A Look Into Food Systems & Sustainability (feat. Rachael Brown)

The food on your plate impacts not only your own health but that of the planet! The good news is, there’s lots we can do! 

 

Today Jenn is joined by Rachael Brown, a plant-based nutrition expert and author of For Fork’s Sake. Rachael talks about the food system in the United States and the impact of animal products on the environment and our bodies. She discusses the antibiotics put into meat, how they get into our bodies, and the adverse effects they can have on our health. Rachael gives some great tips on transitioning to a more plant-based eating method in simple steps. She also provides excellent resources to learn more about the topic! Tune in today to learn how transitioning to a plant-based diet can improve your health and the planet. 

The Salad With a Side of Fries podcast is hosted by Jenn Trepeck, discussing wellness and weight loss for real life, clearing up the myths, misinformation, bad science & marketing surrounding our nutrition knowledge and the food industry. Let’s dive into wellness and weight loss for real life, including drinking, eating out, and skipping the grocery store.

IN THIS EPISODE:

●   [04:51] How did Rachel get started in health and food sustainability?

●   [08:48] Rachel provides a summary of The China Study.

●   [10:35] How does our food system work in the US? 

●   [13:38] How does our farming affect the nutrients in our soil and our food?

●   [15:27] How do the antibiotics injected into our meat affect our health? 

●   [18:35] Is animal protein the best protein for us? 

●   [23:30] Can a single household impact the food system?

●   [27:28] What are some simple ways to transition from animal products to plant-based foods?

●   [30:07] Why is it essential to reduce animal products in our diets?

●   [34:27] What are some trustworthy resources? 

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

●   More land is used to grow feed for animals than for people. If the grain fed to livestock in the US alone were provided to people, 840 million additional people could be fed.  

●   There are 5-7 leading conglomerates running the food system in the world and two main chicken companies controlling all the chicken in the US. This is affecting food all around the world. 

●   Choose 2-3 meals to start with and look for plant-based options that can be really inexpensive and made with things you have at home. Our taste buds change after two weeks - so stick with it, and you’ll find that you enjoy and crave the natural food rather than processed food. 

QUOTES: 

“You can add animal protein, and there's a certain point where you can turn on cancer growth, and if you take that animal protein away, you can stop that cancer growth.” - Rachael Brown

“We don’t need the meat; if you want the meat, that's a different thing. If you can find it from a clean source, somewhere that's not putting antibiotics into their meat but arguably there's not a lot of that out there.” - Rachael Brown

“For the most part, we’re wanting to base our diet, what we eat, on these whole, plant-based foods, and those things look like real foods.” - Rachael Brown

"Think big picture, think about the food systems and then act on the micro level. Start with your own plate and your own home because when we all do this, we can lock arms to make a bigger shift both in industry and for our planet." - Jenn Trepeck

RESOURCES:

Become A Member of Salad with a Side of Fries

Jenn’s Free Menu Plan

A Salad With a Side of Fries

A Salad With a Side of Fries Instagram

GUEST RESOURCES: 

For Fork’s Sake Book Website

For Fork’s Sake Book IG

For Fork’s Sake Book FB

GUEST BIO:

Rachael J. Brown earned her plant-based nutrition certification and food and sustainability certification from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies and eCornell. After being diagnosed with high cholesterol in her late 20s, she discovered The China Study and started exploring the science of nutrition. After she ate WFPBNO for just 17 days, her cholesterol dropped 50 points. That was the beginning of her family’s journey from the standard American diet (SAD) to a whole-food, plant-based, no-oil (WFPBNO) lifestyle. 

A licensed practitioner of massage and the pain neutralization technique, Rachael is also a certified yoga and Pilates instructor and a spiritual director. She completed the 12-Day McDougall Program and has led corporate mindfulness seminars. She received her BA in geography from the University of Washington and has been an adjunct professor in nutrition and wellness. 

Rachael belongs to the University of Washington Alumni Association, the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies' Whole Communities program, and Eat for the Earth, as well as Plantstrong and McDougall communities. 

Rachael is happily married with two grown children. She lives in California, where she can usually be found trail running, rock climbing, cycling, and bikepacking with her husband. Learn more at www.forforkssakebook.com.