Thanks, Mom, and other ramblings

Thanks to my mother, I grew up eating a well-balanced diet-there was usually a protein, starch, and vegetable on my plate. I was not allowed cereal whose first or second ingredient was “sugar”, and generally exercised and played sports for most of my young life.

I can trace my obsession with healthy food (I love a great health-food store!) back to my early college years when I was living in Eugene, Oregon. My first off-campus house was near Sundance Foods, and I was there almost every day, perusing the aisles and making falafel from the dried mix (bulk section, so new, so fun), snacking on fresh veggies, and buying a then-ubiquitous Genesis juice (RIP). Saturday markets brought out all of the food vendors with their juices, wraps, and salads. I loved a Toby’s tofu burrito. Eugene turned me vegetarian, then vegan, and yes, I was wearing hemp pants and sewing corduroy hoodies for a local clothing vendor. It was a time! The Grateful Dead was still touring, and the hippie kid, young makers, and organic food movement were alive and just so palpable.

Fast forward many decades, and I am still advocating for eating a healthy diet and trying to encourage my own two daughters to keep things natural. Let me say this- it’s not easy telling kids that they need to limit their sugar and eat more vegetables. This concept is hard for a lot of adults as well. But it’s possible to make some big shifts in our bodies just by implementing some small changes. It’s the small, manageable stuff that rewires the brain and makes for real change.