It's more than just a farm or a garden – its a pharmacy.

In this day and age when many people in the U.S.A. have their shorts in a knot over the issue of health care – particularly the question of whether or not it should be a human right or a for-profit commodity (which is a whole other topic) – it should be noted that simple diet can go a long way toward preventing a lot of medical ailments.

Many of the foods that make up a healthful diet are not all that exotic, either. You're likely to find them in abundance on local farms in your area.

Hipokratēs of Kos, arguably the Father of Western Medicine (and the reason virtually all medical terms are derived from Greek), wrote 2500 years ago: "Let food be thy medicine and thy medicine be food." It was valid wisdom back then, and the boys and girls in medical research have been proving this more and more as time goes on.

Let's take the three most common diseases in the U.S.A. today: heart disease, cancer and hypertension. Now, once you have one or more of these conditions, you don't always have much choice but to submit yourself to what passes for a "health care system" in this country. But there are a lot of foods that can prevent and go a long way toward treating these diseases. For example, when it comes to preventing heart disease (which kills more Americans every year than traffic accidents), the common apple is one of the best foods you can eat. The best part is that apples of one variety or another grow almost everywhere in the country. The carrot is another food that is exceptionally heart-healthy, and is available almost year-round. In the early summer, you'll want to chow down on fresh cherries, or stock up on them, pit them and freeze or can them for use during the winter months. (Bananas are also good for the heart, but I'm trying to focus on produce that is locally-grown near most of my readers.)

Cherries and other summer stone fruit like peaches and apricots also have anti-cancer properties. Research has demonstrated that fresh berries, like blueberries, strawberries and boysenberries are high in cancer-fighting anti-oxidants as well. Granted, these fruits are only available seasonally, but if you know anything about canning or have a freezer, they are well worth stocking up on.

Garlic is another "miracle food" that grows almost everywhere; it is known to control hypertension, help prevent cancer and even act as an anti-bacterial as is honey.

There are a number of winter vegetables – primarily those of the cabbage family, such as broccoli, cauliflower and brussels sprouts – that are pharmaceutical powerhouses. Add to this bitter greens such as kale, swiss chard and mustard, all of which are excellent served raw in a salad (and are much more nutritious than plain lettuce) or can be made into delicious soups. (Portuguese kale soup is one of my favorites.)

The best part is that all of these foods are very common and very inexpensive (certainly cheaper than medical treatment).