News for Now Update: Week of October 24, 2021

Resurgence of Ancestral “Waffle Gardens” Promotes Sustainable Agriculture
As climate change devastates more farmers and food sources, people are looking to their ancestral traditions for solutions. In this Zuni Pueblo community, the interest in indigenous Waffle Gardens is growing. Along with climate change, the pandemic has also increased interest in, and need for, food sovereignty and sustainable food sources. This indigenous method of growing food conserves water and could be the answer to drought issues in farming. Another example of how looking to the past might preserve our future. Read more in Civil Eats.

Why Are People So Obsessed With Protein?
Fascinating article reviewing the history of how and why protein became such a focus of our diet—at points in history reaching nearly obsessive status. How does a “meat extract” sound to you? Yum! While we at Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation are advocates of natural and animal sources of protein (humanely raised is key, here), a balanced diet from real food is what you should be aiming for. Read this article in The Conversation.

The Hidden Dangers in Chocolate (for People and the Planet)
Multi-national chocolate manufacturers are loading up their sweet treats with bitter tricks that harm the planet and hurt small farmers (and their children). This Halloween, before you buy that bag of you-know-who bars, read this article to learn how you can take care of kids at home and elsewhere by choosing Fair Trade certified and organic chocolate. Learn more at FoodPrint!

Interested in fair trade? Read this interview in our journal with Dana Geffner of Fair World Project.

The “Right to Food” Constitutional Amendment in Maine
Prior to industrialization most individuals and families living in rural areas grew their own food, raised their own cattle and ate what they wanted—free of government regulation. Dr. Weston A. Price advocated for a return to our ancestral roots where we similarly ate whole, unaltered foods. Foods that we hunted, raised, gathered and grew.

Something related is being proposed in Maine and will be voted on November 2, 2021. It’s an amendment to the Maine Constitution that many are calling a “right to food.” This amendment would “declare that all individuals have a natural, inherent and unalienable right to grow, raise, harvest, produce and consume the food of their own choosing for their own nourishment, sustenance, bodily health and well-being.” Even within city limits. It’s an interesting discussion about how much control government and corporations should have over our food supply. It could be the start of a significant movement. It could also have some pretty negative effects. Continue reading at AP News.

6 Important Foods for Eye Health
We are staring at screens more than ever. Which means eye health is more important than ever. This quick-read article discusses 6 important foods for healthy eyes and prevention of common eye diseases. We all know to eat our carrots for their beta carotene. But 3 other nutrients are vital to eye health: lutein, zeaxanthin and zinc.

Read this article at Well+Good to find out what foods provide these vital nutrients. Hint: keep those pumpkin seeds this year!

If you would like to learn more about nutrition for eye health, check out this article from our journal!