Healthy living empowers us to be more prosperous. New ways of thinking can help make healthy choices easier, like how many food types you rely on and diversifying your choices. Thinking about food types simply as energy and nutrients may overlook how farming specific plants and animals touches many different issues like health, economics and the environment.

Our World

Nowadays, agriculture relies on efficiency that delivers abundance. More people worldwide depend on high yielding staple crops like corn, wheat and rice grown by a small portion of the population. Many farming systems rely on intensive management on limited land where farmers operate on low margins. At the same time, abundance has paved the way for alternatives like conservation practices, organic farming and small farms direct marketing to consumers. Food can also be uniquely local and global. Local food conjures up thoughts of in season produce at peak freshness while year round availability and exotic produce makes food global.

Diversify

To diversify food choices, figure out a baseline within your dietary restrictions. Think about what you desire from healthy food choices like variety, sustainability, flavor or simply feeling more vibrant. Staple foods like grains, animal products and non-perishables are cost-effective. You can easily diversify your food choices with fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices. A simple shift from your own baseline may change your personal and family health or even the health of other people and the planet.

Exercise

Try this simple exercise on your own, with a partner or your children.

• Think about what you ate yesterday
• What food types made up your meals? – Food types are specific plants and animals like corn, dairy cow, tomato or lettuce
• Can you diversify the food types next time you eat?
• Post your experience in the comments below.

What changes would you like to make around healthy living?

Can a simple exercise help you make more healthy food choices?