Author: Michael Hetrick

4 Tips for a Healthy Heart

Your heart plays a huge role in many functions of your body and is worth protecting. Making healthy choices can reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Eating a variety of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy and lean protein can help prevent and manage chronic disease. It is also important to limit the consumption of foods high in unhealthy fats, sodium and added sugar. The 4 tips for a healthy heart below will help you take steps toward a healthy diet.

Fill up on fiber

Fiber is found in plant-based foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans and legumes. It is the part of the plant that the body can’t digest or absorb. Fiber helps us stay full longer, lowers cholesterol levels, helps control blood sugar and aids in digestion.

To add more fiber to your day:

  • Try switching to whole grains like oats, brown rice and whole wheat pasta.
  • Eat fruits and vegetables throughout the day. Be sure to eat the peel of vegetables and choose whole fruit over juice.
  • Eat more beans, peas and lentils. Add them to soups, salads or casseroles.

Choose healthy fats more often

Fat is essential for body function, but it is important to make healthy choices when it comes to the type of fat.

Healthy Fats – Choose these foods more often

  • Unsaturated – These fats are generally liquid at room temperature and come mainly from plant products such as nuts, oil and avocados. Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of unsaturated fat found in fatty fish like salmon, trout, tuna and sardines. Unsaturated fats help to lower your cholesterol, reducing your risk of heart disease and stroke.

Unhealthy Fats – Choose these foods less often

  • Saturated – These fats are generally solid at room temperature and are found in fatty meats such as bacon, sausage and pork as well as animal products like cheese and butter. Saturated fats can raise your bad cholesterol and increase your risk of heart disease and stroke.
  • Trans – These fats are found mainly in processed foods like fried foods and baked goods. Trans fats raise your bad cholesterol and lower your good cholesterol, increasing your risk of heart disease.

Be mindful of what you drink

Drinking water or non-sugar-sweetened beverages like black coffee or unsweet tea can help lower your risk of heart disease by eliminating excess calories from added sugar that could cause weight gain.

Try flavoring your water by adding sliced lemons, cucumbers and fresh mint or combine 100% fruit juice and carbonated water for a healthier version of soda.

Stay active

Healthy choices for your heart do not only involve the foods you eat. Exercise is a great way to strengthen and protect your heart from disease. It can lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels and can also reduce stress.

Try to reach 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week. Be sure to include activities around the house like cleaning and yard work. Start small and make physical activity fun!

 

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“You are helping people more than you think”

John

On a sunny day recently, we met John at one of our monthly drive-thru produce distributions. He told us it wasn’t his first visit, but he really preferred our drive-thru method we have been using during the pandemic.

“I’ve been to some other food pantries in town and there was a lot of sitting and waiting,” he told us. “I can’t really do that being disabled like I am.”

John said he just started receiving disability benefits last year, and while “it ain’t much” it is at least some help for him.

“The food I get here helps me out and it saves my grocery money that I can put towards other bills,” he said. “It’s nice getting milk and eggs when we get those. They have gotten high.”

John wanted to thank everyone who helps in the distribution and allows him to receive nutritious food.

“You are helping people more than you think,” he said.

1 in 5 East Texans like John are facing hunger today. You can be the 1 to help in 2021 when you donate money, volunteer or hold a virtual food drive for the East Texas Food Bank.

“We have been able to have enough food for everyone that comes.”

Ursula

Ursula Plaisance has been the director of Helping Hands of Kilgore, an East Texas Food Bank partner agency, for just over four years. However, nothing could have prepared her for the effects of 2020 on her pantry.

“COVID really rocked all of our worlds,” Ursula said. “We’ve seen an influx of people that have had job losses. Some that are just not able to make ends meet because their hours have gotten reduced. Some have gone on furlough, so that has affected a lot of our families.”

Helping Hands of Kilgore normally sees between 70 to 90 new families each month, but that number doubled during September and October.

“We’ve seen a lot of new families,” Ursula said. “We have been able to have enough food for everyone that comes. Thanks to the help from the East Texas Food Bank, we get the items we need.”

Due to COVID, Ursula told us the pantry had to make some changes in how they serve their clients. This included placing a table at the entrance where food items are gathered. Once complete, clients pick up their items and the table is cleaned and sanitized before the next client’s items are gathered.

“We have everyone wear masks,” Ursula said. “We just want to be very cautious for our volunteers and clients.”

Speaking of volunteers, Ursula said they have “been remarkable” during these tough months.

“When we train volunteers, they love to come and work,” she said. “They look forward to being here. We are like a big family.”

Ursula knows that hunger will still exists after the COVID pandemic is over, but she is glad Helping Hands of Kilgore will be there to help.

“Without the East Texas Food Bank, I don’t think we could run as smoothly and as confident knowing that we are going to get the produce that we need to distribute to our families,” Ursula said. “None of this would be possible without the food bank.”

Touring the East Texas Food Bank

AEP

Recently, Mark Robinson with Southwestern Electric Power Company, toured the East Texas Food Bank and made a generous donation. He was so struck by what he saw, that he wanted to share his experience with us.

“I was quite pleased when the American Electric Power Foundation approved our funding request for holiday hunger programs in the East Texas area. One of our best regional partners for facilitating these types of programs is the East Texas Food Bank. While I always enjoy the large check presentation, what really impressed me was the “behind the scenes” facility tour. I viewed their nutritious cooking training program, their after school backpack program, and their large order palletizing process. With great passion, the staff communicated the overwhelming need, the role of proper nutrition and the importance of their client’s dignity.

As we passed the packaging section, I saw several dented cereal boxes and was struck by a memory from my youth. Usually, our family would buy the damaged discount products to make our finances stretch. But, I specifically remember going to the cupboards in our home and having no food to eat. I remember the pain in my parent’s voice when they informed us we didn’t have the money to buy food. I can still mentally return to our family huddle where we prayed for provision. I distinctly recall to love of neighbors and friends who met us in our need and gave us three car loads of groceries. To a young child, it was like Christmas!

As I left the East Texas Food Bank, I was reminded how blessed I am to work for a company provides a stable income for my family while investing in the communities it serves. It truly is the culture of our employees to reach out a helping hand when presented with a need. I’m looking forward to 2021, but 2020 held a lot of truth for me.”

Their generous donation will provide up to 320,000 for East Texas children, families and seniors facing huger. Mark added “If this year you have been blessed with extra, please consider finding a family in need and paying it forward.” If you would like to donate to the East Texas Food Bank, click here. Every $1 donated provides up to 8 meals for our neighbors in need.

East Texas Food Bank to receive philanthropic investment from MacKenzie Scott

Recently, philanthropist MacKenzie Scott published a list of charitable investments that she is making in non-profits across the United States, Puerto Rico and Washington D.C. According to the article Scott published on Medium, 384 organizations were selected and the East Texas Food Bank is honored and proud to be included in this list of gift recipients.

“We are quickly convening our board of directors, leadership team and other stakeholders to ensure that the philanthropy entrusted to us will help more East Texans access more nutritious food and support services equitably and efficiently- now, during the crisis of COVID-19, and for the long term,” said East Texas Food Bank Chief Executive Officer Dennis Cullinane.

ETFB plans to share details about the gift and how it will be invested across ETFB’s 26 county service area in early 2021.

“This generous investment in the East Texas Food Bank is a vote of confidence in the work we are all doing together to end hunger in East Texas,” Cullinane said. “Every partner agency, volunteer, donor, staff member, board member and stakeholder should feel proud to receive this recognition and investment.”

Cullinane added that the investment will serve to advance our strategic plan and our capacity to achieve the goal of ending hunger in East Texas by enabling us to invest in initiatives and tactics that up until now lacked resources.

“The hunger crisis is bigger than what any one philanthropist can solve,” Cullinane added. Ending hunger and its devastating effects in East Texas is within our reach when we all come together to fight hunger. With this investment and continued generosity of all East Texans, we can end hunger together.”

The announcement comes as East Texas is battling an unprecedented hunger crisis. Texas has the 7th highest food insecurity rate in the nation. Locally, one in five East Texans, including one in three children, is facing hunger. That’s 256,410 East Texans, including 96,350 children and households of color experience disproportionately higher rates of hunger.

“The East Texas Food Bank values transparency and after a thorough review, analysis and strategic planning, we will share our plans for this investment and the impact it will have on the people we serve,” Cullinane added.