The American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) published an infographic listing the eight risky behaviors that drive 15 chronic health conditions responsible for 90% of total health care costs worldwide. The 8 risky behaviors are

1) Poor diet
2) Physical inactivity
3) Smoking
4) Lack of health screening
5) Poor stress management
6) Insufficient sleep
7) Poor standard of care
8) Excessive alcohol consumption

Unfortunately, our political and education system encourages these risky behaviors because on the flip side, they support 90% of the health care economy, which of course, must grow. In our economic system, everything must grow or else, the fiat currency money game will collapse.

Our education system begins by indoctrinating children to eat unhealthy foods and the mass media promotes their physical inactivity, smoking, alcohol consumption and mental stress. The political system then funds endless wars over free, quality health care and the net result is that America boasts the most overweight and obese population in human history, with nearly half of all adults on anti-depressants, anti-anxiety medications or illegal drugs on a regular basis.

Of course, this isn’t just an American problem as the whole world has been colonized into these unhealthy, risky behaviors. I’m sure that future generations will look back in horror at the fact that the first 27 UN Climate change meetings, COP1 through COP27, were not vegan! Therefore, let’s help our dear friends at Plant Based Treaty to get at least COP28 to be 100% vegan by promoting their petition to the UN here.

If we wish to transform this system, the first step is to get healthy by doing the opposite of these risky behaviors. This is the oxygen mask rule – take care of yourself first before helping others.

Here’s our first attempt at transforming the ACLM list of 8 risky behaviors into 8 healthy behaviors:

1) Whole-foods, plant-based vegan diet
2) Regular exercise (Hatha Yoga)
3) Conscious breathing (Pranayama)
4) Regular health checkups
5) Meditation
6) Adequate sleep and leisure
7) Sense of purpose
8) Contact with the sacredness of nature

Of course, the first step is to ensure that healthy, whole foods, plant-based, universal vegan meals are freely available to every human being on the planet, which is what we are doing with the Food Healers initiative. On the education front, Mayor Eric Adams has introduced a Food Education roadmap to promote healthier school communities across New York city. No doubt, with proper nudging, other cities will follow suit in short order.

However, we wish that private educational institutions would inculcate these 8 healthy behaviors in their students without waiting for directions from above.

The Million Vegan Grandmothers Commend Ollas Comunes Veganas

The Million Vegan Grandmothers sent a letter of appreciation to the Ollas Comunes Veganas foundation that is introducing healthy vegan food to the thousands of community kitchens serving Peru:

Rosa Luyo
Fundadora Ollas Comunes Veganas Peru
Lima
Peru
Email: ollascomunesveganasperu@gmail.com
Ph: +51-902-976-312

Estimada Rosa,

Es con gran alegría que les escribimos para apoyar el trabajo que están haciendo para llevar el veganismo a las muchas cocinas comunitarias y ollas comunes de Perú. Como el país que generalmente se cree que tiene más cocinas comunitarias que cualquier otro – un país para el que la preparación de comida comunal es una piedra de toque cultural – Perú ya es un modelo a imitar, pero su trabajo lleva su ejemplo inspirador a un nuevo nivel.

Creemos que iniciativas locales como Ollas Comunes Veganas son esenciales si queremos salvar nuestro planeta para las generaciones venideras, mejorar la salud de la gente y eliminar el sufrimiento de millones de animales.

Como parte de la red global de solidaridad, seguimos vuestro progreso con admiración y mantenemos vuestro brillante ejemplo en nuestra conciencia y en nuestros corazones. Nuestro feroz amor por los niños de todas las especies nos obliga a expresarnos con gratitud. ¡Gracias por vuestro apasionado e inestimable trabajo!

Con mucho amor vegano,

The Million Vegan Grandmothers
Climate Healers
3145 E Chandler Blvd #110-233
Phoenix, AZ 85048
t: +1-732-809-3526
e: grandmothers@climatehealers.org
w: https://millionvegangrandmothers.org

Rosa Luyo
Founder Ollas Comunes Veganas Peru
Lima
Peru
Email: ollascomunesveganasperu@gmail.com
Ph: +51-902-976-312

Dear Rosa,

It is with great joy that we write to you in support of the work that you are doing to bring veganism to the many community kitchens of Peru. As the country generally believed to have more community kitchens than any other—a country for whom communal meal preparation is a cultural touchstone—Peru is already a model to be emulated, but your work takes its inspiring example to a new level.

We believe that local initiatives like Ollas Comunes Veganas are essential if we are to save our planet for the coming generations, improve the health of the people, and eliminate the suffering of millions of animals.

As part of the global network of care, we are following your progress with admiration and keeping your shining example in our consciousness and in our hearts. Our fierce love for the children of all species compels us to speak out with gratitude. Thank you for your passionate and invaluable work!

With much Vegan Love,

The Million Vegan Grandmothers
Climate Healers
3145 E Chandler Blvd #110-233
Phoenix, AZ 85048
t: +1-732-809-3526
e: grandmothers@climatehealers.org
w: https://millionvegangrandmothers.org

Please feel free to copy this letter, modify as necessary and pass it on to the foundation. I’m sure that they will greatly appreciate it.

Thank you for your support.

HELP us every day to

Heal the planet.
Eat plants.
Love animals.
Plant trees.

It’s that simple.

Thanks again for being a superhero and joining our herd. Please forward this post to all your friends and let’s grow our MOOOvement together.

With much love,
Sailesh on behalf of Vega, Cow and Climate Healer and the Climate Healers core team
(Akhil, Alison, Anne, BJ, Carl, Chip, Debra, Gabriele, Giva, Ilse, Jamen, Kelly, Ken, Kimaya, Krish, Maggie, Marco, Paige, Pareen, Paul, Ray, Sailesh, Sarah, Shankar, Stacey, Suzanne, Tami and Vega, the Cow and Climate Healer).