Wellness February 2019

CHILTON COUNTY

FEBRUARY 2019

JUMPING HEALTH

INTO

INSIDE

KEYS TO DENTAL HEALTH INTRO TO AQUAFIT HEALTH THROUGH PLANTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS 12 4

Walk-in's Welcome!

29 In-house lab and x-ray

JUMPING INTO HEALTH

4

Trampoline class offers cardio workout

Q&A WITH DENTIST SHARON NEW GLASS 12 Dental health key to overall health

AQUAFIT 20 Cornerstone provides water exercise classes

Savannah Moon, CRNP Jennifer Hobbs, CRNP

A NEW APPROACH Anika Chrishon fi nds better health in plant-based diet

a division of

ON THE COVER Rosanna DeVaugh leaps into the air during a Jump Sport class.

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Jumping into

HEALTH Trampoline class offers cardio workout

STORY AND PHOTOS BY JOYANNA LOVE

T

rampolines have long been a favorite piece of equipment with children, but recent creative workouts have adults enjoying

them also.

The Jump Sport class at the YMCA of Chilton County uses trampolines to pro-

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vide a cardio intervals workout that participants are enjoying.

In the first month that the class was offered, the 10 available spots were regularly being filled up early.

Each class starts with attendees picking out a small trampoline and exercise bar.

Trampolines are spaced out so that each participant is a safe distance from waving arms during the exercises.

Rosanna DeVaugh leads the class in warmups before any high jumping starts. Just how high someone goes is limited only by their comfort level.

“We tell them to modify as they need to,” DeVaughn said.

While DeVaughn can jump pretty high during the workout, she encourages class participants to not push themselves too far but to do what they are able.

“Every move is modifiable,” DeVaughn said. “I always tell them that if their heart rate is getting up where they feel it is too high, just step off and then step side-to-side.

Don’t just stop.”

DeVaugh said the exercises are low impact on joints because jumping on a trampoline puts less stress on joints than jumping on the floor.

A cardio portion may include jumping side-to-side, small jumps

Participants use exercise bars for strength exercises.

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Cardio intervals workout While each Jump Sport class is slightly different, these that might be included.

Side Jumps Crystal Fox jumps from one side of the trampoline to another.

Twist Jump Fox moves her arms from side to side and twists while jumping.

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Jumping Jacks Brittany Curtis does a jumping jack on the trampoline.

examples are some of the exercises Plank Rosanna DeVaughn uses a trampoline for strengthening exercises while doing a plank and side plank.

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while twisting side-to-side and jumping jacks before a series of high jumps.

“We do a set of cardio, probably four to five minutes of cardio, then we do strength training, then we do it again,” DeVaughn said. “So, we take our heart rate up and down.

We do some high jumps and then some lower things.”

Each exercise is demonstrated by DeVaughn before the class goes through the set. A set consists of doing the four exercises three times.

After each set of cardio comes strength exercises.

“Interval training, taking you heart rate up and down like that, burns more calories, and it gets your body into a fat burning range ... faster,” DeVaughn said.

The strength exercises portion may use the trampoline or an exercise bar. The trampoline is sometimes used as a surface to do a plank and stretches, while the exercise bar is held for different lifts and stretches.

Sometimes they do lunges with the exercise bar on their back or do dead lifts.

“Sometimes we use weights and other equipment,” DeVaughn said.

The classes do not build on themselves, so someone could attend at any time. However, the trampolines are available on a first-come, first-serve basis, so arriving early is encouraged.

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How high participants jump is determined by their comfort level.

DeVaughn said the exercises in each class time do become more difficult as the class goes on, starting with warm ups and building to higher jumps and more intense stretches.

“Each class is different,” DeVaughn said. “It is not the same for every class, so everyone knows what is going on for every class.”

The class has especially appealed to those looking for a new, different kind of workout, such as Crystal Fox. “I have been a member of the Y for a while and I have been a part of the Cardio Swag class, so I like intense cardio workouts,” Fox said. “I heard about Jump Sport coming, and I knew that Rosanna is a good coach that she pushes you.”

After having attended Jump Sport several times, Fox said she has really enjoyed the class. She said she especially enjoys “the variation. It’s not just straight workout.

It’s fun.”

“You are getting to jump on a trampoline, like a kid, but you are incorporating different moves with your body, so it is toning and strengthening as well as your cardio.

Fox said she burns an average on 700 to 900 calories per class.

Finding her balance on the trampoline was challenging at first, Fox said.

Executive Director, Richard Fallin, LPC

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Rosanna DeVaughn demonstrates a high knee jog.

An exercise bar is used for strength exercises to give participants heart rates time to slow down.

“The trampolines are very sturdy,” DeVaughn said. “They don’t just flip if you put all your weight on one side.”

Once Fox felt steady, following the class was pretty simple.

“The workout is great,” Crystal said. “You feel it at the end with sore leg muscles.”

She said each class ends with exercises for the abdominal muscles.

The class is open to those 14 years old or older regardless of fitness level.

The Jump Sport class was started by request after someone saw a similar workout in a video online and suggested that such a workout be offered at the Y. DeVaughn said she has enjoyed “seeing all the different people that come, people from all fitness levels.”

“It has really drawn a lot of people who do not normally

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come to class because it’s just fun,” DeVaughn said. “People are just so curious what it is like to jump on a trampoline after all of these years.”

The instructor said everyone who has attended has said they enjoy it.

She has also enjoyed creating the cardio intervals for the class.

DeVaughn has been a Y instructor for several years.

“I have taught everything from Pilates ... to water aerobics at the city pool,” DeVaughn said.

“I’ve taught just about everything they have.”

The Jump Sport class is offered on Mondays and Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. While registration is not required, DeVaughn encouraged participants to get there early to ensure a spot.

The class is $5 for nonmembers and free for members.

Lifts are part of the strengthening exercises.

Daily steps to keep your heart healthy Heart disease is a formidable foe.

According the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease accounts for nearly 25 percent of all deaths in the United States each year.

Issues relating to the heart affect both men and women, and an estimated 15 million adults in the U.S. have coronary heart disease, the most common type of heart disease.

Such statistics are disconcerting, but they can serve as a wake-up call that compels people to prioritize heart health.

Fortunately, heart disease is often preventable and people can employ various strategies to reduce their risk: • Stop smoking right now. One of the best things to do to protect the heart is to stop smoking. The Heart Foundation indicates that smoking reduces oxygen in the blood and damages blood vessel walls. It also contributes to atherosclerosis, or a narrowing and clogging of the arteries.

• Eat healthy fats. When eating, choose polyunsaturated and unsaturated fats

and avoid trans fats as much as possible. Trans fats increase one’s risk of developing heart disease by clogging arteries and raising LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. Read food labels before buying anything at the store.

• Keep your mouth clean. Studies show that bacteria in the mouth involved in the development of gum disease can travel to the bloodstream and cause an elevation in C-reactive protein, a marker for blood vessel inflammation. Brush and floss twice daily, and be sure to schedule routine dental cleanings.

• Get adequate shut-eye. Ensuring adequate sleep can improve heart health.

One study found that young and middle-age adults who regularly slept seven hours a night had less calcium in their arteries (a sign of early heart disease) compared to those who slept five hours or less or those who slept nine hours or more.

• Adopt healthy eating habits.

Changes to diet, including eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein, can help you lose and maintain a healthy weight, improve cholesterol levels and reduce blood pressure – leading to a healthier heart.

• Embrace physical activity. Regular moderate exercise is great for the heart. It can occur at the gym, playing with the kids or even taking the stairs at work.

Cardiovascular care close to home.

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1/28/19 12:15 PM

Dr. Sharon New Glass stands in one of the patient rooms in her dentist office.

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Q&A with Dentist Sharon New Glass Dental health is key to overall health STORY AND PHOTOS BY JOYANNA LOVE

L

ocal dentist Dr. Sharon New Glass emphasizes that good oral hygiene is important to overall health.

“I think that people forget that the mouth is a part of the body,” Glass said. “Outside of wanting to have a beautiful smile, and not wanting to have tooth pain, having a healthy mouth is extremely important to overall good general health because there are correlations between unhealthy teeth and gums and cardiovascular disease (and) diabetes ... A healthy mouth makes a healthy body.”

She shared some tips on having a healthy mouth during a recent interview.

Q: What is the most important thing people can do to keep their teeth healthy?

Glass: A healthy diet, routine care at home and at the dental office, which includes using a soft toothbrush, dental floss, sometimes fluoride rinses. Seeing your dentist and hygienist regularly, so they can help you maintain the health of your teeth(and) have the proper radiographs so they can diagnose ... Sugar is hidden in places you don’t expect (complex carbohydrates.) So many people nowadays put extra effort into having a healthy diet, so they turn to things like granola and dried fruit. You think, “That’s great,” but if you are crunching on granola that is too hard, you are going to break your existing dental work if you are not careful. If you are eating a lot of dried fruit, because it does have natural sugars and it is sticky, if you are not brushing and flossing regularly after having those items, then you have an

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Dentist Sharon New Glass holds a portable X-ray unit. The handheld X-ray machine allows staff more flexibility in angles for an X-ray. Glass said the device is especially helpful for patients in wheel chairs.

“A healthy mouth makes a healthy body.”

–Dr. Sharon New Glass increased risk of decay because you have that sticky fruit stuck to your teeth. Fresh fruits and vegetables would definitely be more beneficial to your oral health. There are also foods in your diet that can fight the bacteria that causes tooth decay — a high protein diet, nuts and cheeses.

Q: Is the type of toothpaste important?

Glass: We try to encourage patients with sensitive teeth to avoid whitening toothpastes. It can increase sensitivity if they use a whitening toothpaste. The toothpaste for sensitivity has a tendency to help, so those who have sensitive teeth will benefit from a sensitive toothpaste ... I tell my patients if you don’t like the taste, you aren’t going to use it, so find one that you like as long as it is a fluoride toothpaste.

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Daily 6am-4pm

Q: Why is fluoride so important?

Glass: Fluoride helps re-mineralize and strengthen the tooth (and) makes it resistant to decay. A lot of dental research out there statistically shows the benefits of having fluoride to fight tooth decay. That alone won’t keep a person from having cavities. If they don’t have a healthy diet and they don’t use a toothbrush (it won’t help) ... Fluoride is a benefit but it’s not the only factor.

Q: Is there a certain amount of time that gives the most benefit?

Glass: In general, we recommend two minutes as a minimum at least twice a day. Some patients get away with once a day, and there are people out there who need three times a day ... The key is to brush all of the surfaces of the teeth on the inside and the outside, chewing surfaces as well as at the gum line.

Q: How healthy is whitening toothpaste?

Glass: It is purely for an aesthetic ... I personally don’t feel that the benefit from the whitening toothpaste outweighs the disadvantage of the sensitivity that most of our patients experience.

Q: How important is flossing, and how often do you recommend patients floss?

Glass: I recommend to patients to make an effort to floss daily. There are other factors that come into play.

There are people out there that can never floss, and they never get decay in their teeth. You have patients who floss regularly and they still get cavities and they are frustrated — it’s factors like genetics and diets ... If you want to decrease the risk of having a cavity, you have to clean in between the teeth. The toothbrush will not reach in between the teeth, but the floss will. It is the plaque that builds up in between the teeth that causes tooth decay.

Q: Can mouthwash do the same thing?

Glass: No. The mouthwashes are a great aid, especially under certain circumstances, but they do not replace the mechanical action of the toothbrush against the tooth or the floss between the teeth. We only recommend to our patients to use it as an adjunct to their regular routine.

Q: What are some ways that parents can teach good hygiene habits to children?

Glass: They have to start teaching the children good hygiene habits as the child develops from day one when they start developing teeth ... As a parent, brush the teeth when a child is not old enough to do it themselves, then they are used to having a toothbrush in their mouth.

When they are old enough to hold the toothbrush and can manage, you set a routine ... do it together. A lot of

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Keys to a healthy mouth:  A healthy diet  Use a soft toothbrush and

fluoride toothpaste

 Floss at least once a day  Visit your dentist and hygienist

regularly

parents look for ways to make it fun. Set a timer and have them brush until the timer runs out. We encourage the parents to bring the younger siblings with the older siblings when they come to have their teeth cleaned and checked. If they see big brother or big sister jump up in the chair and have X-rays and have their teeth cleaned by a hygienist, then they realize there is nothing to be afraid of.

Q: How often should someone see a dentist?

Glass: We recommend every six months ... I tell my patients to remember when they come to see me this isn’t a car wash. I don’t have people come in here get scrubbed and out the door. We check blood pressure, and we go over medical histories ... We’re screening

for oral cancer (and other forms of cancer.) It is amazing the clues you will get from a patient sometimes when you start having a conversation with them, and they tell you how things are going ... to lead a patient to a diagnosis.

Q: How soon should a child visit a dentist for their first appointment?

Glass: Typically, we do not see children in this practice until they are at age 3, but I also try to have conversations with these parents and have them bring the children in when the the older siblings come or if they have concerns ... Most pediatric dentists will see the children as soon as the teeth start growing.

Q: What are common issues that you see?

Glass: Depending on which age group you are looking at you are going to see some different things ... Typically decayed teeth, baby teeth that need fillings are what I see in

the younger kids. Usually if we get the kids in when they are younger by the time their permanent teeth develop and they become a teenager and developed a routine, you have the occasional cavity but you do not have this excessive amount of decay. In the adult population, you are seeing occasional cavities, broken teeth — that is usually diet related or stress related. We lead such busy, high stress lives, I see a lot of patients that grind their teeth.

They put a lot of force on the teeth, so they are breaking teeth that they have had a filling in since they were a teenager and it can’t handle the stress ... Most of my patients, unless it is a conversation that we have had before come in with symptoms of sensitive teeth, jaw pain or joint pain. Once we eliminate any pathology, then we start discussing, whether they need some kind of appliance like a mouth guard.

The dental office of Dr. Sharon New Glass has upgraded X-ray equipment this year to make the process easier and have views of the entire mouth.

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Aqua Fit participants use water-filled dumbbells as weights during this exercise.

Water

WHIRLED Cornerstone offers aquatic fitness and rehabilitation

STORY AND PHOTOS BY BY J.R. TIDWEL

C

ornerstone Fitness & classes that take full advantage of the Wellness in Clanton offers facility’s unique feature. a handful of classes found According to fitness direcnowhere else in Chilton tor/instructor Lesia Childress, County.

Cornerstone has had aquatic-based Cornerstone has a heated indoor pool, classes since the facility opened in and there are four separate fitness September 2000.

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The pool is 4 feet and 8 inches deep at its lowest point, meaning one does not need to know how to swim to participate in the classes. All the instructors at Cornerstone are CPR certified. “The pool has been great for rehabbing, because we are a wellness cen-

Gail Sharman, Lesia Childress and Elisabeth Cleckler are the aquatics instructors at Cornerstone Fitness & Wellness in Clanton. ter,” Childress said. “When you walk in our gym, it is a little different atmosphere because we are a wellness center. We do physical therapy here, and our therapists actually rehab people in the pool. As far as fitness goes, we have four different classes.

Gail Sharman is our Water Arthritis instructor. Elisabeth Cleckler teaches our Aqua Box and Aqua Fit. I teach H20 Core and More. We have a variety of classes to offer when you come in, from rehabilitation to fitness and weight loss.”

Aqua Box combines toning and boxing moves to burn fat and sculpt muscle.

Aqua Fit combines cardio and strength training using water approved weight resistance tools to develop strength, cardio and increase mobility.

Aqua Fit is for all fitness levels.

“You do stand in the water,” Cleckler said. “We do a lot of plyometrics (during Aqua Box), like jumping up and

Participants in the Aqua Fit class use pool noodles to add some variety to their workout.

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Participants in the Aqua Fit class use pool noodles to add some variety to their workout.

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down. The water adds more resistance. I show each participant how to modify exercises to make it more intense.”

Cleckler has been an aquatics instructor at Cornerstone for 16 years.

“One thing I like about the aquatic classes is it’s not as much impact on your knees and feet,” she said. “You can still get a very good workout. I enjoy teaching aerobics all the way around. It takes all of the pressure off your bones and joints. We do encourage the people that just like the pool to add some land-based exercise. For people that do land-based exercise, being in the pool adds variety.”

H20 Core and More is a head-to-toe workout with little or no impact on joints meant to burn fat around the core of the body.

“The pool provides 12 times more resistance than air, so it helps increase muscle strength,” Childress said. “Elisabeth and Gail add in different devices to add extra intensity. You can really get a great workout in the pool. It is also good for people that are coming in rehabbing from an injury and need to keep up their fitness regimen. You can do things in the pool you can’t do on land.”

Water Arthritis, much as the name suggests, is a low impact workout designed to decrease the pain and stiffness found in arthritic joints.

“My class was probably the first aquatics class that was taught here back in 2000,” Sharman said. “I am a retired P.E. teacher. I taught P.E. for 27 years. I wanted to do something to keep up after I retired. I have had two knee replacements, and I can do things in the water I can’t do on

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Cornerstone aquatic instructor Elisabeth Cleckler leads the Aqua Fit class.

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Participants in the Aqua Fit class use pool noodles to add some variety to their workout.

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The water increases the resistance for the movements made by Aqua Fit participants.

Cornerstone Fitness & Wellness offers multiple aquatic-based classes in its indoor heated pool.

land. One thing I like about the Water Arthritis class, we have people that come from therapy straight into the class. It’s a stepping-stone before they get more active in the water. I have a gentleman in my class that’s 90, and he does great.”

Childress said classes vary in size from about 10-20 people.

Water Arthritis is held on Tuesdays and Friday at 7:30 a.m. and Wednesdays at 7:30 and 8:30 a.m.

Aqua Fit is Mondays at 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 a.m. on Thursdays, while Aqua Box is hosted Tuesdays at 8:30 a.m.

H20 Core and More is held on Mondays at 8:30 a.m.

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Aqua Fit participants use water-filled dumbbells as weights during this exercise.

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Attendees find a partner for a pool noodle exercise.

“We give (participants) a lot of opportunities to attend,” Childress said. “In the spring, we are looking to open up more classes. We have a lot of people interested in the pool.”

According to Childress, the Aquatic Exercise Association just put out a report that participants can burn 400-

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500 calories in an hour-long aquatic class.

“We burned 350 calories in the last H20 Core and More class,” she said.

Since the pool is heated, people who come to Cornerstone have a chance to exercise even during the colder months of the year.

“Some of the most popular exercises are walking and running,” Cleckler said. “When it’s the dead of winter, it’s nice to be able to come in the water and walk, jog or swim laps. Our pool is heated to 89 degrees year round.”

For a full list of classes, hours and rates at Cornerstone, please visit cornerstonefitnesswellness.com.

Aqua Fit participants use water-filled dumbbells as weights during this exercise.

Aqua Fit participants use water-filled dumbbells as weights during this exercise.

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A new

APPROACH Anika Chrishon finds better health in plant-based diet STORY BY JOYANNA LOVE PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED

A

nika Chrishon was looking for a way to feel better and alleviate allergies. She had tried several things, but found results when she switched to a plant-based diet.

Chrishon first heard about the benefits of adopting a plant-based diet during a talk by a guest speaker at church.

“I was kind of dealing with a little weight issues at that time and some health issues, and they just shared how changing your diet could impact your weight, your health ... how it could have a positive effect upon your life,” Chrishon said, She had also had a lot of allergies as a child, which led to several doctors visits.

When she heard that a plant-based diet could help with allergies, she was ready to give it a try.

“I didn’t really know how to do it,” Chrishon said. “I just cut a few things out of my diet, but I didn’t replace it with something better.”

A few years after Chrishon started trying to eat in this new way, a friend of hers showed her recipes.

“She took me into her kitchen and showed me how to make it real and not just say, ‘Oh, I can’t eat this. I can’t eat this,’” Chrishon said. “She showed me what I can do, and she showed me how to do it. That’s when I really started making some progress. She

“Eating the rainbow” is a good way to ensure good nutrition and keep variety in one’s diet.

Wellness 29

kind of took me under her wing and showed me what she did on a daily basis.”

These ideas and new skills helped her see improvement.

In adopting this diet, Chrishon stopped eating meat first. Later, she cut out dairy products and eggs.

“I realized I had some food allergies, and I felt a whole lot better when I didn’t eat the cheese,” Chrishon said.

She said she liked cheese and ice cream, but she consistently “did not feel my best after eating them.”

“I was getting an itchy, runny nose, and I just couldn’t breathe the way I wanted to,” Chrishon said.

After making changes in what she ate, Chrishon could tell a difference.

“I could really see a big change, and I could start to live in a way that I had never really lived,” Chrishon said.

In place of the foods Chrishon had cut out of her diet, she started eating more vegetables and fruits.

She said a group of physicians in favor of such eating habits emphasize eating from four food: fruits, grains, vegetables and legumes.

Anika Chrishon holds a bowl of homemade granola.

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“I think everyone would benefit from having more fresh fruits, more fresh vegetables, whole grains and legumes in their diet because these things are high in fiber, but they are low in fats and sugars.”

–Anika Chrishon

Instead of meat, Chrishon gets the protein she needs from grains and legumes.

“I think there is a myth that ... meat is the only place that you can get protein when in fact ... you can eat and survive on the protein found in grains and legumes,” Chrishon said.

When she had her first child, Chrishon wanted to prevent some of the health issues she had experienced.

“Under the guidance of a pediatrician, I introduced him to a plant-

based diet also,” Chrishon said. “He survived. He is a healthy, strong young man today.”

As more members were added to her family, she continued eating a plant-based diet and having family meals follow those guidelines.

“For breakfast, we will do fruit and grains,” Chrishon said.

Fresh fruit is a staple for the family’s breakfast. Chrishon said she tries to buy local fruit in season, especially peaches and blueberries.

Buying in season helps cut down on the cost to the family’s budget.

“My family really likes the granola that I make,” Chrishon said.

For homemade pancakes and waffles, Chrishon uses a nut-based milk as a dairy substitute.

“For lunch, we have vegetables and grains,” Chrishon said.

Legumes, such as beans or blackeyed peas, are also usually a part of what is eaten at lunch.

Chickpeas, tofu and lentils are also common foods for the family.

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“I try to use whole grains, whether it is whole grain rice, brown rice, brown rice pasta, whole grain pasta, whole grain bread,” Chrishon said.

“I try to keep a variety.”

The family also enjoys quinoa.

“I try not to bore my family with the same thing,” Chrishon said.

Following the “eat the rainbow” mentality is a good way to keep a

32 Wellness

variety of fruits and vegetables in one’s diet, she said.

Fruits and vegetables of different colors provide different essential vitamins and minerals.

“My family’s health is important to me,” Chrishon said. “However, as a Christian wife and mother of five children I don’t have the time to spend hours in the kitchen, so I

plan meals that are healthy, simple and economical. I regularly use slow cookers, a high-speed blender and a rice cooker to help me get in and out of the kitchen. I also encourage my children to help with meal preparations.”

In January, Chrishon, as a part of the Women’s Health Community Service group of Clanton Seventh-

day Adventist Church, helped bring a series of cooking classes focused on recipes using a plantbased diet to the Jemison Municipal Complex. The once a week demonstrations highlighted healthy breads and breakfasts, meatless entrees, soups

and salads and even desserts.

Chrishon said she was involved behind-thescenes, but her daughter participated in leading some of the cooking demonstrations.

Each dessert used whole grain, such as whole grain

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flour or whole grain spelt. The recipes also used natural sweeteners.

For baking, a tablespoon of ground flaxseed mixed with water or a banana was used instead of an egg.

Carob cake was one of the desserts featured.

“Carob is like a healthier alternative to chocolate,” Chrishon said.

“It doesn’t have the caffeine, so it doesn’t give you the energy burst, then let you down.”

Participants received copies of the recipes to take home with them. She said she hoped the classes showed that anyone can make delicious food following this diet.

“I am not necessarily trying to advocate that everyone eats like I do,” Chrishon said.

She said she wanted people to think more about what they eat,

34 Wellness

rather than just simply eating what they had growing up.

“I think everyone would benefit from having more fresh fruits, more fresh vegetables, whole grains and legumes in their diet because these things are high in fiber, but they are low in fats and sugars and have the right amount of protein,” Chrishon said.

She said eating this way does not require living near a health food store.

“Get creative and have some fun with your food ... Health food can be found at the farmer’s market, the produce stand and in the produce section at your local supermarket,” Chishon said.

Chrishon said her father had heart problems and diabetes, but she is hoping to avoid those health con-

ditions by “trusting God, drinking plenty of water, getting plenty of fresh air, exercise, rest and sunshine and exercising self-control.”

“There is a connection between diet and disease,” Chrishon said.

She said it is important to learn about the body and the nutrients it needs in order to ensure those needs are met to stay healthy.

“When I first started making changes to my diet, I was simply trying to stay in shape and get relief from some minor health challenges,” Chrishon said. “Eating good food is a part of a well-balanced lifestyle that leads to good blood which leads to good spiritual, mental and physical health.

Today, I am reaping these benefits that come along with a plant-based diet.”

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