Based on the first article, I agree that buying local is beneficial for the environment because it is sustainable, healthier, requires less transport, less pollution and can reduce the demand of commercial farming. In Union City, I'm lucky to have a good variety of locally grown and seasonal fruits and vegetables. Currently, avocados, cranberries, dates, dragon fruit (Pitaya), figs, grapefruit, guavas, kaffir limes, kiwis, kumquats, lemons, limes, oranges, passion fruit, pawpaws, peaches, pears, persimmons, pomegranates, organic golden flax, and tunas (Cactus Apples) are all in season in Union City.
Source: https://www.localharvest.org/store/fruits.jsp
2. Discuss your thoughts on seasonal/local foods and hospital menus.
Personally, I love to purchase and support seasonal/local foods. I like that I know where some of my food comes from, and it's nice to be able to support local businesses. Also, I've found that many local products are fresher and taste better. It's great that major stores like Safeway have sections that are specifically for local foods and that they highlight local foods. In regards to hospital menus, I notice that they are becoming more environmentally friendly. Currently, UCSF Medical Center has implemented plant-based products in the cafeterias and will sometimes showcase it as one of the main dishes on the hospital menus.
3. Find a Harvest Calendar for your state (or a state you are interested in) utilizing the link in the first article (found underneath the example Harvest Calendar for New York State).
Southern and Central California Harvest Dates, In Chronological Order
| CROP | MONTH |
| Asparagus | March -April |
| Strawberries | Apr.10 - June 30 |
| Blackberries | June 1 - July 30 |
| Blueberries | May 15 - June 30 |
| Boysenberries | May 10 - July 5 |
| Cherries (more detail) | May 5 - June 30 |
| Apricots | May 10 to August 15 |
| Peaches | May 20 - September 5 |
| Nectarines | May 20 - September 15 |
| Olallieberries | June 1 to July 31 |
| Plums | June 1 - September 5 |
| Pears | August 10 - September 10 |
| Green Beans | June 15 - September 15 |
| Peas | June 15 - September 15 |
| Corn | June 25 - September 30 |
| Raspberries | July 1 - September 15 |
| Grapes | July 10 - October 15 |
| Apples | July 15 (early apples) - September 25 |
| Tomatoes | July 15 - September 15 |
| Okra | July 15 - September 15 |
| Almonds | August 20 - December . 13 |
| Figs | September 05 - October 31 |
| Persimmons | September 20 - October 31 |
| Walnuts | September 25 - Jan. 10 |
| Oranges | All year round, depends on the variety. See this page for examples |
4. What are your thoughts on the second article? Have you heard of obesogens before?
Obesogens is a very interesting article on a topic that is often overlooked. I never heard of obesogens before taking MPH 632 and I'm really surprised that I didn't hear about it sooner. Obesity is continuing to rise, yet the medical community focuses more on diet and exercise. It's scary that the articles reports that there are 15-20 different chemicals that can cause weight gain and may be contributing to the obesity epidemic. Expanding on previous readings in MPH 632, BPA is mentioned in the article. It's still very disturbing that BPA is found in receipt paper, medical devices, and in the lining of some canned foods, things that we generally do not have much control over.
5. Pick one of the potential obesogens discussed in the article and using your resources from earlier modules (such as toxnet), do some research on this potential obesogen. Share what you found!
The article mentions perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) as a potential endocrine disruptor and a PPARy agonist. In addition, the article mentions that almost all Americans have PFOA in their blood and that kids have higher levels due to exposure to PFOA. PFOA is said to be in carpets, furniture, nonstick cookware, waterproof clothing, Scotchguard repellent and some microwavable items. According ot Toxline, PFOA exposure in childhood puts adults at a predisposition to be overweight and obese.
Source: https://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search2/f?./temp/~pTD1MX:1:@od@@/cgi-bin/sis/search2/d?./temp/~UstcPW:0@
Hi Christina,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that you support and purchase seasonal/local foods. I agree that it is nice to support local businesses and know where our foods are from. Thank you for sharing the information about Safeway having a specific section for locally grown foods. This is actually my first time learning about it. I wish all the grocery stores and supermarkets have a section dedicated to locally grown fruits and vegetables.
- Krissy
Hi Christina,
ReplyDeleteit's good to hear that UCSF Medical Center is making an effort in being environmentally friendly and that they do utilize seasonal and local produce for dining services. And i agree with you when it comes to BPA exposure. We generally don't have control over it. Because if we use items that are plastic or made with plastic, our chances of being exposed to BPA is substantial. And plastic is used in everything that we use at home and at work.