Traditional Diets

Hello everyone,
I was asked by the Miwok School in Petaluma, CA., to give a talk to the parents of the Spanish-speaking children about good health, with the focus on the traditional diet. We had a great turnout of parents and they were eager to learn how to feed their children healthier foods because they are aware of the rise of childhood obesity and diabetes, especially in people of Hispanic descent. We focused on their culture's traditional diet before acculturation into America and the introduction to cheap, unhealthy foods and of course, soft drinks, which are a major problem. A group called Oldways in Boston has a great web site and traditional Latin American Diet pyramids for adults and children. One small change they were all willing to make is to use brown rice instead of white rice. Small changes are generally the most successful because they aren't a lot of effort. There were many requests about what to feed their children for breakfast and lunch particularly.
If you are of hispanic descent or are teaching those who are, be sure to peruse Oldways. You'll find it useful.
Best of health,
Patty

It's a New Year!

Hi everyone,
I hope 2008 is going well for you so far. We all know that gym memberships swell the first of the year and the end displays at the grocery stores magically change from cans of pumpkin and marshmellows to Go Lean cereal. I would like to throw my 2-cents into the mix; make small changes that you can live with. Eat a little less, exercise a little more and do it in a way that you don't feel deprived or else you won't stick with it. Don't go on a diet, make lifestyle changes. I know you have heard this a million times, but it's true. Resolve to end this year healthier than you began it.
Are there any other resolutions you have made this year besides those involving your waistline? Here's a few to mull over. Resolve to watch less television and play more games of Scrabble. Resolve to dine at the table as many times a week as possible. Let's all start dining instead of just eating. For those with children, there are studies which show that children who eat with their families get better grades, are less likely to do drugs and are more likely to go to college. The power of the dinner table...How about your brain? Our brain needs work-outs too. Start doing crossword puzzles, learn a new language or simply read more. I could go on and on, but you get the drift. I think we all need to resolve to have more fun. When we were in Italy last year, someone told us they thought Americans were crazy because we worked too hard. They might be on to something. Life is about balance; in our food, lifestyle, work and play.
Have a great year!
In good health,
Patty