I am always talking with people about healthy eating and healthy cooking. As an epidemiologist, I study diseases and their root causes. Obesity is a disease directly related to the excess consumption of sugar in its many forms. Just yesterday, someone was telling me about a father they knew who bragged about his kid drinking 10 sodas every day. I call that child abuse. Excess sugar consumption leads to inflammation in the body which leads to diseases such as diabetes and arthritis. No child deserves those diseases.
This morning, after a great morning walk and workout, I stopped by Doughboy's Donuts in Vero Beach, Florida to treat myself to one of their insanely delicious Red Velvet donuts. (Yes, it is OK in my book to have an occasional donut. It is not OK to eat them every day.)
The woman at the counter looked at me and said, "Are you the Seed Lady?" I answered, "Yes," although that was the first time someone had formally addressed me that way. I then asked how she knew me.
She then told me that last summer her son volunteered through Boys and Girls Clubs of Indian River County for one of our projects building a very large garden in north Indian River County. She said he had really enjoyed the work and the project. I thanked her for speaking to me and then invited her son to join us in an upcoming volunteer service leadership project. I hope to hear from him, as that would just make this Seed Lady's day!
In gratitude to ALL the kids who volunteer with Growing Healthy Kids,
Nancy Heinrich
Founder, Growing Healthy Kids
"Improving the health - and lives - of America's children, one child and one garden at a time"
PS - Shout-out to Doughboy's Donuts -- apparently I'm not the only one who loves your Red Velvet donuts becauses you were out of them this morning! The blueberry donut, however, was almost as delicious!
