She is a registered dietitian, licensed nutritionist and board certified specialist in oncology nutrition with over 10 years of experience in oncology nutrition.
Her passion is wellness for cancer prevention and survivorship, and she specializes in making healthy living fun!
