Do you love good food? I do...
00:00:01.06\00:00:03.34
Well, stay tuned to
meet a woman whose cooking
00:00:03.37\00:00:05.93
has us still shouting...
My name is Yvonne Lewis...
00:00:05.96\00:00:09.64
and you're
watching... Urban Report.
00:00:09.67\00:00:11.57
Hello and welcome
to Urban Report...
00:00:35.01\00:00:37.70
My guest today
is... Donna Green-Goodman
00:00:37.73\00:00:40.29
Health Educator...
Author and Speaker...
00:00:40.33\00:00:42.85
Welcome to Urban Report Donna...
00:00:42.89\00:00:45.45
Hi Yvonne... how are you?
00:00:45.48\00:00:47.22
Hey girl...
welcome... doing great...
00:00:47.25\00:00:49.54
It's so good to have
you on Urban Report...
00:00:49.58\00:00:53.40
I am glad to be here...
I'm so excited about this
00:00:53.44\00:00:56.87
ability to do this from my home
and I'm just waiting to hear
00:00:56.91\00:01:00.88
how your viewers are
going to enjoy the Program.
00:01:00.91\00:01:02.73
Oh, great... great... well
let's get right into it Donna
00:01:02.76\00:01:05.66
Okay... You know, you have
00:01:05.69\00:01:07.73
this great book
that has recipes in it
00:01:07.76\00:01:12.28
that are just scrumptious...
I mean... even the pictures...
00:01:12.32\00:01:17.13
I mean, the pictures
just make you hungry...
00:01:17.17\00:01:19.22
so, let's talk a bit about
00:01:19.25\00:01:21.56
how you got into
Health Education...
00:01:21.60\00:01:25.50
How did you get into it?
00:01:25.54\00:01:26.86
When I think
about it actually...
00:01:26.90\00:01:30.95
my parents went to
College when I was a child...
00:01:30.98\00:01:33.60
I was about 10-years-old
and my dad would spend the
00:01:33.64\00:01:36.23
summers taking
students to different cities
00:01:36.27\00:01:39.64
to help them earn
scholarships for School
00:01:39.68\00:01:42.99
by selling Christian magazines
and my brother and I and my mom
00:01:43.02\00:01:45.80
attended with them...
and he had me out there
00:01:45.83\00:01:48.78
while they were doing
it and before I knew it...
00:01:48.81\00:01:51.11
I was standing on the
corner in Newark, New Jersey
00:01:51.15\00:01:53.41
just bawling my
eyes out... and I'm like,
00:01:53.45\00:01:55.42
"Mommy, take me
home, I can't do this... "
00:01:55.45\00:01:57.84
and so, she and my
dad talked they decided
00:01:57.87\00:02:00.34
it wasn't for me and
I went back with her...
00:02:00.37\00:02:02.77
and I got involved in cooking
the meals for the students
00:02:02.80\00:02:06.09
with my mom... and so she
had me in the kitchen with her
00:02:06.12\00:02:09.37
learning the skill of
it... and I suppose that
00:02:09.41\00:02:12.99
that was a gift that God
gave me because years later
00:02:13.02\00:02:15.56
when I grew up
and went to College...
00:02:15.59\00:02:17.50
I majored in
Family Consumer Science
00:02:17.53\00:02:19.41
which used to be
called Home Economics...
00:02:19.44\00:02:21.07
and I minored in
Nutrition and I absolutely loved
00:02:21.11\00:02:24.46
the cooking part of it...
and then I started enjoying
00:02:24.50\00:02:28.55
the teaching of how you
could use good food choices...
00:02:28.59\00:02:32.60
to improve your
health and other choices...
00:02:32.64\00:02:34.79
and I just decided that I
was going to finish that degree
00:02:34.82\00:02:38.95
and move towards teaching
people how to just be healthy...
00:02:38.99\00:02:43.09
and I actually left my
College, Oakwood University,
00:02:43.12\00:02:46.58
and went to
Loma Linda University
00:02:46.62\00:02:47.81
to do another
degree in Dental Hygiene...
00:02:47.84\00:02:49.64
I got out
there... and I just thought
00:02:49.68\00:02:51.45
I could not be in people's
mouths for the rest of my life,
00:02:51.48\00:02:54.66
so I went across... I
was in the Program for 3 days
00:02:54.69\00:02:57.98
and on the morning of the
3rd day I got up and I went...
00:02:58.02\00:03:01.19
"I can't do this"
because that was the day we were
00:03:01.23\00:03:03.22
supposed to be digging
in our partner's teeth...
00:03:03.25\00:03:05.65
so I went and withdrew,
and went across the hall
00:03:05.68\00:03:08.04
and enrolled in the
School of Public Health
00:03:08.08\00:03:10.38
and began working on a Master's
of Public Health Education
00:03:10.42\00:03:14.03
and I knew for sure that God
had used my trip to California
00:03:14.07\00:03:17.64
to the School of
Dental Hygiene to get me there
00:03:17.68\00:03:20.02
so that I could go to the
School of Public Health...
00:03:20.06\00:03:24.00
and I studied there and
I started out in a career
00:03:24.04\00:03:27.01
for the State of Georgia,
00:03:27.05\00:03:29.22
Cooperative Extension Service
00:03:29.26\00:03:31.37
where I actually worked
with the National Program FNEP
00:03:31.40\00:03:34.11
teaching people how
to make better choices
00:03:34.15\00:03:36.82
for their families
especially food choices
00:03:36.85\00:03:39.45
in particular, I was
working in a rural community
00:03:39.49\00:03:43.17
with families who had limited
incomes... but the Program
00:03:43.21\00:03:45.86
that I was involved in
was part of a National Program
00:03:45.90\00:03:49.12
that was in Urban Centers
in Rural Communities as well
00:03:49.16\00:03:52.35
and I started there and
had some other experiences
00:03:52.38\00:03:55.89
over the last 30 years... and
I'm amazed I can even say that,
00:03:55.92\00:03:58.81
I mean, because it doesn't
feel like it was that long...
00:03:58.85\00:04:02.16
Yeah... yeah... how I
got involved in the career
00:04:02.20\00:04:06.60
of health
education... And, look at God...
00:04:06.64\00:04:09.16
look at what He did...
00:04:09.19\00:04:10.55
now, there was one aspect of it
00:04:10.58\00:04:12.95
you weren't comfortable
with when you were little...
00:04:12.99\00:04:15.16
Right... your mom
brought you into the
00:04:15.20\00:04:17.34
kitchen and
started there... Right...
00:04:17.38\00:04:19.49
training you... teaching you...
and from there you developed
00:04:19.52\00:04:22.70
a love for food
preparation... Absolutely...
00:04:22.73\00:04:24.93
and then God gets you out
to California, Loma Linda...
00:04:24.97\00:04:28.82
you're thinking you're
going there for dental stuff
00:04:28.86\00:04:32.79
and end up being there...
learning food preparation
00:04:32.82\00:04:36.72
Right... right... God has a...
00:04:36.75\00:04:38.67
we always say
this on Urban Report
00:04:38.71\00:04:40.56
God has a divine
plan... and when you're walking
00:04:40.59\00:04:44.75
in that plan... there is nothing
more fulfilling than that...
00:04:44.78\00:04:48.54
Nothing...
Absolutely... and I think that's
00:04:48.58\00:04:50.58
something I like to
share with people as I do
00:04:50.62\00:04:52.55
community presentations...
as I talk to my students...
00:04:52.58\00:04:54.84
"Nothing that you decide to
do can God not use to direct you
00:04:54.88\00:05:00.31
where He wants you to
be... " That's right...
00:05:00.34\00:05:02.47
and if you
choose to listen to Him,
00:05:02.50\00:05:04.27
then you're going to
make more of the right turns
00:05:04.30\00:05:06.75
on the pathway... but
He can use your choices
00:05:06.78\00:05:08.64
to get you... where
He needs you to be...
00:05:08.67\00:05:10.46
and I thank God everyday... that
He used that to get me there
00:05:10.50\00:05:14.83
because I wasn't even
looking to do a Master's degree
00:05:14.86\00:05:17.13
in Public Health...
And that's the other thing,
00:05:17.16\00:05:20.01
you know, it's
like... we don't know...
00:05:20.05\00:05:22.05
where we're going to end up
00:05:22.09\00:05:23.99
we don't know what
God's plan necessarily...
00:05:24.02\00:05:26.93
what God's plan is
for us... but as you said,
00:05:26.96\00:05:30.58
God can take your
detours and turn those into
00:05:30.61\00:05:34.16
part of the main path that
you're supposed to be on...
00:05:34.20\00:05:39.03
So, we serve such a great
God, who loves us and wants to
00:05:39.07\00:05:43.79
give us... the
abundant life, Absolutely...
00:05:43.82\00:05:47.30
and so often, we
don't really want it...
00:05:47.33\00:05:50.03
we don't really know
what to do to get it...
00:05:50.07\00:05:52.63
but if we seek
God... He will let you know
00:05:52.67\00:05:55.16
what you're supposed to
do, and once you know...
00:05:55.20\00:05:57.60
and you're walking...
I know you know this...
00:05:57.64\00:05:59.98
there's nothing like
it... there's nothing like it...
00:06:00.01\00:06:03.72
Absolutely...
Okay, so you got involved
00:06:03.75\00:06:06.33
in health and in
teaching people about health
00:06:06.37\00:06:12.50
particularly at-risk people,
Absolutely... absolutely...
00:06:12.54\00:06:16.53
what has been your biggest
challenge... would you say
00:06:16.57\00:06:20.35
or some of your
biggest challenges
00:06:20.38\00:06:22.61
in working with
people with their health?
00:06:22.65\00:06:25.85
I think for me... while a lot
of my professional experience
00:06:25.88\00:06:35.56
has been in
professional circles with peers
00:06:35.60\00:06:38.63
the other part of my time
00:06:38.67\00:06:40.68
has been spent with the
people in the neighborhoods...
00:06:40.72\00:06:43.30
and I think one
of the challenges...
00:06:43.33\00:06:45.73
especially for people
in urban communities...
00:06:45.76\00:06:48.83
and for African-American people
00:06:48.86\00:06:50.65
people of African descent...
is getting them to trust
00:06:50.69\00:06:55.60
what you're saying...
00:06:55.63\00:06:57.96
and showing them how it can be
00:06:57.99\00:07:01.39
made real for them...
because... so many times...
00:07:01.43\00:07:03.96
when we think of people
who are disadvantaged...
00:07:04.00\00:07:07.85
we often think about
people who are financially or
00:07:07.89\00:07:10.97
economically disadvantaged...
but I was looking at
00:07:11.01\00:07:14.02
disadvantaged... more from
the perspective of health...
00:07:14.05\00:07:16.13
so there are people
across the broad spectrum
00:07:16.16\00:07:18.66
who have been
living their way of life
00:07:18.69\00:07:20.88
for years in whatever
community they live in...
00:07:20.91\00:07:24.24
and then you have an
intersection with them...
00:07:24.28\00:07:27.13
and you want to talk to
them about making changes
00:07:27.17\00:07:29.50
in their health...
and for some of them...
00:07:29.54\00:07:31.56
that's a really big
challenge to make those changes
00:07:31.59\00:07:35.66
especially the kind
that I'm suggesting...
00:07:35.69\00:07:38.35
once, however, you
can connect with them...
00:07:38.38\00:07:41.94
and build trust... it's easier
for them to listen to you...
00:07:41.97\00:07:46.62
and that is one of
the things that I did
00:07:46.65\00:07:48.13
in one of the
first projects that I did
00:07:48.17\00:07:49.62
with the Extension Service
and later on when I worked
00:07:49.65\00:07:51.90
with Morehouse
School of Medicine
00:07:51.94\00:07:53.49
we actually got
into the community
00:07:53.52\00:07:55.01
where the people
were... met with the people
00:07:55.04\00:07:57.48
who were the decision
makers who people were there...
00:07:57.51\00:08:00.17
trusting them... let them know
00:08:00.20\00:08:01.85
that we were there to help them
00:08:01.88\00:08:03.46
make themselves
better... and then when they
00:08:03.49\00:08:05.26
bought into it it
wasn't quite as hard...
00:08:05.30\00:08:07.46
the other challenge that I saw
00:08:07.50\00:08:08.98
was so many people...
especially African Americans
00:08:09.02\00:08:13.45
who are always
listed in the health data
00:08:13.48\00:08:17.27
as being the worst for
every disease that there is...
00:08:17.30\00:08:20.80
out there... and I began to see
as they were willing to embrace
00:08:20.83\00:08:24.30
the things that we
were teaching them...
00:08:24.34\00:08:26.01
we were able to see changes
in those medical outcomes
00:08:26.04\00:08:31.64
but you had to get
them to trust you first
00:08:31.68\00:08:33.93
to do it... And
the thread here...
00:08:33.96\00:08:36.48
in what you're telling
me is getting them to trust
00:08:36.51\00:08:40.13
that you can make
a difference for them
00:08:40.17\00:08:42.56
and part of that
trust... comes into play...
00:08:42.60\00:08:45.71
with food that tastes good...
nobody wants to be, you know,
00:08:45.75\00:08:50.35
eating nasty food... Right...
00:08:50.38\00:08:52.42
some people will say,
"Well, I'll just eat it because
00:08:52.46\00:08:56.59
I know it's going to
make me feel better...
00:08:56.62\00:08:58.87
I'm supposed to... "
00:08:58.91\00:09:01.92
but... if it doesn't
taste good what's the point?
00:09:01.96\00:09:04.82
Right... and the real
deal is... if you hate it...
00:09:04.86\00:09:07.69
you're not
going to keep it up...
00:09:07.73\00:09:08.97
you're not going to
be consistent with it...
00:09:09.01\00:09:11.02
but if you can have
something that tastes like
00:09:11.06\00:09:16.14
what you normally
have... but it's better for you
00:09:16.17\00:09:21.48
and even may taste better,
then, you're not giving up
00:09:21.52\00:09:26.80
you're not sacrificing
so much, and I think...
00:09:26.83\00:09:29.50
that's a major thing too...
One of the things that worked
00:09:29.54\00:09:33.96
well for me was...
whenever I was working
00:09:34.00\00:09:36.96
in an urban
community, and I did this in the
00:09:37.00\00:09:39.89
Metro-Atlantic area in
Columbia, South Carolina...
00:09:39.93\00:09:42.61
Augusta, Georgia area and now
in the Metro-Huntsville area...
00:09:42.64\00:09:47.12
when you are
working with Southerners
00:09:47.16\00:09:49.70
and or people of African descent
there was always a chance
00:09:49.73\00:09:54.39
to talk to them about
God... and I would remind them
00:09:54.42\00:09:57.84
that the first
miracle that Jesus performed
00:09:57.88\00:10:00.38
was turning the water into wine,
and when they drank the wine,
00:10:00.42\00:10:04.36
they said, "Why did you
save the best until the last?"
00:10:04.39\00:10:07.04
and I told them
that anytime you do
00:10:07.07\00:10:09.63
what God wants you to do,
it's always going to be better
00:10:09.67\00:10:12.70
than anything that
you've ever done...
00:10:12.74\00:10:14.19
and so, I then
personally took it upon myself
00:10:14.22\00:10:17.41
to make sure that the things
that I was introducing to them
00:10:17.45\00:10:20.19
to improve their health,
were something that would
00:10:20.22\00:10:23.17
taste better than what
they were doing before...
00:10:23.20\00:10:26.12
and it would
integrate into their lives...
00:10:26.15\00:10:28.60
and they would be able to
continue to make the changes
00:10:28.63\00:10:31.65
in their lives... so that
they could recover their health
00:10:31.68\00:10:33.98
because ultimately
that's what we were trying to do
00:10:34.01\00:10:36.06
And you know what
Donna, that's so important
00:10:36.09\00:10:37.98
because you're teaching
them to integrate these changes
00:10:38.02\00:10:42.58
these minor things
that can end up being major
00:10:42.61\00:10:46.50
in terms of health
outcome you're teaching them
00:10:46.53\00:10:50.39
to integrate these
things into their daily lives
00:10:50.42\00:10:54.03
so that... I mean...
you have in your book...
00:10:54.07\00:10:57.60
this book is so... I
got to tell the viewers
00:10:57.63\00:11:01.14
this is called,
00:11:01.17\00:11:02.35
"Cooking Up Good
Health" Recipe Collection"
00:11:02.38\00:11:06.05
and...
00:11:06.08\00:11:09.03
in this book...
Donna gives these
00:11:09.07\00:11:11.96
different substitutes for things
so, like, if you are used to
00:11:11.99\00:11:16.26
eating a lot of
margarine for example...
00:11:16.30\00:11:20.29
like unhealthy,
trans-fat laden margarine...
00:11:20.33\00:11:23.95
she'll give you a substitute
00:11:23.99\00:11:27.03
for that... she'll give
you a substitute for dairy...
00:11:27.06\00:11:30.07
she gives you a
substitute... so that...
00:11:30.10\00:11:32.29
now that you have a
recipe, you can take that recipe
00:11:32.32\00:11:36.74
and make it healthier
by using the substitutes
00:11:36.77\00:11:40.19
that are in your book... I
found that to be very, very
00:11:40.23\00:11:43.59
informational
because... informative because
00:11:43.62\00:11:47.46
there are so many
people who don't know...
00:11:47.50\00:11:50.08
what shall I use
for this? what other...
00:11:50.11\00:11:53.43
what alternative sweeteners
00:11:53.47\00:11:55.05
can I use that aren't
going to be harmful...
00:11:55.08\00:11:58.36
what can I use that might
not impact my glucose levels
00:11:58.39\00:12:02.26
Right... so, we
have all kinds of things
00:12:02.30\00:12:05.37
that are in this
book... not to mention
00:12:05.40\00:12:08.49
not to mention the
mac and cheese recipe
00:12:08.52\00:12:11.53
that you have in this book,
that I'm getting ready to make
00:12:11.57\00:12:15.12
my son is a mac
and cheese fanatic...
00:12:15.16\00:12:17.41
and I'm really
worried about his arteries
00:12:17.44\00:12:19.57
and I'm thinking...
even now... I mean...
00:12:19.61\00:12:21.71
they have studies that show
that atherosclerosis can start
00:12:21.75\00:12:26.27
as early as 3... Absolutely...
00:12:26.30\00:12:28.56
so, I really want to do
something to... you know...
00:12:28.59\00:12:34.02
that tastes good
for him... but yet,
00:12:34.05\00:12:36.71
I'm not, you know,
hurting him Right...
00:12:36.74\00:12:39.37
and so you're recipe
in here... is awesome...
00:12:39.41\00:12:42.18
and so, I'm going
to be, Lord willing,
00:12:42.22\00:12:44.09
making it really soon
so that he can have that...
00:12:44.12\00:12:47.41
so, you know, these are things
00:12:47.44\00:12:49.36
the things that you're
offering here... the recipes
00:12:49.40\00:12:53.73
are recipes that are familiar...
00:12:53.77\00:12:56.60
meals that are
familiar to the culture...
00:12:56.63\00:13:00.11
but healthier
versions of it. Absolutely...
00:13:00.15\00:13:02.74
So... That was another thing
00:13:02.78\00:13:04.50
that Jesus did... when He
left and sent the Holy Spirit
00:13:04.54\00:13:08.64
on the day of Pentecost...
and all of the believers were up
00:13:08.67\00:13:12.79
in the Upper Room
and they received it...
00:13:12.83\00:13:14.59
when they came out of
the room and they began
00:13:14.63\00:13:16.81
to talk to people...
everyone who listened
00:13:16.85\00:13:18.96
heard it in their own
language, and I think for me
00:13:18.99\00:13:21.51
as a Health Educator...
that is something that's
00:13:21.55\00:13:24.04
really important...
and you alluded to that
00:13:24.07\00:13:25.54
at the beginning of the
show what good does it make
00:13:25.57\00:13:28.34
to me... if you
tell me how to do better
00:13:28.37\00:13:30.32
but it's not in a
language that I can understand
00:13:30.36\00:13:32.35
and so for... people that look
like me... macaroni and cheese
00:13:32.38\00:13:36.37
and when I talk to my
students all the time...
00:13:36.41\00:13:37.73
and if there's
no mac and cheese...
00:13:37.76\00:13:38.96
as a matter of fact...
when my mother passed away...
00:13:38.99\00:13:40.92
they had a repast
00:13:40.96\00:13:43.07
for our family at the Church
00:13:43.11\00:13:44.54
and our relatives were
there and everything...
00:13:44.57\00:13:46.78
and when it was over...
we went back to the house
00:13:46.82\00:13:48.99
all my family
members were like okay...
00:13:49.03\00:13:50.80
we know how you
all eat and all that...
00:13:50.84\00:13:52.83
but then nobody had
any macaroni and cheese
00:13:52.87\00:13:54.83
and I'm thinking...
00:13:54.86\00:13:56.25
my mom just died...
and you'll come up without
00:13:56.29\00:13:58.67
any macaroni and
cheese... it's unbelievable...
00:13:58.71\00:14:01.06
so, it's important
for me to take what is
00:14:01.09\00:14:05.02
culturally relevant...
which is... what Jesus did...
00:14:05.05\00:14:07.53
He met people where they were,
so there are recipes in there
00:14:07.56\00:14:10.79
for Caribbean food... I
had the wonderful opportunity
00:14:10.82\00:14:15.10
in teaching the
Vegetarian Cuisine Course
00:14:15.14\00:14:17.38
at Oakwood University and
I had students from Africa
00:14:17.41\00:14:19.69
and Haiti and
Jamaica and US Virgin Islands
00:14:19.73\00:14:23.36
and I tried to listen to
what they were used to eating
00:14:23.39\00:14:27.36
and what their family ate...
and then tried to teach them
00:14:27.39\00:14:31.32
how to take that
and convert it...
00:14:31.35\00:14:33.19
and for many of them...
it really wasn't hard...
00:14:33.22\00:14:35.49
because so many of them,
are allergic to dairy products
00:14:35.52\00:14:39.03
anyway so many of them
use coconut milk instead
00:14:39.07\00:14:41.67
and we could use
coconut milk and other milks
00:14:41.70\00:14:44.62
and when we were able
to use the flavorings...
00:14:44.66\00:14:47.51
to put into the foods...
that were familiar to them
00:14:47.54\00:14:51.55
then, they were
interested in doing it...
00:14:51.59\00:14:53.60
and then they took it
back to their families...
00:14:53.63\00:14:55.40
then there were a
number of students
00:14:55.44\00:14:56.50
who would sit in my
class... have a family member
00:14:56.54\00:14:59.23
who was sick... and I
would teach them how to do
00:14:59.26\00:15:01.95
what they would tell their
parents or sick family member
00:15:01.98\00:15:05.08
what to do... the
family member would
00:15:05.12\00:15:06.98
incorporate that... enjoy it...
00:15:07.01\00:15:08.65
and recover from a lot
of their health problems...
00:15:08.69\00:15:12.24
And that's such a
blessing because once people
00:15:12.28\00:15:15.80
really get the
nutrition connection,
00:15:15.83\00:15:19.67
you know, the connection
between nutrition and health
00:15:19.70\00:15:22.89
a lot of people don't
realize that no matter...
00:15:22.92\00:15:25.97
whatever you eat has
an impact, Absolutely...
00:15:26.01\00:15:28.99
it either has a negative
impact or positive impact...
00:15:29.03\00:15:32.28
but it's food... it
is your body's fuel...
00:15:32.46\00:15:35.47
so either you're going
to put good fuel in the body
00:15:35.50\00:15:37.95
or you're going
to put bad fuel in...
00:15:37.98\00:15:40.23
and you're not going to have
an optimally operating organism
00:15:40.26\00:15:45.46
so, the key is to find
those things that really work
00:15:45.49\00:15:50.19
that tastes good and incorporate
them into the diet...
00:15:50.22\00:15:54.89
Absolutely...
and I think that...
00:15:54.92\00:15:56.45
if we can do that...
because as you mentioned
00:15:56.49\00:15:59.38
we are the forerunners
for disease in this Country
00:15:59.41\00:16:02.80
for chronic disease...
so, it has to be something...
00:16:02.84\00:16:06.20
what are we doing
wrong... we have to say,
00:16:06.24\00:16:08.34
"What are we doing
wrong?" and look at
00:16:08.37\00:16:10.44
what are those
things in the diet
00:16:10.47\00:16:13.65
that are contributing...
that are making an environment
00:16:13.69\00:16:17.23
internally that's
friendly for disease...
00:16:17.26\00:16:20.28
so... food changes it...
00:16:20.32\00:16:24.10
Go ahead... No,
food changes it...
00:16:24.13\00:16:26.18
that's what I was going
to say, food can change...
00:16:26.21\00:16:28.14
help to change that
internal environment
00:16:28.18\00:16:30.82
to make it
unfriendly for disease
00:16:30.86\00:16:33.46
Absolutely... and I think
I don't have to go very far
00:16:33.50\00:16:37.97
when I'm talking to our audience
what I really need to do
00:16:38.01\00:16:42.45
is to teach them how to
substitute the bad things...
00:16:42.49\00:16:45.33
because historically...
we talk about soul food...
00:16:45.36\00:16:48.46
and if you were to just
take the meat off the table
00:16:48.49\00:16:51.71
of soul food... you're
still left with sweet potatoes,
00:16:51.74\00:16:55.87
and greens and corn and
cabbage and any kind of bean...
00:16:55.91\00:17:00.01
pinto bean,
black-eyed pea, lima bean...
00:17:00.04\00:17:02.54
I remember my grandmother...
great-grandmother cooking
00:17:02.58\00:17:05.01
those things... when
it got to our desserts
00:17:05.04\00:17:07.37
we were eating berry
pie and peach cobbler
00:17:07.41\00:17:10.02
and things like that...
we would take fresh tomatoes
00:17:10.06\00:17:13.71
and eat those... and so...
the foundation of what we eat
00:17:13.75\00:17:17.37
historically...
had to be healthy
00:17:17.40\00:17:19.51
especially in this Country
when we were enslaved because
00:17:19.55\00:17:22.29
if we didn't eat
healthy, we would be of no value
00:17:22.33\00:17:24.92
to the business that
was going on around us...
00:17:24.95\00:17:27.56
but once we became
free... we started to eat
00:17:27.60\00:17:30.30
a little higher on
the hog... and take it...
00:17:30.34\00:17:32.92
Literally...
literally... that's what we did
00:17:32.95\00:17:35.49
because in
slavery we couldn't do it
00:17:35.53\00:17:37.19
and then after
slavery... we had access...
00:17:37.22\00:17:39.60
and now, we have
access to everything...
00:17:39.64\00:17:42.28
and so on top of
"the higher on the hog"
00:17:42.31\00:17:44.89
and all the other animals...
we're eating the processed food,
00:17:44.92\00:17:47.76
and the sugar and the
sodas and all of that...
00:17:47.80\00:17:49.96
so if we can recover our
heritage... our history...
00:17:49.99\00:17:53.81
it would be a lot easier
for us to connect to the fact
00:17:53.84\00:17:57.62
that, you know
what... we aren't healthy...
00:17:57.66\00:17:59.47
and when I
remember... I'm 55-years-old
00:17:59.50\00:18:01.24
so, I can remember 50 years
ago, 50 years ago... yeah...
00:18:01.28\00:18:05.02
going to my great-grandmother's
house for dinner...
00:18:05.05\00:18:08.53
and those people were not
bent over sick and dying...
00:18:08.57\00:18:12.01
like they are today... Hmmm...
00:18:12.05\00:18:14.17
and that was in
the 60s... but after...
00:18:14.20\00:18:16.76
maybe 65 or 68 or
so... that's when we started
00:18:16.80\00:18:20.33
making poorer
choices and we added
00:18:20.36\00:18:22.40
all these negative ingredients
00:18:22.43\00:18:23.79
to what was otherwise, a
pretty good way to eat...
00:18:23.83\00:18:26.99
So, really what
you're saying is...
00:18:27.03\00:18:29.75
if you take the
meat out we really had
00:18:29.79\00:18:33.85
a lot of plants in our
diet... we had the beans,
00:18:33.88\00:18:36.65
we had the greens,
00:18:36.68\00:18:37.97
we had the fruits
and the vegetables
00:18:38.00\00:18:41.57
and that kind of thing And
they were mostly organic...
00:18:41.60\00:18:43.51
because we raised them ourselves
and we didn't put all this junk
00:18:43.54\00:18:47.74
on them that
they're putting on now
00:18:47.78\00:18:48.82
to raise them en
masse... and they were fresh
00:18:48.85\00:18:51.12
because we picked them
from the field and we brought
00:18:51.15\00:18:53.14
them into the kitchen...
and we prepared them...
00:18:53.18\00:18:55.87
and we tend to block
that part of our history out
00:18:55.91\00:18:58.53
and back then... we didn't
have as many of the diseases
00:18:58.57\00:19:01.23
as we have today...
Hmmm... so... and we also
00:19:01.26\00:19:04.34
didn't have the GMOs...
you know that we have today...
00:19:04.38\00:19:06.98
Certainly, as a
matter-of-fact you save the seed
00:19:07.01\00:19:09.67
I have a good friend of
mine who stays with me sometimes
00:19:09.71\00:19:12.29
and she came on one occasion and
brought some heirloom tomatoes
00:19:12.33\00:19:15.73
that she had
planted a year before
00:19:15.76\00:19:17.31
so, if you were the farmer,
you kept the seeds yourself,
00:19:17.34\00:19:20.43
and you planted it... so
it just continued to give you
00:19:20.46\00:19:23.52
what you had
before... you rotated your crops
00:19:23.55\00:19:26.01
it was a whole
different lifestyle for us...
00:19:26.05\00:19:28.53
but now we are less dependent
on providing our own food
00:19:28.57\00:19:32.65
and more dependent on
what is provided for us...
00:19:32.68\00:19:36.03
and we're not... as in control
00:19:36.07\00:19:37.95
of what goes into the food
00:19:37.98\00:19:39.79
but we can make different
choices with what we eat...
00:19:39.82\00:19:42.46
that is available...
Absolutely... absolutely...
00:19:42.50\00:19:45.23
you had an
experience in your life...
00:19:45.26\00:19:48.02
that made this more meaningful
to you... tell us about it...
00:19:48.06\00:19:52.96
I was vegetarian all my life...
but I did do milk, cheese, eggs,
00:19:53.00\00:19:57.86
butter, ice cream,
yogurt, that sort of thing...
00:19:57.90\00:20:00.11
all dairy products and in
1996, I went to the doctor...
00:20:00.15\00:20:05.50
we were watching a
lump in my breast...
00:20:05.53\00:20:07.13
he decided that we were
going to check it that year...
00:20:07.16\00:20:10.35
we weren't worried about
it because I had another lump
00:20:10.38\00:20:13.53
before that...
that had been taken out
00:20:13.57\00:20:14.82
that was not cancerous...
but he was impressed to check it
00:20:14.86\00:20:17.66
he did... to make
the long story short...
00:20:17.69\00:20:19.60
within a month's time... I
was diagnosed with invasive,
00:20:19.64\00:20:23.51
aggressive,
metastatic breast cancer...
00:20:23.55\00:20:25.49
and they went under the
arm... took out lymph nodes
00:20:25.53\00:20:28.92
and 6 of 17 of the
lymph nodes were positive
00:20:28.96\00:20:31.33
the doctor looked me in
the face and said, of course,
00:20:31.37\00:20:34.93
because you're African American,
because you're 37-years-old
00:20:34.96\00:20:38.67
because you have...
00:20:38.71\00:20:39.78
one of those more
aggressive cancers
00:20:39.82\00:20:42.38
we're only going to give
you 2 to 5 years to live...
00:20:42.42\00:20:44.42
and what we want
you to do... is to have
00:20:44.46\00:20:47.08
a stem cell transplant
00:20:47.12\00:20:48.51
2 sets of chemotherapy,
well actually chemotherapy first
00:20:48.55\00:20:53.32
stem cell
transplant... more chemotherapy,
00:20:53.36\00:20:55.78
radiation and then
Tamoxifen for 5 years,
00:20:55.81\00:20:58.20
and nobody seemed to offer
00:20:58.23\00:21:00.13
me any help...
because of my upbringing...
00:21:00.17\00:21:02.78
I was very
interested to see what kind of
00:21:02.81\00:21:06.55
"natural things" they
would include in it...
00:21:06.59\00:21:09.97
but every doctor
that I went to said,
00:21:10.00\00:21:11.75
"it was worst-case
scenario" and that I would die
00:21:11.79\00:21:15.32
if I didn't do what they said...
00:21:15.36\00:21:16.64
and then when I enquired
further about the treatment plan
00:21:16.67\00:21:19.50
they said that most
of the women who even did
00:21:19.54\00:21:22.18
the treatment plan
that I did... died anyway...
00:21:22.22\00:21:25.01
and so, it kind of
made me put my brakes on
00:21:25.04\00:21:27.72
and go back to what
I knew, which was...
00:21:27.75\00:21:30.36
a faith in God... a
deep and abiding trust in God
00:21:30.40\00:21:33.17
because they were
asking me questions like
00:21:33.20\00:21:34.62
"Don't you want to
see your child grow up?"
00:21:34.65\00:21:36.03
and I'm like,
"Are you kidding me?"
00:21:36.06\00:21:37.24
and then when they
said, "Because you're Black"
00:21:37.28\00:21:39.44
I thought... but wait a minute,
I didn't ask to be born Black...
00:21:39.47\00:21:42.00
this is what God made
me... I don't believe that
00:21:42.03\00:21:43.83
God would make
me... something...
00:21:43.87\00:21:45.34
that would cause me risk...
that's just not... who God is...
00:21:45.38\00:21:48.29
and so I really got
back into the Word...
00:21:48.32\00:21:50.77
looking for promises... looking
for medical professionals
00:21:50.81\00:21:54.37
that believed... in
the power of prayer...
00:21:54.41\00:21:57.22
who were trained
medically, and could incorporate
00:21:57.25\00:22:01.25
lifestyle and less toxic
substances into my system
00:22:01.29\00:22:05.25
and I drastically
changed my lifestyle...
00:22:05.29\00:22:07.83
instead of eating
all the animal products
00:22:07.87\00:22:10.37
I gave all the
animal products up
00:22:10.41\00:22:12.52
and I now subsist on
a plant-based diet...
00:22:12.55\00:22:15.90
totally plant-based
diet... fruits, nuts, grains
00:22:15.94\00:22:18.33
and vegetables... and I
think because of my work
00:22:18.36\00:22:20.72
as a professional... at
the time I was diagnosed...
00:22:20.76\00:22:22.84
I lived in Atlanta...
and I was working in a
00:22:22.88\00:22:25.54
cancer-prevention project
for Morehouse School of Medicine
00:22:25.57\00:22:28.22
the irony of it all... Wow...
00:22:28.26\00:22:29.78
and then started working
for the Office of Nutrition
00:22:29.81\00:22:32.41
for the State of Georgia,
where we're teaching people
00:22:32.45\00:22:34.95
again... how to make better
choices to reduce their risk
00:22:34.99\00:22:37.46
for disease... and so it
was an amazing opportunity
00:22:37.49\00:22:40.43
for me... to begin to
share with my colleagues
00:22:40.46\00:22:43.24
and the residents
00:22:43.27\00:22:45.29
of the State of Georgia
00:22:45.32\00:22:46.35
because we were a
State-wide Organization
00:22:46.38\00:22:48.12
how they could
make these changes
00:22:48.16\00:22:50.00
and they started asking
me "Well, how do you make...
00:22:50.03\00:22:53.08
what's the best
way to make field peas
00:22:53.11\00:22:55.17
and what's the best
way to make cabbages...
00:22:55.21\00:22:56.81
and cornbread recipe...
Right... right... right... so...
00:22:56.85\00:22:59.61
look at what happened
here... so, you find out
00:22:59.65\00:23:05.83
that you have an
aggressive, invasive,
00:23:05.86\00:23:09.11
metastatic breast cancer,
00:23:09.14\00:23:11.92
and for those
who don't really know
00:23:11.95\00:23:13.22
what that means that
means... it's moving fast,
00:23:13.26\00:23:15.86
Right... it's moving around...
00:23:15.90\00:23:18.03
it's growing and
it's fast-paced Right...
00:23:18.07\00:23:22.28
so now the doctor is
saying, 2 to 5 years...
00:23:22.32\00:23:25.33
that's all you
get... and I'm sure...
00:23:25.36\00:23:27.87
that had to just be
mind-boggling to you...
00:23:27.90\00:23:31.03
because you weren't...
it came from nowhere...
00:23:31.06\00:23:34.15
Absolutely... It came from...
00:23:34.18\00:23:36.29
and you're a health lecturer,
you're a health instructor,
00:23:36.33\00:23:40.22
and you had this happen,
so, it can happen to anyone,
00:23:40.25\00:23:44.07
but look at what you did,
the first thing is... you prayed
00:23:44.10\00:23:47.17
Absolutely...
and you talked to God
00:23:47.21\00:23:48.80
and you recommitted
yourself so to speak... to God
00:23:48.83\00:23:52.99
reconnected... not that
you had lost connection...
00:23:53.02\00:23:55.43
but, I guess, your
connection became deeper...
00:23:55.47\00:23:57.85
Yes... and then
you sought out medical
00:23:57.88\00:24:00.56
practitioners who
used integrative medicine
00:24:00.60\00:24:03.71
and I think, that is
a very important point,
00:24:03.75\00:24:06.79
like... when you find doctors
that are open to the natural
00:24:06.82\00:24:10.26
but they're also trained...
00:24:10.30\00:24:11.81
Right... natural
remedies in the backwoods...
00:24:11.85\00:24:15.26
to take care of the
body... now you have somebody
00:24:15.29\00:24:18.31
who is... kind of to
me... the best of both worlds...
00:24:18.35\00:24:21.33
Absolutely... so, we
want our viewers to know
00:24:21.37\00:24:23.57
we are not saying...
"If you have breast cancer
00:24:23.61\00:24:25.78
that you shouldn't
go to your doctor...
00:24:25.82\00:24:29.27
Go through a
doctor... go to the doctor...
00:24:29.30\00:24:32.18
absolutely... And
that's where I went first
00:24:32.22\00:24:35.03
but I think... the
thing that was so amazing...
00:24:35.06\00:24:37.83
I thought you were going to
another direction with that...
00:24:37.87\00:24:39.80
back to my profession
was health education...
00:24:39.83\00:24:42.46
here I was... working
on a cancer project...
00:24:42.50\00:24:45.06
I pretty much was living...
on healthy lifestyle choices...
00:24:45.10\00:24:48.36
I mean... I exercised... I
thought I was in pretty good
00:24:48.40\00:24:51.63
health... according
to what the doctor said,
00:24:51.66\00:24:54.30
but here God orchestrated
an opportunity for me
00:24:54.33\00:24:56.93
to bring it up a
little higher, Hmmm...
00:24:56.97\00:24:59.01
and I think, for our
viewing audience who are facing
00:24:59.04\00:25:01.51
cancer, diabetes,
heart disease, stroke, lupus,
00:25:01.54\00:25:06.32
multiple sclerosis,
obesity... any of those things,
00:25:06.36\00:25:09.60
when you are seeking out
00:25:09.64\00:25:12.11
medical professionals...
who have an appreciation for the
00:25:12.15\00:25:16.12
Creator God... they
were not just talking about
00:25:16.16\00:25:18.97
you getting well from
the "disease" that you
00:25:19.00\00:25:21.74
present with... but you're
talking about what God says
00:25:21.78\00:25:24.54
in the Word...
"Wilt thou be made whole"
00:25:24.58\00:25:26.97
because God is trying
to touch those of us...
00:25:27.01\00:25:30.37
who are experiencing
the consequences of sin
00:25:30.41\00:25:33.79
and He's trying to
restore us... can you imagine
00:25:33.82\00:25:37.13
what it would be like...
if our viewers would all just
00:25:37.17\00:25:40.33
eat less meat... if
they would eat less calories,
00:25:40.37\00:25:43.22
if they would exercise,
if they would pray more...
00:25:43.26\00:25:45.95
if they would be less
stressed about their thing...
00:25:45.98\00:25:48.60
and connect to the Creator
God, I shared with my students
00:25:48.64\00:25:52.31
a week ago... a
study that had been done
00:25:52.34\00:25:54.32
recently... where
they're looking at the activity
00:25:54.35\00:25:56.70
in the brain... when
a person is praying...
00:25:56.74\00:25:58.85
and they put these
electrodes on this woman
00:25:58.88\00:26:00.92
they put a dye through her body,
and as she sat there and prayed
00:26:00.96\00:26:04.96
the frontal lobe of
her brain, lit up...
00:26:04.99\00:26:07.47
just like yours
and mine are lit up now
00:26:07.51\00:26:09.92
because you and I are having
a face-to-face conversation
00:26:09.96\00:26:12.30
and the woman wasn't
talking to anybody but God...
00:26:12.33\00:26:14.64
All right... If you can do that
00:26:14.68\00:26:17.53
and hear from
heaven... because God says,
00:26:17.56\00:26:19.94
"If my people... will
do this list of things...
00:26:19.97\00:26:22.43
then I will hear from
heaven and restore them... "
00:26:22.46\00:26:24.81
and that's what God
wants to do for His people...
00:26:24.84\00:26:27.16
and if all of these
things hadn't happened to me
00:26:27.19\00:26:30.38
18 years ago... I
wouldn't be in the place
00:26:30.41\00:26:32.96
that I am... because He didn't
just handle the breast cancer
00:26:32.99\00:26:36.28
there were so
many other challenges
00:26:36.31\00:26:38.36
that I learned to give to
Him, and to trust Him about,
00:26:38.39\00:26:42.47
and to discover... how
He wanted to prosper me...
00:26:42.50\00:26:47.52
not wealth or anything like
that but give me what I need
00:26:47.55\00:26:50.70
when I needed it and
lead me to other people
00:26:50.73\00:26:53.26
who were looking
for the same thing.
00:26:53.29\00:26:54.83
Absolutely... so
now, not only do you have
00:26:54.86\00:26:58.43
the information...
you have it first-hand
00:26:58.47\00:27:02.11
because your life has
been transformed by it...
00:27:02.15\00:27:04.99
Absolutely...
Donna, Thank you so much
00:27:05.03\00:27:08.13
for being with us today...
00:27:08.17\00:27:09.32
I can't believe
our time is up...
00:27:09.35\00:27:10.69
You have been a wonderful,
wonderful resource for us
00:27:10.73\00:27:14.94
and a great
guest... thank you so much
00:27:14.98\00:27:16.81
and may God bless
you and your ministry...
00:27:16.84\00:27:19.63
and "keep us
shouting" I will... I will...
00:27:19.66\00:27:22.38
Hippocrates said, "Let
your food be your medicine
00:27:22.42\00:27:26.89
and let your
medicine be your food"
00:27:26.93\00:27:28.98
today we've heard from
Donna and we've heard how she
00:27:29.01\00:27:32.85
turned her food into medicine...
00:27:32.88\00:27:34.75
and she shares that with you
in her lectures and her books...
00:27:34.79\00:27:38.75
God has given us
healing foods from the earth
00:27:38.78\00:27:41.52
to support our bodies...
why not make some changes
00:27:41.56\00:27:44.49
in your diet today...
why not start drinking more
00:27:44.52\00:27:47.42
water...
exercise... get some sunshine...
00:27:47.45\00:27:50.28
get a plant-based
diet... move more towards eating
00:27:50.32\00:27:54.86
from the earth...
and less junk food...
00:27:54.89\00:27:57.25
Well, our Program
has come to an end...
00:27:57.29\00:27:59.61
Thanks so much for tuning in...
00:27:59.65\00:28:00.95
Join us next time...
00:28:00.98\00:28:02.11
It just wouldn't be
the same without you...
00:28:02.15\00:28:04.63