7 Ways to Take Better Care of Yourself and the Environment
Our health and the health of the planet are intimately connected. The more we poison our environment with things like human-made chemicals and plastics, the greater the toxic burden that our bodies must overcome.
The health of our soil is directly tied to the amount of nutrients in our food. Additionally, healthy soil helps sequester carbon from the atmosphere and has been shown to have the potential to reverse climate change rather than just slow it down. Unhealthy soil contributes to the acidification of our oceans which leads to rising ocean temperatures that affect marine species and ecosystems including coral reefs which could become extinct this century.
I spent the majority of my childhood in and around the ocean, and I feel very passionate about protecting the health of the oceans and sea life. Being in the ocean is the easiest way for me to improve my mood and connect with nature, and I want my grandchildren to be able to experience this natural wonder.
To change the trajectory we’re on, we need significant climate and agriculture policy changes that prioritize public health over corporate greed. In addition to voting, we each have the power to make a difference on a daily basis. I’ve listed 7 simple ways below that we can take better care of the planet and ourselves.
Grow your own food. This can be as simple as growing some potted herbs in your windowsill or beginning a backyard garden. Homegrown food can be more nutritious because you eat it as soon as you pick it, avoiding lost nutrients through respiration. You also become more intimately connected to your food when you have been a part of its full lifecycle. I don’t have a backyard, but I have a small sunny patio. My boyfriend and I grow a variety of herbs as well as cucumbers and peppers. This is the planter box we have.
Compost. If you start growing your own food, you will need to add nutrients to the soil every 8 weeks or so and composting is a great way to add nutrients and reduce food waste. If you have a backyard, you can easily create a compost pile outdoors. If you live in a small apartment you can still compost. I would recommend looking into worm or bokashi composting for indoor composting.
Freeze food that is about to go bad. If you have fruits or veggies that are at peak ripeness and you know you will not use them in time, wash them, chop them up and freeze them. I use frozen zucchini and cauliflower to add creaminess and fiber to my smoothies or “nice cream” without added sugar. Frozen veggies can also be used in soups or added to (chickpea) pasta. I’ll freeze fresh spinach or mixed greens for smoothies as well. You can freeze avocados to add healthy fats and creaminess to smoothies or to make guacamole. Most other foods can be frozen too including but not limited to: bread, meat, fish, eggs, and herbs (try freezing herbs in ice cube trays with olive oil). This decreases food waste and saves you money!
Eat more shellfish and seaweed. Seaweed has a great ability to absorb carbon from the atmosphere and offset human emissions. It is also full of minerals and is a good source of omega-3’s. Shellfish like mussels, oysters, and scallops are also a nutritious and sustainable choice. Mussel aquaculture requires no food or fertilizer and doesn’t produce any waste like farmed shrimp or salmon. Mussels also strain plankton and other particulates from the water as they eat which keeps ocean oxygen levels in check. Mussels are a great source of omega-3’s and B-12.
Support regenerative agriculture. Regenerative agriculture is a movement of farmers who are looking to go “beyond sustainable” and actually rebuild the soil in their food production practices. Healthy soil sequesters carbon from the atmosphere and helps reverse climate change. Animals are a crucial component of any regenerative food system. Supporting local regenerative farms will provide you with more nutritious food (due to healthier soil and healthier animals living in their natural habitat), and they support climate health. Belcampo is California company that utilizes regenerative agriculture. I would also recommend checking out the Sacred Cow and Kiss the Ground if you want to learn more.
Avoid single-use plastic as much as possible. If our present plastic consumption trends continue, by 2050 there will be 12 billion metric tons of plastic in landfills (that will eventually end up in our oceans) which is 35,000 times as heavy as the Empire State Building (National Geographic). All this plastic circulating in our environment has a direct impact on our health as well because almost all plastics contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Endocrine disruptors mimic or interfere with the bodies hormones and can contribute to serious health consequences including cancer. Here is a Plastic-Free Guide for some ideas to get started in reducing your plastic use.
Eat more water friendly nuts and seeds. You may know that almonds are an incredibly water intensive crop, but there are many other nut and seed options that are more environmentally friendly. Almost all seeds have a lower water footprint than nuts and are a nutritious option. Hazelnuts are a drought resistant nut due to their extensive root systems, so they can get by on minimal water and help protect against soil erosion. Hazelnuts are high in folate, manganese and copper. Brazil nut trees grow in the Amazon, and they seem to only produce fruit in a healthy forest. The trees are pollinated by a few specific insects which depend on a healthy biodiversity to live. This means the industry needs to preserve the rainforest and its inhabitants to produce brazil nuts. Brazil nuts are a great source of selenium which is very important for thyroid health, but you can overdo it on selenium so aim for 2-3 nuts per day.
While we have a long way to go, each of us has the power to make a difference with the choices we make everyday. What are some of your favorite ways to take care of your health and the health of our planet?
