Is there anyone who doesn't know that eating fruits and vegetables is important for good health? While many of us may not know exactly how they help our bodies (words like phytochemical and antioxidant just don't mean anything to most of us), we at least know the basic message: Fresh fruits and vegetables are good for you. Fruits and veggies supply the vitamins and minerals necessary for health, and even survival! Not to mention playing vital roles against all of those words that scare us... cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, obesity, and the list could go on.
So if we know this fact to be true, why is it that we don't eat them? I have heard many excuses explaining this phenom like "They don't taste good," and "I don't like the texture," but the most common complaint I hear is "They are too expensive." And to that I have a solution.....GROW YOUR OWN!!!!
Can't do it you say? Not enough time I hear? No room, no yard, no energy, no knack with plants. Well this is how easy it is.... get a container and fill it with dirt (if you don't want to dig a hole in your yard) add seeds, water, sun, and voila! You are on your way to a healthier, trimmer, slimmer you! .... and it all costs less than a carton of cigarettes. Still don't have the money to spare? Take a minute to consider how much you spend every month on your cell phone, television package, internet service, movies, music, Starbucks, (need I go on?) Now consider how these modern miracles directly maintain your good health. Anything?
On the other hand, depending on the plant, growing only one has the potential to serve a small family all summer long; and since you won't be using all of those seeds at one time, one package may last several seasons. Plants that bear tomatoes, strawberries, eggplant, squash, zucchini, green beans, peas, carrots, watermelon, and cantalope are only a few that grow very well in pots. Don't know how to prepare them? Every fruit or vegetable mentioned above can be eaten raw... straight from the plant. Don't 'do' raw veges? Try different methods of preparation like steaming, baking, boiling, or grilling them. For those of you a little more handy in the kitchen, access one of the recipe links to discover new ways to prepare your healthy grub.
City dweller? You can create your own urban Eden by moving aside the clutter on your patio or balcony to make room for a few potted fruits and veggies. Even if you don't have access to an outside area, many plants grow fairly well inside your home as long as they are exposed to a sunny window.
Don't want to take full responsibility of raising plants on your own? Get your kids involved. They may not only gain a few skills such as learning how to provide for themselves and their families in the future, or learning the difference between a healthy and unhealthy diet, but they can also learn about responsibility. Allowing them to take any excesses from a bumper crop to a farmers market may also give your kids some business sense and their own source of income.
In the end, everyone wins. You have an inexpensive source of fresh fruits and vegetables, you and your family are healthier, and the environment becomes a cleaner place. You see, plants take carbon monoxide out of the air and turn it into oxygen. The more plants, the cleaner the air, the fewer the rates of respritory diseases like asthma. Do you want to be part of the problem or part of the solution?
Take control of your families health and future. This is the only body you get - the nicer you treat it, the nicer it may treat you!
So if we know this fact to be true, why is it that we don't eat them? I have heard many excuses explaining this phenom like "They don't taste good," and "I don't like the texture," but the most common complaint I hear is "They are too expensive." And to that I have a solution.....GROW YOUR OWN!!!!
Can't do it you say? Not enough time I hear? No room, no yard, no energy, no knack with plants. Well this is how easy it is.... get a container and fill it with dirt (if you don't want to dig a hole in your yard) add seeds, water, sun, and voila! You are on your way to a healthier, trimmer, slimmer you! .... and it all costs less than a carton of cigarettes. Still don't have the money to spare? Take a minute to consider how much you spend every month on your cell phone, television package, internet service, movies, music, Starbucks, (need I go on?) Now consider how these modern miracles directly maintain your good health. Anything?
On the other hand, depending on the plant, growing only one has the potential to serve a small family all summer long; and since you won't be using all of those seeds at one time, one package may last several seasons. Plants that bear tomatoes, strawberries, eggplant, squash, zucchini, green beans, peas, carrots, watermelon, and cantalope are only a few that grow very well in pots. Don't know how to prepare them? Every fruit or vegetable mentioned above can be eaten raw... straight from the plant. Don't 'do' raw veges? Try different methods of preparation like steaming, baking, boiling, or grilling them. For those of you a little more handy in the kitchen, access one of the recipe links to discover new ways to prepare your healthy grub.
City dweller? You can create your own urban Eden by moving aside the clutter on your patio or balcony to make room for a few potted fruits and veggies. Even if you don't have access to an outside area, many plants grow fairly well inside your home as long as they are exposed to a sunny window.
Don't want to take full responsibility of raising plants on your own? Get your kids involved. They may not only gain a few skills such as learning how to provide for themselves and their families in the future, or learning the difference between a healthy and unhealthy diet, but they can also learn about responsibility. Allowing them to take any excesses from a bumper crop to a farmers market may also give your kids some business sense and their own source of income.
In the end, everyone wins. You have an inexpensive source of fresh fruits and vegetables, you and your family are healthier, and the environment becomes a cleaner place. You see, plants take carbon monoxide out of the air and turn it into oxygen. The more plants, the cleaner the air, the fewer the rates of respritory diseases like asthma. Do you want to be part of the problem or part of the solution?
Take control of your families health and future. This is the only body you get - the nicer you treat it, the nicer it may treat you!
