Seasonal food typically refers to produce that is purchased and consumed around the time that it is harvested. “Seasonal eating” is a popular term used by restaurants, chefs, farmers, and dietician/nutritionists. The focus on seasonal eating is on fruits and vegetables since unlike animals, their growth is very much related to season-specific weather. This may bring to memory eating apples and pumpkins in the fall while looking forward to watermelon and berries in the summer…

According to the National Council on Mental Wellbeing, 70% of adults in the U.S. have experienced some type of traumatic event at least once in their lives. I’d offer that since COVID, that is likely 100% of us. I mean, “surviving a natural disaster” is a criterion for trauma, and certainly a global pandemic fits the bill. Of those 70-100% of the population, about 6% of those individuals will develop Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The Institutes of Health reports that 80% of first responders experience traumatic events on the job. I’m not sure how that number isn’t 100% given the nature of the job, but I’ll go with the research for now. Furthermore, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reports that roughly 1 in 3 first responders develop PTSD.

Recent studies have shown that our diet influences our sleeping habits more than we previously thought. We definitely need to consider this since sleep may account for approximately one third of our day, and plays a role in our health and well-being. Research has shown correlations between poor sleep and hypertension, obesity, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and other chronic conditions. While we know sleep hygiene and technology play a role, we need to consider the role of the modern diet in the rise in sleep disorders. We could say that what you eat effects your sleep AND that sleep impacts what you eat, making this a complicated relationship…