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News & Events for Health Empowerment // September 18, 2024
RECONNECTING WITH MY FOOD HERITAGE
Aifra Ruiz, PPMNY Lead Organizer, shares how choosing a plant-based lifestyle connects her to the deepest roots of her heritage:
As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, I reflect on how food has always been integral to our culture and history. I have fond memories of the traditional foods that shaped my upbringing in the Dominican Republic.
Our ancestors thrived on vibrant, plant-powered diets. In the Dominican Republic, plants like mangú (mashed plantains), guandules (pigeon peas), yuca (cassava), and batata (sweet potatoes) are everyday staples. These ingredients, full of flavor and nutrition, are deeply rooted in our cultural history. However, in modern times, we’ve moved away from these nourishing foods, and as a result, our community’s health has suffered.
Hispanic communities in the U.S. face higher rates of chronic diseases like diabetes and chronic kidney disease. According to the CDC, Hispanics are more likely to die from diabetes than other ethnic groups. In neighborhoods like Washington Heights and the Bronx, where a large portion of the population is of Hispanic descent, the rates of hypertension, diabetes, and obesity are alarmingly high.
As a Dominican immigrant living in the U.S., I’ve chosen to go back to my roots by embracing a plant-based lifestyle. It’s a way to honor my heritage while maintaining my health and well-being. Foods that have been part of our traditions for generations offer the power to heal.
I’m grateful for the opportunity to connect with my community and share this mensaje de sanación. By bringing plant-based education and delicious, nourishing, culturally sensitive recipes to our community, we can return to our roots and reclaim our health — one plate at a time.
Únete al Reto
Today is the last day to register for the 14-day Reto Salud a Base de Plantas at $50 before the fee increases to $99. Want to learn more? El Pais recently covered a previous Reto Salud and the positive impacts of plant-based nutrition.
If you or a Spanish speaker you know is ready to experience the power of eating plant-based, learn more:
Looking to explore whole food, plant-based recipes from the comfort of your own kitchen? Cooking with Chef Carole returns on Sunday, September 29. Register here, and we’ll send the recipes ahead of time so you can cook along!
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, certified Food For Life instructors Louise Cohen-Silver and Judy Lemco, a breast cancer survivor, will host Let’s Beat Breast Cancer: A Nutrition & Cooking Class on Wednesday, October 9th. They’ll prepare a delicious plant-based recipe while discussing how diet can reduce the risk of breast cancer — an important fact that fewer than 3 in 10 women may know.
Then we’re launching Savoring Health: Smart Eating Strategies for Men, a three-part cooking series running from October into November. Created by men for men (and the women who love them), this series features "gameday ready" recipes like cauliflower “chicken” wings, black bean burgers, and more!
Savoring Health: Smart Eating Strategies for Men Saturdays, 11:00 - 1:30 PM ET – Online October 19: Building a Stronger Heart: How Food Can Improve Men’s Heart Health October 26: Better In the Bedroom: How Food Can Improve Sexual Wellness November 2: Gauging the Pressure: How Food Can Improve Blood Pressure $25 for one class, $45 for two, or $60 for all three
Family Dinner & Pediatrician Chat Sunday, October 20 5:00 - 7:00 PM — Greenwich Village Presented with the Plant Powered Kids Festival Rethink Food, 116 W Houston Street $35/adult, $15/child – register here
Save the Date! Wednesday, October 23, 6:30 - 9:00 PM Plant Powered Movie Night at Rethink Food in Greenwich Village
Members of the United Teachers Federation gathered online last week for an active discussion about whole food, plant-based nutrition along with demonstrations of three flavorful dishes by Brandy Cochrane, PPMNY Culinary Educator.
At his first stop in our NYC tour at Columbia University’s Medical Center, Dr. Alan Goldhamer from TrueNorth Health Center explained to community members how to use diet and fasting to escape from the “pleasure trap” created by our highly-processed food system.
Speaking at NYU’s College of Nursing with views of the East River, Dr. Goldhamer impressed a diverse group of community members and healthcare professionals with the science and safety of medically-supervised water-only fasting.
Members of PPMNY’s network will be hosting three separate Let’s Beat Breast Cancer rallies in NYC, featuring live music and speakers. The first is tomorrow, September 19, in Manhattan’s Foley Square. View details
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Best-selling author, physician, and researcher Neal Barnard, MD, comes to the Upper West Side on October 5th on his Power Foods Revolution book tour, joined by special guests Chuck Carroll of the popular Exam Room Podcast, Chef Dustin Harder, and NYC plant-based cardiologist Robert Ostfeld, MD. View event
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Can’t make it to our Harlem movie nights? The Atlanta-based project Community Documentary Night will host a virtual discussion of Forks Over Knives later this month. RSVP here
Our mailing address: Plant Powered Metro New York, PO Box 20771, New York NY 10025
Plant Powered Metro New York empowers people to find better health and overcome chronic disease through whole food, plant-based nutrition. We offer evidence-based education, resources, and support to create community and inspire change throughout the New York metropolitan area.
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