The Healthy Alternative July/August 2022

THE HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE BROUGHT TO YOU BY EVER'MAN COOPERATIVE GROCERY & CAFE JULY / AUGUST 2022

Healthy edition

Expanding Your Child’s Palate Farms and Foods of the Future Sunscreen Confidential

EVER’MAN ENDS STATEMENT 315 W. Garden Street Pensacola, FL 32502 850-438-0402 1000 E. Nine Mile Road Pensacola, FL 32514 850-316-3700 everman.org facebook.com/EvermanCoop instagram.com/EvermanCoop Ever’man Cooperative Grocery & Cafe serves a diverse community. The diversity is reflected in culture, tastes, needs, lifestyles and viewpoints. It is within the vision of this cooperative to strive to embrace diversity and to meet as many community needs as possible.

Opinions and viewpoints shared within this publication are neither endorsed nor disregarded. Editorial content is intended for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, prescribe, recommend or offer medical advice.

Ever’man reserves the right to review the appropriateness of the placement of advertising. The product appropriateness is based on Ever’man product philosophy regarding accountability to healthfulness.

If there seems to be potential for conflictof-interest issues regarding competition with products sold at Ever’man, the ad may be rejected. Ads will be sold at the discretion of the Marketing Manager who reserves the right to refuse and edit submissions.

Jennifer Heriot Graphic Designer

LauraLee Nichols Education & Outreach Coordinator

Olivia Gardner Demo Coordinator

2 | THE HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE

BECAUSE OF EVER’MAN, THE COMMUNITY WILL HAVE:

• education about health, nutrition, and environmental issues • access to healthy, natural food and products at the lowest possible price • support for responsible, local agriculture and small business • an example of green business practices

8 22 26

Features 6 4Leaf Micros 8 Farms and Foods of the Future Co-ops Are Building a Better 22 Food Supply Chain for the Climate 26

Expanding Your Child's Palate

Classics 2 Ever'man Ends Statement 4 Board of Directors 5 Become a Member Today 32 Classes at Ever'Man

giftcard

6

IN THIS ISSUE

WE HAVE GIFT CARDS! THE HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE | 3

MEET THE 2022 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Dave DeBlander President

Kelly Oden Vice President

Cheryl Kirby Secretary

Dr. Sandra Winborne Director

Lynn Jackson Director

4 | THE HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE

BECOME A MEMBER TODAY! Membership Benefits

• Voting Privileges • Member specials, special order discounts, new member coupons, and other member mail outs.

• 5% off at the Hot and Cold Bars • Discounts to events such as our cooking classes and educational seminars and Complimentary Classes • Eligibility to run for the Board of Directors.

• Support of local, regional, and national organizations.

How to Join

1) At any register, fill out a Membership Agreement form and pay your Annual Membership Fee with cash, card or check.

2) Receive your membership number and card. Don't forget to grab your new member coupons!

Membership Fees

$20 per year for a family household membership $8 per year for seniors 65 years of age and older $8 per year for Students (UWF & PSC)

WE’RE

HIRING JOIN OUR TEAM www.everman.org/careers

THE |5 THEHEALTHY HEALTHYALTERNATIVE ALTERNATIVE|5

Tell us a bit about yourself and your love for Ever’man coop?

My name is Clover Lawson. I grew up in West Pensacola and graduated from Escambia High School. My Parents are one of the few remaining Life Time Members of Ever’man. As a child I remember my first trip to the Coop. I was about five and it had quite an impact on me ,everything smelled like carrots and just picked leafy greens fresh from the garden.

As a young girl the aroma of dirt was my favorite thing. I was an expert dirt pie maker. There were mountains of fresh food in the cooler. As a five year old it had me in awe. My favorite thing of all was the organic candy. It was better than raisins. There was no packaged food; it was weighed out from bulk into smaller packages. It is such a fantastic thing to have a grocery with a long history as a whole foods leader in our beautiful Pensacola.

What have you done to set up a successful grow operation, and what types of food do you grow?

I have 26 years experience growing food in multiple climates. We are a Local to Pensacola urban farm and a woman owned business.

The heat and humidity is the hardest thing to control in Pensacola. That said, I overcame it all because I love my home and our locals deserve healthy fresh food. We grow our micro-greens in an indoor controlled climate building that helps us to control the factors that make growing these little vegetables and flowers a challenge. We use organic seed whenever possible, with organic substrate, we filter our water and PH balance it. Our crops are void of common free radicals. We have added edible flowers this year and put them in the Artisan Sampler available at both stores. We have seeds for 153 different types of plants and flowers we keep on hand, we love heirloom and rare, unusual seeds. We provide both Ever'Man locations with fresh micros & edible flowers weekly and we have done thorough research and constantly are testing different methods to help bring our customers the best possible product.

What was the driving force in starting 4LeafMicros?

Three people near and dear to my heart were diagnosed with different types of cancer and they were the driving force for our foundation. My mission was and is to help immune compromised people conquering cancer absorb more nutrition from their food with less volume. Chemotherapy and traditional methods of cancer treatment are very hard on the body and make it complex to intake enough nutrition.

We encourage people who have survived and are undergoing treatment to make use of micro-greens as part of their new life of healing. I grew for cancer survivors for six months and quickly realized there was a demand for excellence in quality micros. We had outgrown our space in such a short amount of time hence 4 Leaf Micros was born.

6 | THE HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE

What drives the popularity of micro-greens in the world today, and what is the craze all about?

Chefs worldwide realized that micros and edible flowers add a burst of color and punch of flavor to beautiful eye candy dishes. Micro-greens raise the bar to make more culinary art creations. We can say we owe the advancement of micro-green use to them. Enter agriculture scientists and the powerful little mighty plants took on a whole life of their own. For a good reason they are taking the health food world by storm. These are not your mommas sprouts! Sprouts are grown hydrologically and defined as plants that have only sprouted their hypocotyl and root are eaten together. Micro-greens are grown in soil and absorb some nutrients from the substrate and organic components given to them.

Micros are harvested once the cotyledons are fully developed and when the first true leaf appears. All of the nutrients are exhausted from the seed at this point. After the microgreen stage baby greens must receive nutrients to survive. The term "micro-green" isn't specific to any one plant. Common micro-greens include broccoli, radish, cabbage, mustard, kale, pea shoots, and cilantro. Micro-greens have been proven in many laboratory tests and University studies to be the most nutrient dense stage of a plant life cycle. One of the first to confirm health findings was the University of Maryland(*1) study. Our Mighty Green Mix contains micro-greens that were found to have 10 to 20 times the nutrients of the adult counterpart. Our Bold&Zesty Mix according to their study has 40x the nutrients of the adult product. Look out for our new product at the 9 Mile location this month is Sushi Topper.

We encourage people who want things other than what we have at the store to fill out a comment card and ask for it.

Why is buying Local Micro-greens the best option as a vital food source?

Micro-green farming does not scale up well based on the fact they are fragile and dont transport well. It is imperative to have small local growers to have the freshest product.

4LeafMicros harvests and delivers the same day. You may not know that up to 55% of the plant's vitamins are lost during transit as they travel to the supermarket shelves.(*2) A very important part of what we do is education. This is why Ever’Man is such a valuable partner as an education forward grocer. Our mission is simply to educate more people on how these mighty little veggies can have a positive impact on one’s life in a busy world. They are a convenience food of the future!(*3) Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or queries, and we will be pleased to help you as you seek to improve your health and make your food have amazing flavor with Micro-greens.

Links* 1. https://agnr.umd.edu/news/mighty-microgreens 2. https://fruitandvegetable.ucdavis.edu/files/197179.pdf

THE HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE | 7

Farms & Foods By: Co+op

Of the Future

Since the dawn of recorded time, people have been trying to predict the future. We love to imagine what the world will be like someday, the good and bad. When it comes to farming and food production, science suggests our future has the potential to be more sustainable, healthy, affordable and abundant than we ever imagined.

THE FUTURE OF FARMING IS REGENERATIVE The benefits of organic are increasingly well-known, but recently, organic farming methods have been identified as having a roll to play in slowing climate change—part of a group of farming practices scientists have termed “regenerative agriculture.”

Regenerative agriculture goes beyond sustainable—it revitalizes and improves the environment (land, water and air) while producing abundant, nutritious and delicious food. This cutting-edge farming technology draws from decades of scientific and applied research by the global communities of organic farming, agro ecology and agroforestry putting it high on the list of Project Drawdown’s plausible climate change solutions.

According to Project Drawdown, regenerative agriculture is any annual cropping system that includes four of these six practices: compost application, cover crops, crop rotation, green manures, no-till/reduced tillage and/or organic production methods. While some of these terms may be new, the farming practices are familiar to many indigenous farmers.

There are currently over 108 million acres of farmland using regenerative agriculture techniques in the world and if the current rate of adoption continues, Drawdown estimates acreage will top 1 billion by 2050!

88||THE THEHEALTHY HEALTHYALTERNATIVE ALTERNATIVE

Farmers love regenerative agriculture because they benefit from increased yields, better crop resilience in extreme weather (drought, heavy rain), and enormous reductions in energy use.

That adds up: the average regenerative farm yields 72% higher net profits per acre than a farm using conventional methods.

In case it sounds too good to be true, let us assure you—this is happening!

This is real. Though industrial agriculture is the current norm in the U.S., these farming methods cost little to nothing beyond labor, making them accessible to farmers all over the world.

Thousands of acres are being converted every day. In fact, farmers of over 177 million acres of land worldwide currently practice conservation agriculture, a bridge technology to regenerative agriculture that utilizes crop rotation, cover cropping and reduced tillage. Practiced extensively in South America since the 1970s, an estimated additional 1 billion acres of conventional land will be converted to conservation agriculture by 2035, putting them in line to go regenerative, too.

That doesn’t mean regenerative methods are not being adopted in the U.S. The Rodale Institute convened a coalition of farmers, manufacturers and environmental advocates to establish regenerative organic certification for farmers. In addition to regenerative methods, this label will speak to animal welfare, social and labor issues, as well. This voluntary certification and label is likely to begin appearing on products in the near future.

THE FUTURE OF CEREALS IS PERENNIAL Cereal crops like corn, rice and wheat are staples of diets the world over. The way these annual crops are commonly grown, using conventional, industrial methods that are destructive to land, water and climate, is not sustainable, making them good candidates for crop improvement.

The Land Institute in Salinas, Kansas, has been selectively breeding wheat for the last 40 years, to improve its sustainability.

Their Kernza®, a perennial form of wheat, tastes and bakes much like annual wheat, but develops long, complex roots and survives over the winter, blooming again in the spring. That change makes all the difference for farmers—reducing the need for annual tilling and planting, for starters.

Perennial wheat also dramatically improves the soil and groundwater, and slows climate change. Patagonia Provisions and Cascadian Farm (General Mills) have made big investments to commercialize organic Kernza®.

Other crops being selectively bred to produce perennially are silphium, an alternative to canola (for vegetable oil) and sorghum, which can be used in processed foods to replace some corn products. In China, the Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences is very close to a viable perennial rice.

That doesn’t mean regenerative methods are not being adopted in the U.S. The Rodale Institute convened a coalition of farmers, manufacturers and environmental advocates to establish regenerative organic certification for farmers.

In addition to regenerative methods, this label will speak to animal welfare, social and labor issues, as well. This voluntary certification and label is likely to begin appearing on products in the near future.

LET’S MAKE IT HAPPEN We can help these sustainable foods and farming methods take root by buying food that is currently being produced this way, and by sharing what you know with friends and family. Buying organic food is one way to support a transition to regenerative agriculture. Another good idea is to learn more about your local farms at your food co-op and farmers market. Find out if they are using these methods, and support them.

Food co-ops work together nationally to spotlight brands that are changing the way food is farmed and produced for the better—check out the National Co+op Grocers Climate Collaborative award winners for tips on products and companies helping to lead the way to a sustainable, healthy future!

HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE |9 9 THE | THE HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE

The Flexible,Flavorful By: Co+op

& Fabulous Plant-Rich Diet

Just three words hold tremendous power to make meaningful change. Are you ready? Plant. Rich. Diet. Adopting a plant-rich diet is one of the most effective things you can do to improve your health, entertain your senses and help slow climate change. Best of all, it’s an inclusive approach to eating. Everyone can add more plants to their plate—you don’t need to identify as vegetarian, vegan or otherwise.

According to researchers at Project Drawdown, if half the world’s population committed to sourcing a large majority of their daily calories from plants—it would be enough to cut the progress of global warming in half. This change in eating habits would be so effective and wide-ranging, adopting a plant-rich diet ranks fourth on Drawdown’s list of 100 potential solutions to climate change.

Fortunately, it’s never been easier or more enjoyable to increase the number of plants you eat—delicious and nutritious plant-based proteins of all kinds are gaining popularity and are more widely available than ever before. The basics are still in play—beans, peas, nuts and seeds, lentils, tofu and tempeh remain beloved protein staples of diets the world over. But these days, burgers, sausages, nuggets, bacon—nearly any meat has a plant-based version, and many of them get high marks from meat eaters and vegans alike.

When it comes to dairy products, rich and satisfying plant-based options are everywhere. Coconut and cashew-based “milks” are super creamy and make excellent ice cream and yogurt, while almond, rice and soy “milks” are great options to add to your morning cereal, oatmeal or smoothies. Dairyfree cheese has come a long way—especially if you are a fan of soft, smooth cheeses like brie, mozzarella, American singles and cream cheese. Ask the staff at your local co-op for a recommendation to swap in for your favorite cheesy recipe.

A plant-rich diet is still tremendously beneficial for the environment even if you do eat meat, dairy or eggs regularly. For inspiration, look to traditional cuisines around the world that lean heavily on plants and use small amounts of flavorful meats, seafood and cheeses to flavor the meal—Mediterranean, Japanese, Indian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean and Thai, Ethiopian, Egyptian, Moroccan, Middle Eastern, Mexican—literally an entire world of plant-rich flavor is waiting for you to explore!

10 10||THE THEHEALTHY HEALTHYALTERNATIVE ALTERNATIVE

So, where’s the beef?

Why is a plant-rich diet so good for the environment? Reducing global demand for meat and dairy would save a huge amount of energy, water, land and other resources. In fact, if the world’s cattle population were its own country, it’d be the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases. Over half of the world’s agricultural land is currently used to grow animal feed like corn and soy, or raise cattle and other animals for food. The majority of that farming is done using industrial methods that contribute to climate change.

All this land dedicated to raising animals or food for animals means that 91% of the world’s deforestation is driven by livestock and feed farming. Livestock farming is also the leading cause of animal and plant extinction on earth, for this same reason.

Learn about how important rainforest's are for the climate.

On the other end, so to speak, during digestion animals produce a lot of gas and manure which both contain methane, a greenhouse gas 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide, contributing further to global warming.

Pasture-raised meat and dairy have been shown to be much more environmentally sustainable than conventional or feedlot methods. In fact, some methods like silvopasture and managed grazing may be able to offset the associated environmental impacts. You can find grass-fed, locally grazed meat and dairy products at your co-op.

Compare the environmental impact of your favorite proteins.

Let’s do this thing!

Food co-ops have been a great source of plant-based proteins, dairy and egg substitutes since the 1970s (shout out to lentil loaf!) and are proud to stock a great variety of the latest plant-based proteins for you to try, as well as help you discover old favorites.

THE THE HEALTHY HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE ALTERNATIVE || 11 11

Thai Salad with Peanut Dressing SALAD 1 cup shredded green cabbage 1 cup shredded purple cabbage 1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced 1 large yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced 1 large carrot, grated 1 cup bean sprouts 1/2 cup roughly-chopped cilantro 2 green onions, chopped 1/4 cup chopped peanuts 1/4 cup sesame sticks 15 Minutes and Cut in Half Basil Sprigs, to Garnish

PREPARATION

DRESSING 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter 1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil 1/2 tablespoon agave (or honey) Juice of 1 lime 1 clove garlic, minced Pinch of salt Dash of red pepper flakes Water to thin to desired consistency

1. Combine all the salad ingredients in a large bowl except the peanuts and sesame sticks.

2. Whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl adding. For a thinner dressing, add as much water as you like until you get the desired consistency 3. Pour 3/4 of the dressing onto the salad and toss until all the ingredients are well coated.

4. Add the peanuts and sesame sticks and give the salad one final toss.

5. Serve with the extra dressing on the side.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Accompany all of this bounty with some freshly baked bread and a Mediterranean dip-like hummus and you have a gorgeous tribute to the season!

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION 210 calories, 2.5 g. fat, 365 mg. cholesterol, 300 mg. sodium, 0 g. carbohydrate, 0 g. fiber, 46 g. protein

12 | THE HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE

30 min

8

serve

8

serve

45 min

210 cal

4

serve

Red,White and Blue

Potato Salad

INGREDIENTS 1 pound mixed red, white and blue new potatoes 1 medium jarred roasted red pepper, drained and patted dry 1/2 cup fresh mint, chiffonade 2 tablespoons white wine

vinegar 1 teaspoon honey 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 3 tablespoons olive oil

PREPARATION 1. Put the potatoes in a large pot and add cold water to cover by an inch. Place over high heat and bring to a boil, and cook for about 10 minutes before checking for doneness. Using a paring knife, pierce the smallest potatoes first, and when the knife enters easily transfer the potato to a colander to drain. Continue checking the potatoes every few minutes. When all the potatoes are done, drain and let cool. Slice the potatoes in half, or quarters if large, and place in a large bowl.

2. Chop the pepper and add to the bowl, then add the mint. In a cup, whisk the vinegar, honey, salt and pepper, then add the olive oil and whisk to combine. Pour over the potatoes and toss to mix. Serve at room temperature, or refrigerate for up to three days before serving.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Accompany all of this bounty with some freshly baked bread and a Mediterranean dip-like hummus and you have a gorgeous tribute to the season!

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION 210 calories, 2.5 g. fat, 365 mg. cholesterol, 300 mg. sodium, 0 g. carbohydrate, 0 g. fiber, 46 g. protein THE HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE | 13

Lifestyle v. Diet

PICK A SIDE

By: Eve Adamson

14 | THE HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE

In this corner: It's the one you love. The one you obsess over. The superstar. The one you eagerly await every Monday, and the one that even when you quit, you always come back to. It's the one that's so seductive and promises so much. It's the one that makes you feel like you could be better than you are right now. This one is…DIET!

And in this corner: It's the one you know. The one you live. The one you understand and the one that understands you in ways nobody else ever could. This one may not be glamorous, but this one is real, is here, is now. This one is…

LIFESTYLE!

Sure, having a face off between diet and lifestyle is a bit silly, but as a diet book writer, I can’t help coming up against this particular battle on an almost daily basis. Sometimes I'm asked to write a diet book, or a lifestyle book, or about a lifestyle that sounds more like a diet...and the list goes on.

It’s very confusing.

And yet, it’s not. Let’s break it down, because although there is some crossover, the bottom line is that diet and lifestyle are two different contenders, and to know which one is going to work for you, you have to know exactly what you are dealing with.

First, let’s consider DIET.

Diet

Technically, your diet is simply what you habitually eat. But we all know that’s not the way most people use the word. More often, a diet involves a temporary or long-term restriction of some kind, for weight loss or health or any other reason.

And is there anything wrong with going on or being on a diet?

That depends. I’ve read a lot of books that say diets don’t work because eventually, you go off them, and then, you go back to your old ways. This is true in some cases, and constant weight fluctuations probably aren’t good for you. But it doesn’t always work this way.

For example, if you have heart disease or diabetes, your doctor may instruct you to go on a special diet, to help prevent a medical emergency. You might otherwise choose to whoop it up with bacon and cheese omelettes or doughnuts and hot cocoa, but your special diet may prohibit these foods. You might cheat sometimes, but most of the time, you stick to your diet…even forever, if it staves off disease.

Technically, your diet is simply what you habitually eat. But we all know that’s not the way most people use the word. More often, a diet involves a temporary or long-term restriction of some kind, for weight loss or health or any other reason.

And is there anything wrong with going on or being on a diet?

That depends. I’ve read a lot of books that say diets don’t work because eventually, you go off them, and then, you go back to your old ways. This is true in some cases, and constant weight fluctuations probably aren’t good for you. But it doesn’t always work this way.

THE HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE | 15 15 | THE HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE

For example, if you have heart disease or diabetes, your doctor may instruct you to go on a special diet, to help prevent a medical emergency. You might otherwise choose to whoop it up with bacon and cheese omelettes or doughnuts and hot cocoa, but your special diet may prohibit these foods. You might cheat sometimes, but most of the time, you stick to your diet…even forever, if it staves off disease.

The same goes for weight-loss diets. If you eat more than your body burns (and let's face it, that's easy to do when you've got tasty food always available, just waiting for you to have another helping) and you could stand to lose a few pounds, you may decide to go on a weight-loss diet.

People like to say diets don’t work, but they do work.

Thousands of studies show they help people lose weight and regain health, and several studies have demonstrated that it doesn’t matter which weight loss diet you choose.

Low-calorie, low-carb, low-fat, they all work for many people much of the time.

In a big two-year study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health and the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, hundreds of overweight dieters on four different diets lost an average of 13 pounds over six months, no matter which diet they were on. After two years, the study subjects kept off an average of 9 pounds and lost one to three inches in the waist. They had improvements in heartdisease risk factors including increases in good HDL cholesterol and decreases in bad LDL cholesterol and triglycerides at sixmonth and two-year markers. There was no difference between diets in reported levels of hunger, fullness, or satisfaction. All the diets in the program contained what the researchers called “reasonable ranges” of fat, protein, and carbs, so none of the diets were extreme.

I’ve seen those studies that say almost everyone gains the weight back, but I know plenty of people who haven’t. A lot of the studies that put dieters at risk for weight regain involved extreme low-calorie diets that messed with hormones and metabolism; in other words, unhealthy diets.

But for reasonable diets that include enough nutrition and calories for normal functioning, yes, diets often work. However, any given diet might not work for you.

The good news is that there are thousands to choose from, and they all work for some of the people some of the time.

If you find one you like, and you can stick to it, you probably will lose weight. When you are done with the diet, it might cause changes to your future lifestyle. You might have reprogrammed yourself to live every day with new, healthier habits.

That brings us to LIFESTYLE. 16 | THE HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE

Lifestyle

Your lifestyle is how you live, including what you eat, how much you exercise, how you manage stress, and much more. It’s holistic, it’s comprehensive, it goes way beyond diet, and when you consider how influential it might be on what you eat, it’s very important.

For many people who want to lose weight or get healthier but don’t like the restrictions of a diet, lifestyle changes make a lot more sense. They are also good for people who can’t bear to go on another diet, who have bad associations with dieting, or who just can’t stick to a diet. If it’s just a lifestyle change, it may seem less threatening or restrictive.

However, there are some misconceptions about what that means. Is a lifestyle change forever?

Of course not. You might make a lifestyle change (eating less sugar, eating more vegetables), but that’s no guarantee you’ll stick with it. In a few months, or weeks, or even days, you might decide you aren’t so crazy about that particular change.

Then you might go back to your afternoon caramel latte or your avoidance of leafy greens—back to your old lifestyle.

That’s too bad, health-wise, but it’s also reality. Calling it a lifestyle doesn’t guarantee it’s going to work any more than calling something a diet does. Nobody is out there enforcing either method. There are no diet police, and there are no lifestyle police, either. Besides, what is a diet but a systemized temporary lifestyle change?

So you see, the differences aren’t so obvious, or at least not as obvious as diet and lifestyle books might have you believe. But there is a difference, and here’s what it is: One or the other is likely to work better for you.

YOU’RE THE JUDGE

Don’t you hate it when an article implies it’s going to give you some secret answer to your most burning question, and then you get to the end and it says something like, “It’s all up to you”? I hate that too, but I’m still going to do it, because the real key to this contest is to know yourself and your tendencies.

Do you love rules and structure? Do you want someone to tell you exactly what to eat? Do you dislike meal planning? Do you think diets are fun and exciting? Do you love starting them, and then watching the number on the scale plummet? Then diets might be right for you. You might go on them one after the other. Dieting might become…yes…a lifestyle.

But if you don’t like rules, or someone dictating what you eat; if you don’t want to measure or weigh or count anything ever again; if, in fact, you know that when people impose structure on you, you are likely to rebel and eat even more, then making small changes to your lifestyle will probably work better for you and your weight-loss goals.

So go on a diet, as long as it’s a healthy one, or make lifestyle changes that you know are good for you. Do what works with your personality, your work life, and your personal life, and you’ll have the best chance of sticking with it.

So who wins the final round? Nobody’s getting knocked out in this match. It’s a draw, or, it’s your decision. Who wins, in your world? Diet? Lifestyle? Whichever you embrace, you have the opportunity to be healthier, feel better, and be less likely to ever have to hear a doctor telling you what to eat.

THE HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE | 17

30 min

130 cal

Spicy Pineapple Chicken Kebabs

6

serve

INGREDIENTS 1 cup coconut milk 1/2 cup pineapple juice 2 tablespoons lime juice 2 tablespoons honey 2 tablespoons Sriracha sauce 2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 large red bell peppers 1 small pineapple, peeled and cored 4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 Cup Sour Cream

PREPARATION 1. In a medium bowl, mix the coconut milk, pineapple juice, lime juice, honey, Sriracha sauce and soy sauce. Reserve.

2. Cut the pepper and pineapple into 1 1/2-inch chunks and add to the marinade. Slice each chicken breast into thirds lengthwise and widthwise into 9 similar-sized pieces. Place in the marinade and toss to coat, then refrigerate, covered, for at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours.

3. Heat the grill and thread the chicken, peppers and pineapple onto 6 skewers, alternating the ingredients.

Put the leftover marinade in a small pot and bring it to a vigorous boil, and cook until a meat or kitchen thermometer reads 165°F and sauce has reduced and thickened. Keep warm until ready to serve.

4. When the grill is hot, use tongs to dip a wad of paper towel into a tablespoon of vegetable oil and swab the hot grill with it. Place the skewers on the grill and cook for about 5 minutes per side, moving the skewers to a cooler part of the grill if the pineapple and chicken show signs of burning. Serve the skewers drizzled with the sauce.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION 130 calories, 7 g. fat, 20 mg. cholesterol, 65 mg. sodium, 16 g. carbohydrate, 0 g. fiber, 1g. protein 18 | THE HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE

recipe brought to you by: www.grocery.coop

30 min

523 cal

6

serve

ASIAN TUNA CAKES INGREDIENTS

24 ounces canned tuna packed in water 3 tablespoons shredded carrots 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped 3 tablespoons scallions, finely chopped 1/2 cup peanuts, chopped 1 cup breadcrumbs

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1 cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon vegetable oily

PREPARATION 1. Drain tuna and mix with carrots, cilantro, onion, peanuts, breadcrumbs, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Combine with mayonnaise and mix well.

2. Form into 6 burgers, each approximately 1-inch thick, and set aside.

3. Over medium to medium-high, heat a large non-stick skillet with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or spray skillet with pan spray. A hot griddle can also be used.

4. Cook the burgers 4-6 minutes, until lightly browned on one side. Gently flip and brown the other side. The burgers should reach a temperature of 165°F. SERVING SUGGESTION Serve with lime wedges and a mixed green or sesame noodle salad.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION 523 calories, 41 g. fat, 47 mg. cholesterol, 802 mg. sodium, 10 g. carbohydrate, 2 g. fiber, 34 g. protein

recipe brought to you by: www.grocery.coop

THE HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE | 19

15

min

Balsamic-Glazed

Strawberries

45 cal

6

serve

INGREDIENTS 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons honey 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 pound fresh strawberries, halved 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint 2 cups vanilla yogurt or vanilla ice cream PREPARATION In a small saucepan, mix together the balsamic vinegar and honey. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes, until the mixture has slightly thickened. Remove from heat and add the vanilla. Toss the strawberries with the balsamic glaze and stir in the mint. Once the sauce has cooled, drizzle over scoops of yogurt or ice cream in individual serving dishes.

SERVING SUGGESTION The tangy sweet sauce showcases fresh-picked strawberries at the height of the season. Spoon some over sliced pound cake or angel food cake for a special dessert.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION 45 calories, 0 g. fat, 0 mg. cholesterol, 18 mg. sodium, 10 g. carbohydrate, 1 g. fiber, 0 g. protein 20 | THE HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE

Planning A Summer Picnic

There’s no better way to celebrate the beginning of summer than by planning a leisurely outdoor picnic. Here’s how to keep your picnic out of bug-bite and spoiled-food territory to enjoy warm breezes, delicious food and fun.

By: Co+op

PREP EVERYTHING AHEAD OF TIME This may seem like a no-brainer, but putting in the time to chop your veggies, assemble your kebabs, or slice your baguette before leaving the house will keep the fuss—and mess—to a minimum once you get outside.

STAY BUG-FREE

Bring small citronella candles to place along your picnic table. If you’re picnicking on a blanket (where fire isn’t the friendliest option), pack a bottle of chemical-free mosquito repellent from the body care section of your co-op.

AVOID FOODS THAT SPOIL EASILY

That means mayo, cream-based dips, and fresh cheeses are best left at home—unless you’re planning to transport them a short distance on ice and eat them immediately. Any leftovers should be thrown away (so plan your portions carefully!).

PRACTICE FOOD SAFETY Take care to make sure all raw meats are wrapped separately, and transport them on ice. Use separate cutting boards and utensils for handling raw meat (bring an extra plastic bag to keep them in), and wash your hands as often as possible. Hand sanitizer is a must.

COOK MEAT WITH CARE

If you’re grilling outdoors, keep raw meats below cooked meats on the grill at all times, and make sure they’re cooked thoroughly before eating (a meat thermometer can confirm doneness). Hamburgers should be cooked to 160 degrees, poultry to 170 degrees, and beef, veal, and lamb cuts to 145 degrees.

KEEP IT EARTH-FRIENDLY

Bring reusable napkins (you’ll not only avoid fly-away paper napkins, but cloth napkins can also be used to wrap food and bottles for transport). If you are using disposable products, look for recycled and biodegradable options at the co-op. And make sure your picnic spot’s as pretty as a picture for its next al fresco diners!

THE THE HEALTHY HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE ALTERNATIVE || 21 21

Food Co-ops Building A

BETTER SUPPLY CHAIN For the Climate By: Co+op Food co-ops have a long history of tackling complex issues in our food system. From pesticides to pasturing, it’s our business to know how your food gets made. Climate change has already begun to have major implications for food production and we take this challenge seriously. Sourcing food from local, organic farmers and producers who are using best practices for land and animal management is our specialty, but what about food that comes from far away?

Working together, food co-ops across the country have been able to make progress within our supply chain to support innovative projects that are putting real climate solutions into practice, especially in tropical areas of the world. Tropical rainforests are widely recognized as one of the most important natural resources we have when it comes to reversing global warming, yet currently, most agriculture taking place in the tropics is actively contributing to the problem.

TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR SUPPLY CHAIN To build relationships with our local farmers, we can often pop over to their farm for a visit—not so easy to do with farmers in Peru, for example! So food coops have partnered with PUR Projet, an international company that helps connects food companies to the ecosystems they depend upon. They linked us with fair trade farmer cooperatives in Peru that grow cocoa for Alter Eco (whose chocolate we sell), so that we can contribute to their farmer-led rainforest conservation and agroforestry programs. All of which have been identified by Project Drawdown’s team of researchers as key climate change solutions.

22 22| |THE THEHEALTHY HEALTHYALTERNATIVE ALTERNATIVE

We’ve named our project Co+op Forest, to reflect our combined cooperative effort. We fund the growth of Co+op Forest through monetary contributions that are calculated based on the annual carbon footprint of our national grocery cooperative, National Co+op Grocers (NCG).* Because we cooperatively own and operate NCG, this is one way that working together on a national scale has enabled food co-ops to tackle some of the biggest issues in our food system today—ones that would be difficult to address on the local level alone.

CO+OP FOREST IS AS POWERFUL AS IT IS BEAUTIFUL Co+op Forest is a carbon offset program, but we see it as much more vibrant, joyful and human than that. Since we started offsetting our carbon emissions in 2012, we have invested in the planting and protection of almost 2 million trees in the tropical rainforests of Peru—including the San Martin BioCorridor, one of the most biodiverse regions of the world. In part because Co+op Forest is a farmerled project that empowers the local community, the BioCorridor was recognized as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2016 as a model for sustainable communities.

We are extremely proud of this work our community of food co-ops is doing on an international scale. Through the power of cooperation, we are having a significant positive impact on our global supply chain.

We are piloting cutting-edge climate solutions that prioritize people and the planet—all in a day’s work!

MEET LADY TEOLITH Lady Teolith is a pioneer farmer in Co+op Forest’s Finca a la Media program. Lady invested in the purchase of farmland 50/50 with PUR Projet, with the goal of farming using agroforestry methods.

Agroforestry is a simple idea with a big name. It involves planting a range of crops that include shade trees which Lady can one day sustainability harvest for retirement income, cash crops like cacao and coffee, and low-growing, quickly maturing crops like plantains, pigeon peas and Sacha Inchi, a popular local medicinal plant.

Lady has completed her first year in the program and produced a good crop of plantains, pigeon peas and Sacha Inchi—her profits from this year will be split 50/50 with PUR Projet which will use that money to make the same 50/50 investment with another farmer.

Agroforestry has been identified as one way we can continue to enjoy favorite foods like chocolate, coffee, coconut and bananas without the negative environmental impacts usually associated with their production. In fact, agroforestry actively slows climate change!

THE HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE | 23

Expanding Your Child's Palate There is nothing that can turn a good day to bad faster than coming home and trying to feed your child dinner (emphasis on the trying.) It can be a very frustrating experience if your child has limited foods they are willing to eat or if they liked something last week only to absolutely hate it this week. As parents we want what is best for our children in all things, including a healthy diet.

By: Molly Herrmann

But how do you get kids to expand their palate beyond chicken fingers and yogurt? As a parent of an almost 8-year-old boy, A.J., I’ve made my share of missteps, and tears have been shed at our dinner table in the early years (by us both), but we've come to an agreement of sorts.

Try, try and try again

Experts in the field of nutrition will tell you that it can take up to thirteen times of trying a new food before someone will accept it. Thirteen times! While that level of persistence can seem daunting, familiarity does breed acceptance. The mantra (my husband and I don’t call it a rule) in our household is, “We only ask that you try it.” If A.J. doesn't like something on his plate we ask him to eat what he does like, and he can have a snack before bed if he’s still hungry. If your child is between four and eight, the perennial parents' friend Dr. Seuss' Green Eggs and Ham can be an effective teaching tool for the "just try it" motto, but in our house nothing beats modeling the behavior.

Even though this prompts A.J. to mischievously ask his dad to give olives one more try— because you never know when you might like them. While my husband is not happy to eat olives every now again (he still loathes them), it has reinforced the "trying" attitude with great effect. I count myself lucky that the one food I have an aversion to (truffle oil) is not something we keep in the house!

Opening up the food frontier

Kids love adventure, and making dinnertime a fun experience can really open up their willingness to try new things. Just getting kids involved can make a huge difference. Our coop has little kids’ shopping carts, and while using one makes the shopping a little s-l-o-w-e-r, our son loves pushing it around and filling it up. It has been designated the “produce only” cart, the “only new things to try” cart and even the “A.J.’s lunchbox” cart. Allowing him to pick out items and place them in his own cart gives him a sense of ownership and pride. He always seems more willing to try something new when he picks it out.

24 THE | THE HEALTHY HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE ALTERNATIVE | 24

Once A.J. picks something out to try, we like to keep the positive momentum going by involving him in meal prep. Not all kids like to be involved in the kitchen, and sometimes he doesn't either, but when he's up for it, we seize the moment. What can make a kid feel more grown up and accomplished than cooking dinner for his family? Measuring, stirring, and tasting are all parts of cooking that kids can do at any age. When A.J. was younger, we let him cut up herbs and softer items with a pizza cutter. It is a great tool to keep little fingers safe! And he loves that we always have to taste the food to adjust seasoning and make sure it’s just right. (And that sweet little tilt of the head and suggestion that maybe it needs a little more x, y, or z is a priceless memory in the making.)

At home and in the kids' cooking classes I teach, I find introducing new foods in savory and sweet combinations and combining a new flavor with a familiar one to be successful strategies for expanding kids' palates. One successful example is Roasted Pears and Carrots.

Cooked carrots may be old hat for some kids, but cooked pears? The savory and sweet combo appeals to kiddie palates as well as those of adults. Another sweet and savory hit is Hoisin Roasted Cauliflower. This is a dish you can proudly serve to company (big and little people both).

Involving your child in food decisions, modeling "just try it" behavior, creating opportunities for your child to try new foods and letting them help with food prep are all great ways to encourage your child to expand their palate. This approach is working most of the time with A.J. so far, and I hope it continues long into the future as there are so many wonderful foods to taste and explore!

THE HEALTHY HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE ALTERNATIVE || 25 25 THE

CONFIDENTIAL By: Co+op

Did you know that your skin is the largest organ of your body? Your skin is amazing! As the boundary between our insides and the outside world, it has a very important job to do. Despite this fact, it can be hard to remember that just like other parts of our body, our skin needs TLC too. Luckily the number one way to care for and protect your skin is just to shield it from too much sun.

Sunshine on your skin feels wonderful, it's true, but too much of a good thing can be destructive. From minor sun damage like painful sunburns, premature aging and wrinkles, to serious, even life-threatening forms of skin cancer, our skin and the sun have a delicate relationship. The good news is that it's easy to prevent these concerns by practicing sun safety. Great sunscreens are increasingly available in nontoxic, environmentally friendly formulations, making it easy to make sun safety a daily habit.

JUST THE FACTS There are two main types of radiation that come from the sun, UVA and UVB rays. UVB radiation is the culprit behind that familiar red and blistering burn, while UVA radiation penetrates deep into the skin, where it can accelerate signs of aging and eventually lead to skin cancer.

By the time UVB radiation has burnt the surface, UVA rays may have already damaged skin cells in deeper layers.

You might be familiar with sunscreens listing an "SPF" or sun protection factor.

This number only refers to degree of protection against UVB rays. It’s important to choose sunscreens that block both UVB and UVA rays—products usually described as “broad spectrum protection” sunscreens.

26 ALTERNATIVE 26 || THE THE HEALTHY HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE

EWG IS ON THE CASE Not all broad spectrum sunscreens work equally well, and many sunscreens, broad spectrum or not, contain ingredients which are considered endocrine disruptors.

Fortunately, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) provides a Guide to Sunscreens which rates the safety and efficacy of about 1,700 skin care products that are marketed as having sun protection benefits.

In fact, EWG has a great collection of information, articles and resources to help you make good decisions about sun exposure. For example, did you know that you should use sunscreen every day, even on overcast days or while you’re traveling by car? Car windows do not block the sun’s radiation. Or that kids are especially vulnerable to sun? Studies show that just a few blistering sunburns in childhood can double a person’s chances of developing skin cancer in adulthood. Check out their Sun Safety Campaign for more tips like these.

SHADY BUSINESS Sunscreen is important, but you can also care for your skin by taking “shade breaks” beneath a tree or sun umbrella, or make your own shade by covering up with a wide brimmed hat and long sleeves. Since ultraviolet (UV) radiation can penetrate some fabrics, read up on sun protective clothing. Jeans and tightly woven knits are great for short term exposure, but if you spend a lot of time in the sun, you may wish to invest in lightweight, airy clothing that has built in UPF (UV protection factor).

You can find it at recreational outfitters like the co-op, R.E.I. And don't forget your sunglasses! Not only will you look cool, glasses with UV protection shield your eyes and surrounding skin, which are vulnerable to damage. UV rays peak at midday, so plan your time in the sun for early morning or late afternoon.

Finally, check your skin regularly for new or changing moles or spots, and ask your primary care physician how often you should see a dermatologist for professional skin cancer screenings.

CASE CLOSED Shifting to behaviors that prioritize caring for your skin is a great example of the saying "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

You only get one skin to live in—why not treat it well?

THE HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE | 27

Shelling with

LauraLee

Shells are among the most remarkable designs found in nature. Warning, shelling can be addicting! Even though we have hundreds of shells, my pirate and I can’t wait for the next adventure at the beach to see what treasure we will find. As kids we both collected fossils and now, we are avid shellers.

It’s not unusual for people to spend hours combing the beaches for fantastic finds.

The best part about shelling is seeing your treasures at home in beautiful vases, glass bowls and other shell art reminding you of sun and fun filled days at the beach.

There is no way of knowing exactly where on the beach the shells will be on any particular day. That is the fun part!

Not knowing precisely where they will be makes the search more intense and the joy of finding a rare, prized shell that much more memorable! You can get a great workout in too.

We work as a team when shell and we are always on the move searching for the honey-holes.

28 | THE HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE

Tips & Tricks

from Ever'Man Favorite Mermaid

Tip One: Timing

Tip Two: Bring the Right Gear

The best time, in general, is at low tide especially when the tides are low early in the morning. Finding seashells is often a matter of being on the beach at the right time. It is especially good after strong winds or storms. Low spring tides during the full moon or new moon periods can be even better that usual.

Any strong tides or Gulf storms can also bring plentiful shells to the Gulf area beaches.

There are a good chance other people are also out collecting shells, so the earlier you arrive, the better. This way you can beat the crowds and honestly it is a beautiful time of day, being a bit cooler and the sun isn’t’ so bright.

While all you really need is a bucket or a bag to place your seashells in, we wear fanny packs (it’s all the fashion these days) and then we transfer our haul into our duffel bag to store the shells, we also have a container for the fragile shells (ex: Sand Dollars). It is a great workout because we never set up camp and we just keep on moving down the beach looking for the honey-holes.

I use the Tide Times app on my phone to check out the low and high tides time of my favorite beaches. I fallow: Pensacola Lifeguards and Navarre Lifeguards to keep an eye on the flag conditions. All things Navarre Beach and Pensacola Beach. There you can see what other people have found and some even give the location! BONUS! The Shellinators group is a Facebook group I like to follow for shelling information as well.

Tip Three: Please be Humane Only collect unoccupied shells. Mollusks use a lot of energy building their shells and hermit crabs use a lot of energy to stealing them. Sand Dollar that are bleached white are fossilized and are up for grabs, but the those that are dark grey in color and fuzzy are still alive, so please admire and then put them back in the ocean.

We use sand fleas rake to scooping shells. Scooping means you walk into the water and ankle deep or shin deep and use the tool to “scoop” up the shells that get caught at the lip of the water’s edge, and then we dump it and go thru to pick out any treasures.

Beautiful, sand colored Shark Eyes, Imperial Venus, Conch, Murex, Sundials, Calico Clam, Olives, Scotch Bonnets, Sundials, Mermaid Purses, Crucifix Bone and my favorites Sand Dollars and Lightning Whelks are often found in the ankle to knee deep water. We also are in the search of the elusive Junonia.

In the winter we wear wet suits to the beach and still in the cold water to find our treasures. We also bring a bag to collect trash that has been washed up or that was left behind.

Tip Four: Identify your Finds Learning about what shells you found is half of the fun! A great resource for identifying the local finds can be found at pensacolazack.com. You may have days with no shells and that is ok! Cause you still had a great day at one of the world’s best beaches!

THE HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE | 29

Smoothie

INGREDIENTS 1 cup low-fat Greek yogurt 1 large frozen banana 12 large spearmint leaves, plus two sprigs 2 large peaches, sliced 1 teaspoon lemon juice Honey (optional)

PREPARATION In a blender, add the yogurt, frozen banana, mint, peach slices and lemon juice, in that order. Blend, using the tamper if you have a high-speed blender, or scraping down and repeating as needed. If you like your smoothies sweet, add a tablespoon of honey and blend.

When creamy, pour into glasses, garnish with mint and serve.

SERVING SUGGESTION This flavorful smoothie can stand on its own for breakfast or a healthy snack. You can also complement it with a bowl of granola or some more fresh fruit—fresh berries and other stone fruit, like cherries and plums, will pair well with the peach flavor.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION 190 calories, 3 g. fat, 10 mg. cholesterol, 40 mg. sodium, 31 g. carbohydrate, 4 g. fiber, 14 g. protein 30 | THE HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE

Understanding Food Labels By: Co+op Choosing new foods and flavors for your family can be fun. But when faced with a shelf full of look-alike cans and packages, do you know how to identify the foods that best fit into your balanced diet? If not, learning your way around a Nutrition Facts label can help. Here's what to look for: •

•

•

•

•

Servings per package and serving size, which is important info for comparison shopping (and might keep us from eating that entire pint of ice cream in one sitting) Calorie count per serving and the number of those calories that come from fat (all the figures on the label are based on a 2,000-calorie adult diet) The "bad boys," handily grouped together: saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, and sodium (the lower the numbers for these, the better) Total carbs and sugar counts, given in grams and percentages of your daily value to help you stay in a healthy range Nutrient listings for vitamins and minerals (vitamin A, calcium, vitamin C, protein, and iron) and dietary fiber—daily values are given, but in general, higher is better here. If a product has 5% or less of these items, it's considered low, and 20% or more is high.

It’s also a good idea to scan the label for artificial ingredients and sneaky sweeteners (like highfructose corn syrup), as well as food allergens (depending on who’s coming to dinner). The USDA requires that the eight most common allergens (milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy, and wheat) be clearly listed.

Additional labels to seek out include the USDA Organic Seal, the Fair Trade Certified label, the Certified Humane label, Country of Origin Labels (COOL), and of course, any labels added by the co-op to highlight local products.

Do you read food labels, or do you rely on other methods (like selecting specific brands) for healthful choices?

CLASSES AT EVER’MAN

FITNESS OPEN YOGA W/ DOMINIQUE: This class is for all levels of yoga practitioners. All Asanas (yoga poses) will be taught in such a way that encourages progression. The emphasis for this class is the development and improvement of yoga skill and knowledge for each participant.

FUNKY FLOW YOGA W/ TINA: Funky Flow is a creative hour with fun postures and music, combining yin and yang postures. Please wear comfortable clothing. All you need is yourself, a mat and an open mind. Cost: complimentary.

VINYASA FLOW YOGA W/ JENNIFER: Vinyasa flow is a series of postures with the breath. Class for all levels of practice. Please bring a mat.

Cost: complimentary.

AGELESS GRACE W/ RHONDA: This class is crafted to collaborate education surrounding the strength of the pelvic floor and core. This will be fun and interactive!

WELLNESS NATURAL HEALING STUDY GROUP: Group study about all illnesses, with a frequent emphasis on Cancer Prevention & Reversal.

Presentations are done with DVDs or by Local Practitioners for the purpose of education. Cost: complimentary.

SELF CARE W/ FIREHEART HEALTH COACHING W/ KARINA: Self-Care is the Key to Health and Happiness! Join Karina Phoenix Fireheart each month on the topic of self-care that can improve your overall health and wellbeing.

INTRO TO AYURVEDA: This class will introduce participants to the basic principles of the 5,000-year-old healing system of Ayurveda.

We’ll also cover yoga, meditation, and learn about the three primary mind-body types (Doshas) and, if desired, participants will take a short test to determine theirs.

MEDITATION & ENERGY HEALING: Relaxation, healing and inner peace. A brief meditation followed by a mini-energy healing session using the most advanced healing art form available today. Pranic Healing Cost: Complimentary REVESSENTIALS NUTRITIONAL SEMINAR: Losing weight and improving your lifestyle can be easy with simple, daily practices done often. With our monthly seminars you will: • Develop skills through intentional practices • Learn how to shop for food • Manage daily stressors • Control cravings and indulgences • Set realistic expectations and goals to make losing weight and keeping it off easy!

COOKING EVER’MAN COOKS! SHOPPING THE CO-OP W/ LAURALEE: Learn to shop the co-op for value. Cooking demonstration & sampling event using current Co+op Deals, coupons, & recipes. Discover your next favorite Ever’man product! Cost: $5.00 JOYFULLY PLANTED :PLANT BASED WHOLEFOOD LIFESTYLE W/ JOY: When you base your meals on plant foods, you’re packing your diet with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats. Cost $5.00 VEG OUT With LAURA LEE: Join LauraLee for delicious and nutritious Plant Power Based Recipes Cost: $5.00 WHAT IS COOKING WITH BAPTIST: Join us for a cooking class with clinical dietitian, Ashley Ingle. Learn how to optimize your everyday meals and how nutrition plays a big role in your health and wellness. Cost $5.00 COOKING WITH BAPTIST CANCER FREE KITCHEN: Join Taylor Brown, RD, LDN with Baptist Cancer Institute as she prepares healthy healing recipes Cost $5.00

INFORMATIONAL ECUA RECYCLING: Jim Roberts, Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (ECUA) public information officer, will create public awareness & provide instruction on recommended environmental strategies. Cost: complimentary.

KIDS STORY SPROUTS: Children ages 3-5 are invited to do arts & crafts, make a snack and have story time. The classes are always creative and have an organic, environmental and local twist. Cost: Complimentary.

GROVE WITH ME: Groove with Me, a musical playdate! Come move and groove with Neighborhood Children's Theatre in this class designed for toddlers and their caregivers. Toddlers will develop coordination, body awareness, and fine and gross motor skills in this fun music and movement class. Designed for ages 1-3 but older siblings are also welcome!

SUPPORT GROUPS TRANSGENDER ALLIANCE: Join Pensacola’s transgender community & find fellowship among fellow transgender individuals. Cost: complimentary.

LEAPS: (Love, Encouragement, and Postpartum Support): A self-care support group focused on helping moms connect and engage in activities that promote balance, stress management, and overall wellness. Pre-crawling babies welcome. Cost: complimentary.

SPONDYLITIS SUPPORT GROUP: This support group aims to help people with various types of Spondylitis to come together and help encourage one another to stay positive despite the hard ships that we have or may face.

MOM’S MEET UP: Empowering Mothers through community and knowledge First Thursday of each month Cost: complimentary

32 | THE HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE

BRING YOUR BAGS, GIVE BACK For each reusable bag used in the Ever’man checkout line, we donate five cents to your choice of three non-profits that support our local community, sustainability, responsible agriculture or education.

CO-OP KIDS EXPLORER PROGRAM Have you heard about the Co+op Kids Explorer Program at Ever’man? This program invites kids to open their imagination to the world of co-ops and fresh foods. Ever’man offers kids a healthy fresh fruit snack while they're shopping with their parents in our store. Also there is a fun membership card, temporary tattoos, a big shiny sticker, coloring pages and a Co+op Explorers Fruit and Veggies Passport! For more information, email education@everman.org

MORE THAN A STORE, IT'S AN EXPERIENCE! ECO-FRIENDLY BAG DONATION PROGRAM

Bring a reusable bag, give back to the community. Choose a non-profit to receive a five cent donation as a thank you for diverting waste at check out!

FEEDING THE GULF COAST

Feeding the Gulf Coast works through member organizations and special programs to provide nutritious food to meet the challenge of feeding people who are hungry as a result of systemic poverty, personal crisis or disaster.

UNITED WAY OF WEST FLORIDA

EVER'MAN EVENTS TRIVIA NIGHT July 26, 2022 · 6:30 - 8 pm

AT THE NINE MILE ROAD LOCATION

INDEPENDENCE DAY CLOSURE July 4, 2022 BOTH LOCATIONS

WINE EXTRAVAGNA August 19, 2022 3:00 - 6:00 pm BOTH LOCATIONS

TRIVIA NIGHT August 23, 2022 · 6:30 - 8 pm

AT THE NINE MILE ROAD LOCATION

United Way of West Florida fights for the health, education, and financial stability of every citizen in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.

WILDLIFE SANCTUARY OF NORTHWEST FLORIDA

The Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Fl, Inc, is a nonprofit organization working to provide a sanctuary for wildlife. With release back into the wild, as our primary objective, we take in injured or orphaned indigenous wildlife and provide appropriate care.

We also provide educational outreach to the community through tours, exhibits and lectures.

THE HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE | 33

34 | THE HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE