A U G U S T 2 0 2 2 H E A LT H WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT
Farm to Table Living
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In Memoriam Dr. Calvin W. Rolark, Sr. Wilhelmina J. Rolark THE WASHINGTON INFORMER NEWSPAPER (ISSN#0741-9414) is published weekly on each Thursday. Periodicals postage paid at Washington, D.C. and additional mailing offices. News and advertising deadline is Monday prior to publication. Announcements must be received two weeks prior to event. Copyright 2016 by The Washington Informer. All rights reserved. POSTMASTER: Send change of addresses to The Washington Informer, 3117 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., S.E. Washington, D.C. 20032. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. The Informer Newspaper cannot guarantee the return of photographs. Subscription rates are $55 per year, two years $70. Papers will be received not more than a week after publication. Make checks payable to: THE WASHINGTON INFORMER 3117 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., S.E Washington, D.C. 20032 Phone: 202 561-4100 Fax: 202 574-3785 news@washingtoninformer.com www.washingtoninformer.com
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Farming the Roots of Self-Sufficiency
A series of running jokes among folks who know me surrounds my inability to cook well. With few exceptions, the punch line to receiving a bad dish comes with the declaration, “this tastes like something Shantella cooked.” Up until a few years ago, I sat chastened, rebuked, scorned, and forbidden to enter kitchens for family celebrations. I am a daughter of a “daughter of the South,” who grew up hunting, fishing, growing crops, canning foods, and eating farm to table. Still, I resisted at every turn learning the very necessary skills of self-sustained nourishment. The truth is I have never had the prerequisite patience for preparing meals, let alone planting and harvesting in order to prepare 5 Dr. Shantella Sherman (Photo by India Kea) meals. That began to change a few years ago when it became clear that eating from outside sources with no clear knowledge of the food’s chain of custody, preparation, ingredients, or nutritional value retarded my ability to live healthier. One of the first resources I sought, aside from my mother (whom I humbly begged for retooling), was Virginia-based chef, urban landscape designer, and gardening guru, Bonnie McDaniel. McDaniel’s books, Queen Bee: 7 Reasons Why Women Are Not Empowered and What You Can Do Now to Change This Phenomenon, and Farm Girl In The City: Of Food and Love, sit on the edge of my office desk as well-read reference guides for being a better me. Her approach to life and gardening are a godsend to folks seeking healthier, happier existences. What’s most impressive about both works? The conscientious and very compassionate delivery. That latter being key for me in gaining confidence enough to purchase a bit of soil and seeds and inch my way into healthier habits. Along the way and in conversation with college friends and fellow journalists, Chrystal Mincey and Dr. Sophia Sparks, I found that many of our former classmates, whether residing in Mississippi, Nebraska, Chicago, or D.C. had also established greenways – patio gardens, windowsill planters, backyard patches, and corners of bay windows, to grow their own foods. Some canned, fished, and even took part in the generations-old traditions of hog killing season. These friends are among the thousands of new farmers Natalie Baszile discusses in her anthology, We Are Each Other’s Harvest: Celebrating African American Farmers, Land, and Legacy. Replete with essays, poems, photographs, quotes, conversations, and first-person stories, this masterful work examines Black people’s connection to the American land from Emancipation to today. In the 1920s, there were over one million African American farmers; today, just 45,000. Baszile explores this crisis, through the farmers’ personal experiences, and the young farmers building upon the legacy of their ancestors. Naturally, Farm-to-Fork (or Farm-to-Table) living made the top of our editorial list for health supplement themes. Debate ensued about how so much of the rich culture of African American foodways had been reduced as folkish, country, or antiquated – and subsequently set aside by successive generations. It reminded me that this year marks the 130th anniversary of the first Tuskegee Negro Conference held in February 1892. At this gathering, Booker T. Washington opened the campus of Tuskegee Institute to Black farm families for a day of education and instruction from the faculty and staff on ways to improve farming, health, and home life. He invited 75; more than 400 men and women attended. Washington noted that many Black families felt compelled to “mortgage” their crops and go into debt in order to earn enough money to eat and clothe themselves. Through planting and securing his own roots, managing his own crops, and divesting in sharecropping, Washington believed Black families found agency and self-sufficiency. The same value exists in managing our foodways today. Fortunately, the roots Washington and Tuskegee planted have not died. With this Washington Informer supplement, we hope to encourage our readers to move forward by looking back (yes, that’s a Sankofa reference!). In addition to offering information about the nutritional benefits of harvesting, this supplement provides data about the mental, physical, and emotional vitality gained from ‘working the land.’ Read, Learn & Grow (some crops!) Dr. Shantella Sherman
www.washingtoninformer.com / AUGUST 2022 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT
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Mental, Physical Health Benefits Found in Gardening By Lee Ross WI Staff Writer
There is increasing evidence that exposure to plants and green space, and particularly to gardening, is beneficial to mental and physical health, and so could reduce the pressure on health services. It combines physical activity with social interaction and exposure to nature and sunlight.
Sunlight lowers blood pressure as well as increasing vitamin D levels in the summer, and the fruit and vegetables that are produced have a positive impact on the diet.
Garden Healing Patients who are recovering from conditions, including stroke find that exercise in a garden is more effective, enjoyable, and sustainable than therapy in formal exercise settings.
The social benefits of such projects can can delay the symptoms Gardening of dementia (an evendue lead effect that might be partly to to the beneficial effects of exercise). employment. Social Interaction
The social interaction provided by communal and therapeutic garden projects for those with learning disabilities and poor mental health can counteract social isolation.
Digging, raking, and mowing are particularly calorie intense; there is a gym outside many a window.
THE CONGRESS HEIGHTS WELLNESS SPACE IS OPEN. RESERVE THE SPACE FOR YOUR CLASS OR EVENT! Meet ALEXANDRA BROWN, NUTRITIONIST AT THE ALABAMA AVENUE GIANT. FREE NUTRITION SERVICES: • Classes • Webinars • Personal consultations CONTACT US HERE: giantfood.com/nutrition | ward8healthyliving@giantfood.com | 202-573-9022
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AUGUST 2022 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT / www.washingtoninformer.com
Do You Have Your Child’s Immunization Record? Is it Updated? Submitted by Amerigroup Marynad Many families have recently gone through the process of preparing to send their children to school for the first time or enrolling their children in a new school. This has likely involved finding out which vaccines are required for children to attend school, and even having to present proof of immunization. Have you ever wondered what happens if a child’s immunization record is lost or if vaccines weren’t updated on an immunization card? How can
families update records if a child was immunized by multiple doctors/clinics, in different states or in another country? What do they do if they are unsure if a child has all required vaccines? What are the required vaccines for each grade level? Many families are diligent about keeping updated copies of a child’s immunization record and consulting their doctors for guidance on vaccines, but there are many situations that can leave families scrambling to track down and update records. Fortunately, Maryland is one of a handful of states that has made immunization records available to
residents online at no cost. Families can simply visit MD.MyIR.net to register for access to records. Users of this portal can view and print official copies of immunization records that have been digitally filed in Maryland, without having to request them from healthcare providers. However, there may be instances where the online records are not complete or updated. Vaccines may have been administered in states that do not offer online records, or in doctor’s offices/clinics that do no have digital filing capabilities. In these cases, families can get help from a child’s pediatrician to locate or update records. If a child
doesn’t have a primary care provider, it might be best to immediately get established with one and ask the doctor’s office for help to track down immunization records. Doctor’s offices have experience finding immunization information from other doctor’s offices, from various databases and even from antibody tests if necessary, so their help can save a family a lot of time and frustration. Doctors can also advise which vaccines are needed and when. When immunization records cannot be found, doctors can advise if it is better to test for antibodies or revaccinate. Doctors can even answer questions about required vaccines and recommend vaccines for certain risk factors, so getting established with a primary care doctor/pediatrician – if families don’t already have one – should be a top priority. Amerigroup Maryland members who need help getting established with a doctor or pediatrician can always turn to Amerigroup for help by calling Member Services at 1-800-600-4441 (TTY 711) or vis-
iting www.myamerigroup.com/md. Families who would like to learn more about required vaccines and immunization records can access several resources for information: • Required and recommended vaccines by age: https://www.cdc. gov/vaccines/parents/by-age/index. html • Vaccines required by the state of Maryland for the 2022 – 2023 school year: https://bit.ly/3yMMTdb • General information about finding and updating vaccine records: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/records/find-records. html • Online vaccination records: https://myirmobile.com/register/ • Finding a doctor or pediatrician in Amerigroup Maryland’s provider network: https://www. myamerigroup.com/md/care/finda-doctor.html • Help and resources offered by Amerigroup Maryland: https:// www.myamerigroup.com/md/ home.html WI
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Preserving Food Through Canning – A Lost Art Dr. Sophia Sparks WI Staff Writer When my husband first started planning for an apocalypse, he asked if I could find someone from my home state of South Carolina who could show us how to can food. I looked at him perplexed and stated, “I know how to can food. My grandmother taught me.” Immediately, he asked why we were waiting for the bombs or zombies to arrive to get started when our historic foodways had benefits needed now. Though I believed the frozen or dried foods we had been consuming were both safe and tasty, I was not going to win that argument. I returned to canning that week. I use both the boiling and pressure methods; however, I realized that most people stopped preserving foods unless they also planted their own gardens. We have ample green space surrounding the home and with the pandemic fostering rising produce costs or empty store shelves, we moved easily back into gardening. Later, in a conversation with my grandmother, I asked why gardening and canning had all but gone the way of the wildebeests. Without flinching, my grandmother surmised that the culprit was freezer culture. Freezers offered shelf life to an abundant amount of fresh foods, while affording busy professionals an opportunity to simply warm up ready-meals that are already prepared. “Why would I buy the jars and spend time over a stove when I could purchase it frozen for less,” she concluded. Convenience made Americans dependent upon the grocery store. Our survival as it relates to substance is totally dependent upon something other than ourselves. That reliance also places the overall nutritional value of those pre-packaged foods in the hands of those who use preservatives, fillers, and additives to give products longer shelf lives. Americans saw the glaring frailty of dependency upon grocery stores during the 2020 lockdown when our food distribution system grinded to a slow crawl. We are still reliant to a great degree, but are also, now, more aware. One
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Our survival as it relates to substance is totally dependent upon something other than ourselves. misstep within the flow of picking crops to delivery could crash the entire system or drive prices so high that it loses its affordability. This realization has resulted in more home gardens according to research from Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, which surveyed mostly individuals who live in urban areas. The study reported that food-related challenges significantly predicted whether someone would take up gardening. The fluctuating prices at the grocery stores combined with having to visit multiple stores to obtain everyday household goods continues to frustrate many Americans. This social challenge has revived old ways of self-sufficiency such as gardening and canning. And I am not alone. Recently a co-worker asked if I knew how much egg prices had fluctuated in recent weeks. I had not really paid attention. She told me that she stopped paying attention to it after the prices went to $3 a dozen and she decided to invest in chickens. Self-sustaining measures are a necessity not only because of the costs, but because buying certain foods like fruit from the store can prove a gamble. Some containers are ripe, and others are not. Not every type of fruit has a trick to determine its ripeness. Once produce becomes ripe, it begins to spoil. The rate at which produce spoils varies. This is hardly a rally against supermarkets or grocers, be clear. It is a reminder that there are somethings you can manage the growth, quality, and sustainability of on your own. Canning allows you to lock in the ripeness and prevent the spoiling process. In turn, you can eat different, ripe produce in and outside of its growing season. WI
Nutrition, Movement, Wellness & Community – A Recipe for Success Submitted by DC Hospital Association
The Healthy Hospital Initiative and District of Columbia hospitals are committed to promoting health and wellness through a balanced lifestyle that includes nutritious foods low in salt, sugar, and saturated fats, and wellness practices like exercise, adequate sleep, and proper stress management. Join DC hospitals and health professionals this summer to decrease your risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and cancer. Follow our recipe for success to achieve overall health and wellness. Learn more at dcha.org/advocacy-policy/healthy-hospital-initiative.
AUGUST 2022 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT / www.washingtoninformer.com
Canning/ Jarring 101 Dr. Sophia Sparks WI Staff Writer Canning or jarring is the process that prevents spoilage of food sealed in jars. Cookbooks and the internet brim with information and How-to instructions for canning and jarring. Even the best tend to overlook sage advice that can keep you safe from unhealthy bacteria. Below is a quick list of reminders when preserving food.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT PRESERVING METHOD
Boiling water bath only high-acid foods can be preserved by water bath canning. This includes most fruit preserves, including jams, jellies, and fruit canned in syrup, and many pickles. Boiling water bath is the most commonly used and needs no special equipment. You need a deep pot that will allow water to boil rapidly without boiling over, an inch or two of water to be above the jars, and a rack/device to allow water to boil under the jars. Place a rack in the bottom of a tall pot. The rack keeps the bases of the jars off the bottom of the pan, allowing evaporating water to escape around the jars and preventing them from rattling against each other, which could cause breakage. Add enough water to cover the jars you are going to process by at least one inch above the lids. Turn on the heat. If raw-packing, bring the water to 140 F; if hot-packing, bring the water to 180 F. You can do this while you are preparing your foods to be canned. Pressure is used to preserve vegetables, meats, and seafood. You can utilize a pressure cooker. A pressure canner uses pressure to create temperatures well above boiling to effectively heat process low acid foods. Atmospheric steam is an alternative to boiling water bath but requires specific equipment. Utilize glass jars Wash before using Ensure no defects, like cracks, appear in jars Sterilize in boiling water for about 10 minutes Choose a thickening agent -- If using cornstarch or flour, use grandma’s recipe to avoid bacteria growth. Use clearjel to thicken without worry about bacteria growth from the product.
FILLING JARS
Leave head space/ don’t fill to the brim Raw vegetables will shrink when heated, so pack tightly. Exclusions are peas, lima beans, and corn.
REFILLING WATER BATH Don’t pour water over the jars. Pour water between jars.
STORAGE
Don’t store in hot place or direct sunlight.For recipes, please go to t he National Center for Home Food Preservation (nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_home.html) WI
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Recommended Books By & About Farm to Fork Living By Lee Ross / WI Staff Writer From Farm to Fork: Perspectives on Growing Sustainable Food Systems in the Twenty-first Century By Sarah Morath Interest in the food we eat and how it is produced, distributed, and consumed has grown tremendously in the last few years. Consumers are exchanging highly processed, genetically engineered, chemical-laden, and pesticide-contaminated food often associated with big agribusinesses for fresh produce grown using organic methods. The growth of farmers markets from 1,755 in 1994 to over 7,500 today, in both urban and rural areas, is just one indication that consumers are interested in knowing who produced their food and how the food was produced. This book addresses the importance of creating food systems that are sustainable by bringing together a number of experts in the fields of law, economics, nutrition, and social sciences, as well as farmers and advocates. Farm to Fork: Cooking Local, Cooking Fresh By Emeril Lagasse In this extraordinary new book, Emeril Lagasse continues his lifelong commitment to using fresh, local ingredients in his restaurants and home kitchen. He has spent the past thirty years building close relationships with farmers, fishermen, and ranchers. Farm to Fork is his guide to help you explore the great local bounty through fifteen flavorful chapters—sweet summer in “The Three Sisters: Corn, Beans, and Squash,” juicy “Berries, Figs, and Melons,” sublime naturally raised meats in “Out on the Range,” fresh catch in “Fresh Off the Dock,” and home canning tips from “Home Economics: Preserving the Harvest.” Learn how to make your own cheese and pasta at home. Emeril shares his love for fresh from-the-fields foods—and the heritage of the artisans who bring them to the table.
Freedom Farmers: Agricultural Resistance and the Black Freedom Movement By Monica M. White In May 1967, internationally renowned activist Fannie Lou Hamer purchased forty acres of land in the Mississippi Delta, launching the Freedom Farms Cooperative (FFC). FFC grew to over 600 acres, offering a means for local sharecroppers, tenant farmers, and domestic workers to pursue community wellness, self-reliance, and political resistance. Life on the cooperative farm presented an alternative to the second wave of northern migration by African Americans--an opportunity to stay in the South, live off the land, and create a healthy community based upon building an alternative food system as a cooperative and collective effort. Freedom Farmers expands the historical narrative of the Black freedom struggle to embrace the work, roles, and contributions of southern Black farmers and the organizations they formed. Farming While Black: Soul Fire Farm’s Practical Guide to Liberation on the Land By Leah Penniman In 1920, 14 percent of all land-owning US farmers were black. Today less than 2 percent of farms are controlled by black people--a loss of over 14 million acres and the result of discrimination and dispossession. At Soul Fire Farm, author Leah Penniman co-created the Black and Latinx Farmers Immersion (BLFI) program as a container for new farmers to share growing skills in a culturally relevant and supportive environment led by people of color. Farming While Black organizes and expands upon the curriculum of the BLFI to provide readers with a concise guide to all aspects of small-scale farming, from business planning to preserving the harvest. Woven throughout the book is the story of Soul Fire Farm, a national leader in the food justice movement. WI
The Color of Food: Stories of Race, Resilience and Farming By Natasha Bowens The growing trend of organic farming and homesteading is changing the way the farmer is portrayed in mainstream media, and yet, farmers of color are still largely left out of the picture. The Color of Food seeks to rectify this. Natasha Bowens’ quest to explore her own roots in the soil leads her to unearth a larger story, weaving together the seemingly forgotten history of agriculture for people of color, the issues they face today, and the culture and resilience they bring to food and farming. The Color of Food teaches African Americans about preserving culture and community, digging deeply into the places we’ve overlooked, and honoring those who have come before us.
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AUGUST 2022 HEALTH WELLNESS & NUTRITION SUPPLEMENT / www.washingtoninformer.com
The Power is in the Pairing! By Elaine Magee, MPH, RD, Safeway Corporate Dietitian Food synergy is how components in food — like fatty acids, phytochemicals, vitamins, and minerals — work together in your body for maximum health benefit. Food synergy is like adding one plus one and getting four instead of two. In other words, it’s about getting the biggest bang for your food buck and achieving a higher level of health. We can get so focused on the health benefits of a certain vitamin or nutrient that we miss a crucial link. Different components within a single food can work better together and certain components of different foods can produce amazing results when eaten in combination. Over the past 15 years, research has discovered many examples of food components working together within a whole food (like apples with the peel, cruciferous vegetables, whole grains), as well as food components working together be-
tween foods. Here are a few examples of the latter. The more you know about food synergy and how components within food work together in the body for maximum health benefits, the more it makes sense to eat more whole foods for the nutrients we need.
EXAMPLE #1
Broccoli + Tomato (the whole tomato, including skin) One study found prostate tumors grew much less in rats fed tomato and broccoli powder than in rats that ate diets containing just one of those powders or cancer-fighting substances isolated from tomatoes or broccoli. Separately, tomatoes and broccoli appear to have cancer-fighting potential; together they seem to bring out the best in each other, maximizing this potential cancer-fighting effect. (J Nutr 2005 Dec)
EXAMPLE #2 Salad
Veggies
+
Avocado
(monounsaturated fat) Eating a little “good fat” along with your salad vegetables can help your body absorb 4 to 13 times more protective phytochemicals like lycopene from tomatoes, carotenes from carrots and lutein from dark green vegetables, according to a study. Research tested this with spinach salads using good fats from avocado or salad dressings containing canola oil. (J Nutr 2005 Mar; 135(3): 4316) For many years, the science of nutrition has focused on specific pieces of the puzzle instead of the inherent power of the whole picture. Because there are synergies we haven’t yet discovered, the only way to insure we are including as many of them as possible is to eat whole foods. The power is in the pairing — whole foods working together.
EXAMPLE #3
of them may protect the heart by helping to keep arteries flexible and clear of plaque damage. When you eat garlic and onions together, you are more likely to cover your bases and get plenty of the powerful plant compounds. SYNERGIZE your HEALTH Garlic + Onions = possible improvement in heart health. Tomatoes + Broccoli = decreasing prostate tumor growth was shown in a study involving mice. Salad Veggies + Avocado = higher absorption of protective phytochemicals from dark green veggies, tomatoes, and carrots. Fruit Salad = eating a mixture of fruits at the same time has a greater antioxidant response than eating one fruit alone High Omega-3 fish like. Salmon + Extra Virgin Olive Oil = phytochemicals in olive oil may strengthen the anti-inflammatory effects of omega-3s found in higher fat fish. Tomatoes (cooked) + Extra Virgin Olive Oil = phytochemical ab-
sorption is greater when tomatoes are cooked and even greater when some monounsaturated fat is added as well. Whole Soy/Tofu + Green/White Tea = decreased breast cancer tumor growth in mice was shown in a Harvard Medical School study; similar results were shown with human prostate cancer cells (J Nutr 2003 Feb; 133(2) 516-21). Dark green Veggies + Almonds = possible improved protection of LDL “bad” cholesterol oxidation from suggested synergy between the antioxidant’s vitamins C, E, and beta-carotene from the green veggies and the phytochemicals in almond skin. Oats + Citrus = phytochemicals in oats were shown to possibly interact synergistically with vitamin C and other phytochemicals in citrus to protect LDL cholesterol even more during oxidation (thought to lower heart disease risk), according to several studies (J Nutr 2004 June 134(6): 145966). WI
Garlic + Onions Organosulfur compounds are the primary active phytochemicals in garlic and onions. Several
We put the pro in produce shop now at Safeway.com shop now at Safeway.com GL00181266_081122_WashingtonInformer_HalfPg
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Dental care during pregnancy Submitted by AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia The birth of a baby is a life-changing event, and there’s a lot to do to get ready. You might wonder if visiting the dentist should be one of your priorities. The answer is yes! It is especially important to keep up with your oral health routine while you are pregnant, including going to regular dental checkups. Morning sickness and hormonal changes make you more prone to cavities and gum disease during pregnancy.1 A good oral health routine can help you have a healthy mouth, a healthy pregnancy, and a healthy baby.1 To maintain good oral health during pregnancy, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends:2 • Visiting the dentist every six months, or as recommended • Brushing with a fluoride toothpaste at least two times per day • Drinking fluoridated tap water (Yes, DC’s water contains fluoride!) • Talking to your dentist about ways to prevent or manage dental problems
ORAL HEALTH AND YOUR BABY
Your mouth affects your baby,
too. Keeping up with your oral care throughout your pregnancy helps protect your baby from cavity-causing bacteria. Cavity-causing bacteria can build up in your mouth and then be passed to your baby.1 This increases your risk of premature delivery, gestational diabetes, and preeclampsia, which can threaten your baby’s health.3
TALK TO YOUR DENTIST ABOUT YOUR PREGNANCY
You should tell your dentist as soon as you know you are pregnant. Most dental treatments are safe if your dentist knows you are pregnant. Make sure to also tell your dentist:1 • Your due date • Any medications you are taking • Any medical conditions you have or specific advice you have received from your prenatal care provider • If your pregnancy is high-risk
AFTER YOUR BABY IS BORN
It’s never too early to start caring for your infant’s oral health, even before they have teeth! Here are some tips for caring for your infant’s teeth.4 • Whether you are breastfeeding or
feeding your baby formula, try to wipe their gums with a clean, soft cloth in the morning after their first feeding and before they go to sleep. This helps wipe away bacteria and sugars. • When your baby’s first tiny teeth come in, brush them with a soft, small-bristled toothbrush with water twice per day. • Start taking your child to the dentist after their first tooth appears or no later than their first birthday. Like you, your baby should go to the dentist every six months (two times per year) unless otherwise directed by their dentist.1 Ask your child’s dentist about fluoride varnish treatment. Fluoride varnish can help prevent tooth decay.5 Remember to keep up with your oral care routine, too! By doing this, you will also be modeling good oral care for your child, building on the strong foundation you have given them for lifelong health. The information in this article is to help you learn more about this topic. It is not to take the place of your health care provider. If you have questions, talk with your health care provider. If you think you need to see your health care provider because of something you have read in this article, please contact your health care provider. Never stop or wait to get medical atten-
Giving Your Baby a Bright #BestMe Corner Bright Start® is AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia’s (DC’s) maternity care program for pregnant enrollees. The program is designed to support you during your pregnancy and after you give birth by connecting you to health care services and community resources. When you join Bright Start, you are assigned a Care Manager who will call you and work with you throughout your pregnancy to help you access what you need. If your pregnancy is high risk, a team of nurses and Care Connectors will check in with you often. They can help you stay connected to care during your pregnancy. Get help with: • Creating a birth plan • Choosing the right doctor or midwife for your family tion because of something you have read in this material. Source: 1. “Questions Moms Are Asking About Oral Health,” American Academy of Pediatrics, https://www.aap.org/en/news-room/ campaigns-and-toolkits/oral-health/. 2. “Dental Care During Pregnancy Is Safe and Important,” American Academy of Pediatrics, https://www.aap.org/en/ news-room/campaigns-and-toolkits/oralhealth/. 3. “Is It Safe to Go to the Dentist
• Making appointments • Finding breastfeeding support and childbirth classes • Learning about prenatal vitamins • Finding housing • Getting supplies to prepare for your baby • Getting rides to and from your appointments • Signing up for home-delivered meals and other nutrition programs To join Bright Start as an AmeriHealth Caritas DC enrollee, call 1-877-759-6883. Our trained staff is ready to help you Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. To learn more, visit https://www. amerihealthcaritasdc.com/preventive-care/member/postpartum/index.aspx. During Pregnancy?” American Dental Association, https://www.mouthhealthy. org/en/pregnancy/concerns. 4. “Children’s Oral Health,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/basics/ childrens-oral-health/index.html. “Fluoride Varnish: What Parents Need to Know,” American Academy of Pediatrics, https://www.healthychildren.org/ English/healthy-living/oral-health/Pages/ Fluoride-Varnish-What-Parents-Needto-Know.aspx
Find us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/amerihealthdc. / Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AmeriHealthCaritasDC. / Find us on Instagram at www.instagram.com/amerihealthcaritasdc.
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Engaging Our Community: A Key to Health and Wellness Submitted by Summit Health Institute for Research and Education, Inc. (SHIRE) “When ‘I’ is replaced by ‘we’ even illness becomes wellness”. Malcolm X For the last 25 years SHIRE’s work in the East of the River community has given living testimony to the wisdom of Malcolm X. We have been guided by a deep understanding that together we are so much stronger than we are as individuals. That has been the experience of African Americans in this nation over 400 years, and it is as true today as it has ever been. SHIRE has demonstrated this truth in many ways. A few years ago, for example, SHIRE partnered with residents of a tenant – owned housing cooperative to address the lack of safe space for physical activity for their children. Partnering with SHIRE, the residents decided to develop a KaBoom® playground which was identified as an urgent need. The tenants designed and helped to construct the playground with the help of 300 volunteers, most of whom came from wards 7&8. Another indicator of SHIRE’s respect for the wisdom, skills and capabilities of community members is the fact that 50% of SHIRE‘s current staff comprises DC residents who were formerly participants in SHIRE’s
programs. These individuals are valuable members of SHIRE‘s leadership team helping to design new projects and implement projects on the books. They have become experts in reaching individuals and encouraging them to join SHIRE projects, including Wellness Circles. They help program participants maintain their commitment to make lifestyle changes that will improve their health. SHIRE is convinced that there are no more effective communicators than persons who have shared similar life experiences and are committed to reach out and help their neighbors. This year with the help of SHIRE’s community outreach team of peer educators, we have engaged persons living with diabetes and high blood pressure in virtual Wellness Circles in partnership with AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia. Wellness Circles provide an opportunity for individuals seeking to improve their health to receive the support and encouragement of others dealing with the same challenges, while at the same time gaining information and other tools, they can use to take charge of their health. Again, SHIRE peer educators play a key role as a build relationship with the persons they have enrolled – answering their questions, listening to their concerns, and helping to motivate them and promote sustained participation.
Wellness Circles illustrate dramatically the power of Malcolm X’s instruction: replacing “we” for “I” can help individuals to discover how “Illness becomes Wellness.” The Wellness Circle model which SHIRE has now tested for nearly 2 decades provides a dramatic example of the power of community which can be transferred to many other situations. Engaging community members to help build communities of support for change can apply to persons with other chronic conditions such as cancer, heart disease, or asthma; individuals with hearing or vision impairment; community members dealing with behavioral health challenges; and even non-health related issues such as money management or wealth building strategies. SHIRE welcomes inquiries about our work, and we can be reached at rperot@shireinc.org and our website can be access via www.shireinc.org
This year with the help of SHIRE’s community outreach team of peer educators, we have engaged persons living with diabetes and high blood pressure in virtual Wellness Circles in partnership with AmeriHealth Caritas District of Columbia.
ABOUT SHIRE VISION SHIRE envisions health care as a human right, fully implemented in a nation where individuals, families and communities are empowered to achieve and sustain optimal health and well-being.
MISSION SHIRE seeks to promote and implement effective and sustainable strategies to eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities and to help communities galvanize to improve health care access, quality and outcomes SHIRE works with communities, government agencies, corporations, foundations and other institutions to achieve its mission by: • Convening and engaging people of color and other individuals to take collective action • Informing public policy decision makers on strategies to eliminate health disparities • Raising awareness of policy implications for communities of color • Serving as a trusted source of information • Providing technical assistance and consulting services to allied organizations.
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By the Numbers By Lee Ross / WI Staff Writer
A study released in July 2021 by The Farm to School Census and Comprehensive Review examined the impact of edible gardens on the overall health of children in U.S. schools. A total of 18,832 school food authorities (SFAs) were invited to complete the 2019 Census and included survey participation from public, private, and charter SFAs as well as residential childcare institutions (RCCIs) in the 50 States, U.S. territories, and Washington D.C. A total of 12,634 SFAs completed the 2019 Census (67 percent) from all 50 States as well as American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Washington, D.C. These are some of the results… by the numbers.
34.3 percent of the 12,334 Schools researched by the 2020 Census had edible gardens. One third of responding School Food Authorities operate edible gardens where food is grown. Gardens are a popular way to teach students where their food comes from, to inspire youth toward careers in agriculture, and to produce food for use in Child Nutrition Program meals or snacks.
42%
42 PERCENT OF F2S SFAS PERCEIVED THE BENEFITS OF FARM TO SCHOOL PARTICIPATION AS HIGHER QUALITY FOODS, WHILE 31 PERCENT SAW INCREASED STUDENT KNOWLEDGE ABOUT LOCAL AND HEALTHFUL FOODS, AND 26 PERCENT NOTED AN INCREASED CONSUMPTION OF ITEMS IN SCHOOL MEALS.
Among these, 52 percent served garden produce as a part of their education activities
Approximately 34 percent of F2S SFAs reported holding taste tests or cooking demonstrations of locally grown foods.
31%
Another 31 percent conducted student field trips to farms, farmer’s markets, producers, or processors
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$1.26 billion is the amount of national spending on local foods by SFAs Farm to school SFAs estimated that they spent about 20 cents of every food dollar to buy local food during the 2018-2019 school year.
Most F2S SFAs that participated in Federal meal programs served local foods as a part of those programs, including 72 percent of those participating in the National School Lunch Program, 68 percent of those participating in the School Breakfast Program, and 79 percent of those participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program.
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ROUGHLY 48 PERCENT USED GARDEN PRODUCE IN SCHOOL MEALS.
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Get connected with dozens of corner stores offering fresh and frozen produce all over DC. Find stores near you, know what’s in stock, and explore new recipes by downloading the Healthy Corners app.
healthycorners.org
From Farm to Table - African Americans Return to the Their Roots By Chrystal R. Mincey WI Staff Writer The scent of lemongrass, sage, lavender, chocolate mint, basil, and other plants and herbs draws butterflies, hummingbirds, and deer to Alison Frazier Hayden’s backyard. Living on Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts, a town on the island of Martha’s Vineyard, since 2011, Hayden had no idea that a garden could grow in the North or make such an amazing and colorful backdrop in the shadows of her home. “I heard stories about my grandparents and my father growing up on the farm, and I wanted to start eating healthier and organically,” Hayden said. “My mother always had peppermint in our backyard in Philadelphia, so mint was the first herb that I started growing… it was a great way to start.” Hayden said she had a bit of a learning curve, but happily joined a growing number of African Americans returning to the land – even small swaths of soil – to farm their own harvests. Research from McKinsey Institute for Black Economic Mobility found that while the role of the agriculture economy has grown, the share of Black farmers in the United States has declined over the last century. Today, just 1.4 percent of farmers identify as
5 Whether a full garden or a planter box, growing your own food yields delicious results. (Photos by Chrystal Mincey)
Black or mixed race compared with about 14 percent 100 years ago. Additionally, with poor food choices contributing to gross disparities in Black health outcomes, increased numbers of African Americans are shifting cities into urban gardens. The Black Urban Gardening Society based in Oklahoma City, which focuses on “sustainability in the Black community” has reported “easily” over
30,000 membership inquiries since the beginning of the pandemic. Gardening societies and clubs readily fill gaps created by a loss of Black foodways (traditions passed down usually orally, from parents and grandparents to new generations about growing, preparing, and storing foods). For Hayden, who found out the hard way about cold temperatures and the various plant species that thrive in shade and cooler temperatures, gardening clubs proved beneficial. Hayden said she supplemented her knowledge of gardening by volunteering at a local greenhouse when she arrived on the Oak Bluff, and her garden grew from what she learned there. In addition to using herbs and plants in her food and teas, she shares with family and friends who are welcome to pick the herbs from her garden. “I assumed every plant needed full sun and 75- to 80-degree heat. Some plants and herbs thrive in shade. Now, a lot of what I grow are perennials, meaning they grow back the next season unless the previous season was harsh.” Similarly, Traci Cameron, 50, considered joining the field-to-fork movement as early as 2015, but took pause of the notion until life and COVID-19 reshaped life for many in the Atlanta area where she lives. “The pandemic made us take that final leap and get it done. We grow year-round because our Atlanta climate allows for it. We wanted to eat fresher foods and not depend on an unsteady and potentially hazard-
ous food supply,” Cameron told the Informer. “By 2020, we also found gardening a way of spending time together safely as a family.” Cameron said they do not sell anything, yet, but cook and give the excess to friends and family. “We grow (have grown) a ton of stuff, including tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, zucchini, squash, sweet potatoes, potatoes, peppers, cabbage, collards, kale, lettuce, turnips, beets, a variety of herbs, apples, peaches, pears, blueberries, and grapes, so our grocery bills have seen a drastic reduction,” said Cameron. Urban farming shows no gender preference either. Of the African American respondents to a recent study of gardeners by Purdue University (Personal Gardens: Who is growing their own in the U.S.?), a higher percentage of men (6.4 percent) than women (3.3 percent) reported growing produce of any kind in a personal garden not at home. Some African American men have returned to generations-old practices of living from the land in response to the “food apartheid” or food deserts plaguing urban communities. Roy Harrington,46, an IT professional, counts among them. For four years, the stay-at-home dad and Congress Heights, D.C.-resident has recreated the foodways of his grandparents. “I learned from my grandparents in Pickens and Durant, Mississippi, who rarely ever made trips to grocers. They ate what they grew and lived happier, healthier lives as a result,” Harrington
told the Informer. Harrington purchased a home and initially formed a garden to grow fresh herbs. He later added dietary staples including tomatoes and vegetables, before moving on to preserve pickles. Currently, his haul includes tomatoes, pickles, figs, and peppers. “I realized that I could grow food year-round the way my grandparents did and am now building a hoop house that will give me more room for seedlings. What I do not use for myself and family, I give away at local farmers’ markets,” he said. “I think I will add some more next season. I am going to add more raised beds to grow watermelon out of a tire.” Similarly, Mahdee Muhammad of Chicago Heights, Illinois, has been gardening for 16 years. He said he took the advice of a minister years ago to manage one’s life by controlling the source of nutrients going into the body. “This minister talked about growing your own food and how it was better to eat for overall health. He talked about health disparities that plague African American communities and how many of them begin with food sources and preparations that exist outside of our control,” Muhammad said. “Once he opened my eyes, I began to notice all of the wax that produce manufacturers put on vegetables before shipping to keep them fresh. I realized that I could grow my own food in small amounts and make a noticeable difference in the quality of foods my family and I consume.” WI
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A Return to the Garden with Bonnie McDaniel By Lee Ross and Shantella Sherman WI Staff Writers Stepping into Bonnie McDaniel’s garden transports visitors into a wonderland of robust fragrances that announce the presence of herbs like oregano, thyme, and basil, and the fragrant smell of lavender. They scent the grounds amid a kaleidoscope of vibrant colors bursting from cherry red tomatoes, sprayings of green from varieties of lettuce, cucumber, and okra, and the deep purples of eggplant. McDaniel’s oasis draws from her childhood home in the small country neighborhood Tucker Hill, in Central Florida. McDaniel said it was here that she developed a love for the garden and where the secrets of creating amazing landscapes and good food was born. McDaniel, an accomplished chef, urban landscape designer, television, and podcast host, earned stellar reviews for her restaurant, Christina’s at The Bailiwick, including, the Wine Spectator Award, for having one of the best food and wine menus in the world. Her inn, The Baliwick was also a distinguished member of Select Registry a club of the top inns in the country. Today, McDaniel provides architectural expertise, gardening advice, healthy food recipes, and encouragement through her website, BonnieMcDanielGoodLiving.com. McDaniel gave us a tour of the grounds before near 100-degree temperatures set in. We settle into a cooling pitcher of water next to the latest installation to the garden – a greenhouse -- to discuss the importance of farm-to-fork living. WI: What has been the importance for you of relying on the land for sustenance? BM: It’s been a way of life and has helped me balance myself. There are a lot of people who are doing this now because it is fashionable or a trend, but this is a lifestyle for me. I like the serenity that it brings me. I like the fellowship that it allows me with other people. It also helps me spiritually – everyday that I get up it reminds me that I am just a tiny grain of sand it a great big old universe and it keeps me humble. We were created from this earth, and we are to respect this earth and to give back to this earth. I want to give that to people if they are willing to receive it. I don’t preach about it, I
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say I could love all 400 pounds of you, but I want to love less of that because I want you alive. Michelle Obama was trying to have that conversation when she had the White House Kitchen garden and started the ‘Let’s Move’ campaign. She wanted to encourage people to live healthier when she talked about the economics of it. I could get $15 worth of seeds and I could feed myself and a lot of my neighbors for an entire season. In this area, where you can grow eight or nine months out of the year, you can feed the average family with just $15 worth of seed. The outcomes would be financially and nutritionally healthier.
(Photo by Shantella Y. Sherman )
just do it and if they pick it up, then great. WI: More than 100 years ago, Booker T. Washington rallied African Americans to take control of their lives by taking control of the soil beneath their feet...building structures and tilling the soil to create nourishment. Your book Farm Girl In The City immediately bought Washington to mind, as you both attach familial love, fellowship, and personal pride to growing your own food. Talk to me a bit about the relationship between you and your grandmother Lula Duncan and what she instilled in you about foodways. BM: One of the vivid images that I have as a child is my aunties and grandmother and other relatives (because we all lived right around each other) –sitting on the porch and shelling peas and telling tales. That was their way of communicating and gathering with each other. I understand, with our history as a people in this country, why we would want to get as far away as possible from what happened to us as slaves. It is not what happened as slaves that we need to focus on; it’s the survival that happened in spite of it that we lose sight of. There’s an author, Patricia Jones-Jack-
son, who wrote When Roots Die. She went down to South Carolina to a community of Geechee (Gullah) people to learn about how they have thrived there long after slavery ended. She found that the generations’ knowledge was being lost. It helps you understand that we’re not here to do anything other than keep those roots alive. We do that by taking care of that little patch of earth that God allows us. WI: There is also a belief that communion with the land represents a communion with God and the bit of God that is in each of us. BM: I’ve never met a farmer or person who gardens who didn’t believe in a higher power. If you garden and say you don’t believe in God that’s frightening; it’s crazy. I see the hand of God moving every day in this garden. If I come out and see a plant that is sick, I’m asking, ‘what is wrong with you?’ I’m asking that plant, but I’m also asking God. And I get my guidance and I just know instinctively what to do. Not because I know, but because of the greater power that I’ve allowed to come inside me. WI: But is this sustainable in an urban area with pollution and urban density? BM: Plants clean the air – my air is great around here because of the
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greenery. We think in terms of the negative side, but there are things we can do to clean the air. Trees clean the air. We also keep talking about food deserts, but we have land that can be used for community gardens. Get students to come so they can do projects with them and get parents involved. Get the kids involved so that we help them learned new habits that counter some bad behaviors they have learned. This is something for them to do that will positively impact their overall health. It will teach them about economics and there is a certain level of pride that comes from growing something of value that benefits their health and the health of those around them. WI: What are some of the health benefits you’ve found in controlling the sources of our food? BM: I see so many young men in their forties dropping dead from heart attacks or in their thirties going through kidney failure and having to go on dialysis. It’s no accident that as you drive through D.C. that your see dialysis clinics springing up at shopping centers. Wea re facing kidney failure as a direct result of what we’re eating. Look at the young people – not being a little chubby but being obese. It is out of control. We need to have those conversations where we
WI: How does the early education that Mrs. Obama worked to establish impact younger African Americans, whose obesity rates have steadily increased? BM: The kids are sitting around eating stuff from those restaurants – we know who they are – and it’s just junk. It’s killing our children; when you think about it that way, it breaks your heart. I want you to see you get up in the morning and you’re not panting when you take 15 steps. I want you to be able to kick a ball and run with the best of them. I want you to be cognitive, because when your body is being stressed, it compromises the way your brain functions. WI: Your work absolutely predated the current “Farm-to-Table” or “Farm-to-Fork” movements. Do you think these movements are sustainable beyond trends? BM: I love the farm-to-table or farm-to-fork restaurants – my restaurant my chef would come to my garden and pick them from here and that is what we used. It is a good move. Chefs are typically not taught that they can do on the premises -- put pots around the restaurant to grow what they need. There needs to be more education and what they restaurant owners would find that cooking with fresh herbs, especially when they are homegrown, there’s a bit difference – you notice the smell and it’s a lot more intense – which means you will also cut your food costs as you will use less of it the oils are very active and its powerful, so you use less. God gave us senses for a purpose – you see it, taste it… if you cannot smell it, you probably should not eat it. WI
Quick List of a Few D.C. Fresh Produce Markets EASTERN MARKET
Located just seven blocks east of the U.S. Capitol, Eastern Market is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. From Tuesday through Sunday, guests can visit South Hall Market, where merchants serve everything from meats and pasta to baked goods.
14&U FARMERS’ MARKET
Located in the heart of one of DC’s most buzzworthy neighborhoods, the 14&U Farmers’ Market shows off the goods every Saturday from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. from May through November.
MOUNT VERNON TRIANGLE FRESHFARM MARKET
After four seasons as an open-air farmstand, the Mount Vernon Triangle farmers’ market was upgraded to a full-fledged market open on Saturdays from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. from May through November.
COLUMBIA HEIGHTS FARMERS’ MARKET
Put Vaccines On Your Back-to-School List Vaccines are the best protection against vaccine-preventable diseases.
If you’re in the mood for tacos, head to the Columbia Heights Farmers’ Market at Civic Plaza on 14th Street and Park Road NW from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. on Saturdays (January through December) or from 4 - 7 p.m. on Wednesdays (May through October).
WARD 8 FARMERS MARKET
The Ward 8 Farmers Market is located in the parking lot behind the Martin Luther King Elementary School and operates from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays, from June to November.
CAPITAL HARVEST ON THE PLAZA
Located at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, Capital Harvest on the Plaza is open from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Fridays from May through November.
BLOOMINGDALE FARMERS’ MARKET
All DC students must have their immunizations up-to-date before the next school year begins. COVID-19 vaccines are strongly recommended for eligible age groups.
dchealth.dc.gov/immunizations
Lovingly known as “BFM” to locals, this Sunday market (9 a.m. – 1 p.m. from May through December) can be found on R Street between 1st Street and Florida Avenue NW. The market strictly abides by a local producer-only policy, and features DC restaurants on-site during certain weekends.
USDA FARMERS’ MARKET
In its 25th year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmers’ Market features more than 30 vendors. Shop for organic produce, fresh cut flowers, homemade breads, and locally made foods near the National Mall on the corner of Independence Avenue and 12th Street on Fridays from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. (May through October).
ROSE PARK FARMERS MARKET
In Georgetown’s Rose Park, this farmers market takes place on Wednesdays from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., from May through October.
OPEN AIR FARMERS MARKET
Held at the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium’s parking lot No. 6, this market runs year-round on Thursdays and Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. WI
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