It’s Real! “Presidential Food, Not Lawns”

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An Open Letter to First Lady Michelle Obama

On behalf of all of us who encouraged the return of farming to the White House– thank you, First Lady Michelle Obama, for listening to our health and nutritional concerns.

With nearly half of the U.S. population contending with obesity and the incidence of diabetes and metabolic disorders on the rise, you understand that the key to reversing these trends lies in eating fresher and less refined foods, which is grown closer to home.

Not only did you chose to use your influence as First Lady to lead by example through incorporating homegrown food into your own family’s diet, but you are also setting an example of preventative medicine for younger generations and the nation at large.

However, don’t write off beets just yet! The nutritional benefits would be highly advantageous to the president to help offset any detrimental effects potentially associated with the stress of being a leader in such difficult economic times. A study conducted by Dr. Steven Zeisel showed regular dietary intake of betaine, a compound similar to choline and naturally occurring in beets, reduced inflammatory markers associated with heart disease, Type 2 Diabetes, and Alzheimer’s in patients nearly 20%. This is not to say that President Obama suffers from such conditions. Rather, beets can symbolically serve as part of a larger understanding of how to protect and prevent an epidemic of nutritional deficits. If President Obama doesn’t like the taste of beets, then have him try its above-ground counterpart instead: beet greens, an often overlooked, delectably delicious and nutritious equivalent.

Beet greens add calcium, potassium, vitamin K, and beta-carotene among other micronutrients and fiber to the diet. They are very easy to sauté with garlic, olive oil, and a finish of balsamic vinegar. This uncomplicated combination of ingredients is a simplistically elegant way to keep a body healthy. Vinegar adds an extra nutritional benefit by making the elements of vegetable greens more bio-available, which aids in the absorption of iron and stimulates gastric acid secretion for better digestion. Olive oil contains high levels of healthy omega oils, leading to supple skin and hair, not to mention it’s benefits for memory and the brain. And lastly, garlic, a member of the allium family, contains powerful sulfur compounds, which has links to the prevention of cancers and colds.

Here’s what I’m trying to get say: By planting a garden on the White House lawn, you have shown that the health of our nation, individually and collectively, is not to be lost in difficult economic times. In fact, the collective health of our nation is a product of each individual family making healthy, sustainable choices as you have chosen to do with yours.

Perhaps with the army of world-class chefs in your new home, President Obama can learn to love the beet and all the delicious attributes it has to offer.

May you have many hours of enjoyment in your new garden!

Sincerely,

Karen Peterson
ND3 student at the National College of Natural Medicine