Well, if you’ve been following our town hall series, you know we’ve covered a lot, from the power of plant-based eating to eye health to expert cooking tips on making healthy eating actually taste good.
The Big Picture?
We started with one key truth: the more minimally processed plants you eat, the healthier you’ll be.
Why? It’s all about fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants—they fuel your gut microbiome and keep inflammation in check.
Just as important as what you stop eating, trans fats, excessive saturated fats, and cholesterol are all associated with meat, eggs, and dairy products. These can raise your risk of chronic diseases and cancer.
The bottom line is that Sticking to whole or minimally processed foods will help you thrive. But the goal isn’t overnight perfection; it’s progress.
Increase your plant-based servings gradually every 1-2 weeks, and add more fruits, veggies, whole grains, and legumes off your list until you’re well into those double digits per day.
Decrease meat, eggs, and dairy to the lowest level you can. I’m convinced that once you get over 10 servings of plant foods daily, your cravings for meat will naturally drop.
Start with one meatless day per week, where you should already be, then increase.
And on days you still have meat, make it the side dish, not the main event.
On the second Tuesday, we learned about eye health: What You Eat Affects What You See.
Dr. Johnson, Dr. Hitchmoth, and Dr. Knight informed us about Leafy greens like kale, spinach, and Brussels sprouts—loaded with lutein and zeaxanthin—great for preventing macular degeneration and glaucoma.
Eating green, orange, and yellow fruits and veggies with adequate omega-3 and throwing in some turmeric goes beyond helping and preventing glaucoma and dry eyes; it also protects the brain, gut, and whole body.
These experts cautioned us about intermixing supplements or taking them at a too high dose.
And remember the importance of exercise, adequate sleep, and stress management.
Professional Chef Dahm gave us the practical side of plant-based eating:
Start simple: Increase plant servings while cutting your meat intake in half.
He explained that a good knife is one of the most important kitchen tools because how you slice your food affects texture and flavor.
And we know flavor matters: A pinch of salt, not a shake, can enhance the taste of other food, herbs, and spices, but follow your doctor’s orders if you are on a low-sodium diet.
Meat Swaps? The chef said mushrooms, walnuts, and hearts of palm make reasonable meat substitutions. One of my favorites is tofu or tempeh.
Did you miss one or more of our sessions?
No worries! All past town hall recordings will be available on our foundation website, but give us some time.
Other news: My book will be launched next month. Title: FEARLESS Wellness: Transforming Your Life One Step at a Time.
It includes an appendix of recipes from Chef Dahm to help you get started. We’ll send an email blast when the official launch date is set, but keep an eye out for updates on our foundation website.
Your Tips for This Week:
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Continue learning about plant-based eating on websites like PCRM.org, NutritionFacts.org, and healthylivingwithavision.org. Watch the video Forks Over Knives. It’s been a catalyst for several people considering plant-based eating.
Thank you all for showing up! We’re looking forward to seeing you at our next town hall event.