I’m not saying that you have to be vegetarian, but people need to think about the portion of meat they are consuming.” They should also be thinking about the sources of the ingredients that wind up on their tables. The highly-processed items, things that sit on shelves for months on end, become devoid of nutrients. Instead, Ramirez says that supporting local farmers or markets can prove a win-win. “We have four farms that we buy ingredients from in our area, from Waycross and Brunswick, and we’re always on the lookout for new popups. That’s the best way to get seasonal products that are locally-sourced,” he says. “They’re organic, too, which is important because pesticides kill the nutrients in the soil, with the repercussions being that it kills the nutrients in the food. It can be a challenge to get (all the produce) you need because it changes seasonally and you can’t get some things 365 days a year, but supporting these farmers really helps everyone. It’s healthier for us and for the economy.”
JACK JOHNSON M.D.
CARLTON HICKS O.D.
OPHTHALMOLOGY
OPTOMETRY
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