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NourishKC

NourishKC

  • About
    • Staff and Board
  • Programs
    • Kansas City Community Kitchen
    • Culinary Training Program
    • Food Rescue Program
  • Get Involved
    • Volunteer
    • Donate
    • Events
  • Contact
    • Kitchen Hours & Location
    • Community Resources
    • COVID-19 Updates
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January Highlight: Variety for Health

We just finished the season of giving and feasting and joy. So what comes next? Why, it’s the season of illness and snot, of course! When you browse social media or listen to people around the water cooler, you’ll hear all sort of interesting ideas, recommendations, and home remedies to help you feel better fast. Some are legit, some aren’t. Some might work for one person while being completely useless for others. However, through this time of congestion and hacking try to remember that if there was a magical cure for the January crud, the secret would be out by now. There may be no magic pill, but there are things you can do when the sniffles hit:

Eating a wide variety of foods during the onset and duration of cold or flu is a good idea. There are a variety of nutrients, as well as physiological processes, involved in immunity, so making sure you are getting a good variety will help. Restricting your diet during times of acute illness is a bad idea; aside from needing variety, overall calorie and protein needs will increase with many symptoms of illness, including fever and labored breathing.

Scientific evidence is very mixed about how well vitamins and supplements actually work for illness prevention. Vitamin C and Zinc, for instance, are commonly found nutrients in supplements for cold prevention. The idea that Vitamin C helps colds stems from its role in immunity and the fact that it is 100% a sure thing that if you are deficient in Vitamin C you will get better faster if you have some, thus bringing yourself back up to baseline. However, getting more and more of a good thing doesn’t always equal great. Our bodies have a cap for water soluble vitamins such as Vitamin C, and when we reach that cap excess nutrients are flushed out of the system, offering no benefit. Some studies show that high doses of Zinc may help reduction in length of a cold by 24 hours if taken right at the initial onset. Other studies show no benefit at all.

This is just another example of how balance and moderation help to maintain a healthy body. Bottom line: eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, high-quality proteins, and grains for good overall nutrient quality. Wash your hands often and keep surfaces clean and disinfected. And, of course, make sure to get plenty of rest and clear fluids.

Lastly, the best advice I can give is to advise you NOT to give amateur medical advice. You may have read all about it on WebMD or even had a personal experience you want to share, but your unprofessional health advise may be harmful to others. For instance, you may think that eating an orange at the onset of a cold helps you feel better faster, but for someone with kidney failure who hasn’t yet started dialysis, oranges could cause a serious reaction leading to hospitalization. Eating grapefruit may seem like another good way to get that vitamin C, but that fruit can decrease the effectiveness of certain thyroid medications. The best medical advice to give is NONE. Do what is appropriate for you and let others do the same.

And if after a few days you or your loved one are still feeling under the weather, see a trained medical professional who can tell you what is going on inside and get you back on the road to recovery and good health.

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Did you make a resolution in 2021 to give back to Did you make a resolution in 2021 to give back to your community more? Well, now is your chance! 
Go to https://nourishkc.org/volunteer to start making an impact on hunger in Kansas City!
For lunch today we are having turkey casserole, ga For lunch today we are having turkey casserole, garlic bread, cesar salad, and peach cobbler! Stop by 750 the Paseo from 11am-2pm today to get a fresh made meal!
To start the new year positively, the NourishKC te To start the new year positively, the NourishKC team is practicing gratitude for the little things in life! 
What are you thankful for?
--Adaptive Change-- As we remember the life and le --Adaptive Change--
As we remember the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. the NourishKC team reflects on our seven core values that propel us forward. 
NourishKC continually adapts to the changing world, people, and processes. 

Make a difference in KC today by purchasing an item from our Amazon Wishlist! 
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NourishKC values an environment of learning. We st NourishKC values an environment of learning. We strive to continually push ourselves in learning how to bring food security to KC. 
Martin Luther King Jr. dreamed of a day we all learned to live together. We will keep pushing forward together.
#MLKdayon 

Make a difference in KC today by purchasing an item from our Amazon Wishlist! 
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Everyone deserves to be treated with respect and d Everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity. Martin Luther King Jr. paved the path to remind us to put others above ourselves. 
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