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GOOD FOOD IS THE BEST
MEDICINE
by Carolyn
Frank
(Setting:
Doctor’s office – A mom has just brought her
child in to see the doctor.)
MOM:
I hope you can find out what my little boy
has. He just hasn’t felt good for such a
long time. I know it’s not the measles or
the chicken pox, because he doesn’t have any
spots. Could it be one of those other
childhood diseases that aren’t so easy to
spot?
DOCTOR:
Well, let’s have a look at this young ma n
and see if I can find out what is wrong with
him. (Doctor motions to the boy, and the boy
moves over to him.) Come on over here son.
Let’s have a look at you. (Doctor examines
boy.) Tell me your symptoms.
BOY:
Well… I keep getting cold sores in the
corners of my mouth. I always have a runny
nose. Sometimes I get dizzy, sometimes I get
headaches, and when I get a scratch it takes
longer to heal than when my friend Scott
gets one.
DOCTOR:
Hmmmm….I don’t see any cold sores right now.
BOY:
I don’t really know doctor; my symptoms
aren’t always the same. But I do know one
thing—I’m always tired.
MOM:
He is always tired. He should be out
climbing trees and riding bikes like most
little boys his age.
BOY:
All I feel like doing is sitting around and
watching TV, or playing video games.
MOM:
Oh doctor, please find out what’s wrong with
him. What kind of medicine does he need? Can
you give him a shot so he can start to get
better?
DOCTOR:
Hmmm…. I don’t think a shot is what he
needs.
BOY:
Great—Pills are good! I’d rather take those
any day!
DOCTOR:
Pills aren’t the answer either.
MOM:
(In a worried voice) What kind of medicine
does he need then?
DOCTOR:
No medicine.
BOY:
(In a worried voice) What kind of disease do
I have, Doctor?
DOCTOR:
You are suffering from malnutrition.
BOY:
Isn’t that what poor people in other
countries get, because there isn’t enough
food to eat?
DOCTOR:
Yes it is.
MOM:
But Joey gets plenty to eat—we’re not poor,
we have lots of food.
BOY:
Yeah! I eat all the time—candy bars, chips,
soda, yum—my favorites. I’m usually even too
full to eat my dinner most of the time. So I
don’t. In fact, I’ve got a few extra inches
around my belly to prove it.
DOCTOR:
Just because your stomach isn’t hungry,
doesn’t mean other parts of your body aren’t
hungry.
MOM:
What do you mean?
BOY:
(Chuckling) Yeah, how can my feet be
hungry—or my eyes be hungry?
DOCTOR:
If you eat lots of candy bars, chips and
soda, but skip dinner, you are filling your
stomach with empty calories. Your stomach
does feel full, but those kinds of foods
lack the nutrients to run the other parts of
your body.
BOY:
Huh?
DOCTOR:
Let me explain it another way. Joey, do you
like cars?
BOY:
Yes I do!
DOCTOR:
What do you have to put in them to make them
run?
BOY:
Fuel.
DOCTOR:
Just any fuel?
BOY:
Oh no! My dad’s sports car uses premium
gasoline.
DOCTOR:
Why doesn’t your dad use the cheap stuff?
BOY:
He says it won’t run as good.
DOCTOR:
Oh, Now Joey, Why doesn’t your dad use water
instead of gas?
BOY:
That would be stupid! His car wouldn’t run
very far that way.
DOCTOR:
But his gas tank would be full, wouldn’t it?
BOY:
Yeah, but of worthless stuff.
DOCTOR:
Exactly! The food you like to eat doesn’t
get its nick name “junk food’ for no
reason.
BOY:
Are you saying it’s worthless stuff.
DOCTOR:
I don’t know about worthless, but they are
full of empty calories. Your body can’t run
very far or efficiently on them. If that is
all you eat, they could eventually ruin your
engine—that is your body!
BOY:
What am I supposed to eat then?
DOCTOR:
Wholesome foods, like fruits, vegetables,
legumes and grains.
BOY:
But those foods are so boring.
(Broccoli,
orange, bean, bread, pyramid and milk enter)
BROCCOLI:
Boring are we? That’s a lie!
You’ve just got to give us a
try!
BOY:
Doctor, who are these strange characters?
DOCTOR:
These are the foods you should be eating.
ORANGE:
That’s why we’ve arranged this meeting.
BEAN:
To let
kids like you know, that eating us is the
way to go.
MOM:
I try to
feed you guys to my family once in a while.
BEAN:
Once in a while is not enough.
CHEESE:
You need to eat a lot of this stuff.
BOY:
Like I said, you guys are strangers to me. I
don’t even know what you are, especially you
(pointing to the pyramid). You don’t look
like anything to eat.
PYRAMID:
You’re right! I’m kind of a spokesman for
these edible characters. You see, there’s a
lot of people like you who aren’t very
familiar with healthy food. My job is to
introduce these yummy foods to more people,
and encourage people like you to get to know
them better. (Looking at the food). Hmmm,
who should introduce first?
BROCCOLI:
Let me have the privilege of introducing my
self—I am broccoli.
But I
represent all vegetables you see.
We are full
of fiber and vitamins A, B, and C, and
carbohydrates for energy.
You should
eat 3-5 servings of us per day
We are tasty
and good for your body, what more can I say!
PYRAMID:
Next we have fruit. Tell us about you and
your family, Orange.
ORANGE:
Oh, we’re little sweeties—that we are.
To find us,
you need not look too far.
We’re in
desserts, we’re in drinks, and we’re in
candy too.
But when you
eat us alone, we’re the best for you.
That way
you’ll get all the fiber, flavor and fun—
Energy, and
vitamins A and C all rolled into one.
A better
snack than us, you’ll never find.
We
fruit—we’re one of a kind.
You should
eat 2 to 4 servings of us every day,
to help keep
you healthy when you work or when you
play.
PYRAMID:
Who needs candy when you’ve got these sweet
little things? Don’t these guys just make
you hungry?
BOY:
(Shakes
his head) No.
PYRAMID:
Don’t give up so soon. There’s more to
choose from. Hey, Mr. Bean, you’re on the
scene. Ha, ha, ha (laughing) I’m starting
to sound like these guys (pointing to the
food).
BEAN:
Though I
look like a bean… and a bean is what I am,
I represent a
variety of foods,
from peanut
butter down to spam.
Meats, nuts
and legumes are in my group.
We’re great
as a main course, a snack or in a soup.
BOY:
What is a
legume?
BEAN:
Good question! Glad you asked! Doc, I’ll
give you that task.
DOCTOR:
A legume is a bean…
BEAN:
(Interjecting) Like me!
DOCTOR:
like pinto, kidney and garbanzo.
BOY:
Speak in
English, doctor.
DOCTOR:
Okay. Like the refried beans in your
burritos, or the red beans in your chili.
BOY:
Oh really! Then I’ve eaten beans a few
times. They’re not bad.
BEAN:
Not bad! We’re GREAT!
We’re the
guys that put protein on your plate.
BOY:
Protein, what’s that?
BEAN:
Protein provides the building blocks by
which your body grows.
It’s in your
hair, your skin, your muscles,
even the
nails upon your toes.
You should
have 2 to 3 servings of me, meat, or nuts,
every day.
(pause) If
you have meat—remember to cut the fat away.
PYRAMID:
The next food needs no introduction—milk
products!
CHEESE:
But I do doc! There’s a lot about me, people
don’t usually see.
I’m tasty for
breakfast, lunch, or dinner it’s true.
But there’s
so much good inside your body that I also
do!
I am full of
calcium and minerals, of which your bones
are made.
I’ve kept
them strong and healthy; while you’ve worked
or while you’ve played.
I’m important
for your teeth.
Not just the
ones you’re losing now, but the ones you’ll
one day keep.
I’ll also
help you get a good night’s sleep.
You should
have 3 to 4 servings of me a day.
Or you can
get them in another way;
There’s milk,
yogurt, and pudding just to name a few.
You can add
ice-cream and chocolate milk—does that sound
good to you?
BOY:
(nods head) Yes!
PYRAMID:
Last, but not least, is the bread group.
Hey, bread you’re on!
BREAD:
I represent the group you should eat the
most.
Try me as a
tortilla, tortellini, or toast.
How about
cereal, muffins, or a waffle.
I’m easy to
eat a lot. I’m great, not awful.
I provide
fiber—to help your digestive system run
smoothly.
I’m full of
carbohydrates—to provide the energy that
makes you move.
You should
have 6 to 11 servings of me each day—sounds
like a lot?
Hey, try me
instead of candy—I’ll hit the spot!
BOY:
This is so much to remember. Even if I do
start eating you good guys instead of the
junk I have been eating, I’ll never remember
how many servings of each of you I should
eat. It sounds too hard!
PYRAMID:
No it isn’t. Just remember me and my
“anything-but-girlish” figure. I’m smaller
at the top and larger at the bottom.
Notice how
I’m wearing my food. Milk and meat are near
the top. There’s not as much room for them
here. That’s okay. You don’t need as many
of them each day. Just below them are fruits
and vegetables. You need to eat more of them
each day than milk and meat. Just below them
is bread. You should eat even more of this
group than the fruits or vegetables. That’s
easy to remember ‘cause I’m so big down
here.
BOY:
(contemplative) And eating this way is going
to make me feel better?
FOOD:
(in unison) YES!
BOY:
(determined voice) I want to do this!
MOM:
Thank you doctor! Thank you friends!
(They all
walk off stage chattering support from the
food, and thanks from the boy).
THE END
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