'Our planet is a living organism; it sustains us. What we do to the planet, we do to ourselves. Caring for it is no less important than caring for our own bodies.' ~ Angela Marie Fava

OK, having said this I realize that I am opening a can of proverbial worms here - after all we are living in a country that has an obesity rate in excess of 35% (24% for our Canadian friends) and 65% of Americans (51% of Canadians) are overweight. Think about that; more than one in every 3 people in the United States is obese, and 2 out of every 3 Americans are overweight. Obese is someone with a body mass index (BMI) of greater than 30, with a weight higher than what is considered healthy for a given height, and a waist measurement greater than 35" for women and 40" for men. Let's put it in perspective - you are a women with a 35.5" waist, weigh 170 pounds and are 5' 3" - that puts your BMI at 30.1 and puts you in the obese category. How did this happen? When did we become a nation of obese people? It's a recent phenomena actually. In 1980 the obesity rate was less than half of what it is now. In 1970 it was about 13%. In my lifetime alone the obesity rate has almost tripled (and I'm not old - really!)!

What does the obesity rate have to do with our planet? If we think of our planet as a living organism and it's health as integral to our own, then we must look at how we care for the earth. However, if we can't care for our own health, we may very well find it difficult to even have it on our radar to care for the health of our planet. Therefore, we must start by taking responsibility for what we put in our mouths, and that starts with the plant in the ground and how it is cared for. 

While you may not be able to immediately do something about the billions of pounds of pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers  that are used worldwide, not to mention the billions of gallons of oil that are used in producing food, you can do something today about what you put into your body, and therefore support our farmers in growing. You can even grow your own organic produce - 11.5% of pesticides are used by homeowners on their lawns and gardens - and have a direct connection with the earth and a direct contribution in caring for it. You can buy organic produce. Yes, I know organic produce is more expensive, but even those of us that are financially strapped can buy one organic local piece of fruit or vegetable per week. Though it may not seem like much, the global impact would be huge, and the demand it would create would change the way farmers operate - they are after all giving us what it is we are asking for; food that is cheap, looks consistent, and is available year-round. By eating in season as much as possible and eating organically we will make an enormous impact on the health of our planet. The more fruit and vegetables that we eat, the more we are replacing processed foods and other foods that are high in saturated fats, salt, and sugar. The more we replace these foods, the better health we will have and the more ideal body weights.


So here's the challenge (you knew one was coming up right - you're on a Life Coaching website after all!):

* Begin to look at what you put in your mouth, and ask yourself: "How healthy is this food?" "Where did it come from?" "What is the impact on the earth in growing this food?"
* Buy at least one piece of organic fruit or veggie each week. 
* Grow something to eat in your own garden, flowerpot, deck, sidewalk etc., and grow it without the use of any synthetic fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides - . Use compost, organic fertilizers, seaweed extract, fish emulsion and organic methods instead.
*Have at least 3 - 4 servings of fruit per day, and 5 - 6 servings of vegetables per day - yeah really!!!

Little things add up and make a difference. Little things change our way of thinking and bring awareness to bigger and bigger things. Little things eventually bring us to the place of asking for big changes in our world. Start with one little thing. Do it today. Do it for you, your children and the planet.