By Nanette Wiser
HELPING OTHERS HELPS YOU
The healing power of altruism and volunteering. Research suggests that when you help others, it promotes physiological changes in the brain linked with happiness. Helping others improves support networks, keeps us active and improves self-esteem. During the holidays, food pantries are low. Food insecurity is a national epidemic, and you can help right here at home. In Pinellas County, the number of missing meals is currently 33,689,204 and that’s why Feeding Tampa Bay has launched Feeding Pinellas, offering FoodPlus programs and a third Trinity Café at 6330 54th Ave. N in St. Pete. Through Trinity Cafe, guests are provided with food for today through the dining program, food for tomorrow with a meal to go, and food for a lifetime through supportive services. Feeding Tampa Bay offers a variety of services including to-go meals, a produce pantry, SNAP assistance, GED and ESOL classes, FRESHforce opportunities, and more!
THE FOOD BABE Make this your New Year’s resolution: Follow Vani Hari on social media and her website. This food researcher/writer on social media and her website www.foodbabe.com for the skinny on bad foods. Here’s my latest fave from her gut-busting insights: Researchers tested burgers, pizza, fries, nuggets, and burritos from McDonald’s, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Domino’s, Taco Bell and Chipotle – and found chemicals known as phthalates in 80% of them. Phthalates are endocrine-disrupting chemicals that are used to make plastic bendable but are linked to numerous health issues like reduced fertility, cancer, brain impairment in children, and asthma. Another study this month found phthalates may be responsible for roughly 100,000 premature deaths each year in older Americans. For years we’ve known that these chemicals are not safe, but they’re still widely used to make cosmetics, detergents, vinyl floors, disposable gloves, and food packaging. And this is how they have found their way into fast food. Researchers say fast food is exposed to phthalates at several points of the supply chain – during processing, packaging, and from the disposable gloves worn in fast food restaurants.”
HEALTHY HOLIDAY BITES Skip the brie and snack on these delish seasonal treats: Gingerbread contains gingerol, an antioxidant. Figgy pudding’s dried fruits are full of fiber, calcium, potassium. Southern gumbo serves up veggies, herbs, chicken and lean seafoods. Hot cocoa’s flavonols help blood flow and help lower blood pressure Collard greens as a holiday side dish add folate, calcium, Vitamins A and K.
