Talk about practicing what you preach!

I learned a powerful wellness tool from my lunch meeting today.

I met with two remarkable health providers: Gail Libowsky, NP and Anne St. Goar, MD. They both work in internal medicine at Harvard Vanguard in Watertown, MA, and they both practice the healthy living advice they preach!

We had one of those really fun conversations where you know everyone is on the same page. We talked about how passionate we are in supporting and empowering our clients and patients to take the vital steps that lead them to a healthy life. We talked about how I could be of service to their patients. We talked food (of course), exercise, support, anti-inflammatory diets and more…but what really wowed me about this meeting (aside from Anne and Gail) was that….

….every 5 minutes or so, someone would walk into their office

for a plate of salad!

It was Salad Club Day!

Thursday is Salad Club day at Internal Medicine. It’s absolutely brilliant and simple!

Here’s how it works:

• Every Wednesday an email gets sent out to remind everyone on staff that Thursday is Salad Club day.
• Each person brings something salad-worthy from home.
• The food needs to be pre-washed and cut up. There is a cutting board and knife at the office for last minute cutting of things like avocados and other items that might go brown if they are cut too much in advance).
• Leftover veggies are welcome. For example: that 1/2 pepper you didn’t finish is perfect.
• You don’t even have to bring a veg, you can bring a topping, like seeds or beans.
• You don’t have to tell anyone in advance what you are bringing.
• Salad dressings stay at work.
• The salad, toppings and dressing get put out on a filing cabinet – in Anne and Gail’s office – and everyone comes in a helps themselves.
• Everyone shares a beautiful fresh salad every week!

Gail said that each week the salad is different – some weeks they are elaborate – some weeks simple. But every week, there is a coming together of people and veggies.

I love it!

Healthy food and community building – a winning combination!

What are you waiting for?!  What day of the week is your salad club going to be?

Here’s a list of salad fixings that will help your Salad Club members make delicious and creative salads.

• Lettuce: Lose the Iceberg and go for…Romaine, Green Leaf, Red Leaf, Arugula, Bibb, Radicchio, Endive…
• Darker Greens: Spinach, Bok Choy, Kale, Broccoli…
• Soft Veg: Avocados; Tomatoes; Sun-dried Tomatoes; (I know tomatoes are technically a fruit, but still I think of them as a veg.); Seaweed…
• Hard Veg: Carrots, Radishes, Celery, Cucumber, Peppers, Cabbage, Beets…
• Seeds: Sunflower, Pumpkin, Sesame, Hemp, Chia. Flax…
• Nuts: Almonds, Walnuts, Brazil nuts, Hazelnuts, Pinenuts, Cashews, Macadamia nuts..
• Beans: Black, Garbanzo, White, Adzuki, Mung, Lentils. Endamame..
• Grains: Quinoa, Buckwheat, Millet, Brown Rice…
• Sprouts: Mung sprouts, Adzuki Sprouts, Lentil sprouts, Sunflower Sprouts…
• Fresh Fruits: Apples, Pears, Oranges, Mango, Strawberries, Raspberries, Blueberries
• Dried Fruits: (choose unsweetened) Raisins, Currants, Goji Berries, Dried Apricots, Dried Cherries, Fruit Juice sweetened Cranberries, Olives, Capers…

The possibilities are endless.

Please start a Salad Club! And, if you do, let me know. I would love to hear how it goes and what impact it has on your work place.

~~~~~~~

Nina Manolson, MA, CHC, LMT is the Smokin’ Hot Mom Mentor and Family Wellness Expert. She’s the founder of SmokinHotMom.com and HealthyYummyKids.com. She helps busy moms look and feel their best, and helps them feed their kids well in a world that doesn’t. To get your F.R.E.E. Audio CD by mail and receive her healthy recipes and wellness tips click here.

One Response

1. How to Avoid Workplace Weight Gain says:

   June 23, 2011 at 12:23 pm

   [...] in your desk: Smart Eating at Work –Everything You Need to Healthify your Food Habits –Start a Salad Club! –Inexpensive, Healthy Lunch [...]

   Reply