WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS: Gardening for Health

Spring is God's way of saying, 'One more time!'

                                                                                                   --Robert Orben

My favorite season is spring.  The trees are popping in brilliant color, the dogwoods are blooming, and farmers are getting ready to plant.  The hunt is on for delicious locally grown foods that can make meal planning full of fun and flavor. 

Volunteers tasting herbs during a recent Growing Healthy Kids'
trip to Shining Light Garden

Planting kitchen herb gardens is on my agenda for the next week.  Fresh mint, basil, cilantro, and oregano are some of the herbs that will enhance your family’s meals in wonderful ways.  Teaching kids about real food is important to do consciously because what most kids are exposed to in their school meal program is a sorry substitute.  In the Growing Healthy Kids programs, we take kids to farms where they talk with the people who grow foods, see how foods grow, and experience herb and vegetable gardens. 

     

All kids deserve access to real food.  This spring, start your own kitchen herb garden with your family.  A couple of packs of seeds, some dirt in pots and you are on your way to new flavor-filled foods!

 

In gratitude,

Nancy Heinrich, MPH

Founder, Growing Healthy Kids

WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS: The Power of Plant Protein

“The fact is you’re not getting the nutrition you need on a meat-based diet and you’re going to get dramatically better nutrition on a plant-based diet.”  

   --Dr. Neal Barnard, MD, Founder of Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

One question I am asked frequently is, “Are you getting enough protein?”

Quinoa salad with grape tomatoes

With a plant-based way of eating, it is simple to get all the protein one needs.  The fact is that most people consume way more protein than they need.  Excess protein can cause a strain on the kidneys.  When the source of protein is from animal sources, a common side effect can be inflammation with its own set of issues and complications to one’s health. 

Protein abounds in the plant kingdom.  Consider quinoa, lentils, and soybeans.  All 3 are protein powerhouses.  Quinoa, technically a seed but used as a grain, is a complete protein because it contains all of the essential amino acids. 

The question people should be asking is, “Are you getting enough fiber?” 

Need some inspiration and great recipe ideas for plant-based eating?  Check out www.straightupfood.com. 

In gratitude,

Nancy Heinrich, MPH

Founder, Growing Healthy Kids

WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS: Ready for Plant-Based Eating?

“When you know better, you do better.”  

                                                                                   --Maya Angelou

I love helping people shift to a healthy way of eating that can prevent and reverse many of the chronic conditions which consume massive amounts of resources unnecessarily.  Diabetes is preventable and reversible with plant-based eating.  So why are so many adults and kids being diagnosed with diabetes?  Why are so many people dying from diabetes and its complications?   With 9,4% of Americans having diabetes and one in three with prediabetes, the sign is clear that we need a solution, not more drugs. 

A Sunrise Vero Beach Rotarian helps teach knife skills.

There is plenty of evidence and research to support the fact that the healthiest way of eating is plant-based with a focus on fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains.  With prominent physicians such as Dr. Neal Barnard, Dr. Dean Ornish, and Dr. Zac Bush advocating for plant-based eating, it is a revolutionary time to be a foodie. 

Besides humans coming out as winners with the shift to plant-based eating, the planet always wins.  The methane gas produced by cows and the animal waste that pollutes our rivers and lakes are killing our planet and are major contributors to the climate change that marches forward like a death watch.  We do not have to kill animals in order to feed ourselves.  Factory farming of animals has no place in a civilized world. 

We are so much healthier when we eat plants, not animals. 

In gratitude,

Nancy Heinrich, MPH

Founder, Growing Healthy Kids, Inc.