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Indianapolis Star
5 days ago
- Health
- Indianapolis Star
We can't make Indiana healthy again until we fix our food supply
Unhealthy food is addictive, cheap and takes up the majority of our grocery stores. To make things worse, the federal and local governments are largely to blame. Indiana, for its part, ranks ninth worst in the nation for obesity and 14th worst in overall public health. Thankfully, state legislators are starting to address this, inspired by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to 'Make Indiana Healthy Again.' As a result, the state recently banned certain unhealthy foods from the food stamps program. Indiana also has several agricultural programs meant to develop a healthier overall food supply. The root causes of Indiana's nutritional public health crisis, however, extend much deeper. The Farm Bill of 1973 introduced a policy that set a target price for crops and paid farmers for deficiencies with the actual price. This policy evolved into the Price Loss Coverage Program, which pays farmers if the market price of their crop drops below a reference point set by the government. This program allowed larger agricultural operations to overproduce certain crops while still reaping significant profits. As a result, it incentivized some farmers to take on debt to expand their operations and led others to consolidate. Opinion: Steak 'n Shake's MAGA makeover is a desperate bid to save a dying business By one estimate, total farm debt increased from $52.8 billion in 1970 to $178.7 billion in 1980, according to a study by the University of Illinois. Meanwhile, since 2010, 345,000 acres of farmland and over 3,050 farms have disappeared in Indiana. The supply of corn, soybean and wheat products, which make up the basis of ultraprocessed food, subsequently skyrocketed. Corn production alone more than doubled from 1969 to 2022 in Indiana. Corn syrup became the most common sweetener found in food at the grocery store. 'There is a huge disconnect between an agriculture that is extremely efficient and productive, but is no where close to the best we could do if vibrant rural communities and a healthy population was the goal,' Greg Gunthorp told me. He runs an independent family farm in LaGrange. Whole Farm Revenue Protection, created in 2014, is a better alternative to the PLC program. This government-subsidized insurance program reduces income volatility for farmers without subsidizing the overproduction of certain crops or disproportionately benefitting larger producers. It can cover up to $17 million in revenue and pays out if the farm's overall income is less than its insured amount due to issues like low prices, low yields or natural disasters. Replacing the PLC and similar programs would remove some of the incentives that make ultra-processed, unhealthy foods so common and give smaller farms a better shot at competing with large producers. This would also reduce the need for Indiana's Speciality Crop Block Grant, intended to level the playing field for crops like fruits, vegetables, tree nuts and dried fruits. Many local governments in Indiana have also needlessly made organic, small-scale farming initiatives difficult. One example: Cities and towns surrounding Indianapolis, including Greenwood, Brownsburg, Anderson, Lawrence, Franklin and Danville, ban backyard chickens. Others have arbitrary regulations that are nearly impossible to satisfy. Plainfield, for example, requires homeowners to have two acres of land to keep chickens at a time when farmland prices have reached record highs, while Shelbyville requires coops to be 200 feet away from neighbors. Other cities including Beech Grove, Southport and Carmel arbitrarily limit homeowners to six backyard chickens, regardless of the size of their property. Hicks: Braun's plan for Indiana's small towns will only hasten their decline With farmland values rapidly rising, it is often difficult for people and organizations prioritizing healthy food, sustainability and self-sufficiency to afford acreage outside of their homes and outside of city limits. One piece of state legislation addressed these issues. An early version of Senate Enrolled Act 14 would have given Indiana residents the 'right to grow, raise, produce, harvest, and consume the food that the individual chooses for the individual's own nourishment, sustenance, bodily health, and well-being." In effect, it would have superced local regulations that make small-scale farming impossible, while allowing localities to maintain evidence-based regulations to preserve public health. In its final form, however, the legislation only protected the right of homeowners to grow a vegetable garden. Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith, whose role involves supporting innovation in agriculture, told me his office tried to rally support for House Bill 1562, which would have banned local governments from enacting stricter regulations on small farm and home-based vendors than the federal government. 'I don't think anyone is arguing for no regulation, no common sense regulatory authority,' Beckwith said. 'I think it's just sometimes, we know in government … regulations just grow upon each other.' Hicks: America's debt crisis will force red states to pay their own way for once The bill passed the House of Representatives but did not receive a hearing in the Senate Committee on Agriculture. A spokesperson for State Sen. Jean Leising, R-Oldenburg, said she did not give it a hearing due to 'food safety concerns expressed by many in the agricultural industry.' One has to wonder if those same agricultural industry lobbyists are as concerned about food safety when it comes to the negative health impact of ultra-processed foods and unsustainable farming practices. If these arbitrary local regulations on small farms and home-based vendors were removed, the availability of locally sourced, healthier, organic food would likely increase. State programs focused on increasing the accessibility of healthy, locally sourced food, including the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Grant and the Farm to School program, would also likely become more efficient. Opinion: In Indiana, tax cuts always win while successful programs lose Clearly, there is a growing interest in locally sourced, healthier food, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic. 18.3 million people started gardening and there was a 5% increase in backyard chicken owners around that time. Local governments need to recognize this and get out of the way. Nationally, the Make America Healthy Again movement has focused on small changes, like convincing Coca-Cola to use cane sugar and banning some artificial dyes. It has largely avoided making substantive changes to the root causes that incentivized unhealthy food to take over our grocery stores and our diets in the first place. One root cause is long-term changes in our food supply, which have helped make Indiana one of the unhealthiest states in one of the unhealthiest developed nations in the world. If we really want to make Indiana healthy again, we need to fundamentally change the agricultural policies that kicked off those changes.
Business Insider
27-06-2025
- General
- Business Insider
I spent a week making 3-ingredient meals in my air fryer, and I'd cook every delicious dish again
I started by making pork chops. The three ingredients used in this recipe from blogger Chewable Structures were olive oil, seasoning, and pork chops. I couldn't find the specific McCormick spice blend she recommends using, so I made one using a combination of chipotle pepper, roasted garlic, salt, and pepper. I let the chops sit in the olive oil and seasonings for about 15 minutes. I coated each chop in a drizzle of olive oil, then massaged in the seasoning blend. After preheating the air fryer to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, I put one chop in each basket. I cooked them for 10 minutes on one side, then five on the other. They came out perfectly. I don't often cook pork chops because they tend to easily get dry. So, I couldn't believe how juicy and perfect these chops came out. The olive-oil coat gave these a nice golden crust and the meat maintained its moisture. I would make these air-fryer pork chops for dinner any night of the week. Next, I made butternut squash, which I ate with the chops. I love butternut squash, but roasting it in the oven can heat up my whole house and take a long time. So I tried this easy recipe from food blogger All the Nourishing Things that's paleo, vegan, vegetarian, and Whole30-friendly. First, I peeled, gutted, and chopped my squash into 1/8-inch thick moons. I chopped the fresh rosemary as finely as I could. Next, I combined the squash with olive oil and rosemary. I added some salt and pepper for extra flavor. I placed the prepared squash in a preheated air fryer at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 minutes, shaking halfway. Butternut is my favorite type of squash — it's so versatile. The squash was tender and well-seasoned. I also think it paired well with the pork chops. Next time, I'll add in some garlic and onion powder and chili flakes for a little kick. Next up were the three-ingredient chicken wings. This recipe from food blogger Smile Sandwich was so easy. First, I sprayed the air-fryer baskets and chicken wings with cooking spray. Next, I placed the wings in the preheated air fryer at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 25 minutes, shaking the basket every so often. I was pleasantly surprised by the taste of these wings. To make my sauce, I skeptically combined barbecue and Buffalo sauces. I like them separately, but I wasn't sure they'd be good together. Once the wings were cooked through — the less crowded the baskets, the quicker they cook — I coated them in the sauce while they were still hot. The wings had a slightly crispy texture from the air fryer, and the barbecue-Buffalo combination was excellent. It was sweet, tangy, and had a little kick. I was ready to try something sweet, so the next recipe was a Nutella sandwich. Anyone who's a fan of Nutella will enjoy this recipe from blogger Blue Jean Chef. First, butter one side of each of the two pieces of bread. Then, spread a thick layer of Nutella on the other sides and add a layer of sliced banana. Instead of Nutella, I used a hazelnut spread from Whole Foods. Close the sandwich with the butter side on the outside. This came out perfectly toasty. I stuck the sandwich in the preheated air fryer at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for five minutes on one side, then a couple more on the other. The sandwich was toasty and indulgently gooey on the inside. Definitely eat it with a glass of milk. This bagel recipe was my favorite to make. This bagel recipe from blogger Best Recipe Box blew my mind. I had no idea you could make bagels with just yogurt and flour. First, I combined plain, non-fat Greek yogurt and self-rising flour. I mixed the ingredients until they started to form a ball. Then I lightly floured my cutting board and kneaded the dough with my hands for about 30 seconds. The dough wasn't too sticky. I cut the dough into four parts and added flour to my hands when the dough got too sticky. I rolled each chunk into a ball, then used a floured finger to stick a 1-inch-wide hole into each, giving it a bagel-like shape. Then, I let them rest and rise for 15 minutes. Don't crowd the air-fryer basket. After they rested, I brushed an egg wash over the bagels and sprinkled on my toppings. I used everything seasoning and cinnamon sugar. Then, I placed the bagels in the air-fryer basket, allowing them enough space to rise and spread. I liked that I could top the bagels with whatever I wanted. I sprayed the basket with cooking spray and then cooked the bagels at 330 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes. They were golden and ready to be eaten. I will be making these bagels a lot more in the future. These air-fryer bagels were the perfect size and had a soft, moist texture on the inside. They were awesome on their own or with cream cheese, butter, or jam. I will absolutely be making these again. Cooking with puff pastry can be a pain, but not with the air fryer. Working with puff pastry can sometimes be tough. But the air fryer perfectly cooked the pastry evenly, giving it a fluffy, flaky texture that was just what I was craving. Following blogger Cook It Real Good's recipe, I took my defrosted pastry sheet and cut it into rectangles. Then I took a regular-sized hot dog and cut it in half. I rolled the two halves of the hot dog in the pastry and brushed them with an egg wash. Wrapping the hot dogs was my favorite part. I placed the hot dogs in the preheated air fryer at 390 degrees Fahrenheit for about eight minutes, until the puff pastry was golden. These air-fryer hot dogs came out delicious. The combination of slightly sweet puff pastry with the hot dogs made these seem much fancier than if I'd cooked frozen, premade pigs in a blanket. If you love ranch, you'll probably enjoy this chicken recipe. I marinated the chicken for a couple of hours. I couldn't find the Helluva Good! dip the recipe asked for, so I substituted for a different ranch dip, which worked fine. I started by combining the chicken with the ranch dip and letting it soak for a couple of hours. I coated each piece in panko bread crumbs. Next, I coated each chicken strip in panko and placed them in a preheated air fryer at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15 to 20 minutes. I flipped them halfway. I knew they were done when they were golden brown. The chicken had a great, crunchy coating and was super tender on the inside. I would make this again with thighs and drumsticks, too. Overall, I thought every recipe was worth making again. These recipes were so easy to make and yielded tasty dishes. If I were to make them again, I would simply add some extra seasoning to a few of the dishes, like the squash and chops. I also like how customizable most of these recipes were. For example, instead of using a banana for the Nutella sandwich, you could use strawberries. You can also coat the air-fryer chicken wings in any sauce, whether you want straight Buffalo or a combination.
RTÉ News
09-05-2025
- Climate
- RTÉ News
How I've learned to stay cool in hot weather as a travel content creator
Tara Povey shares her list of essential tips and tricks to keep you comfortable during even the most record-breaking Leaving Cert heatwave. It's that time of year again when we see the sun for more than a handful of hours a day. We're all looking forward to our summer holidays, it's bright when we're leaving work, and life just seems a bit more manageable. Unfortunately, we're not all built to survive the warm weather, and temperatures are only increasing (the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) confirmed that 2024 was the warmest year on record). I learned from a young age that heat and humidity can make me incredibly uncomfortable and unpleasant. So, I've come up with a list of essential tips and tricks that will keep you comfortable during even the most record-breaking Leaving Cert heatwave. Tips for staying cool and comfortable this summer Facial mist. I've loved facial mist for years. My friends make fun of me for buying what they call "water in a can", but honestly, it works! Facial mists work through evaporative cooling; when the mist hits your skin and evaporates, it takes heat from your face, which cools you down. There are lots of brands on the market, but I love the award-winning, Irish-made Josie Botanicals Refreshing Skin Tonic because of its refreshing sweet orange aroma. Hydration. I will scream this at every adult I meet until I lose my voice: drink more water! Adults should drink about two litres of water every day, and that increases to 2.5 litres during the warmer months when we lose more water due to sweating. Dehydration can be extremely dangerous and can lead to heat stroke. Bring a refillable water bottle wherever you go to keep cool and comfortable. Cooling towels. These light, microfibre towels are beloved by people who work in warm environments. You simply wet the towel with clean water, wring it out, and it's ready to cool you down on the go. Drape it around your neck or wrap it around your head for a quick cool down. You can store your cooling towel in a small waterproof pouch and take it on adventures with you, ready to be used when you start to feel the heat. Whole body deodorant. When it's warm out, we all get a bit sweatier than usual. There's nothing wrong with that, however, the anxiety of whether or not we've become a bit pungent is what can make us uncomfortable. I've started using Sure Whole Body deodorant, which utilises body adapt technology (created by Irish scientist Barry Murphy) to neutralise odour-causing bacteria before it becomes an issue. It can be used on the entire body from pits to bits and smells incredible. Dove, First Aid Beauty and others offer similar products. Fans. Portable fans are a great way to stay cool in the heat. There are so many varieties available, including hands-free fans that you wear around your neck, belt clip fans that shoot air under your shirt to cool you down and even USB-C fans that plug into your phone to cool you down as you scroll. Traditional handheld fans that require no batteries or power are also incredibly effective and handy for popping in your bag on the go. Anti-chafing products. Nothing ruins a summer day more than having the skin torn off a thigh by its neighbour. Lanacane Gel, Megababe Anti-Friction Stick and Body Glide Balm are some of the most popular products on the market. However, I've always found that any solid deodorant applied to problem areas works wonders to prevent chafing and keep you comfortable. Sun cream. When I was young, I got the worst sunburn of my life at a waterpark. I had huge blisters, and my skin was so sore that I struggled to put clothes on; it completely ruined my trip. Ever since then, I've been obsessed with using sun cream and keeping my skin safe. It's important to remember that skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in Ireland, so wearing sun cream with a high SPF as well as UVA and UVB protection is essential. Make sure you reapply often, especially if you're in the water, to avoid turning into a human lobster. Personally, I'm a little monster when I get overheated, so I hope I can help even a few of you stay cool and comfortable on your adventures this summer.
