Economic Integration

Probiotics. Electrolytes. Vegetables. All three of these are said to be a part of a healthy diet. There are innumerable consumer products that you can buy to gain the benefits of each: probiotic pills, electrolyte powders, and condensed vegetable tablets, etc. These products all cost money, and the goods that they provide are separated into three separate products. 

Contrast this with homemade fermented vegetables. They are cheap and easy to make, they contain tons of probiotics, and if they are made with quality salt, they contain plenty of healthy electrolytes. Fermented vegetables are an example of economic integration with all three benefits rolled into one low-cost item. 

I’m not saying that they are the best or only way to acquire these goods. Rather, I want to highlight that there are things in our lives that are currently separated that could be fruitfully united. Some other examples might be: 

• Walk or bike to work to integrate commuting and exercise. 

• Work on a weekend project with a friend to integrate home improvement with building community. 

• Grow a vegetable garden to integrate enjoying natural beauty and food production. (And be sure to ferment some as well.)  

This week, I invite you to ask: 

Where in my life are there opportunities for economic integration? What are the different facets of my life and which might be fruitfully united? 

God bless,
Dan