The Longevity Connection: Plant-Based Protein, Calorie Density, and Aging

Almost every time I tell someone I eat a predominantly plant-based diet, I get asked the exact same question: "How do you get your protein? Do you get enough?"

As an active athlete who has run thousands of miles (in November I took 128,893 steps in ONE day!) and lifts weights a couple of days a week, I can confidently tell you: absolutely. Not only do I have enough fuel to sustain my workouts, but I have boundless energy, avoid illness, and feel genuine joy. I go to bed satisfied each night and wake up excited for the new day—in fact, my passion for nutrition gets me out of bed bright and early every single morning!

So, let's talk about protein and how it directly ties into longevity and anti-aging.

This Cactus Formation called the "Michelin Man is 150 years old!

The 11 Mechanisms of Longevity

Did you know there are 11 known mechanisms of longevity, ways to slow down aging? Research shows that limiting your protein intake to the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)—which is 0.8g per kilogram of body weight—is incredibly powerful. Even more importantly, sourcing that protein primarily from plants is your best bet. In fact, limiting protein is the only mechanism that has been shown to activate all eleven of these anti-aging pathways!

At a Glance: limiting protein intake to 0.8g/kg body weight:

• Reduces Damage: oxidation, inflammation, glycation.
• Supports Repair: DNA repair, mitochondria, stem cells.
• Optimizes Signaling: hormones, immune system, epigenetics.

 

The Power of Reduced Caloric Intake

Last night, my husband and I had a lovely dinner with some old friends. During our visit, they joked about how they don't eat very much. I wish I had thought to tell them right then that reduced calorie intake is actually a proven mechanism of longevity! It has been heavily documented in animal studies and shows promise in humans. Eating nutrient-dense, plant-based foods naturally helps you manage your calorie intake without feeling deprived.

Dr. Greger’s Anti-Aging 8

To take your health a step further, I highly recommend looking into Dr. Michael Greger's "Anti-Aging 8"—a specific list of eight foods and lifestyle habits designed to boost your longevity and keep your body thriving as you age.

1.       Nuts: Beneficial for heart and brain health.

2.       Leafy Greens: Support vascular and cognitive protection.

3.       Berries: Help combat inflammation and support cellular repair.

4.       Spermidine: Found in tempeh, mushrooms, and wheat germ, it aids in cellular repair.

5.       Quercetin: Present in onions, apples, and kale, it helps clear senescent cells. These are old cells that aren’t dead, but do us no good, also called “zombie cells” that promote aging.

6.       Fasting: Activates AMPK, promoting cellular health.

7.       Intermittent Caloric Restriction: Supports NAD+ levels for cellular energy and DNA repair.

8.       Gut Health: Promotes the use of prebiotics (fiber!) and postbiotics (products of your microbiome) for digestive health.

Your body is designed to heal and thrive when given the right tools. If you are interested in diving deeper into your own health, optimizing your protein, or exploring anti-aging nutrition, I would love to help.

Ready to feel your best? Contact me today to schedule a virtual or in-person nutrition and wellness consultation!

Hack Your Health: the Secrets of Your Gut

Hack Your Health: the Secrets of Your Gut is a LOVELY documentary about your health and your gut microbiome. Your microbiome is a whole universe of bacteria, primarily within your digestive system. Giulia Enders, a German physician, delightfully leads the audience throughout the film. I appreciate her love for our bodies and the whole digestive system. Her gentle way is persuasive and inspiring. Also, the artsy ways that the concepts are presented make me smile. Here are some examples:

Look at these darling bacteria!

There is a part that demonstrates how processed foods flood our system
and how each time it happens is a traumatic event in our body!

There is a great explanation of how "leaky gut" happens,
and how we can prevent it!

These three share their personal experiences throughout the film.
There is also a 4th individual, who has an interesting history of hot dog eating championships!
Also, this part discusses how each person handles any given food differently.  

Here is the official trailer:

Quick Tip:

"ABCs" is to "always be counting". Count the different fruits and vegetables you eat each week, aiming for at least 20-30 different kinds of produce each week to promote a diverse gut microbiome, crucial for overall health and immune function. Can you get this many daily?!

My day so far: arugula, beets, soybeans (tofu), tomato, blackberries, strawberries, broccoli, peanuts, dates, flaxseed, hummus (chickpeas, sesame seeds, garlic, lemon), muffins (pumpkin, banana, ginger, dates, flax, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves), orange...I count 13, or 21 if we count nuts, seeds, and spices! The polyphenols of spices are very beneficial to our gut flora.

Here is a 5-min video reviewing key concepts of the film, in case, or prior to when you get a chance to watch Hack Your Health.

The microbiome is fascinating and may be the key to many of our health problems. By eating lots of different fruits and vegetables, nuts, beans, and seeds, we feed the "good bacteria", the bugs who help us most, so that we may thrive inside and out!

Charred Poblano Peppers, Tofu, and Black Bean Skillet Burritos

Poblano Peppers for the Win!

What a delight to come home to a new, delicious meal! My dear husband made these scrumptious burritos for the family! What a treat! And made from a plentiful supply of fresh poblano peppers delivered from a friend earlier in the day! He adapted the recipe from various other recipes, linked below.

Here are just a few Poblano Pepper Benefits!

Poblano peppers are nutritious, offering high levels of vitamins A and C for immune and eye health, antioxidants to fight cell damage, and fiber for digestion, and a million other benefits, all while being low in calories. Their capsaicin content may offer pain relief and metabolic benefits. 

The love of a homecooked meal is beneficial to well-being!

Charred Poblano, Tofu & Black Bean Skillet Burritos

Made 8 good sized burritos

Ingredients:

6–10 poblano peppers, halved + seeded

1 block firm tofu, pressed + crumbled

1 can black beans, drained

1 onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1–2 cups corn

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp oregano

2 tbsp nutritional yeast

1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari

Salt + pepper

Optional: lime, cilantro, avocado, tortillas, rice

Instructions:

Char poblanos under broiler or on grill until blistered. Chop. Sauté onion. Add tofu, soy sauce, cumin, paprika, oregano. Brown lightly. Add poblanos, black beans, corn, garlic, nutritional yeast. Simmer 5–10 min. Finish with lime, salt, pepper. Serve with rice or tortillas.

Various Poblano Scrambles and Stuffed Peppers from:

Baking Fairy

Minimalist Baker

Simple Veganista

Everyday Plant-Based

This app has Elevated my Life and Faith! Hallow from Heaven

Ok, ok, so this is a healthy, nutrition website! Well, let me refer you back to my post on Spirituality and Health. Sooooo, along with my previous post about Power of Now: Life Can Be a Ray of Sunshine, here is a post about a lovely prayer app:

HALLOW is a prayer app with an annual fee (I paid $79). Many friends have recommended it, but due to my frugality/cheapness, I always resisted. I thought I could get all the information in other places for free. I've had it for several months now and every minute has been wonderful. It makes praying and learning about my faith so simple and accessible. It's the BEST 19 cents per day I have ever spent! Thank you, Tasha!

PLUS, this post has bumped up to publication NOW because the app is offering a 90-day-free trial! So you have nothing to lose! Just start with www.hallow.com and it'll ask you some questions to get you set up.

This link might work!

Back to it! I believe there actually are resources that aren't easily available elsewhere. I feel as if I have only just scratched the surface. One specific treasure I've enjoyed was learning from/about Saint Therese of Lisieux. In the app, you can listen to her beautifully, precious autobiography, entitled Story of a Soul. While listening, you can choose to read along with the words on your phone.

Saint Therese: This young person was dedicated to serving God with unreserved love and confidence in His mercy. Her spiritual path called the "Little Way" emphasizes performing small acts with great love! She helps readers find joy and holiness in the ordinary, share true charity to others, focus on the present moment, find joy in service, embrace our unique spiritual gifts, and trust in God even through hardships.

I'll only mention the title of two other amazing audiobooks I have listened to on HALLOW:

Interior Freedom by Jacques Philippe (this is actually SO good...some parts I have listened to practically on repeat!!)

Something Other than God: How I Passionately Sought Happiness and Accidently Found It by Jennifer Fulwiler (this is a life story that truly starts with NO faith, even strong resistance to faith, and transforms to a beautiful journey to God)

Know that HALLLOW app is so much more than audiobooks. It is a community. It provides habit. It provides inspiration and education. It is SO much more than I imagined it to be.

Find God's Peace, Transform Your Prayer Life, Build a Daily Habit, and More

BONUS:

Teens Encounter Christ (TEC) is a weekend retreat with the primary goal of facilitating an encounter with Christ for those who are searching for deeper meaning, purpose, and hope in life, and who desire an authentic relationship with God within a community of believers.

You can apply to "Make a Retreat" here:

A Catholic Experience in Christian Living

I've gone on this retreat and worked it many times (NEVER as a teenager; the first time I was almost 40 and now I am closer to 50!), and each time I participate there are life-changing blessings abounding, new friends made, and refreshing feelings of love and peace, like no other!

Funny, this is also $80. Another amazing value for three amazing days of focusing on your faith!

COMMENTS:

If you have any feedback about anything from this or another post, please comment below. Comments help more people see the post and website! Thank you, and God Bless! I count YOU as one of my many blessings! Happy Advent :)

Life Can Be a Ray of Sunshine Even in Darkness with Lessons from Eckhart Tolle

Eckhart Tolle teaches about being present, non-judgement, acceptance, peace, joy, gratitude, and more. Today, I'm introducing The Power of Now: a Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment, which fills me with peace and contentment. A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose also warms my soul repeatedly. While I have read Power of Now and A New Earth multiple times each, Stillness Speaks is one that I optimistically started listening to very recently; I'm enjoying it so far! (all books shown below)

I spotted these darlings while staying very alert on a trail run this fall :)

Eckhart Tolle’s Power of Now: a Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment offers readers a practical path to inner peace, joy, and love by teaching the art of living fully in the present moment. Through Tolle’s guidance, you’ll learn to quiet your mind, let go of judgment, forgive, and experience a deep sense of connectedness, aliveness, alertness, and clarity. He teaches us to “resist nothing,” which captures the transformative approach to accepting life as it unfolds. Key benefits of reading this book include breaking free from negative thought patterns, accessing a timeless state of inner stillness, and awakening to the radiant joy of being. If you’re seeking lightness, grace, meaningfulness, and a powerful way to ease suffering, this inspiring path to a more peaceful life may be just right for you!

Here are a dozen Power of Now morsels that I especially enjoyed:

1. It's about saying YES to life! Accepting each situation (the Now) unconditionally, as though you had chosen it. Make the situation your friend, your ally. This has the power to miraculously change your whole life.

2. The more you are focused the traps of time, past and future, the more you miss the NOW. While memories and anticipation have value, they are only pale reflections of the light, power, and reality of the eternal present. Too much past causes guilt, regret, resentment, bitterness. Too much future causes unease, stress, worry, anxiety, fear.

3. Giving your full attention to the single step you are taking each moment (the NOW), enhances your mind, making you sharper and more focused, allowing space for creativity.

4. Conscious presence (the NOW) is the transformative agent that dissolves the past. Whatever you do becomes imbued with a sense of quality, care, and love, even the simplest action.

5. To complain is always non-acceptance of what IS.

6. Use anything "bad" that happens in your life for enlightening; don't give it any past or future.

7. If you are present, there is never any need to wait for anything. That time, like all moments, can/will be very enjoyable. You cannot be conscious and unhappy, or conscious and in negativity.

8. "Forgiveness of the present moment is even more important than forgiveness of the past; then there will be no accumulation of resentment that needs to be forgiven at a later time".

9. "Compassion is the awareness of a deep bond between yourself and all creatures".

10. "Let your peace flow into whatever you do, and you will be working on the levels of effect and cause simultaneously". Carry no resistance, hatred, negativity; "love your enemies" says Jesus, which of course means to have no enemies. Stay alert and very, very present; peace is your most precious gift to the world!

11. "Surrender is the simple but profound wisdom of yielding to, rather than opposing, the flow of life". It is your crucifixion, let it become your resurrection and ascension!

12. Tolle refers to the "peace of God that passes all understanding". Although he doesn't cite the Bible, this is passage is Philippians 4:7. Microsoft Copilot says "This peace is described as transcending human comprehension, providing comfort and security to believers in Christ, guarding their hearts and minds against anxiety and turmoil. It signifies a profound sense of tranquility that comes from faith and trust in God, regardless of external circumstances".

Peace be with you!

Here is a previous post that relates to the present moment :)

Zone Out -- Harmful to You Happiness

In case you missed it, here is my previous post about Spirituality and Wellness:

God is SO Good

The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment: Tolle, Eckhart

A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose (Oprah's Book Club, Selection 61): Eckhart Tolle

Stillness Speaks: Tolle, Eckhart

God is SO Good!

This is long overdue and unlike any other post you'll find on fresh-you.com. Wellness of mind and body is enhanced by spirituality. I can't imagine life without my faith. Amazingly, there is research showing that it is beneficial to your health! As you'll see at the bottom of this post, I've actually written many related posts, including topics such as forgiveness, love, and gratitude. This is post is a bit scattered, but hopefully something here will inspire growth in your heart!

Please enjoy this Peace Prayer, also known as the Prayer of St Francis:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. AMEN

There are many wonderful resources and angles connecting spirituality, wellness, and overall efforts to be a good person. These things make us healthier and help us cope with life and manage stress. Trying to include as much possible has delayed this post from publication. Instead, it's just a happy mishmash for you to enjoy!

Of course there is something from nutritionfacts.org!

Helping, Generosity, Sharing, and Giving Boost Wellness

How Generosity May Help You Be Happier and Live Longer (video)

Live happily for a long time with the Blue Zones!

“People who pay attention to their spiritual side have lower rates of cardiovascular disease, depression, stress, and suicide, and their immune systems seem to work better … To a certain extent, adherence to a religion allows them to relinquish the stresses of everyday life to a higher power,” says Dan Buettner, Blue Zones founder and National Geographic Fellow.

The Halo Effect of Sacred Spaces - Blue Zones (article)

Dean Ornish is a physician and researcher who could basically be called the father of how our lifestyle changes our DNA, often focused heavily on diet. His talk here has a different twist focusing on the importance of interconnectedness:

Dr. Dean Ornish on the importance of interconnectedness | CNN

Kindland is a program with a mission to encourage empathy, kindness, respect, and compassion. It began in Cleveland, Ohio, and has become a nationwide effort! Challenge yourself or your kids right now by joining today! There is a special program going on until August 22, 2025.

Summer of Kindness | valuesinaction

10 Ways to be a Good Citizen in Kindland and Spread Kindness

Kindness Activities to Check Off for the Summer of Kindness Challenge

This summer, I stopped at a community fair booth that said "Pray with us!" because I love to pray. They offered free books and the one that caught my eye said "Habits from America's Longest Living People"! One of the five Blue Zones is from the Unites States: the Seventh Day Adventists. Blue Zones have many people living past 100 years (centenarians).

Habits that Heal: Habits from America’s Longest Living People: unknown author: 9780996338004: Amazon.com: Books

Fresh-You Posts about Related Topics

Nature

12 Benefits of Being in Nature and the Outdoors

Blue Zones

Blue Zones and More! Live Long and Live Well!

Gratitude

Goodness of Gratitude: 7 Awesome Benefits!

Meditation

Simple Meditation Video from Deepak Chopra

Kindness

All You Need is Love

Forgiveness

Fantastic Feelings From Forgiveness

Mindfulness

Mindfulness Made Easy

Love, Resilience

Fresh-You Nutrition, Fitness, and Wellness: Healthy High Anyone?

Breathing

Close Your Mouth and Save Your Life!

Yoga

Yoga Benefits for All AND Cosmic Kids Yoga!

Being Present

Don't Zone Out - Harmful to your Happiness

Life Can Be a Ray of Sunshine Even in Darkness

Lent Ideas

Ideas for Lent

24 Ideas for Lent and Beyond

Prayer App

Hallow from Heaven

Try Beans This Way! Plus, more Benefits :)

Beans to add 4 joyful years to your life! Plus, it tastes great!

Here's another way to eat them: Tricky Traditional Lasagna!

Tricky Traditional Lasagna

Dan Buettner is an author/researcher who studies the places on Earth where people live the longest, and shares the habits and traditions they all have in common to help us all live longer. I wanted to share a link to Dan Buettner's email newsletter, though I have been unable to locate it online, on his website or elsewhere (this is a link to his first 49 editions), so here's a big quote from Dan's Live to 100, Edition 56:

"If there’s one food that unites the world’s longest-lived people, it’s beans. Lentils in Ikaria. Black beans in Nicoya. Garbanzo beans in Sardinia. Soybeans in Okinawa. Pinto beans in Loma Linda. They all show up day after day, often as the centerpiece of the meal.

And here’s what’s remarkable: In every blue zone, people eat at least a half cup of beans daily, often without thinking about it. It’s not part of a fad or challenge. It’s not something they have to remind themselves to do. It’s just what they’ve always done.

A way of eating that’s woven into their culture, their kitchens, their lives.

It turns out, that half cup might be one of the most powerful dietary decisions we can make for our health and longevity. A 2023 meta-analysis of over 1.1 million people found that eating just 50 grams of legumes a day (about half a cup) was associated with a 6% lower risk of death from all causes, and a 9% lower risk of dying from stroke.

That’s a small amount of food with an outsized effect and meaningful long-term impact.

So what makes beans so powerful?

Let’s start with the fiber. Most people fall far short of the recommended daily fiber intake and low fiber is linked to a host of chronic issues, from heart disease to colon cancer to type 2 diabetes. Beans are one of the richest sources of both soluble and insoluble fiber, which helps regulate blood sugar, reduce cholesterol, promote fullness, and support healthy digestion. Soluble fiber also feeds the gut microbiota, the trillions of beneficial bacteria that live in our intestines and play a key role in everything from immune function to brain health.

But it’s not just about fiber. Beans are a slow-digesting carbohydrate, with a low glycemic index that keeps blood sugar stable. That’s critical for long-term metabolic health, especially as we age. They're also one of the few plant-based proteins that are rich in lysine, an essential amino acid that helps with tissue repair, hormone production, and calcium absorption. Plus, they deliver key minerals like iron, magnesium, potassium, and folate, which support everything from heart function to cognitive performance.

Beans are also a stealth anti-inflammatory food. Thanks to their high levels of polyphenols and resistant starches, they help lower inflammation at the cellular level. This matters because chronic inflammation is a major driver of aging and many age-related diseases—including cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s, and certain cancers."

I encourage you to sign up for Dan's biweekly newsletter by going to the very bottom of his website and filling out your name and email address.

Here is a previous fresh-you post about the Blue Zones

Creamy, Satisfying Peanut Butter Pie

If you love peanut butter, you have to try this simple, protein-packed recipe! Both of my teenage girls love this pie that we sometimes even eat for breakfast!

Last week, I stressed the importance of protein in the morning. More specifically, beans in the morning, and all day long! Tonight, I am going to share a dessert that's so healthy it could be breakfast!

CREAMY, SATISFYING PEANUT BUTTER PIE

CREAMY, SATISFYING PEANUT BUTTER PIE

Yes, this sweet treat contains soybeans and garbanzo beans (tofu and chickpeas), and of course peanut butter. This recipe comes from Broccoli Mum, a vegan mum who lost 66 pounds on plant based whole foods of high nutrient density and low-calorie density. Her name is Ami Deane. She lives in New Zealand and has a lovely English accent. She has been vegan since birth. She makes quirky recipe videos on TikTok with wonderfully simple, nutritious, and creative recipes. I love her passion!

I only vary Broccoli Mum's recipe in a few tiny ways.

Ingredients:

CRUST (this amount blends well, there will be enough to make another pie)

2 cups chickpeas, 1 can, drained 

1 cup oats

12 deglet noor dates (or 6 medjool dates)

2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa

1 tsp vanilla

FILLING

3 plantains, cooked in microwave

1 package of silken tofu (I read that firm has worked for others)

1/3 cup natural peanut butter (original recipe uses 1/4 cup peanut butter powder)

1 tsp vanilla

Note: original recipe uses a pinch of salt in each of the crust and filling mixes

Plantain preparation (Broccoli Mum's video is great for this part especially): slice through peel of full length of each plantain. This is similar to puncturing potatoes before baking. Microwave plantains for around 6 minutes. They will be very hot.

In food processor, blend crust ingredients. Press half of mixture into pie pan. Store remaining contents for future use. Next, remove plantains from peels and combine with tofu, peanut butter, and vanilla. Process until creamy. Finally, pour mixture over crust and refrigerate for a few hours. Then, enjoy!

Key Words:

High nutrient density: this means a food has a lot of great stuff, vitamins, minerals, fiber, phytochemicals, and more, for very few calories. 

Examples: kale, raspberries.

High calorie density: this means a food provides very few nutrients with the cost of many calories.

Examples: soda pop, oil, cheese.

Beans for Breakfast

Europe has the right idea! In the States, I'm sort of an odd ball having beans in the morning, but over the pond, it's part of a "complete breakfast". The photo was my breakfast at a lovely hotel in London, England last summer :)

My hope for you is to get MORE BEANS every day, and no better time to start than at breakfast! The American Insititute for Cancer Research published the most comprehensive analysis of diet and cancer, based on a half million studies around the globe. Among its recommendations, the Institute suggests we eat beans, not weekly or daily, but THREE TIMES A DAY.

• "Second Meal Effect" of beans
• Protein first thing in the morning - Lasting energy for the day!
• Nutritional benefits of beans!
• Tips from a French biochemist for better blood sugar control / Savory breakfast
• Try this Creamy Peanut Butter Pie!

The "Second Meal Effect of Beans"; it's shown that when one eats beans/legumes, the next meal they eat does not raise the eater's blood sugar level as high as when the person has not eaten beans in the previous meal. I often say, while I don't recommend cake as a meal, if you eat cake after you have eaten beans, your blood sugar spike will be LESS OF A SPIKE than if you hadn't eaten the beans previously. These effects are seen hours, and even days after bean/legume consumption!

While protein controversy is constant, I think all nutrition experts agree that getting some protein first thing in the morning is good advice. This allows us to have sustained energy to get through our day with gusto! Protein and fiber are digested more slowly than simple carbohydrates alone, allowing a steady supply of energy. To clarify fiber is a carbohydrate and carbohydrate foods containing fiber (whole grains, fruits, veggies, beans), also provide SUSTAINED ENERGY.

Honestly, every food you'll find promoted here is going to provide NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS of fiber, vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and carbohydrates! Beans do get special mention for providing more PROTEIN than other foods!

Glucose Goddess is a French biochemist named Jessie Inchauspe. I see value in the ways she teaches people (especially women) to better control their blood glucose. Those who oppose her, dislike the "eat whatever you want" attitude. True, people could benefit most by using her tips, ALONG with appropriate/healthy choices otherwise. Still, her tips do improve blood sugar, AND this particular health marker is very important for many of the health outcomes we all care about (heart health, digestive, cancer, brain health, etc). Here is a cheat sheet for her great tips (all great advice):

1. Savory breakfast (beans help here!)
2. Walk/move/exercise for 10 minutes after a meal each day
3. Eat veggies before a meal each day
4. One Tbsp vinegar (any kind, not alone, please add to a glass of water) prior to a meal each day

By the way, all beans are legumes, but not all legumes are beans. For example, garbanzo beans and lentils are legumes, but not beans.

Here is Dr Greger's video about the "Second Meal Effect of Beans"

"People you eat the most legumes appear to only have a fraction of the risk for a type of prediabetes known as metabolic syndrome" 

Increased Lifespan from Beans

How Beans Help our Bones

Slow Your Beating Heart with Beans

Block Cancer with Beans

Here are 10 Glucose Goddess Hacks

COMMENTS: How do you eat your beans for breakfast? Please tell us in a comment below!

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Gaples Institute - an outstanding resource for clinicians, the community, and young adults!

I'm planning to share more here in order to help more people to feel better all around! I love Gaples Institute and all it is doing for the world! This particular resource can help your teen (and you!) discover the beautiful connection between food and mood! Enjoy!

Gaples Institute is a non-profit organization that was recognized by the White House in 2024 as part of an initiative to End Hunger and Build Healthy Communities. There are courses for clinicians (medical schools, nurses, dietitians, and physicians) and for the community (teens, parents, everyone (in English and Espanol). Gaple offers a course that is REQUIRED for leading medical schools, such as Hardvard, Johns Hopkins, and Tufts University. I and the many teens I have worked with, find the 5-session course "Using Food as a Superpower" helpful, fun, and easy! Teens enjoy how fast each session goes by, the meaningful interactivity, and appreciate the certificate they earn upon completion. They learn so much and get a sense of achievement by answering four questions at the end of each session. "You adults learn the connection between food and mood- and much more! Mood boosting foods, how food affects sleep, nutrition for better energy". I am truly grateful for this outstanding resource, and I hope that others will enjoy as well! Thank you, thank you, thank you, Dr Stephen Devries, MD!

"Healthcare is in critical condition, with too little focus on how nutrition and lifestyle impact health. I saw this urgent problem firsthand during more than 25 years in practice. We founded the nonprofit Gaples Institute to address this crucial gap" - Stephen Devries, MD, Executive Director, Gaples Institute

Fantastic Resource for Teaching Teens the connection of FOOD and MOOD!

 

Let Food Be Thy Medicine Presentation at Hillcrest YMCA

If you missed this presentation, there will be opportunities to learn more in future health and nutrition classes with Colleen!

3rd Annual Highland Heights Employee Health Fair

 Congratulations on prioritizing YOUR HEALTH today!

This is the recipe you tried today: BROWNIE BITES

Here is more information about Dr Greger's DAILY DOZEN 

UPCOMING CLASS: "Let Food Be Thy Medicine" November 15th, 7-8:30pm, $25

Sign up today by text, call, or email, 440-655-1433, colleen@fresh-you.com

This is a fun evening of learning, tasting, and more! Colleen will prepare some healthy foods for you to eat while sharing with you the importance and power of nourishing ourselves and our families in the most scientifically proven ways, also tasty and fast!

Learn how to decrease blood pressure, aches and pains, cholesterol, and more! Bring a friend, you can grow together and support each other on your journey!

Lyndhurst Health and Wellness Pop-Up

Congratulations on prioritizing YOUR HEALTH today!

This is the recipe you tried today: BROWNIE BITES

Here is more information about Dr Greger's DAILY DOZEN 

UPCOMING CLASS: "Let Food Be Thy Medicine" October 4th, 7-8:30pm, $25

Sign up today by text, call, or email, 440-655-1433, colleen@fresh-you.com

This is a fun evening of learning, tasting, and more! Colleen will prepare some healthy foods for you to eat while sharing with you the importance and power of nourishing ourselves and our families in the most scientifically proven ways, also tasty and fast!

Learn how to decrease blood pressure, aches and pains, cholesterol, and more! Bring a friend, you can grow together and support each other on your journey!