In all of my doctors appointments lately (yes, I did want to punch a young resident this week as he said to me there is nothing more we can do as long as you are taking all your medications) but instead I just cried; however, it got me thinking about natural health remedies and what we eat. I have been having so many side effects from my treatments and medications and then they give you another pill to offset the effects...its a spiral effect. When my Mom passed she was taking TWENTY SEVEN pills a day. I am up to 10. It reminded me of food. I know, its hard to believe but food can heal. Growing up in Georgia my Mom was a southern cook. FRIED was our dinner and Crisco was a staple. She also made us eat chicken liver but fried it just tasted like a bad mussel. The one thing I remember clearly, mostly because I got to pop beans for HOURS was my Grandparents farm. They had a huge garden and every year we got so many fresh veggies. They also had grape vines so we could eat right off the vine and often did. OK so the crab apples made me really sick but I think I ate about 50 of them but there is something amazing about fresh fruit and veggies. Its hard in the winter to grow things but it can be done. Spring is coming so my goal is to start my new garden and teach my family how fun it can be!
The American Heart Association has a lot of incredible tools and a lot of incredible initiatives. One that is important to me are the Teaching Gardens. Through fundraising efforts, the Teaching Gardens are put in schools that may not have access to fresh veggies and help to teach the children how fun health can be. If they plant it and watch it grow, veggies become a part of their diet in a way that is fun and healthy! This can be done at home too!
I won't fry food for my family even though I love to cook and I know those options are just a part of almost every menu. My goal is to make food fun, nutritional and a part of a healthy lifestyle that can help to prevent so many ailments in our lives.
About the teaching gardens:
Obesity is one of the most expensive health care problems in America. One third of U.S. children are overweight or obese putting them at higher risk of heart disease and stroke.
The American Heart Association is taking a new approach in the fight against childhood obesity. We’ve teamed with noted child-nutrition activist and philanthropist Kelly Meyer to create the American Heart Association Teaching Gardens planted in elementary schools across the country that become real-life learning laboratories for students to learn what it means to be healthy.
Aimed at first graders through fifth, we teach children how to plant seeds, nurture growing plants, harvest produce and ultimately understand the value of good eating habits.
Garden-themed lessons teach nutrition, math, science and other subjects all while having fun in the fresh air and working with your hands.
Together, we can dramatically change the way America thinks about and consumes food.
To learn more log onto www.heart.org
Here's to your heart and your health~
Deanna
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