The debate on how to lower health care costs in Vermont is of paramount importance. Of equal importance is balancing that debate with discussions on the quality of life we can achieve right now.

In 2020, 315,000 pharmacists in 88,000 retail drug stores dispensed almost 4.5 billion outpatient prescriptions to more than 260 million Americans. These prescriptions covered 50 billion pills, at a cost to the public of more than $350 billion. This represented about 8.5% of total U.S. health care costs that year, which came to a whopping $4.1 trillion.

Fifty years ago, television ads about medicine were limited to cough syrup and aspirin (the iconic Speedy Alka Seltzer character was an advertising coup.). Today, the airwaves are dominated by commercials for prescription medications, most with potentially serious, even deadly, side effects.

Conventional medical theory posits there are “main” effects and “side” effects of medications. In truth, “side effects” are found nowhere in nature. All effects are main effects, and all effects of a drug should be considered its main effects as well — exerting major influences on the body and impacting our health.

Flipping through a popular weekly news magazine, I randomly selected the first ad I saw for a prescription drug:  Rexulti (brexpiprazole). It is prescribed as an anti-depressant.  The listed side effects include: Increased death in elderly people who live with symptoms of dementia; Increased risk of suicidal thoughts and actions, including children; Stroke; Uncontrolled body movements, where you lose control of your face, tongue and other body parts. According to the manufacturer, these symptoms may never go away, even after you stop taking the drug; Increased fat levels and weight gain; Hyperglycemia, diabetes, leading to coma or death; Unusual and compulsive urges, including compulsive gambling, compulsive sexual urges, shopping, or binge eating; Low white blood cell count; Decreased blood pressure; The drug can make you sleepy or dizzy, slows your thinking and motor skills, and may lead to falls and fractures; Seizures (convulsions); Problems controlling your body temperature. Stay in a cool place if possible; Difficulty swallowing, which can cause food or liquid to get into your lungs. As a disclaimer, it adds: “These are not all the possible side effects of REXULTI.”

Ask your doctor if REXULTI is right for you! 

These are commonly described as “side effects,” as if to say, “Oh, incidentally, you will likely experience some or all of these life-altering symptoms as a result of taking this prescription.”

These side effects are almost always treated with drugs, which exert side effects of their own. In short order, a host of symptoms appear as drugs interact. Physical problems multiply and spiral out of control. Eventually, people lose the ability to clearly recognize the causes behind their original symptoms, relegating themselves to passive participants in their own recovery. And, sadly too often, it’s not about “recovery” at all but simply disease management.

Steeping out on a ledge here, this is not to minimize the severity of depression, but I would suggest micro-doses of psilocybin would achieve the same goal without the so-called “side effects.” Of course, the mushroom remains illegal in most parts of the United States, but that is changing as its therapeutic applications are being recognized and pursued. 

Most of us have been raised in a culture that encourages the worst eating and lifestyle habits. From the earliest years onward, our immune systems are compromised through the accumulation of antibiotics and hormones that we have taken in through the consumption of chicken, beef and dairy products; in general, our symptoms are suppressed rather than addressed; we eat poor-quality food; we eat too much food; we consume chlorinated water, air and ground pollutants, artificial colors and preservatives, herbicides, fungicides, pesticides and ingest numerous carcinogens that are spun off as “side effects” of our food and industrial manufacturing processes … the list is familiar and uncommonly long.

From the moment of conception onward, the body does its best to walk through life under these gale-force winds of adversity. And as the body begins to falter, as it eventually must, it then becomes subject to still further chemical and medical interventions: beginning with routine X-rays and antibiotics, progressing to invasive surgeries, radiation, chemotherapy, organ removal and the artificial replacements for living tissue.

This isn’t to say we should not avail ourselves of antibiotics and other medications and surgical procedures. Most of us have been beneficiaries of their use. And there is that aspect of technology that performs miracles reattaching limbs and reestablishing sight and sound, and the pace of technological changes quickens and delights.

But for the first time in history, lifestyle diseases like diabetes, heart disease, obesity and some cancers, kill more people than communicable ones, and the cost in managing them (as opposed to curing them) is crippling — financially, physically and emotionally.

People often begin practicing a holistic diet and lifestyle after having been diagnosed with one specific, often serious, illness. But rarely are they experiencing just that one physical difficulty. They might also be suffering with such symptoms as low back pain (quite often indicating kidneys), skin rashes, fitful sleep, poor appetite, inflammation, depression. Most people then adapt themselves to living with these symptoms, believing them to be either simply part of the aging process or of minor consequence compared to their more serious diagnosis.

The beauty of holistic lifestyle practices is, as we change our diet and lifestyle, many symptoms can begin to diminish across the board, simultaneously. The whole body responds favorably to the same corrective measures: rashes diminish, sleep deepens, appetite returns, back pain subsides, energy levels increase. Such are the “side effects” of holistic lifestyle and dietary practices, which have a positive, cascading effect upon our health and well being.

No one size fits all when it comes to dietary needs, but we do share a common heritage: We have evolved over millions of years under conditions of natural light, pure water and whole, unadulterated foods. Environmental influences that range over such a vast span of time have fashioned the human body like the hands of a sculptor, and we can safely assume the very essence of who we are has been defined by that relationship. Any deviation at all from this natural order will invite a measure of stress and, eventually, disease.

Many of us, by necessity, have set for ourselves the goal of regaining our health. But a healthy body should not be an end in itself. After all, health is our birthright, and we are meant to use our health to pursue our goals.

Annual Meeting & Bylaw Changes

Greetings fellow member-owners!


I hope you are enjoying the beautiful weather we are experiencing during this harvest season. We are
looking forward to the RAFC’s annual meeting that is scheduled at 10 am on Sat. Sept. 30th on the lawn
next to the co-op, with a rain location at the Fox room at the Rutland Free Library (at 10:30 a.m. on the
same date).

We elected to move the meeting to a fall date to make sure that we have our final
financial totals from our previous fiscal year completed by our accounting firm and to also attempt to
catch as many of our member-owners as possible after the Summer vacation season. We discovered that
Sept. 30th happens to be National Hot Mulled Apple Cider Day, so we definitely plan to observe by
having some available at our gathering!


One of the functions of the board of directors is to periodically review the RAFC’s bylaws both to make
sure we are adhering but also to evaluate whether it makes sense to modify them to reflect the current
practices of the organization and present any recommended amendments to the membership at the annual meeting for a vote of approval. This year the board has recommended modifications to 5 sections of the bylaws, reflected here in red font. I would like to preface the suggested edits with the rationale for each:

Section 1.2 contains the term nonprofit, which is a misnomer since RAFC is a cooperative that
seeks to be profitable, but distribute the profits back to the organization (salaries, improvements,
expansion) and among the member-owners (patronage dividends).


Section 5.5 is updated to include video technology when performing remote conferencing of
meetings.


Section 8.8 is updated to reflect the current practice which is to not issue a signed certificate of a
fully paid share, but can be accommodated upon request.


Section 9.3 is the edit with the most substantive change. Although the bylaw was amended in
2010 to mandate a financial audit every 3 years, a full financial audit has not been completed due
to the financial cost of that service. The RAFC’s previous accounting firm (Obrien, Reynolds,
Shortle and Sabotka) quoted the cost of a financial review to be $14,000 in 2012. The RAFC has always had an outside accounting firm conduct an annual financial review, and it has not been recommended by our previous or current firm ( McCormack, Guyette, and Associates) to have a financial audit performed based on our relatively small volume of sales, our financial condition, and our lack of commercial loans. The board recognizes that a financial audit can be beneficial, particularly when exploring missing money, and is typically required by banks for a commercial loan, or to be eligible for certain grants, but a financial audit has not been conducted at the RAFC due to a lack of financial viability or compelling reason to do so, and the board recommends the bylaws be amended to reflect the current practice.


Section 11.1 is updated to reflect our preferred method of notification which is email.
Section 1.2 – Purpose and mission. As more fully stated in its Articles of Incorporation, the
purpose of the Co-op is to operate a retail food store on a cooperative and nonprofit basis. The

The mission of the Co-op is:
(a) to provide affordable access to natural, whole, and minimally processed and packaged food
items and other products that form the basis for healthy and ecological lifestyles;
(b) to provide a market for local, regional, and other cooperative producers of food and other
household and personal products;
(c) to provide a community building and educational center where owners and other patrons can
work, shop, and learn together and empower each other;
(d) and to support and work cooperatively with other individuals and organizations whose
purposes are similar to those of the Co-op.

Section 5.5. – Telephone conferences. Meetings of the Board may be conducted by means of
a telephone remote conference or other communications equipment whereby all persons
participating can hear each other at the same time. Participation by such means shall constitute
presence in person at such a meeting. Telephone Remote conferences shall not be used for
the purpose of excluding owners.


Section 8.3 – Certificates. Every holder of a fully paid share shall be entitled to receive a
certificate evidencing such holding upon request. All certificates shall be signed personally or by facsimile by the Facilitator and the Treasurer and shall be numbered and registered by the Co-op. Each certificate shall contain a prominent notation that it is not transferable and that voting rights pertain only to ownership in the Co-op on the basis of one voice or vote per owner. The Co-op may issue a replacement certificate for any certificate alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed without requiring the giving of a bond or other security against related losses. In cases where an owner has paid for part of a share, the owner shall be allowed to vote at annual meetings or other member meetings and receive a patronage dividend provided he/she/they makes a payment towards the share price no less than once every twelve months.


Section 9.3 – Financial accountability. The Board of Directors shall engage a certified public
accountant to perform an audit yearly review of the Rutland Area Food Co-op’s financial
statements. and a study of the RAFC’s internal controls at least every three years, beginning
the fiscal year ending March 31, 2011. If fiscally feasible and recommended by the accounting firm, by
an outside firm/business partner of the coop for operational needs, or when requested by the
BOD or a Membership referendum, an audit shall be performed by a CPA as chosen by the
board of directors.


Section 11.1 – Notice. Any notice required under these by-laws shall be deemed delivered
when deposited in the United States Mail, first-class postage prepaid, or emailed, with names
and addresses as they appear in the records of the Co-op.

The RAFC BOD is seeking additional board members to work together to ensure the co-op’s success in
years to come. If you are willing to serve on the board of directors wish to know more about it, or
simply have any questions or feedback for the board, please don’t hesitate to reach out at
board@rutlandcoop.com.


Thank you for being a fellow member-owner and customer at your community-owned store! Your
patronage supports a pleasant shopping experience, the wonderful employees who work at the co-op, a healthy local economy, and a reduction of our carbon footprint via the selection of regional products.


I hope to see you at the annual meeting on September 30th!

In cooperation,
Theresa Haywood, first facilitator of the RAFC’s BOD

Shedding Light on Arthritis

By Jeffrey Reel

Advertisement for Transitions lenses, polarized sunglasses that darken when worn outdoors: “This dynamic eyewear is designed to be worn indoors and to automatically adapt when outdoors… protecting your eyes from damaging UV light.”

Nothing could be further from the truth, but it is more profitable to frighten people than to enlighten them.

Most everyone is familiar with time-lapse photography, when we watch – within a few moments’ time – a flower unfold and blossom over the period of a day. This method of photography was pioneered by John Ott of the Environmental Health and Light Research Institute. Mr. Ott went on to study the nature of natural and artificial sources of light and their effects on the growth of plants, animals, and eventually,
his own health.

In his book “Health and Light”, Mr. Ott describes his work with domesticated flowers and crops, demonstrating the beneficial effects of natural sunlight on plant growth and resistance to blight. Over the years, his work naturally extended from flora to fauna. He was called upon by the caretakers of zoo animals when it was found that many of the animals imported from the tropics had become infertile and
susceptible to illness. Mr. Ott discovered, time and time again, that the frequency of light illuminating the animals’ cages needed to be adjusted to match the frequency of light found in their native habitats. Once adjusted, fertility returned and health improved.

Mr. Ott eventually centered his activities in Florida. One day, he accidentally broke his eyeglasses. Although he was without a spare set, he sent his glasses off for repair. In addition to being handicapped without the aid of his spectacles, Mr. Ott’s research had become hampered over the years by a painful and crippling form of arthritis, his mobility growing dependent upon a cane.

Even though his vision was now impaired and his movements restricted, it didn’t keep him out from under the bright Florida sun, where he would walk the beaches of Sarasota and relax in the warmth and brilliance of tropical days. As the weeks passed, and he waited for the return of his eyeglasses, Mr. Ott noticed his symptoms of arthritis beginning to diminish. The pain subsided from his joints, he relinquished reliance upon his cane, and he gained back a range of mobility he had not enjoyed in
years. He was at a loss to explain his recovery, and it was not until his eyeglasses were returned when he was able to synthesize his past research with his present condition.


Within a few days after restoring his sight through glass, his symptoms began to return. Putting two and two together, Mr. Ott removed his glasses, and as he suspected, the symptoms of arthritis gradually lessened. His study on the nature of light now shifted to its effects upon his own health. From the well-known effects of light upon the lower species of animals, Mr. Ott speculated that sunlight played a
critical role in the growth and development of people as well, in ways little understood at the time. From his work on the health of domesticated animals, he recalled what was common knowledge among poultry breeders: sunlight received through the eyes of the chicken stimulated the pituitary gland, which increased egg production. It seemed that, in one sense, glands metabolized light in the same way
the body metabolizes more solid food. Light energy was being converted directly into biochemical energy.

The Endocrine System: Endocrine glands secrete hormones directly into the bloodstream to regulate body functions in fundamental ways, affecting a person’s growth and development, including reproductive organs, energy level, metabolic rate and the ability to adapt to stress. The glands of the endocrine system include the pituitary, thyroid, adrenals and pineal, as well as the pancreas. Among them, the pituitary – located at the base of the brain – appears to govern the entire glandular system.

One function of the glands is to lubricate the joints of the body in both humans and the lower species. This was Mr. Ott’s initial clue to a link between the endocrine system and his symptoms of arthritis. He speculated that there is an intimate connection between sunlight and the endocrine system in humans.

Early on in his career, Mr. Ott had learned that the full spectrum of natural light does not penetrate glass; even clear glass. Clear glass and plastics block a portion of the ultraviolet end of the spectrum of natural light and distorts the wavelengths that are allowed through. Clear glass and plastics include the windows commonly found in the workplace and home and – of critical importance – in eyeglasses and contact lenses. To Mr. Ott, this provided strong evidence that his eyeglasses effectively cut off the stream of beneficial light from bathing and nourishing the pituitary gland that, in turn, diminished the gland’s ability to regulate the endocrine system. Clear glass and plastics – including eyeglasses and contacts – prevent ultraviolet light from entering in through the eye, and distorts the quality of light that is able to penetrate it.

When it comes to feeding the body, we must take into account what might be its fundamental source of nourishment – sunlight. People wearing eyeglasses or contact lenses should remove them for a portion of each day in order to expose their eyes to natural light. Perhaps even ambient light is sufficient. People confined to eyeglasses and contact lenses spend days, months, years, even decades without ever directly
seeing sunlight, or, more accurately, without ever being seen, and nourished, by the sun.

Post-script: One year after first printing this piece in an American journal, I received an e-mail from a woman living in Estonia who had read the article while visiting Austria, which had been translated into German. She had searched me out to thank me for reporting on the work of John Ott. She had been diagnosed with a degenerative eye condition that had been declared incurable. She took the advice to
remove her eyeglasses for as long as possible, especially while out of doors, and the condition had since completely cleared up. This, of course, is just one anecdotal story, but I suggest never underestimating the validity, and the value, of one’s personal experience, even in the face of medical odds.

Jeffrey Reel is a writer and lecturer living in Hartland, Vermont, and serves as the General Manager of the Rutland Area Food Coop. He is the author of Uncommon Sense: The War on Hunger and Other Myths.

The Nature of Side Effects

In 2020, about 315,000 pharmacists in 88,000 retail drug stores dispensed almost 4.5 billion outpatient prescriptions to more than 260 million Americans. These prescriptions covered 50 billion pills, at a cost to the public of more than $350 billion. This represented about 8.5% of total U.S. health care costs that year, which came to a whopping $4.1 trillion. 

Fifty years ago, television ads about medicine were limited to cough syrup and aspirin (the iconic Speedy Alka Seltzer character was an advertising coup.). Today, the airwaves are dominated by commercials for prescription medications, most with potentially serious, including deadly, side effects.

Conventional medical theory posits that there are “main” effects and “side” effects of medications. In truth, “side effects” are to be found nowhere in Nature. All effects are main effects, and all effects of a drug should be considered its main effects as well – exerting major influences on the body and impacting our health. Pulling the Physicians Desk Reference from the shelf and randomly picking one drug listed among the thousands listed in that book discloses the following side effects: pulmonary embolism, liver dysfunction, partial or complete loss of vision, migraines, depression, edema, rash, jaundice, nausea, thrombophlebitis, changes in appetite, nervousness, fatigue, lower back pain, loss of scalp hair, itching, dizziness and a warning not to use the drug during pregnancy. In addition, there are those symptoms that arise when this one medication interacts with others. These are all commonly described as “side effects.” The side effects are almost always treated with drugs, which exerts side effects of their own. In short order, a host of symptoms appear as drugs interact. Physical problems multiply and spiral out of control. Eventually people lose the ability to clearly recognize the causes behind their original symptoms, relegating themselves to passive participants in their own recovery. And, sadly too often, it’s not about “recovery” at all but simply disease management.

Most of us have been raised in a culture that encourages the worst eating and lifestyle habits. From the earliest years onward, our immune systems are compromised through the accumulation of antibiotics and hormones that we have taken in through the consumption of chicken, beef and dairy products; in general, our symptoms are suppressed rather than addressed; we eat poor-quality food; we eat too much food; we consume chlorinated water, air and ground pollutants, artificial colors and preservatives, herbicides, fungicides, pesticides and ingest numerous carcinogens that are spun off as “side effects” of our food and industrial manufacturing processes… the list is familiar and uncommonly long.

From the moment of conception onward, the body does its best to walk through life under these gale-force winds of adversity. And as the body begins to falter, as it eventually must, it then becomes subject to still further chemical and medical interventions:  from routine x-rays and antibiotics, progressing to invasive surgeries, radiation, chemotherapy, organ removal and the artificial replacements for living tissue.

This isn’t to say that we should not avail ourselves to antibiotics and other medications and surgical procedures. Most of us have been beneficiaries of their use.  And there is that aspect of technology that performs miracles re-attaching limbs and reestablishing sight and sound, and the pace of technological changes quickens and delights. But for the first time in history, lifestyle diseases like diabetes, heart disease, obesity and some cancers kill more people than communicable ones, and the cost in managing them (as opposed to curing them) is crippling – financially, physically and emotionally.

People often begin practicing a holistic diet and lifestyle after having been diagnosed with one specific, often serious, illness. But rarely are they experiencing just that one physical difficulty. They might also be suffering with such symptoms as low back pain (quite often indicating kidneys), skin rashes, fitful sleep, poor appetite, inflammation, depression… . Most people then adapt themselves to living with these symptoms, believing them to be either simply part of the aging process or of minor consequence compared to their more serious diagnosis. The beauty of holistic lifestyle practices is that, as we change our diet and lifestyle, many symptoms can begin to diminish across the board, simultaneously. The whole body responds favorably to the same corrective measures: rashes diminish, sleep deepens, appetite returns, back pain subsides, energy levels increase. Such are the “side effects” of a holistic lifestyle and dietary practices. 

No one size fits all when it comes to dietary needs, but we do share a common heritage. We have evolved over millions of years under conditions of natural light, pure water, and whole, unadulterated foods. Environmental influences that range over such a vast span of time have fashioned the human body like the hands of a sculptor, and we can safely assume that the very essence of who we are has been defined by that relationship. Any deviation at all from this natural order will invite a measure of stress and, eventually, disease. 

Many of us, by necessity, have set for ourselves the goal of regaining our health. But a healthy body should not be an end in itself. After all, health is our birthright, and we are meant to use our health to pursue our goals.

___________________ 

Jeffrey Reel is a writer and lecturer living in Hartland, Vermont, and serves as the General Manager of the Rutland Area Food Coop. He is the author of Uncommon Sense: The War on Hunger and Other Myths.

Save 7% Every Sunday

Open Sundays from 10am – 4pm. Sale excludes the purchase of alcohol.

Local Co-ops Make New Contacts

Check out this recent story from the Rutland Herald where our general manager, Jeffrey Reel, talks about the need to find more local sources when typical supply options aren’t available.

Hours & Info

802-773-0737
Mon - Sat: 9am - 7pm
Sunday: 10am - 4pm