Healthy + Happy #10: “Farm-acies” of the future

Jul 18

The U.S. is the largest pharmaceutical market in the world, and it’s only growing. Amid our current healthcare crisis, six in 10 Americans receive regular prescriptions for at least one lifestyle disease. Luckily, for our kids, there are alternatives. Eating fruits and vegetables and plant-based diets can help treat (and even prevent) certain chronic diseases.

As Hippocrates said, “Let food be thy medicine.” Health practitioners are taking his advice literally, writing prescriptions for produce (not pills) to help improve health equity and food security and reduce healthcare costs. Learn how it works.

It’s no secret: healthy children (usually) become healthy adults. Kids’ health is cumulative — the earlier kids start eating healthy, plant-forward diets, the better. Research shows that kids carry their early eating behaviors and food experiences into adulthood.

Kids who shop and cook with caregivers make healthier choices. Since it’s summer and Culinary Arts Month, what better time to check out your local farmers market?

Beyond a fun family outing, buying directly from growers boosts the body, taste buds and the planet. In general, food sold at farmers markets is healthier and more nutritious than produce from a grocer.

Food miles (number of miles from farm to plate) also has three-times the climate impact than originally thought.

Want kids to expand their pallets while learning healthy food habits? Involve them (think: meal planning, recipe and produce selection, etc.). Including kids in the kitchen positively influences both parents and children.

In the News

Update from California: on June 30, Governor Gavin Newsom signed the state budget with more than $2 billion dedicated to creating infrastructure within California’s school food system to support more sustainable, fresh, whole meals for kids.

Want to get caught up on other school food updates from around the list? Check out this list.

In a recent study, the CDC found glyphosate (the active ingredient in the popular weedkiller Roundup) in 87 percent of children. Why? Conventional agriculture uses glyphosate liberally, and it’s ending up in our food.

As of May, Monsanto has settled more than 100,000 Roundup-related lawsuits. Bayer (Monsanto’s owner) appealed a verdict that they failed to warn of cancer risk, which was recently rejected by SCOTUS. More lawsuits are expected.

There is controversy around whether glyphosate actually causes cancer, but avoiding chemicals in food is always good practice. Need help finding chemical-free food? Use the Clean Fifteen and Dirty Dozen.

Alternatives exist for home weed control. If you have Roundup at home, here’s how you can properly dispose of it. Be sure to keep it away from kids and pets.

The American Academy of Pediatrics released new guidelines recommending mothers continue breastfeeding their kids (if suitable for both parent and child) for two years and beyond.

Breastfeeding has major health benefits for both babies and mothers (think: more nutrients, reduced risk of long-term disease, etc.).

Many barriers exist to meet these guidelines (think: lack of parental leave, flexible work schedules and onsite daycare), which has prompted concerns about breastfeeding equity, stigma and guilt.

Minnesota’s Loppet Foundation seeks part-time Loppet Cycle Works (LCW) coaches. Job description here.
Build community through friendships. Bolder Options seeks mentors in the Twin Cities and Rochester.
Do you have bike maintenance skills? Help Minneapolis Public Schools get their bicycle fleet ready for fall. Learn more here.
Check out the new free tool, SCALE, from the Chef Ann Foundation, designed to help food service directors include more scratch cooking in their food program.

Have other national events or grant opportunities you'd like us to highlight? Let us know.

We hope you enjoyed Healthy + Happy. As always, please feel free to reach out to us with any questions or thoughts.

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