I've recently watched Oprah's Podcast with Kathy Freston, and one of the first questions that came to my mind is, "How can I afford these foods?"

I have made some changes for a while such as buying free range chicken eggs, hormone-free milk, sometimes organic milk...yet they are quite expensive relative to my income and budget.

I also live in a part of the country where it is very hot most of the year, so much of the vegetables, etc. are imported either from Mexico or more milder parts of the US. So the local farmer's market is limited.

It is sad that the less expensive foods which are available are not conducive to health, hence the high obesity/diabetic population in my city and around the country.

So what is one to do? What can one do. I am all for alternative methods to protein, although I will say that soymilk, which I drank for a few years unwittingly, contributed to my current thyroid condition. Thus I am wary of leaning toward eating it (soy products) on a regular basis. Yes, I could eat more beans, I just wish I didn't have so much gas and frankly the selection isn't very enticing...perhaps I could do with some more recipes? I do eat nuts. But again, nuts are not cheap except for the unshelled peanuts available around Christmas.

I looove fish, I could live off fish everyday...sushi, otherwise, but where I live the choices are limited, and those that exist are certainly not very affordable. I have tried the canned ones...and have incorporated them into my diet.

Nevertheless, however, the ultimate question still remains, how can one on a very limited budget afford to consciously eat?

Thanks for any replies...

Bless you all