Healthy Endeavors

Today is Blog Action Day and this year’s topic of climate change couldn’t be more apropos when it comes to clean and healthy eating.  Did you know that global warming has the ability to affect our food supply, endangering many of the healthiest foods we eat?

I’m a big fan of fresh, wild salmon, one of the cornerstones of clean eating — it’s fresh, unprocessed, a whole food that’s low in saturated fat but brimming with healthy Omega 3 fatty acids. Indeed, it provides important nutrients our bodies need and it’s heart healthy.

But with global warming, it’s estimated that the habitat for salmon and seven other fish could dramatically decrease over the next century.  Salmon is a cold water fish that grows and lives within a certain temperature to survive.  With the increase in global warming, water temperatures are rising, jeopardizing these fish. In fact, some experts estimate that the habitat for these species could shrink by as much as 17% by the year 2030, 34% by 2060 and 42% by 2090.

The challenge of climate change is just one of many issues that affect wild fish, like salmon, given other environmental challenges likes loss of habitat to development and the introduction of other invasive species.

And climate change not only affects many of our favorite and healthiest fish, but it also has the ability to impact something as simple as an avocado. Do you know that the guacamole you love so much could also be in danger?  Warmer temperatures in California are predicted to affect avocado production by as much as 40% in coming years.  Less yield means higher prices on our favorite healthy foods.  And it’s not just avocados, think oranges, almonds, walnuts and grapes too — these are all whole foods that have the ability to help keep us healthy and support clean eating.

So what does that mean for each of us, what can we do to protect our environment and so that clean and healthy foods are still readily available?  To me, it starts locally by being a steward of environmental consciousness. In my own little world I can contribute by doing such simple things as conserving energy by using energy efficient light bulbs, buying locally grown food that’s grown in sustainable ways that does less harm to the soil, and doing a lot more walking than driving.

Yes,  I know, those might seem like minor actions, but to me, it’s all about starting with small steps, mobilizing others and sharing these messages, like through the power of Blog Action Day.  To see more of the impact of our actions, check out this article on how global warming is affecting us in over 100 different ways!

What simple action can you take today that will have a lasting impact on the food that we eat in the future?

Filed under: Blog Action Day, clean eating, Climate change, Environmentally Friendly, Locally Grown Food