WHO CARES IF WE SUFFER FROM POOR NUTRITION WRITTEN BY CHANELLE BURNETTE VIRGINIA FLUVANNA WOMEN'S CORRECTIONAL CENTER

"If at every doctor's appointment we are told that we are overweight and need to lose some, how are we to do such with what we are given to work with?

For each of the meals provided daily, the portion of starch is undeniably the largest! Lose weight? Caloric intake seems to simply be a number to abide by, even though the serving sizes are misproportioned. They just slap something on the tray for the sake of the job! Just to say "hey we fed them today"

Even though the vegetables were dirty and rotten...even though the fruit had been frozen, thawed and served because it was bought in excess.."hey we fed them today." Even though the staff is provided with bottled water and we drink the contaminated water and contract H.Pylori, "hey, at least we [prisoner] have water to drink."

What about the essential vitamins and nutrients necessary for good health? What about Vitamin C to fight off germs in a medical facility? Why all the processed meat that we don't eat go to waste? Why, when people are starving out there and it would be so simple and much more cost effective to serve things like tuna salad or egg salad?

What about the vegans and vegetarians? How many beans must they eat? How about more leafy, green vegetables for those of us whom are iron deficient and are forced to purchase a multivitamin from the commissary which contains no iron?

And what about Keefe Commissary Network that has once again raised prices to ridiculous amounts yet provide nothing healthy? They continue to rip us off for billions of dollars annually and people are still dying in a medical facility because we cannot even at least eat right to maintain our own good health!

So...Between Keefe and our own chow hall which is secretly interconnected, who cares if we suffer poor nutrition? As long as the rich get richer, who really cares?"

Written By Chanell Burnette

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Chanell Burnette is currently a prisoner at Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women, she is a member of  Virginia Prisons Accountability Committee, Virginia Prisoner of Conscience as well as Coalition for Justice, She has expressed she is highly appreciative for any platform where "I am able to stand on and allow my voice to be heard, we all need an outlet to express ourselves from behind these walls"  we at "vapac" are giving her "her" platform, thank Ms. Burnette for sharing her story and  for being the first Women's submission.. 

Further Reading 

• To lower prison health costs, Maryland serve healthy food - The Washington Post
• VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS MONOPOLY WITH KEEFE COMPANY & PRAYER OIL