Reprinted from Nourish – introduction by Julie Campagna and article by Ruthi Solari

Kauai Photo by Elsa Flores Almaraz

In honor of this month’s Spring Clean theme, I am thrilled to have Ruthi Solari guest blog.

Ruthi is the Nutrition Education Program Specialist for the County of San Diego’s Department of Health and Human Services. Her work includes nutrition education for CalFresh (food stamp) populations and community engagement in increasing the accessibility to healthy food in low-income neighborhoods.

Ruthi is a Certified Nutritionist through the Natural Healing Institute of Naturopathy in San Diego, CA and is currently completing her Masters in Mind-Body Medicine through Saybrook University. Ruthi has worked as a Health Coach in the areas of Weight Management, Tobacco Cessation and Mind-Body skills for individuals nation-wide and she brings her knowledge of behavior modification to the implementation of SuperFood Drive: small changes in how we eat can create large changes in overall health and well being.

Ruthi found inspiration for SuperFood Drive after reading Dr. Steven Pratt’s book, “SuperFoods Rx” which opened her eyes to the health benefits of specific nutrient dense SuperFoods. This is also one of my favorite all time books. Then in January 2009 while at a “Food as Medicine” conference sponsored by the Center for Mind Body Medicine, Ruthi decided she wanted to ensure that SuperFoods were accessible to all individuals, even if they cannot afford fresh produce each week. In June 2009 SuperFood Drive was incorporated as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. For more information on how to get involved, please visit http://www.superfooddrive.org/.

Ruthi’s perspective on Spring and the healthy aspects of cleansing mirror my philosophies as well. I have found, in these first 9 days of my own cleansing, many benefits to a more balanced, mindful, nourishing approach to awakening the spring within. Much more to come on my experiences so far with my own Spring Cleaning, for now please enjoy the beauty of Ruthi’s words…

Spring. A speck of green poking through otherwise dull terrain. Delicate flower buds decorating seemingly dormant branches. The sun’s warmth on bare arms.  Even here in San Diego, there is a buzz of excitement in the coming of spring. Days get longer and colors get brighter. With spring comes possibility. After taking rest during the winter, spring is a time to wake up and rejuvenate with fresh food, fresh air and fresh perspective.

To support this rejuvenating phase of nourishing our bodies, minds and spirits, we can be mindful of three things: Chew. Breathe. Simplify.

Chew. On the physiological level, fully chewing food before swallowing invites the enzymes in our saliva to begin the digestion process right away, allowing for more complete absorption of nutrients in the food we eat. Chewing can also be part of a mindfulness practice. Give it a try: chew each bite of your next meal 15-20 times before swallowing and notice what happens to your mind. Simply focusing on chewing brings awareness to the present moment to more fully enjoy the flavors being eaten. And in spring, there are so many fresh, vibrant flavors to enjoy!!

Breathe. Deep breathing may be the most beneficial practice a person can do each day. With our fast paced, plugged in, connected yet disconnected world, stress levels are through the roof and our health is paying the price. Insomnia, headache, indigestion, fatigue, anxiety, depression…all result from stress. So before you stress about being stressed, take a moment and breathe. Set everything down, put your feet flat on the floor, place your hand over your lower abdominal area (below your belly button), and take 5 full seconds to slowly inhale through your nose. You should notice your belly puff out by the end. Pause after the inhale, then take 5 full seconds to slowly exhale out your mouth. Repeat 5 times (5 inhales and 5 exhales) and notice how you feel. Many people promote the health benefits of yoga; true yogis teach that the focus of yoga is less about the movements and more about the breath. Deep breathing stimulates the vagus nerve, which triggers the relaxation response. Bonus: deep breathing before a meal helps prepare your body to focus its energy on digesting food, allowing for full absorption of the nutrients being consumed. Anytime, anywhere, just breathe.

Simplify. Much of the messaging in spring tends to be around deprivation: fast, cleanse, detox, what to avoid, how to lose weight, etc. My philosophy for nourishing spring rejuvenation: simplify. Simplify your foods to focus on fresh, colorful, local produce. Simplify your pantry by tossing complicated, overly processed items to make room for whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds to go along with the fresh produce. Simplify your closet by donating clothes that don’t allow you to feel amazing. Simplify your physical activity by stepping away from stringent routines and integrating fun ways to be active in nature. Try something new like hula hooping, paddle boarding, rock-climbing, walking, dancing. Simplify your schedule by clearing the calendar to allow for spontaneity, or a quiet night at home. Simplify your life by leaving home without your phone and see what you notice when you aren’t waiting for that next text. Simplify your mind by breathing deeply and taking a moment to celebrate being exactly where you are. You have worked hard to get here, so savor it, and continue to nourish yourself. You deserve it!

SuperFood Drive is a nonprofit in San Diego I previously blogged on. Working with partner organizations, SuperFood Drive educates the community about the health benefits of eating nutrient-dense SuperFoods and works to ensure the accessibility of healthy food to all people, especially those in need. Support their event tomorrow evening, March 5.

Join SuperFood Drive for a night of delicious food and drink!

On Monday, March 5th, Local Habit will donate a percentage of sales from beverages and select plates to benefit SuperFood Drive and it’s programming! Additionally, SuperFood Drive will be playing the role of guest bartender so all tips from the bar will support SuperFood Drive as well!

Local Habit features organic foods made from scratch using seasonally available, local produce, and homemade breads. They also offer a variety of items for people with dietary restrictions, such as gluten-free and vegan options!

Proceeds from the following items will go to SuperFood Drive!

-all tips from the bar
-$1 from every draft beer
-$1 from every glass of wine
-$1 from one or more of our small plates or specials (to be decided that night)
-$2 from every Local Habit T-Shirt sold

So invite all your friends and family and help support SuperFood Drive and our efforts in ensuring the accessibility of healthy food for everyone! Our team will be there and we look forward to meeting you and sharing some of the exciting events coming in 2012!

SuperFood Drive, a San Diego nonprofit I blogged about last year which is solving the increasing hunger dilemma with healthy foods, is one of five finalists in the nationwide Sambazon Warriors of Change contest. The winner will receive $10,000 to expand their nonprofit’s mission and vision; with a win, SuperFood Drive could get healthy food into food banks throughout California. Their ultimate goal is to be in every city throughout the country. Voting ends on January 20th so please vote immediately.

SuperFood Drive finished the holiday season with some very successful drives throughout San Diego County, with the help of Whole Foods La Jolla and Hillcrest, four locations of Jimbo’s…Naturally!, Extraordinary Desserts, Rock Bottom Brewery and Slow Food Urban San Diego events, over 3,000 lbs of nutritious non-perishables such as black beans, whole grains, fruit in its own juice, nuts, seeds and dried fruit made it into the San Diego Food Bank. From there, the food gets disbursed throughout the county through San Diego Food Bank’s many nonprofit partners.

Check out this recent NPR article about food banks being overburdened with junk food. SuperFood Drive aims to make healthy food accessible to everyone, regardless of financial situation, through educating the public about how to select healthy variations of standard shelf-stable fare. With small changes (black beans instead of refried in lard, and more access to fruits and vegetables), food banks can be providers of nutrient-dense food for those in need.

This dynamo nonprofit is busy piloting the service-learning SuperKids for SuperFoods program, which includes a 30-60 minute educational presentation to students about hunger in San Diego County and the importance of good nutrition. Students are provided with a tool kit to host their own SuperFood Drive to benefit their local community.

SuperFood Drive is also recruiting Board members, specifically individuals with experience in marketing and PR, finance and business. They are also accepting internship applications for current college students.

Vote today for this worthy cause! To learn more, see this short inspirational video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0LaIBRcm MU

SuperFood Drive Staff

San Diego has many people working to make a difference, and one that shines with her efforts at promoting health and veggie food while solving the hunger problem is Ruthi Bozman-Moss Solari, a Certified Nutritionist through the Natural Healing Institute of Naturopathy.

According to the latest study by Feeding America, one in eight Americans are dependent upon food banks. Solari started a nonprofit called SuperFood Drive in June 2009 when she saw the opportunity to provide nutritious foods to an enormous target population.

“There is a huge population that has no choice — people eat what is provided to them each week in a bag from the food bank or food pantry…and by making small changes (brown rice instead of white, black beans instead of refried with lard, etc.), there is the possibility to make a huge impact on the health of many,” said Solari.

While SuperFood Drive primarily promotes veggie food — whole foods in non-perishable form like whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds, dried fruit, canned fruits and veggies (in their own juice or water, with no syrup), and low sodium soups — they do use a few animal products like canned, water-packed tuna and wild salmon. Solari has been vegetarian for 12 years except  for occasional seafood; that makes her a pescatarian.

SuperFood Drive is gearing up to launch their “SuperKids for SuperFoods” campaign to bring healthier, kid-friendly snack items to students nationwide. In addition, they are encouraging individuals to host their own SuperFood Drives this spring and summer. There is always a big push for food drives during the holiday season; however, there is a dry spell with people going hungry during the rest of the year.  Solari encourages people to visit the website to learn more about how to help.