MARCH 2022 FOOD & NUTRITION ISSUE

Feature: Plant-Based Eating Goes Mainstream                

Byline: Carrie Jackson

As plant-based eating gains adherents drawn by its health and planetary benefits, veggie burgers are showing up at the ballpark, vegan dairy at the cafe and tuna substitutes in grocery stores. Rising to meet market demand, companies are innovating methods to promote plant-based products: developing new plant-based seafood and dairy options, growing mushroom-based “meat” in labs, twinning home-delivered vegan meals with vegan and lifestyle coaching, and helping eateries and breweries develop familiar foods with vegan variations. 

Healing Ways: Burnout Recovery: Ways to Reset and Find Balance              

Byline: Ronica O’Hara                         

In these pandemic times, burnout is turning into a societal norm, with employees, parents and healthcare workers reporting record levels of fatigue, cynicism and apathy. The first step to recovery is to admit what’s going on and then to ask hard questions about what to do next. It’s also helpful to figure out what our points of joy are so we can restructure our life around them; to find points of control, like diet and exercise, so we can regain a sense of being capable; to take micro-breaks to ease built-up tension; and to enhance gratitude, a proven energy enhancer.

Fit Body:  A Weekend Warrior Survival Guide       

Byline: Marlaina Donato 

After a workweek hunched over a computer, it’s pure pleasure to plunge into weekend activities like hiking, softball or gardening, but the results too often can be stiff shoulders, painful knees or muscle injuries that can take months or surgery to resolve. Yet with prevention, simple exercises and the use of first aid and complementary modalities like homeopathy and essential oils, suffering can be avoided and recovery can be hastened. 

Healthy Kids: Beyond Picky Eating: Help for Pediatric Eating Disorders         

Byline: Marlaina Donato                         

Most kids go through food phases and bouts of fussiness during mealtime, but more serious problems can lurk beneath the surface of all-too-common behaviors. Eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia and other conditions are now showing up in young teens and children as young as 5 years old. A multipronged approach using a therapist, dietitian and pediatrician, and incorporating such elements as cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness training and yoga have been shown to be helpful for youngsters with the disorder.

Wise Words: Ann Armbrecht on the Business of Ethical Botanicals              

Byline: April Thompson

The writer and anthropologist discusses her findings on the global industry of herbal products whose origins and sourcing practices are largely invisible to consumers. She was surprised by the level of mechanization and scale and the careless way plants were often handled, and was heartened by the trend toward regenerative farming, by the new focus on social equity for people growing the herb and by the growing sense of empowerment among consumers.

Conscious Eating: Easing into a Vegan Lifestyle, Clever Meat Substitutions 

Byline: Sheila Julson

We can move toward eating a more vegan, plant-based diet by buying processed meat substitutes at the supermarket, but it’s even healthier, and maybe easier, to take gradual steps in our own kitchens: substituting plants for meat in foods like pizza and pasta sauce, eating vegan one day a week and gradually increasing it, and exploring creative recipes. We can turn cauliflower and eggplant into “steak”, substitute chickpea flour for ground beef and use jackfruit and banana peels to mimic pulled meat. With recipes for Buffalo Cauliflower Bites and One Pan Skillet Eggplant Parmigiana.

Green Living: The Bounty of Farmers’ Markets           

Byline: Sandra Yeyati

More than 8,000 farmers’ markets across the country offer a festive setting in which to purchase some of the freshest food available anywhere. The markets put more money into local farmers’ pockets, boost the local economy, improve regional resilience, offer a much smaller carbon footprint than much grocery-store produce and help educate consumers on what’s involved in producing food. They also encourage organic purchases, seasonal eating and community spirit, boosting personal and family health.

Natural Pet: Beyond Kibble: How to Shop for the Healthiest Pet Food            

Byline: Sheila Julson 

Although better quality kibble and canned pet foods are available today than in the past, along with frozen raw and freeze-dried raw foods, the overwhelming volume of choices on grocery shelves can confuse even the savviest consumer. Veterinarians advise buying food with the freshest, cleanest ingredients possible; paying close attention to the ingredient list; searching for minimally processed brands; and seeking out specialized brands that embrace a holistic farm-to-table philosophy in sourcing ingredients.

Inspiration: Journaling to Access Inner Wisdom             

Byline: Nadine Kenney Johnstone

When we’re feeling overwhelmed or anxious, we can find the inner wisdom we need by picking up a pen and writing a letter to our future self, acknowledging our hardships without judgment, requesting the next right step, letting go when we need to and showering ourself with our own love and support.

Eco Tip: The 411 on Styrofoam                                                           

With its toxic components and hazardous-waste disposal problems, Styrofoam is increasingly banned in many cities and countries—and there’s no good reason to use it in the U.S. when stainless steel, ceramic, glass and plant-based containers can carry food and beverages just as well.