Wednesday, February 5, 2020

Be Good to Your Heart this Month!



What a whirlwind of a week … things are certainly busy here at Pathfinder Produce, where our team members spent time getting the Mobile Market on the road for our regular weekly deliveries, cleaning up our market space for Thursday’s delicious Pathfinder Produce market, and cleaning out the Button Greenhouse at the Village Commons to start prepping for a busy planting season at our very own Pathfinder Hoop Houses (yummmmm … fresh tomatoes).

Down at Pathfinder School, the students are taking part in their annual Heart Heroes fundraiser to benefit the American Heart Association. The Pathfinder students put up some big numbers last year; we’re eager to see how much these kind-hearted and determined kids can raise this year. More details are at this link.

We hope your week will bring you to our doorstep for the next Pathfinder Produce fresh market, this Thursday, February 6, from noon to 5 p.m. This week’s market will feature some citrusy clementines, and who knows what great recipe Chef Eric will share this week. Stop on by!

Below, my colleague Sally Trosset turns her attention to American Heart Month. We encourage everyone to Wear Red this Friday, February 7, in support of the AHA’s Go Red for Women campaign. 

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February is American Heart Month. It is the perfect time for you to learn about the risks of heart disease and the steps you can take to help keep your heart healthy. While we are in the middle of the coldest and snowiest part of the season (if you live in North country), and health-related New Year’s resolutions may be sidelined, there are simple ways to get back on track or start living a heart-healthy life.

The American Heart Association has easy-to-follow steps on staying heart healthy over a long winter. Healthier eating habits and 30 minutes of physical activity a day are a great way to start, and if that is the only thing you do, it alone can make a huge difference! For example, taking the stairs instead of the elevator or taking short walks throughout your day at work or home, parking further away in a parking lot for a longer walk to your destination, or going for a 30-minute walk during the day can help tremendously. Exercise can also take place indoors in a formal setting as well, such as taking a class at a fitness or community center. Yoga, spin class, tai chi, bowling, team sports (basketball, futsol, squash) or indoor walking clubs are a few ideas that come to mind. The key is to make winter activity enjoyable and social.

Easy steps to eating healthy include adding winter seasonal fruits and veggies (grapefruit, oranges, broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower) to your diet. While fresh is best, (and most are available at the Pathfinder Produce Market, Thursdays, Noon to 5 p.m.), don’t be afraid to stock your freezer with affordable and easy additions to any meal. Great winter warmers to consider are stews and casseroles. Keep them healthy by adding extra vegetables, trimming the fat off meat, and being mindful of your portion sizes when loading your plate.

In addition to stews and casseroles, don’t forget warm beverages to comfort you during the winter.  Hot tea has many health benefits. Drinking tea dates back to ancient China and in recent years has been in the spotlight for its health benefits.

Simple steps can make a big difference: All this research motivated me to prepare a healthy Super Bowl Sunday casserole, take a brisk pre-game walk and settle into the game with a hot cup of green tea. Unfortunately, my team did not win in the end, but there’s always next year!

Until next time, be good to your heart!

Sally (and Lori)