10 Things That Will Happen to You in a Day, Week, or Month When you Eat a Whole Food, Plant-Based Diet
Within 1 Day: 1. You’ll Be More Satisfied You’ll feel fuller sooner and stay fuller longer, thanks to the fiber in the vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes, and fruit you are eating. Less than 5% of Americans eat enough fiber, even though it’s protective against heart disease, diabetes, and obesity and promotes good gut health. (Meat products have no fiber.) Within A Week: 2. You’ll Be In a Better Mood and Have More Energy If you’re adding vibrant vegetables and fresh fruits to your plate you’re already at a better mood advantage. Research published in Annals of Nutrition and…
Chattanooga Gave One of its Most Popular Gathering Spots a Stunning Makeover
Chattanooga wanted to improve access to high-quality outdoor spaces that made residents of all ages feel safe, secure, welcome, and connected. In 2019, Chattanooga was named one of the winning cities of the Made to Move grant by Degree and Blue Zones, giving an additional boost to their foundational work. The area surrounding Patten Towers, at Georgia Avenue and Market Street, was designated as a social hub, even with its modest benches and a few trees. Using a community-driven design process, Chattanooga Design Studio and Enterprise Center in collaboration with Gehl Studio and local stakeholders gathered feedback to incorporate into…
7 Things to Do Now to Make Healthy Eating Easy and Fun
None of the blue zones centenarians ever tried to live to 100. They don’t count calories, take fancy supplements, or even read labels. They simply eat foods that are local, in season, and readily available. They find ways to celebrate food with family and friends. They live in environments that subconsciously nudge them to into better eating habits. As we have applied the wisdom of the world’s Blue Zones diet to transform cities in the United States, we can do the same in our individual lives. You don’t have to live in a blue zones region to reap the…
What One Community Did to Fight Food Insecurity Amidst the Pandemic
The pandemic changed the way we do just about everything. With schools closed, community programs derailed, and millions of workers sidelined, COVID-19 highlighted the weaknesses in communities across the U.S. Food insecurity (lack of access to sufficient food because of limited financial resources) across the country rose significantly, according to the Pew Research Center and Feeding America estimates that 45 million people (1 in 7), including 15 million children (1 in 5), may have experienced food insecurity in 2020. Just east of LA is Boyle Heights, home to almost 100,000 residents, many of whom are considered a vulnerable population….
