Just got back from a two week trip to Toronto, Ontario, Canada and first off, I'm sure I've gained weight. Ignorance is bliss since I don't have a scale. In Toronto, local produce is available May to September, thus my produce selection was extremely limited. There was great local mushrooms and organic apples but other than that it was slim pickings. My diet centered around organic pasta and organic home made sauces from canned tomatoes with fresh mushrooms, onions etc. Quinoa with veggies like cauliflower, broccoli etc. Rice Noodles thai or hakka style. Spelt Roti with lentil dahl or sabzi. Did I notice a difference in health? Yes. Especially the whole feeling tired after eating my lunch. All things happen for a reason though, so I'm determined to Spring into Health with the cornucopia of organic goodies that are available farm fresh here. Join me as I plan my action list now.
Step 1, if we fail to plan, then we plan to fail about preparing and consuming healthy meals. Running the cafe I usually plan my menu in advance and cook in large quantities. However, being on vacation reminded me of how much work meal planning is. Without a meal plan, you could be stuck eating the same food over and over again, which is frankly very boring! On our website at www.organicfoodsdelivery.com we are going to post a meal plan comprised of local organic produce that you can purchase by the meal or in bulk. I figure I will thus be able to prepare my 3 or 4 meals for the weekend in advance so I don't have to eat out at all. The two times I ate out in Toronto, I was tired at best and greased out at worst. Let's prepare a week ahead for what delicious goodies we're going to eat for meals and for snacks. Smoothies for breakfast, apple pancakes and sweet potato muffins for those of us who want cooked foods and convenient snacks. Leek and Asparagus soups, spring rolls, whole days worth salads and pastas with kelp noodles for lunch! Suppers can be comforting with organic pizzas, sun burgers, portabello steaks and cajun catfish!
Step 2, get moving! The weather is fine so get out and enjoy it. Sometimes we're so obsessed with "me" time that our focus is on entertainment rather what our body really needs -- like exercise. If you can't afford to join a gym, don't fret! Incorporate walking into your everyday life. We walk the 38 minutes to work, that way I'm not going for a 40 minute walk, I'm walking to work and saving gasoline and reducing my carbon footprint. Plant a garden. Gardening saves you money on your groceries and gives you much needed exercise on an area of land where you would otherwise be cutting the grass anyway! Spring Clean your house! Wash all the windows, scrub the floors, wash the blinds etc. This is like housekeeping for my mind as I go through all the areas of my house that have been neglected over the winter.
Step 3, don't veg in front of the tv, motivate yourself. Watch shows that centre around food, cooking, health, the environment, the earth, animals, natural adventures, cultures etc. My brief trip to Canada reminded me of how different the lifestyle is for most Canadians and Europeans. Canadians spend most of their money on rent and food. Every person does not have their own car, nor are they buying things they don't need. Even though unemployment there is high too, the housing market is stable and improving because people invested money in down payments. We always lament our economic state while we still have more than most of the world. I could have shot a cannon through the malls I went to. I didn't rent a car and walked places and saw people walking and bussing it constantly. Grocery stores were the only busy place with organic broccoli at $4.45 a pound at one store. Learn about the world around you, most of the world is not shaped by american values, we could benefit from expanding our viewpoint.
Step 4, enjoy a staycation. Instead of going on an expensive vacation, discover what makes the place we live wonderful. Discover the local businesses we can support and visit the farms that grow your food. Make it your goal to be an expert on Fresno so we can defend why we live here and why we call this place home.
Springing into Health,
Tara Hamilton
tarahamilton@me.com, www.organicfoodsdelivery.com, www.wholefarmsonline.org, www.makeloveinthekitchen.tv, 559.497.5085
