Page 5 - ROOT by Brock Janiuary February 23

On The Rise: PLANT-FORWARD MEALS
Are you looking for affordable, healthy, out meat with potatoes, eggplant, and options from Mexico. Rice and Beans is a
and easy meals? Look no further than the portobello mushrooms, and throw in popular dish throughout Central America
vegetable drawer in your fridge. toasted nuts, charred squash, and sautéed and the Caribbean. The odds are that you
fennel to create a satisfying option. have already dined on Jamaican Callaloo,
For most, the star of meals is meat. Beef
and other animal products generally are Many dishes are naturally plant-forward the Dominican Republic’s Mofongo, and
more expensive and can increase your risk if you’re too busy to look for recipes or Puerto Rico’s version of rice with pigeon
for several diseases. Plant-based meals are concoct cool swaps. peas, Arroz con Gandules.
full of fruits, vegetables, grains, and fiber. Asian, African, and Latin American cuisines Instead of ordering these delicious meals,
Plus, vegetables and fruits are bursting with burst with bold flavors with vegetables as try your hand at making them. All the
antioxidants. These nutrients remove free their foundations. Lo Han Jai (Buddha’s ingredients are waiting for you at your local
radicals and can’t be found in a pill. Delight), Pad Thai, and Miso Soup are supermarket. Although there’s no need to
In addition to their many benefits, vegetables, common plant-forward dishes from China, change to plant-based overnight completely,
whole grains, beans, and nuts give familiar Thailand, and Japan. India boasts hundreds one or two meatless days a week will benefit
foods a new twist. Black Bean and Sweet of meatless options, including Kormas, your health!
Potato Chili sticks to your ribs just like its Paneers, Dal, Malai Kofta, and Pakora. Source:
meaty counterpart. Substitute mushrooms Jollof Rice, a creation Ghana, Senegal, and https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/
for ground beef in beef stroganoff. The bold Nigeria claim as their own, is a forefather of nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/
flavors from mushrooms, butternut squash, jambalaya. You’ve probably had Hummus, meatless-meals/art-20048193
and parsnips in a Vegetable Shepherd’s Pie Baba Ghanoush, or Falafel without https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/eat-
make meat a distant memory. considering the lack of meat. more-plants-fewer-animals-2018112915198
Of course, you can prepare curries, stews, Chiles Rellenos, Quesadilla, and Seasoned https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-do-
and soups with just vegetables. Swap Corn on the Cob are popular meatless antioxidants-do/

Nutrition NOte: HEALTHY HABITS FOR IMPROVING YOUR HEART

Even though American Heart Health Month of moderately intense weekly exercise, several diseases. If you are having trouble
occurs every February, we shouldn’t focus increasing your resting heart rate by 50% quitting, work with your doctor or local
on our hearts for just one month a year. to 70%. Sound challenging? Break that health centers to develop a smoking
A healthy heart should be something our time down and aim for at least some form cessation plan.
everyday habits support. Unfortunately, of movement daily – walking after a meal, 6. YEARLY CHECK-UPS WITH YOUR
heart disease, an umbrella term that accounts having a dance party with your children, or DOCTOR – It is essential to have consistent
for several heart conditions, is the leading even cleaning the house can add up! You check-ups with your primary care physician.
cause of death in the United States. can even try to take the stairs, walk to the Armed with information about your general
One significant way to combat and store, or park further away from a building’s health status, you can modify your habits.
reduce your risk for heart disease is to entrance to increase your movement. While we do not need to make massive
build sustainable and healthy habits. 3. MANAGE STRESS – Stress is inevitable; changes all at once, every little bit helps! So
While genetics and environmental factors however, managing it is crucial. Yoga, start small and be consistent. Building and
contribute to risks for heart disease, lifestyle mindfulness practices, journaling, exercise, maintaining healthy habits are not only great
is also a big influence. Six lifestyle factors to therapy, and a sound support system are for your heart but your overall health, too.
consider include: great tools to help us manage stressful times.
Source:
1. MAINTAIN A HEALTHY DIET – Increase 4. LIMIT ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION –
your intake of fruits, vegetables, and fiber, Alcohol can raise blood pressure. The https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/about.htm
and decrease your intake of red meats, recommendation for alcohol intake is one https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/
saturated fats, and salt. per day for women and two per day for men. prevention.htm
2. AIM FOR DAILY MOVEMENT – National 5. QUIT SMOKING – Data has consistently
guidelines recommend about 2 ½ hours shown that smoking increases your risk of