by Kailyn Reilly - Center Store Assistant Manager
My coworker Mark, from the Wellness Department, and I had the pleasure of going to NCG’s Convergence conference this past August. Between information about specific brands, our Co-op deals programs, and even just about our fellow cooperators, there was never a moment that we were not learning something. Business aside, I would love to talk about one of my favorite sessions at the conference: “Dissecting the Definition of Healthy” presented by Gabby Davis.
Photo caption: Mark & Kailyn, center, and some other co-operators sit around a table at one of the many educational workshops at NCG’s Convergence conference in Minneapolis. These sessions are led by experienced educators from all over the country with years of dedicated, specific experience relevant to issues and puzzles many co-ops work through.
If someone were to ask you, “What’s the definition of healthy?” what would you say? Fruits, veggies, exercise, etc.? That can be considered “healthy”, but aren’t we always saying that every body is different? So wouldn’t that mean one body would need different foods and such compared to another body? Ding Ding Ding! Yes, that’s exactly what it means.
So we looked at a bunch of anonymous stories from other people, mostly employees from other co-ops. They were extremely eye-opening. You know why? So. Many. People. Still. Feel. Judged. In. Co-ops. Yes, we’re extremely inclusive, don’t get me wrong, especially our own beloved Co-op, but there’s still judgment no matter where you go. People are judged for what they eat, for where they shop, how they feed and raise their children, etc. It makes sense that because we are a natural food store, we try really hard to sell products that contain only the most natural ingredients. But do you know what healthy ACTUALLY is? Giving your body what it needs– whether it’s for your physical well-being, your mental well-being, or your cultural well-being, your body knows what it needs. If you’ve had a long and mentally draining day and you want a brownie, eat a frickin’ brownie if your mental health needs it. If you don’t want to go for that run today because you’re tired and sore from yesterday’s workout, that’s okay too, your body needs rest. I think a big thing that we forget to do as adults is to listen to our bodies. Obviously, moderation is still important, but, there are people going through chemotherapy who have been prescribed high-fat, high-calorie diets to help them gain weight– you literally never know what another person needs in their diet, nor do we need to know. It’s actually none of our business.
I guess the message I’m trying to put out there is that even though we take pride in our inclusivity and judgment-free zone, we’re not perfect. No one is! We are always learning and we’re always trying to improve ourselves as a co-op and as members of our community. Fortunately, I feel that our co-op doesn’t have as much judgment, and I’m proud of us for that; but again, we’re not perfect. Let’s work on that together!
What I want to ask of us as a community is try to take a second before judging another person for what they’re eating, buying, or even doing. We all know how much rising food prices has affected everyone– some more than others– but we’re all just trying to make ends meet and if that involves shopping at a conventional grocery store and buying conventional products over natural/organic products, so be it. It’s what you or your family needs right now. I do it– groceries are so. damn. expensive. So let’s not judge; let’s try to be more forgiving of one another and sensitive to the things we may never know or understand about others’ lives. We can be even more inclusive and supportive of every shopper, coworker, friend, and even stranger we cross paths with.
P.S. Eat that brownie. It’s okay, I promise.
*Cover photo by Katie Law, Wild Oats Market