Sponsored by Nuvance Well being
By Alberto J. Gavilanes Aguirre, MD, Nuvance Well being
As we come collectively to have a good time Earth Day, take into account that nurturing our planet is as important as caring for ourselves. Right here in lovely Westport, we’re surrounded by lovely seashores and a vibrant group. To protect the appeal and vitality of our city, there are easy but impactful suggestions we will observe to foster a more healthy life-style for ourselves and the environment.
Make wholesome meals decisions
A nutritious diet not solely helps our well-being but it surely additionally contributes to a wholesome atmosphere. Listed here are some suggestions that can assist you eat nicely:
Select natural and domestically grown meals: Choosing natural produce is sweet for our our bodies as a result of it’s grown with out pesticides, fertilizers and GMOs. By going natural, you scale back your publicity to dangerous chemical compounds whereas supporting sustainable agriculture.
“One of the vital vital issues for people to think about is with each greenback you spend, you could have the chance to immediately influence the atmosphere,” says Lori Cochran, Govt Director of the Westport Farmers’ Market. “If you buy natural meals and domestically grown meals, your {dollars} promote a more healthy planet. Natural and domestically grown meals are assured to have fewer or no pesticides and herbicides whereas touring much less to seek out their means into your kitchen. You will discover a big selection of natural and domestically grown choices each Thursday on the Westport Farmers’ Market.”
Eat extra plant-based meals: Embracing a plant-based weight-reduction plan affords quite a few well being advantages and contributes to a extra sustainable meals system. They’ll decrease the danger of coronary heart illness, weight problems and sort 2 diabetes, simply to call a number of. Attempt including extra fruits, greens, entire grains, legumes, nuts and seeds to your meals.
Be taught extra about vitamin counseling at Nuvance Well being.
Make sustainable meals decisions: Think about the environmental influence of your meals decisions, together with packaging, meals waste and manufacturing strategies. We will make modifications to our weight-reduction plan which might be useful for each us and the atmosphere. When grocery buying, deliver a reusable bag in your recent fruit and greens and plan your meals forward of time to attenuate waste.
Do you know almost 1 in 4 baggage of groceries bought will get thrown out? You probably have recent meat, vegetables and fruit which might be about to go dangerous, stick them within the freezer in order that they last more. Be a part of Westport’s Zero Meals Waste Problem to help your group and scale back Westport’s residential meals waste.
Think about sustainable transportation
Transportation performs an important position in our each day lives, but it surely additionally has a big influence on the environment. Exploring various modes of transportation may also help scale back our carbon footprint whereas selling private and environmental well-being. Listed here are some eco-friendly choices to think about:
Stroll or bike for shorter distances: Benefit from Westport’s sidewalks and scenic bike paths by strolling or biking for shorter journeys. Not solely does this scale back air air pollution and visitors congestion, but it surely additionally affords quite a few well being advantages, together with improved cardiovascular well being, psychological well being, bone well being, muscle power and weight administration. Adults are advisable to get 150 minutes of reasonable train every week, which is just a little over 20 minutes a day. Plus, strolling makes it simpler to take in the fantastic thing about Westport on a sunny day!
Be taught extra about Main Care at Nuvance Well being.
Carpool with associates: Planning a picnic at Compo Seaside with your pals? Think about carpooling! By driving collectively, you not solely scale back the variety of autos on the highway but additionally lower visitors congestion, emissions and gasoline consumption. Plus, you’ll lower your expenses on gasoline whereas having fun with the corporate of your pals!
These sustainable transportation choices not solely profit the environment but additionally enhance bodily health, scale back stress and improve our psychological well being.
Cut back, reuse, recycle
Lowering waste isn’t nearly serving to the atmosphere — it’s additionally about selling a more healthy life-style for ourselves and our group. Listed here are some easy steps we will take to cut back waste:
Cut back single-use objects: Single-use objects like plastic baggage, disposable utensils and water bottles contribute to air pollution in our landfills and oceans. Go for reusable alternate options at any time when doable, comparable to reusable buying baggage, chrome steel utensils and reusable water bottles. Sustainable Westport led the Refill Not Landfill program, exhibiting Westporters the advantages of bringing your individual reusable espresso mug to take-out retailers. On account of this system, most Westport take-out retailers will gladly fill your clear, reusable espresso cup.
Reuse, recycle and upcycle: Extending the lifespan of things by means of reuse, recycling and upcycling helps preserve sources, scale back air pollution, and decrease waste. Listed here are a number of methods we will observe sustainability:
- Glass jars are excellent for storing leftovers or selfmade merchandise like pickles or sauces.
- Clothes that now not suits might be donated or upcycled. You probably have a number of T-shirts you possibly can’t half with, flip them right into a blanket!
- Towels and blankets might be upcycled into cleansing rags or donated to Westport Animal Shelter Advocates.
Decrease plastic waste: Plastics pose a big menace to the environment, releasing dangerous chemical compounds into the atmosphere and taking a whole bunch of years to decompose. To reduce plastic waste, select merchandise with minimal or no plastic packaging, use reusable containers and keep away from single-use straws and cutlery. Think about eco-friendly alternate options like bamboo or chrome steel, that are each sustainable decisions for lowering plastic waste.
When going out to eating places or ordering takeout, ensure you inform the workers to #skipthestuff when you don’t want the single-use equipment like utensils, straws, napkins or condiment packets they usually hand out.
Create a greener house
Making your property environmentally pleasant isn’t simply good for the planet — it’s useful in your well being and well-being! Listed here are some suggestions that can assist you create a greener house:
Use pure cleaners and scale back chemical utilization: Conventional cleansing merchandise typically comprise dangerous chemical compounds. Change to non-toxic, bleach-free cleaners or create your individual utilizing substances like white vinegar, baking soda, water and dish cleaning soap. These pure cleaners not solely enhance indoor air high quality however additionally they scale back allergy symptoms and respiratory points which in flip creates a more healthy residing atmosphere for you and your loved ones!
Preserve water and electrical energy: Think about fixing your leaky kitchen faucet, putting in low-flow showerheads and turning off lights when not in use. These small fixes could make a giant distinction. Power-efficient home equipment may guarantee a lower in vitality consumption and even decrease your electrical invoice!
Develop your individual meals: Rising your individual meals affords quite a few advantages past simply offering recent produce. Not solely do you achieve a deeper appreciation for the meals you eat, however gardening has additionally been proven to cut back stress.
In Westport’s USDA plant hardiness zone 7a, you possibly can develop quite a lot of greens that thrive in our local weather. Think about planting your favourite greens and herbs in your backyard, following steering from sources like CT Public.
“Rising your individual meals is an efficient means of offering recent fruits, greens and herbs for you, your loved ones and associates,” Louis Weinberg, Chairman of Westport Group Gardens, tells us. “The advantages embrace improved vitamin, pesticide- and herbicide-free meals, and fascinating in an intergenerational leisure exercise whereas doing so! It’s enjoyable for the entire household, and particularly nice train for these of their older years. Moreover, gardening is nice for our pollinators!”
The underside line: By following these practices, you may make wholesome meals decisions, discover sustainable transportation choices, scale back waste and create a greener house that advantages each your well being and the well being of the Earth. Begin making small modifications right this moment for a extra sustainable future. It’s all about studying learn how to assist the Earth and your self to make sure a wholesome Westport for us all.
Dr. Gavilanes is an internist and geriatrician, board-certified by the American Board of Inner Drugs. He supplies major care drugs, with a deal with geriatric drugs. By offering compassionate and diligent care, he’s devoted to his aim of holding his sufferers wholesome and unbiased. Dr. Gavilanes accomplished his Inner drugs residency at Seton Corridor-Hackensack Meridian College of Drugs at Trinitas Regional Medical Middle after which continued to finish his fellowship in Geriatric Drugs at Montefiore Medical Middle within the Bronx.
Initially from Ecuador, Dr. Gavilanes is fluent in English and Spanish. Throughout his free time, he enjoys touring overseas and spending time together with his household. Be taught extra about Dr. Gavilanes.
Notice: Nuvance Well being has sponsored this content material for Westport Journal. Nuvance Well being is a system of nonprofit hospitals, medical practices and outpatient healthcare companies all through the Hudson Valley and western Connecticut, together with close by Norwalk Hospital. Go to nuvancehealth.org for extra info.
Sources: