Our Gardens: Sustainable Food

Our Gardens: Sustainable Food Source During Pandemic

By Karin Yehling

We are facing uncertain and difficult times in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic. The benefits of plants (psychological, health, economic, productive) in this period of public health crisis and uncertainty can be of key importance — and will continue to be so through the coming summer.

With most of us self-isolating in urban or suburban environments through the winter, we need something to do to keep our bodies and minds active and fed. In such a challenging scenario, a vegetable garden in home spaces (indoors and outdoors) can bring recreational, health, economic and environmental benefits. Regardless of the Covid-19 pandemic, there is untapped potential for this kind of garden to impact environmental outcomes, public awareness, and market trends.

Which brings us to social distancing, reducing visits to the grocery stores and being selfsufficient with fresh healthy greens that strengthen your immune system. These are some of the best ways to shield from COVID19. In addition to growing something healthy to eat, gardening provides an educational opportunity for those with children or young adults at home, while schools and universities are closed, and during summer when school is out of session. Home vegetable gardens could provide a small-scale approach to the sustainable use of natural resources, leading towards self-sufficiency, self-regulation, sustainability, and environmental protection.

Experienced gardeners can produce enough fruit and vegetables year-round to supply two people from a small suburban backyard. The estimated savings in doing this are between $2,000 and $2,200 a year compared to conventional agriculture prices, and about

$3,000 to $3,200 a year compared to organic produce. On average the cost to grow 65 fruits, vegetables and herbs is about $320 a year. The average harvest is about 425 to 450 pounds of vegetables and 400 to 700 pounds of fruit per year.

Productive gardening improves health by providing contact with nature, along with physical activity and a healthier diet. Contact with good soil bacteria also has positive health effects. According to the National Gardening Association, you can even burn between 200 and 300 calories during a typical gardening session. Not only may you see physical benefits from gardening, and it likely will lift your spirits.

Plants, both indoor and outdoor, are natural air purifiers, taking air pollution and carbon dioxide in and releasing oxygen in return. This can aid in improving overall health and wellbeing while reducing exposure to harsh and dangerous toxins.

Farmers markets have long served as a way to increase food access in low-income areas, support as vital distribution channels for small farmers and local growers, and bolster a strong, locally empowering economy. Foods that are sold at farmers markets also require less packaging due to short shipping distances. Plus, they are usually grown in eco-friendly environments, as organic farming doesn’t use synthetic fertilizers and pesticides- that’s good for you and the Earth!

Farmers markets contribute about $9 billion to the U.S. economy every year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The Farmers Market Coalition (FMC) says that the number of farmers markets in the U.S. has grown from just under 2,000 in 1994 to more than 8,600 today.

I recently listened to “The Food Revolution Summit”. They talked a lot about Covid-19 as it relates to our immune system. The biggest takeaway was that never before has the consumption of fruits and vegetables been so important. Listed below are some crops to grow in your garden or purchase at your local farmers market to help boost your immune system during these trying times.

• Broccoli is packed with antioxidants; we know that. But, did you know that eating broccoli optimizes the function of the immune system in the case of viral infections by increasing protective cells? These cells are the guards against viruses AND cancer.

• Blueberries produce natural killer cells that protect the body against viruses it has never encountered before. Read that bold print and get some blueberries (frozen are just as good).

• Cardamom, an Indian spice that tastes a bit like licorice or anise, can supercharge the ability of the natural killer cells to protect you from viruses your body has never encountered.

• Leafy greens are packed with phytonutrients that the immune system needs for optimal function. So, start researching how to incorporate collard greens, kale, dandelion greens, spinach, mustard greens, and bok choy into your diet. Hint: a smoothie is a good place to hide these if you don’t like the taste.

• Mushrooms are linked to a smarter immune system

• Purple fruits and vegetables are loaded with antioxidants, help prevent cancer, promote a healthy heart, and boost your memory. Think blueberries, red grapes, plums, dark wine grapes and dates.

• Chia, flax, almonds & walnuts all have disease preventing nutrients, Omega 3’s, Vitamin E, calcium, iron, and zinc (the gatekeeper of immune function). Tip: make sure you pre-grind (do it yourself) flax to get the biggest benefit.

• Vitamin D has been proven time and again to be an immune system booster across the board. Most people are substantially deficient in Vitamin D; ask your doctor for a test. Your number should be 50+. The good news is that people who have it over 30 have been getting good results with Covid-19.

We all know by now that the biggest age group falling victim to Covid-19 is the 65+ group — our seniors. There’s something called “immunosenescence”, which is defined as “the gradual deterioration of the immune system brought on by natural age advancement”. But… a randomized controlled trial was conducted on 65 to 85-year-olds to determine if eating more fruits and vegetables preserve a healthy immune system as we age.

The results? When exposed to a viral pathogen, those 65-85 year olds who ate 5+ servings of fruits and vegetables per day had an 82% better immune response vs. those who ate less than 3 servings. Immunosenescence doesn’t occur nearly as often in people who are eating numerous servings of fruits and vegetables daily. That’s information we can all live by, regardless of age. ■ KARIN YEHLING is a nutrition coach, personal trainer and Functional Medicine Health Coach. She works with people on the diabetes continuum to help them prevent, reverse and reclaim their health from Type 2 Diabetes, featuring her group program T2 Diabetes Warriors. She can be reached at www. karinyehling.com or on Instagram @karinyehling.