Counter Culture: Eating and Wellness in the News

Is it just us, or does it seem that there are a lot more stories about healthy eating lately? What has us scratching our heads, though, are the ads for rather unhealthy foods that are featured right alongside.

We wonder if there's something in the culture right now that's whispering, "do as I say, not as I do."

For instance, from the “You just can’t make this up” file: Slate's wonderful “Daily Bread” column includes a story on FDA plans to limit the amount of salt foods can contain. Smack in the middle of the article is an ad for Papa Joe’s Pizza.

You Really Are What You Eat – declares a story on Shine.Yahoo – Yahoo’s new site for women. You know it’s a great post when it gets over 400 comments! Right next to it? A cupcake. Yup, a cupcake, linking to a site that provides “daily deals” in the city of your choice. Unless they're doing deals on muffin tops?

And we think there's a missed opportunity for marketers offering wellness to parents (or their children): The New York Times' column, “When Kids Eat What They Watch,” where Tara Parker-Pope writes about acceptable food advertising for kids.

What do you think? Have you seen any untapped opportunities like these for marketing wellness? Let us know!

Hope this finds you well.

Johanna

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First Sign of Spring

Spring is coming soon. To some, it brings wonderful images of budding branches and longer days. To me, it brings images of horror: not being able to wear a winter coat to hide my extra hibernation weight. It’s taken me a lifetime but I’ve finally decided there IS a link between diet, exercise, health and a size…(your favorite number here).

So I’m going to a nutritionist. And I’m going to chart my progress here every week until I reach my wellness goal, or I fall off the wagon and into a plate of Lamb Sliders at Locanda Verde. I’m not liberated enough to post numbers but I will chart feelings, changes in energy levels, and how many times anyone who works with me says, “What side of the bed did you get out of today…”.

So far I’ve gone through week one on nothing more than steamed green veggies, supplements and protein shakes. I haven’t mortally wounded anyone as yet but it’s only Monday. But I can’t say I’m full of vitality yet, either.

Meanwhile, please take a look at an article I read a while ago that made me think…and act. Seems I can’t blame genetics solely on my ancestors anymore: http://www.tonic.com/article/age-healthfully-10-ways-food-can-help-your-genes/

Wish me luck this week.

-Helayne Spivak

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