There’s no introduction that could do my dad justice. Both he and my mom have taught me so much that has undoubtedly shaped the person I am today.
[family dinner at Millennium 2010]
Having parents raise you with an emphasis on health means that no matter how far you stray from what you were brought up on (I’m looking at you – college years) you always have a solid foundation to fall back on. My mom made wholesome, well-rounded meals every night that we ate as a family. Vegetables were always present and dessert was an occasional treat. I didn’t realize how fortunate I was to have this ingrained in me until after my childhood…but I know it now.
They also taught me to respect our planet and take care of the environment. But most importantly, they taught me to work hard and pursue my dreams with all my heart. I think that Hungry Hungry Hippie has turned into such a project.
The thing I most enjoy about having this blog is the discussion it prompts – not just with my readers, but with my family and friends. My dad and I often email back and forth about various articles, books, and documentaries that relate to HHH, including everything from bringing healthy fare to schools to vegan athletes, to the latest vegan restaurants, to organic wines. Lately he has been taking a more active role in making green changes and I couldn’t be more proud. He’s contributed some amazing guest posts before, and this one is equally as informative and inspiring…I’m jealous that I wasn’t able to attend!
Moving The Dial on Food and Health
I am guessing that many of Elise’s readers have been to food fairs and conferences. I know she has. I wonder if your experiences have been as stimulating as my first one was. I encourage you to Google more information about any of the following speakers or projects I describe below, because some of the work these people are doing is truly amazing and will change the way we approach food and health.
Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending the Food for Health Forum at the UCSF Mission Bay Conference Center, sponsored by Kaiser Permanente. It was a one-day conference hosted by our “Dr. Green”, Preston Maring, MD. It was an informational, inspiring, sobering and funny day. Each speaker was more interesting and entertaining than the next. All were quite different; most were authors. They came from a variety of food avenues, all with the goal of improving the quality of the food we eat and reducing the negative impact of food production on the environment. Here is the weblink to the meeting agenda if you want the details. There were the scientific university academic folks – including public health and epidemiologist researchers – discussing such things as the negative health consequences of pesticides and other toxins in our food system. One ironic point they made was how the so-called “salad bowl” of the US, the Salinas Valley, which produces a large majority of the lettuce in the country, is responsible for hundreds of tons of pesticide deposits into the surrounding rivers each year (and how these toxins are found in the fetal blood of the pregnant farm workers.) There were chefs and a cooking demonstration. Bryant Terry, author of “Vegan Soul Kitchen: Fresh, Healthy and Creative African-American Cuisine” and “Grub: Ideas for an Urban Organic Kitchen” alternated his commentary between the lightness of his cooking pleasures and the heaviness of food insecurity among people of color. Michel Nischan, of Dressing Room fame, described his Wholesome Wave project to link local agriculture and federal benefit recipients, such as the Double Value Coupon Program, whereby food stamp values are doubled at local farmers’ markets. Two organic farmers spoke about the challenges of competing against the conventional farming industry. Mollie Katzen charmed us with humor and passion about every citizen’s right to eat healthy food and lamented that our time-conscious culture discourages us from real cooking. Finally, Eric Schlosser (“Fast Food Nation”) gave a harsh appraisal of the food industry, drawing on analogies to the Tobacco and Lead Paint industries’ cover-ups of their products’ negative health effects.
At the end of the day, I realized I had been affected. I had frowned. I had smiled. I had been discouraged. But, reminiscent of the hippie days of my youth, I have been energized. There is a slow movement happening, as more and more people realize the importance of good food to our health and well being. I am cautiously optimistic that we will witness slow progress as the organic, local, plant-based food options become more affordable and available, and therefore become adopted by mainstream Americans. I applaud Elise’s efforts toward these goals. She already has inspired me and caused me to slowly change my own eating and purchasing habits. We all can have an impact.
I love all of your posts and have really enjoyed reading your blog since I found it just about a month ago, but this post especially. I feel like I can maybe have an impact on my own parents if I keep trying as I have already changed my health for the better dramatically by really concentrating on a plant-based diet. Thanks for all you do, you do so much good.
It’s fantastic that your dad shares your views and ideals about the environment, and is willing to grow and change. It must be the starting point of many great conversations! Excellent review of the conference.
I love how you described your upbringing with veggies and desserts for a treat. It reminds me so much of my grandma and I can’t wait to ingrain these same values into my children some day!
i just found your blog and am loving poking around! i went to college in california as well and am the oldest of 3 girls 🙂 look forward to reading more!
Your Dad is COOL! What a great post, really enjoyed reading it – you are very lucky to have such a passionate and supportive family 🙂
“There is a slow movement happening, as more and more people realize the importance of good food to our health and well being.”
–SO true! It’s amazing how you can see the change happening around us…people just have to be open-minded. Most have been utterly brainwashed by the food industry and when it comes down to making decisions on what to buy/cook, they honestly believe they are making the “better” choice by choosing foods that have been deemed “healthy” or “natural” when in fact they are chocked full of unpronounceable ingredients. It’s all about getting back to our roots….our great grandparents didn’t eat this way…and they were better for it!
This is the first I’ve heard of doubling food stamps at local farmer’s markets. That is incredible! It really saddens me to see what sort of items are included on food stamp/WIC type programs. I had this realization after looking into a local campaign to help provide food to underprivileged families through the school system last year. When I looked over the list, it was downright appalling…processed snacks like cookies and crackers, sugary juices, etc. I really just wanted to ask someone, “what about the fruits and vegetables??”
its so great isnt it!?!
as for the food stamp programs – i never knew what they included but i assumed it wasnt great. its odd that the cheapest things (like rice and other bulk grains and dried beans) are so cheap but people still think eating whole foods is so expensive. i realize organic fruit and veggies are, but there has to be a way to make REAL food affordable. i love the idea of doubling the food stamps at farmers markets – supports local AND healthy choices.