We hope you are all having a wonderful fall. As we look back at October, we are so proud to report that our donors and volunteers created and delivered 359 nutritious and delicious meals, and donated over $2900 worth of produce, dry goods, and more. November is a busy month with the end of Daylight Savings Time on November 7th, Veterans’ Day November 11th, a partial lunar eclipse on November 18th, and of course Thanksgiving on November 25th. As the days slowly get a little colder and a little shorter, we hope the spirit of giving will keep you warm all season long. 

The late summer bounty has been harvested, but what can you do to preserve your excess produce so that your family can eat fresh all winter? Freezing vegetables is one option. Blanch the veggies for a few minutes first, this stops the enzyme process and retains the nutrients while frozen. Some foods can be dried either by sunlight or in the oven – no need for a fancy food dehydrator. Pickling is always a delicious option, I pickled my last few green tomatoes last year with much success. Canning is an intimidating option for some, but if you own an Instant Pot, it is easier than ever these days.

Read More:
Preserving Your Harvest
A Beginner’s Guide to Canning

Just because it’s November doesn’t mean your garden can’t keep flourishing. Carrots, kale, onions, and garlic can all withstand the dropping temps. Rutabagas, turnips, parsnips and more – plant them now and you will be treated to fresh veggies all year round. Winter vegetables contain nutrients essential to keeping the Winter Blues at bay. See what grows best in your neck of the woods.

Vitamin D For You & Me

What if I told you that vitamin D insufficiency affects half the adult population and 70% of American children? And what if I told you that lack of Vitamin D has been linked to high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, bone loss, chronic pain, obesity, depression, autoimmune disorders and more? Well, you’d probably think that this must be a complex and difficult problem to overcome, since it’s affecting so many people in so many different ways. 

But I’m here to assure you – the treatment is simple….and delicious.   

Vitamin D is not actually a vitamin at all, but a hormone synthesized by the skin from sun exposure, then activated in the liver and kidneys. (Sun exposure – remember that part) Most of us are getting along with an insufficient amount of vitamin D for our bodies to function, but we need an optimal level of vitamin D for our bodies to function optimally. When our bodies are efficiently using vitamin D at optimal levels, all functions of the body improve. At the correct level, vitamin D can reduce the risk of acute respiratory tract infections and it is known to play an important role in immune function. We saw these results first hand during the COVID-19 pandemic – patients with lower than normal vitamin D levels showed an increase in severity of symptoms and had a higher risk of death. 

Vitamin D is a powerhouse on its own, but what it does in tandem with other nutrients is really where it shines. It controls and improves the very basic functions of our cells, making it one of the most potent cancer inhibitors found in the body. It improves the cell receptors that communicate with our genes, which is how it can optimize so many functions. It works with vitamin K to help you absorb calcium efficiently, and together they prevent calcium from building up in our organs and are essential to the clotting process. They help get the right nutrients to the right places in your body.

That is why we want to keep our vitamin D levels in mind as we enter this cold and flu season, not only because it is essential to our immune system but as we reach the colder months, we spend less time outdoors in the sun absorbing and synthesizing this necessary nutrient. Dark skin types and aging skin produce less vitamin D – a 70 year old person creates only 25% of the vitamin D that a 20 year old does. The rise in lactose intolerance has caused more folks to shun milk, a huge source of this nutrient. Generally, we just stay inside a lot more than our ancestors and eat a lot less fresh produce than they did.  

So this winter let’s follow the words of Hippocrates and “let food be thy medicine.” We may not feel the sunshine on our faces but we can naturally add a great boost of this essential nutrient to our dishes. Fresh leafy greens like kale, wild salmon and mackerel are a few foods that are high in vitamin D, as well as most cruciferous vegetables like brussels sprouts and cauliflower. Add a handful of spinach and mushrooms to your morning omelette – keep the yolks in if you can, there’s lots of vitamin D in there too! Ask your doctor to check and discuss your vitamin D levels at your next visit. And if you are considering supplements, check the label as D3 and K2 are considered the most effective forms. It is not enough for our bodies to merely function in this life, we need them to function optimally. 

There’s nothing like a bowl of soup on a fall day. Mushrooms produce vitamin D by processing UV light much like humans. They produce more D2 per calorie than any other vegetable! This sounds crazy, but scientists say that you can put your store bought mushrooms on the widow sill & they will continue to manufacture vitamin D from the sunlight. Try it for yourself!