The Apple Club Newsletter, Winter 2008, Page 3

There is an old saying that speaks about knowing the cost of everything, and the value of nothing. To say that someone knew the cost of everything and the value of nothing was a sort of criticism, perhaps implying that the person in question was mean or unappreciative. In the past few years, it appeared to me that neither the cost nor the value of many things was appreciated. And in my opinion, this is even worse than knowing the cost of everything and the value of nothing.
It’s funny, but many things of great value do not have a monetary cost. If you are healthy, then that is of great value; so great that it is not thought possible to put a valuation on your health. If you are happy, is that not of great value? And as we are often told, money can’t buy happiness. Also family, and friendship, good neighbours; the list goes on.
Should we not appreciate having a job or occupation; something to pass the day that may even give satisfaction and fulfilment. And if it is paid occupation, isn’t that even better?
Right now there is a lot of bad economic news around, and it can get people down. People are quickly coming to know the cost of many things that did not occupy their minds before now. The cost of a litre of milk, or a bag of potatoes. But remember, these have a value much greater than their cost. Milk and potatoes sustained the Irish population in pre-famine days, when 8 million people lived in Ireland. These foods, along with the many others we eat sustain and nourish us, and if we choose the right foods, keep us healthy.
It’s not alone the value of the nourishment of the foods we need to think of though. When you choose Irish vegetables, or fruit, or any Irish food, you are keeping jobs in Ireland, and money in the country. You are being a good neighbour to a nearby farmer. You are giving a job to someone in a shop, a job to someone in the food processing chain. Not only are you giving a job however, you are giving them the chance at have a productive and satisfying day. You are being a good neighbour, and you are helping to ensure that there will still be a neighbour in the house down the road by this time next year.
So don’t let the bad news drag you down. Remember that your choices make a difference to people around you, but in much more important ways than you might initially think. If you have some money to spend, then spend it locally; it’s the neighbourly thing to do.

APPLES could hold the secret to protecting the stomach against damage from aspirin. Research shows the fruit contains chemicals which seem to reduce the risk of the painkiller causing ulcers and bleeding. The findings, published in the Journal of Nutrition, are so far confined to experiments on animals. Aspirin is often described as a wonder drug – but there have long been concerns about the risk of potentially fatal gastric bleeding among patients regularly taking large doses.
Scientists at the University of Naples fed apple extract to animals before they were given a dose of aspirin.
The results showed a 50 per cent drop in lesions—the early stages of a stomach ulcer—after animals were fed the extract.

The cost of everything.

Apples may stop ulcers from aspirin

Newsletter Winter 2008		page 3 of 4