Perpetratin' Poison on the Po'

by R. Diggs

Seems everybody I know has high blood pressure, is taking—or will be taking—high blood pressure medication. The unfortunate thing is that many of these folks are young, in their early or mid 30’s. High blood pressure, AKA, “The silent killer”--many people do not know they have it. Numerous factors contribute to it including diet and lifestyle. I recently visited FoodsCo--a warehouse-styled supermarket located at 14th and Folsom st. This market caters to low-income residents of the neighborhood—-SRO tenants, Raza families, the houseless and jobless, among others.

As I approached FoodsCo I saw that it was undergoing a “facelift”—a remodeling project. A group of folks was gathered nearby holding picket signs and passing out fliers. The fliers indicated that the market was using contractors from Southern California rather than San Francisco and paying sub San Francisco wages to perform the carpentry and electrical work—this in spite of the fact that this market’s parent company announced recently in its company newsletter that it has earned record profits.

I walked into a makeshift wooden tunnel leading to the entrance of the market. One could hear the Raza workers overhead calling out to one another as a pair of huge Anglo supervisors looked on wearing hardhats complete with American flag stickers. The welding created sparks and left behind the smell of burning tar. I walked through the entrance doors. Stacks of food and paper products loomed like a fortress meant to provide safety and protection to some unseen power.

The first products to meet me were those instant noodle soups in a cup. There was a special on this item—12 cups (or two six-packs) for 3 dollars. They were available in 3 flavors: chicken, beef and shrimp. I looked at the ingredients on the package that included: Disodium Succinate, Disodium inosinate, spices, caramel color, shrimp powder, chicken powder, pork powder and a dozen or so other ingredients whose names I couldn't pronounce.

I looked at the sodium content of this product—a staggering 1,180 milligrams—50% of what the human body should consume on a daily basis—in one little cup! I thought about our elders, youth and low-income people who buy this product because of the price and convenience—just add water and you have a complete meal in a cup. One person i talked to described his method of adding some nutritional value to this styrofoam meal: "Just put a egg in it". It’s cheap, but, as one person recently pointed out, “So is rat poison”. I continued browsing this market. It is a very interesting place. The more you walk, the more you feel as if you are in (with the exception of the fruit and produce sections) a sort of church to the Gods of processed foods. The managers walk about as if they are high priests/priestesses who are bestowing bountiful blessings upon the common folk of the neighborhood. The problem with this is the problem that is typical of corporations who set up shop in poor communities of color--they soon see themselves as owning the community rather than being what they really are..."guests" of the community.

But the sodium content in this product is staggering—a high blood pressure cooker. And with the numbers of people who are overweight and lead sedentary lives, is it any wonder that high blood pressure is an epidemic afflicting over 60 million Americans. The doctors and pharmaceutical companies collude in this process—prescribing high blood pressure meds to increase their profits.

I have eaten my share of noodles in a cup and/or package. Never did I bother to read the sodium content on the label. I have been a lifelong sufferer of headaches. I began taking note of the sodium content of the foods I ate and made a conscious effort to cut down. I began using less or no salt; replacing the flavor with chili pepper or cilantro. I noticed afterwards that my headaches became less frequent—to the extent that if I do happen to get one, I know it’s because I ate something laden with sodium. I noticed that I was less fatigued and the edema in my face—particularly under my eyes—became less pronounced.

So, you can do 2 positive things to support your heart/health, and the workers of San Francisco who are fighting for fair wages. First, avoid the high sodium noodle soups, frozen TV dinners, cold cuts, snack cakes, sodas and other foods laden with sodium and high fructose corn syrup by not shopping at FoodsCo. Support your local farmer’s markets by purchasing fruits, vegetables and meats from growers who honor the land by not tainting their gifts of the earth with pesticides. For little more than the price of 2 six packs of instant noodle soup in a cup, you can buy a package of chicken drumsticks or thighs, carrots and a potato—a healthier meal that is not loaded down with sodium and can last a few days.

Don’t be silent about the silent killer, “high blood pressure”—watch your sodium intake by carefully reading the nutritional labels and making informed choices.