Five ways to improve your health by eating locally
"The requirement to live off the land will be crucial to our future in space, just as it was to Lewis and Clark."
- Michael Griffin
We are experiencing a great shift in our culture. More and more people are resisting commercially grown engineered food, seeking alternatives in locally grown organic food. Eating food in season and grown locally not only reduces exposure to chemical and pesticides, 
but it also keeps in rhythm with our bodies natural cycle. In human primitive history, we lived off the land gathering and hunting what was in our immediate area or followed the game according to the season. This natural cycle and rhythm is what our bodies were designed for and there seems to be a calling or return to that way of living. We have to admit that grocery stores and fast food do not really connect us with our food. Many times, we are not sure what we are eating. Preventable diseases, such as diabetes, are directly related to the way we eat. The risk for other chronic conditions could be greatly reduced by simply changing our relationship with food.
Here are five ways that you can eat locally in Indianapolis:
- CSA- CSA, or Community Shared Agriculture, is a way for consumers to buy local, seasonal food direct from family farms. It consists of consumers purchasing a “share” of the farmer’s crop and the farmer delivering fresh seasonal produce (because it is based on what is available) to the consumer directly. You may not get the same food or amounts each week, but this provides a great opportunity to stretch your taste palette and get creative. For information on local CSA opportunities contact Local Harvest at http://www.localharvest.org/csa/.
- Farmers’ Market- If you do not like surprise veggies, or you prefer to pick and choose your own, the farmers’ market is a great place to get connected with local growers. You can sift through what is available and choose the perfect specimen for your gourmet dish. It also gives one the chance to talk with the grower to get the nitty gritty details about the food that you are purchasing.
- Restaurants serving local cuisine- Restaurants like The Loft at Traders Point Creamery, have locally grown, fresh seasonal food on
their menu. Since food changes with the seasons, their menu changes often. Other restaurants in town, like City Café on the corner of Michigan and Pennsylvania streets in downtown Indy, serve a variety of shipped and local produce. They do a great job of balancing the menu and supporting local farmers with tasty dishes. - Food Coop- A food coop is a grocery store owned and operated by its members and growers for mutual benefit. They typically follow the 7 Cooperative Principles and offer natural organic foods. In Indianapolis, there are a few groceries operating as a coop. The largest and most well known is Pogues Run. They not only offer access to great home grown foods, but they also offer education on nutrition and healthy living.
- Grow your own!- Growing your own vegetables requires very little money to start and is extremely gratifying. You can learn about growing your own veggies on Amy Mullins’ blog, The Fraudulent Farmgirl.
The bottom line about healthy eating is that it starts with you. All it takes is a little initiative to make one small change at a time. The best way to start is to take a typical meal and make it over using healthier ingredients. Take advantage of a CSA and experiment with fresh foods and new combinations. If you are not ready for that, visit your local food coop or farmers’ market. If cooking is not for you, let someone else handle the preparations. Try one of our locally owned restaurants that serve foods made with fresh grown produce. Make a commitment to take one small step from this list and see what a difference it can make in your life. When there is a will, there is a way.