Is the right food near us?

Welcome; I’m so glad you’re here. I’ve been working on myself and I have drilled it down to one category, health. One year ago, I was diagnosed with hypertension. It came as a total shock at my annual physical. My blood pressure was 182 over 90. Yikes! I felt fine, looked well, and had no symptoms of distress.

After leaving the doctor’s office, I decided right then and there to do better with my self-care. Most times like many of you, we work long hours. As for me, I spend many hours sitting behind a desk working and forgetting to move my body. I decided to search for better food options and to manage my stress level. Can you relate? If so, keep reading to hear from Mrs. Leslie Ann Dunn, a plant-based advocate.

What does self-care mean to you?

Making healthier food choices is one of my favorite ways to practice self-care. When I look at a meal, I’m definitely thinking about three things: Does it look good? Does it taste good? What about it will make my body feel good?

What is a plant-based advocate?

As a plant-based advocate, I believe that my number one goal is to get more people to put more plants on their plates. All of the evidence points to the fact that a plant-based diet can be a great weapon in the war against a variety of diseases including heart disease and diabetes.

When I began learning about plant-based nutrition, I stumbled. I suffered from inflammation and wanted desperately to feel better. I had a limited veggie vocabulary and I certainly didn’t understand how to access protein from anything other than animal products. My early experiences made me want to become an advocate because I realized that I could be helpful to people who want to remix their plates.

Share some advice that can help jump-start a newfound way of eating.

First, clean out your refrigerator. That’s how you begin to understand your own food story. Put things in categories and notice any patterns. Too many jars of salsa? No fresh produce?

Do you have any favorite food or snack recipe?

I love Roasted Chickpeas. Chickpeas are a great source of fiber and they are a budget-friendly choice. If you want to really go from plant-curious to plant-focused, sign up for the Introduction to Plant-Based Nutrition course on the site.

Find the recipe and the Introduction to Plant-Based Nutrition course at www.blackgirlseat.com and find me @blackgirlseat on IG and FB.

LA Dunn is a plant-based advocate who wants to encourage more people to add more plants to their plates. In 2017, she suffered greatly from aches and pains due to inflammation. LA found that many of the foods that she enjoyed were at the center of the problem. Determined to feel better she began eating mostly plants and moved away from animal products. She leaned into research and took courses in whole foods plant-based nutrition. The result? Less pain and more energy. Understanding that food and knowledge were great weapons in the war against a variety of diseases, Black Girls Eat was created to build a community for the plant-based curious. She is also a contributing editor at The Beet, a plant-forward website dedicated to inspiring all who want to lean into a plant-based lifestyle. LA is happy to help Black Women and families make healthier food choices.

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