M6.7 Blog: Obesogens

In the state of California, there are several fruits and vegetables currently in season. I was unable to find a single calendar encompassing all of the harvest produce in California, but found that each fruit or vegetable that came up in my search comes with its own calendar and set of recipes:

In general, there are quite a few produce that are in season. These include, but are not limited to, the following:

I found this site very handy, I love that it also includes recipes and the specific time frame for the harvest season of each fruit or vegetable. I am constantly looking for ways to eat healthy and get creative in the kitchen, timing is often challenging for me so I don't cook as much as I should. I really would like to eat more local foods. I think the main barriers are finances and again finding the time to cook and meal prep. I think most barriers to eating organically come down to education and affordability, most people I know want to eat healthy but can't buy the healthier options without breaking the bank. Despite this, incorporating seasonal harvest menus/recipes in my life and that of places such as hospitals, which definitely could use menu reform, would be highly beneficial. Hospitals here in the US should work to model NHS's approach in creating a database for seasonal menus in order to promote nutrition and wellness among patients and staff.

In San Leandro, we have farmers markets typically every Wednesday and Saturday. They offer fresh fruit and vegetables as well as baked goods. Live music and entertainment are also an added incentive to attend these markets. Most of the farms near San Leandro are in Alameda,  Hayward, Castro Valley and Fremont. There appears to be one in San Leandro called Dig Deep Farms and Produce which focuses on increasing access to healthy foods for vulnerable communities in the East Bay.

In terms of Obesogens, this was actually the first time that I had ever heard of them. When we think of obesity, many people just think it is just a  matter of little to no exercise and poor eating habits that contribute to weight gain. There are other social, mental health and economic factors that contribute to obesity, but I never really thought about how the actual doses of chemicals in our food could contribute to the high rates of obesity we see today. As someone who struggles with her weight, managing what I eat and finding the time to exercise and cook healthy meals are part of an ongoing battle. Despite my efforts to eat healthy, it is scary to know that the chemicals in my food have predisposed me to obesity and that they contribute to the fluctuating struggle to keep my weight down. I am so used to blaming myself for my failures to control my weight, but now I know that this is a much more complex problem than I thought. 

The obesogen I decided to research was diethylstilbestrol (DES). As mentioned in the article, DES is a form of synthetic estrogen that was given to pregnant women to prevent miscarriage. It is highly associated with weight gain, vaginal cancer among adolescents, adult breast cancer, and is a known cause of hormone disruption. According to ToxNet, DES is also carcinogenic to humans. Exposure in the womb can lead to reproductive abnormalities, cardiovascular and limb abnormalities, vaginal and cervical cancer in girls, breast enlargement/feminization and urogenital abnormalities in boys.

Pretty scary !!! 😱

https://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search2/f?./temp/~qhwPTB:3