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by
Steve and Patricia Nakon
The foods that we choose every day have important
impacts on our health and the environment!
Perhaps you've heard the phrase “eating
seasonally and locally” and wondered what
that means. Eating seasonally is simply eating
those foods that are harvested in the current
season. Eating locally means to eat food that
is grown in the part of the country, or the area,
where you live. Eating seasonally and locally
benefits both your health and the environment.
Health Benefits
The secret to health and well
being is to live in harmony with nature. Nature
provides the foods
that keep our bodies in balance at certain
times of the year. By eating the food that grows
around
us from season to season, we receive the best
nourishment to support and balance us.
In the
spring, cleansing and revitalizing foods, like
leafy greens and sprouts, help harmonize
the body with this season of rejuvenation and
growth. During the summer, cooling foods such
as corn, cucumbers, and melons help to keep
the body cool. During autumn and winter, when
it's
cold out, we need to add fuel to the furnace.
The focus is on storing up energy with strengthening,
warming foods such as whole grains, squashes
and root vegetables.
Eating in season also
leads to a heightened sense of taste. Once
you've tasted a juicy,
local vine-ripened
tomato at the peak of the season, the pale,
hard tomato you find in stores in the middle
of winter
may not be as appealing. This is the natural
wisdom of your body guiding you toward nourishment.
Eat what is harvested in the present season,
align yourself with nature and keep your
body healthy!
Environmental Benefits
How does what I eat affect
the environment? The convenience of having
foods shipped from across
the country and around the world creates hidden
costs, including costs to the environment.
When we buy food that is produced in distant
areas,
transporting the food requires a significant
amount of energy, or fuel, not to mention the
impact on air pollution. In addition, the refrigeration
needed to keep food fresh when it travels long
distances uses energy and may require chloro-fluorocarbons
(CFCs) or other ozone-depleting gases. When
you choose foods that are locally grown and in
season
you not only make a contribution to your good
health you also support clean air and a healthy
environment!
How to Get Started
An easy way to incorporate
seasonal eating into your life is to join a community
supported agriculture
group (CSA). These local groups provide an opportunity
to purchase a portion of a small organic farm's
produce before the season begins. By joining
a CSA you can get fresh produce, right off the
farm, delivered to a local pick up spot once
a week! How easy is that!
Whether you grow food in your own garden, purchase
food at the grocery store or a farmer’s
market, or join a local CSA, eat what is harvested
locally in the present season to stay connected
to nature and keep your body, and the environment,
healthy!
Join Steve Nakon for a cooking demonstration,
incorporating seasonal and locally grown food,
at the CBG Garden Chef’s Program on Wellness
Day, June 9, 2007!
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