Sunday Song Day:  Racial Disparities & Health, "Why Can't I Eat Dessert All The Time?", "Ain't No Ash Will Burn"

Sunday Song Day: Racial Disparities & Health, "Why Can't I Eat Dessert All The Time?", "Ain't No Ash Will Burn"

6.14.2020

There are some interesting changes bubbling up on the back-end over here, and it’s given me a moment to take a step back (Thank you, Saturday Rest Day) and realize that I’ve gotten a lot out in the last 2 months and we don’t need daily posts.

We’re getting into the season where my body will need to be outdoors working on our perpetual painting project; and the morning moments I’m reserving for writing would be better directed toward knocking cooking out early, finally making some more masks for the family, and helping Q wrap up his school work earlier so he can join me in the yard (and start drawing) earlier. It’d also be nice to have more than one morning a week where I can sleep past 5, since a healthy microbiome is also dependent on a good night’s rest.

I still have a LOT of recipes and info to share, it’ll just be narrowed down to Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday and those days will still share a line-up of what we’ve been eating, what we’ve been learning, and how we’re living by example.

Staggering posts, will also give me time to listen to podcasts twice over so I can make better notes before posting. With that in mind, Sunday Song day also has a podcast you need to set aside time for, because it is as inspiring as it is informational. Still looking for voices of color to set you on an open-minded/open-hearted path? Find yourself an hour and sink in to these heart-lifting/forward-sprinting-motivational interviews with Tracye McQuirter and Eric Adams on the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine’s “Exam Room” Podcast titled “Racial Disparities and Health: The Challenges and How To Overcome Them”.

Continue for: a heart-lifting interview with the powerhouse dynamo Tracye McQuirter (you’ll learn about the history of how plant-based diets intertwine with African Americans, how hard she’s worked on illuminating her community about healthy food choices, how she’s bettering the nutrition of folks living within food deserts, etc); an inspiring interview with Eric Adams (<— Brooklyn Burrough President who had diabetes so bad he had lost feeling in his extremities AND loss of vision, how he reversed his Diabetes with Plant-Based Whole-Foods, and like Tracye is also on a mission to heal/illuminate his community); Sunday Song Day featuring a song that’ll explain through science why you can’t eat dessert all the time, and a song this whole house loves (and explains why I am comfortably secure in cutting caustic souls out of our realm for good —even if we share DNA— and will no longer allow them near me or my son); plus two full days of Plant-Based Whole-Food Family Feasting.

Live Kindly, Feast Kindly, Grow Forward.

Q’s Morning Chalkboard: some of Q favorite things. (He loves Sarlaccs, Sandworms, and pretending he has mechanical arms.)

Q’s Morning Chalkboard: some of Q favorite things. (He loves Sarlaccs, Sandworms, and pretending he has mechanical arms.)

Plant-Based Kiddo Breakfast: strawberry oatmeal with apples and peanut butter. (He was trying to make it look like a Sarlacc).

Plant-Based Kiddo Breakfast: strawberry oatmeal with apples and peanut butter. (He was trying to make it look like a Sarlacc).

Man, if only this Plant-Based Whole-Food Diet gave my kiddo energy, health, and happiness…. ;-)

Man, if only this Plant-Based Whole-Food Diet gave my kiddo energy, health, and happiness…. ;-)

There are no longer days where we get one detailed drawing. This kid is drawing for HOURS every day. Here seen: many different Sarlacc inspired drawings + one with Emperor Palpatine.

There are no longer days where we get one detailed drawing. This kid is drawing for HOURS every day.

Here seen: many different Sarlacc inspired drawings + one with Emperor Palpatine.

My Favorite &lt;3  ”It’s an alien world and they are all waving to us in their own special way.”

My Favorite <3
”It’s an alien world and they are all waving to us in their own special way.”

Plant-Based Whole-Food Lunch: black rice (noodles), green beans, apple, lentil loaf, sweet potatoes, and peanut sauce.

Plant-Based Whole-Food Lunch: black rice (noodles), green beans, apple, lentil loaf, sweet potatoes, and peanut sauce.

Plant-Based Whole-Food Dessert: there’s a Cappello Brownie hiding under this Nice Cream. &lt;3

Plant-Based Whole-Food Dessert: there’s a Cappello Brownie hiding under this Nice Cream. <3

Our tulip poplar is popping and drawing a buzz of pollinators. &lt;3

Our tulip poplar is popping and drawing a buzz of pollinators. <3

I’ve been spending afternoons in the yard. Here seen: the rehabilitated pond-pit continues to flesh out. That border is filled with cucumbers, vine peach melons, and sugar baby watermelons that’ll drape over the exposed side as they continue to grow.

I’ve been spending afternoons in the yard. Here seen: the rehabilitated pond-pit continues to flesh out. That border is filled with cucumbers, vine peach melons, and sugar baby watermelons that’ll drape over the exposed side as they continue to grow.

While I work outside, I am often listening to music or podcasts.

Want a podcast that will open your mind to racial disparities and also fill your heart with hope of forward movement? Listen to this amazing 2 part interview from the Physician’s Committee For Responsible Medicine.

Chuck (an inspiring story in his own right) “revisits conversations with two leaders who explore the disparities facing the black community, including a widening gap of health. Author Tracye McQuirter details the nutritional challenges facing the community that correlate to a socio-economic divide. Tracye also highlights the rich history of African Americans and plant-based diets and the 10,000 Black Vegan Women initiative.”

And

“At a time when black Americans are being diagnosed with chronic health conditions at alarming rates, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams is defying the odds to chart his own course for a healthier life. Borough President Adams was beginning to lose his vision and experiencing nerve damage when he was diagnosed with diabetes. Despite the grim circumstances, he would not accept failing health and an early grave as his fate. Instead, he overhauled his diet and lifestyle to reverse his diabetes. Today, he is inspiring thousands of others who feel trapped to follow in his footsteps and live the healthier lives they’ve always imagined.”

They cover how to eat healthy food even when you live within a food desert, they cover food addiction, they cover the health issues tied to our Standard American Disease Diet, and they light you right up with how they healed themselves and are healing so many other souls.

Plant-Based Whole-Food Dinner: homemade hummus, bell peppers, steam-sauteed kale, quick-pickled cabbage, hempeh, and enchilada sauce.

Plant-Based Whole-Food Dinner: homemade hummus, bell peppers, steam-sauteed kale, quick-pickled cabbage, hempeh, and enchilada sauce.

Popcorn popping patrol.  A watched pot may never boil, but a watched popcorn pot brings this kid endless enjoyment.

Popcorn popping patrol.

A watched pot may never boil, but a watched popcorn pot brings this kid endless enjoyment.

Q’s special seasoning blend: berbere, turmeric, garlic, paprika, and nutritional yeast.

Q’s special seasoning blend: berbere, turmeric, garlic, paprika, and nutritional yeast.

How every evening has been wrapping up lately. &lt;3

How every evening has been wrapping up lately. <3

Friday’s Nightly Reading  Friday is “Date Night”, so Q was put to sleep early and Ian and I soaked up some alone time.

Friday’s Nightly Reading

Friday is “Date Night”, so Q was put to sleep early and Ian and I soaked up some alone time.

Plant-Based Whole Food Breakfast: apples, strawberry oatmeal, peanut butter, and a little cashew cream.

Plant-Based Whole Food Breakfast: apples, strawberry oatmeal, peanut butter, and a little cashew cream.

Q made some cute cards for his Pre-K teachers.

Q made some cute cards for his Pre-K teachers.

I’m in love with this blimp that looks more like a flying submarine. &lt;3

I’m in love with this blimp that looks more like a flying submarine. <3

Q’s teachers came for individual UPK graduation ceremonies and gifted us this sweet sign.  Heart-happy for this hardworking kiddo, and heart-frazzled at what kindergarten is going to look like in these pandemic times.

Q’s teachers came for individual UPK graduation ceremonies and gifted us this sweet sign.
Heart-happy for this hardworking kiddo, and heart-frazzled at what kindergarten is going to look like in these pandemic times.

“It’s a deinopis spider, and an orb weaver, and a ghost kraken, just allllll hanging out and talking about their days.”

“It’s a deinopis spider, and an orb weaver, and a ghost kraken, just allllll hanging out and talking about their days.”

Plant-Based Whole-Food Lunch: black rice (noodles), lentil loaf, peas, green beans, apple, quick-pickled cabbage, and peanut sauce.

Plant-Based Whole-Food Lunch: black rice (noodles), lentil loaf, peas, green beans, apple, quick-pickled cabbage, and peanut sauce.

Watching my childhood friend Liz getting married. &lt;3Q kept clutching his chest and saying, “She’s the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen!”

Watching my childhood friend Liz getting married. <3

Q kept clutching his chest and saying, “She’s the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen!”

Messy/Delicious Plant-Based Family Dinner: Beyond Breakfast Sausages with sweet potatoes, fresh greens, and steam-seared mushrooms, onions, and peppers.

Messy/Delicious Plant-Based Family Dinner: Beyond Breakfast Sausages with sweet potatoes, fresh greens, and steam-seared mushrooms, onions, and peppers.

Nightly Reading: another great Imagination Library book, Same &amp; Dave Dig a hole (another gem), and we’re continuing to plow through Dune and Fiber Fueled.

Nightly Reading: another great Imagination Library book, Same & Dave Dig a hole (another gem), and we’re continuing to plow through Dune and Fiber Fueled.

"Loaded Potato Soup" Recipe &amp; More Planetary Imperatives

"Loaded Potato Soup" Recipe & More Planetary Imperatives

"Baking Day At Grandma's", Tara, Sarlaccs, Gut Health &amp; Mental Health (again)

"Baking Day At Grandma's", Tara, Sarlaccs, Gut Health & Mental Health (again)