Do you love good food? I do...
00:00:00.96\00:00:03.23
Well, stay tuned to
meet a woman whose cooking
00:00:03.26\00:00:05.80
has us still shouting...
My name is Yvonne Lewis...
00:00:05.83\00:00:09.54
and you're
watching... Urban Report.
00:00:09.57\00:00:11.54
Hello and welcome
to Urban Report...
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My guest today
is... Donna Green-Goodman
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Health Educator...
Author and Speaker...
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Welcome to Urban Report Donna...
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Hi Yvonne... how are you?
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Hey girl...
welcome... doing great...
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It's so good to have
you on Urban Report...
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I am glad to be here...
I'm so excited about this
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ability to do this from my home
and I'm just waiting to hear
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how your viewers are
going to enjoy the Program.
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Oh, great... great... well
let's get right into it Donna
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Okay... You know, you have
00:01:05.59\00:01:07.60
this great book
that has recipes in it
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that are just scrumptious...
I mean... even the pictures...
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I mean, the pictures
just make you hungry...
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so, let's talk a bit about
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how you got into
Health Education...
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How did you get into it?
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When I think
about it actually...
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my parents went to
College when I was a child...
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I was about 10-years-old
and my dad would spend the
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summers taking
students to different cities
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to help them earn
scholarships for School
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by selling Christian magazines
and my brother and I and my mom
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attended with them...
and he had me out there
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while they were doing
it and before I knew it...
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I was standing on the
corner in Newark, New Jersey
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just bawling my
eyes out... and I'm like,
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"Mommy, take me
home, I can't do this... "
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and so, she and my
dad talked they decided
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it wasn't for me and
I went back with her...
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and I got involved in cooking
the meals for the students
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with my mom... and so she
had me in the kitchen with her
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learning the skill of
it... and I suppose that
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that was a gift that God
gave me because years later
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when I grew up
and went to College...
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I majored in
Family Consumer Science
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which used to be
called Home Economics...
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and I minored in
Nutrition and I absolutely loved
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the cooking part of it...
and then I started enjoying
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the teaching of how you
could use good food choices...
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to improve your
health and other choices...
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and I just decided that I
was going to finish that degree
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and move towards teaching
people how to just be healthy...
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and I actually left my
College, Oakwood University,
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and went to
Loma Linda University
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to do another
degree in Dental Hygiene...
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I got out
there... and I just thought
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I could not be in people's
mouths for the rest of my life,
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so I went across... I
was in the Program for 3 days
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and on the morning of the
3rd day I got up and I went...
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"I can't do this"
because that was the day we were
00:03:01.11\00:03:03.11
supposed to be digging
in our partner's teeth...
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so I went and withdrew,
and went across the hall
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and enrolled in the
School of Public Health
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and began working on a Master's
of Public Health Education
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and I knew for sure that God
had used my trip to California
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to the School of
Dental Hygiene to get me there
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so that I could go to the
School of Public Health...
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and I studied there and
I started out in a career
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for the State of Georgia,
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Cooperative Extension Service
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where I actually worked
with the National Program FNEP
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teaching people how
to make better choices
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for their families
especially food choices
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in particular, I was
working in a rural community
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with families who had limited
incomes... but the Program
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that I was involved in
was part of a National Program
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that was in Urban Centers
in Rural Communities as well
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and I started there and
had some other experiences
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over the last 30 years... and
I'm amazed I can even say that,
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I mean, because it doesn't
feel like it was that long...
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Yeah... yeah... how I
got involved in the career
00:04:02.10\00:04:06.51
of health
education... And, look at God...
00:04:06.54\00:04:09.04
look at what He did...
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now, there was one aspect of it
00:04:10.48\00:04:12.85
you weren't comfortable
with when you were little...
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Right... your mom
brought you into the
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kitchen and
started there... Right...
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training you... teaching you...
and from there you developed
00:04:19.42\00:04:22.59
a love for food
preparation... Absolutely...
00:04:22.62\00:04:24.86
and then God gets you out
to California, Loma Linda...
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you're thinking you're
going there for dental stuff
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and end up being there...
learning food preparation
00:04:32.70\00:04:36.60
Right... right... God has a...
00:04:36.64\00:04:38.57
we always say
this on Urban Report
00:04:38.61\00:04:40.44
God has a divine
plan... and when you're walking
00:04:40.48\00:04:44.65
in that plan... there is nothing
more fulfilling than that...
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Nothing...
Absolutely... and I think that's
00:04:48.48\00:04:50.49
something I like to
share with people as I do
00:04:50.52\00:04:52.45
community presentations...
as I talk to my students...
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"Nothing that you decide to
do can God not use to direct you
00:04:54.79\00:05:00.23
where He wants you to
be... " That's right...
00:05:00.26\00:05:02.36
and if you
choose to listen to Him,
00:05:02.40\00:05:04.17
then you're going to
make more of the right turns
00:05:04.20\00:05:06.63
on the pathway... but
He can use your choices
00:05:06.67\00:05:08.54
to get you... where
He needs you to be...
00:05:08.57\00:05:10.37
and I thank God everyday... that
He used that to get me there
00:05:10.41\00:05:14.71
because I wasn't even
looking to do a Master's degree
00:05:14.74\00:05:17.01
in Public Health...
And that's the other thing,
00:05:17.05\00:05:19.91
you know, it's
like... we don't know...
00:05:19.95\00:05:21.95
where we're going to end up
00:05:21.98\00:05:23.89
we don't know what
God's plan necessarily...
00:05:23.92\00:05:26.82
what God's plan is
for us... but as you said,
00:05:26.86\00:05:30.49
God can take your
detours and turn those into
00:05:30.53\00:05:34.10
part of the main path that
you're supposed to be on...
00:05:34.10\00:05:38.93
So, we serve such a great
God, who loves us and wants to
00:05:38.97\00:05:43.67
give us... the
abundant life, Absolutely...
00:05:43.71\00:05:47.18
and so often, we
don't really want it...
00:05:47.21\00:05:49.94
we don't really know
what to do to get it...
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but if we seek
God... He will let you know
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what you're supposed to
do, and once you know...
00:05:55.12\00:05:57.52
and you're walking...
I know you know this...
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there's nothing like
it... there's nothing like it...
00:05:59.92\00:06:03.63
Absolutely...
Okay, so you got involved
00:06:03.66\00:06:06.26
in health and in
teaching people about health
00:06:06.29\00:06:12.40
particularly at-risk people,
Absolutely... absolutely...
00:06:12.43\00:06:16.44
what has been your biggest
challenge... would you say
00:06:16.47\00:06:20.24
or some of your
biggest challenges
00:06:20.28\00:06:22.51
in working with
people with their health?
00:06:22.54\00:06:25.75
I think for me... while a lot
of my professional experience
00:06:25.78\00:06:35.49
has been in
professional circles with peers
00:06:35.52\00:06:38.56
the other part of my time
00:06:38.59\00:06:40.60
has been spent with the
people in the neighborhoods...
00:06:40.63\00:06:43.16
and I think one
of the challenges...
00:06:43.20\00:06:45.60
especially for people
in urban communities...
00:06:45.63\00:06:48.70
and for African-American people
00:06:48.74\00:06:50.54
people of African descent...
is getting them to trust
00:06:50.57\00:06:55.48
what you're saying...
00:06:55.51\00:06:57.85
and showing them how it can be
00:06:57.88\00:07:01.28
made real for them...
because... so many times...
00:07:01.32\00:07:03.89
when we think of people
who are disadvantaged...
00:07:03.92\00:07:07.76
we often think about
people who are financially or
00:07:07.79\00:07:10.89
economically disadvantaged...
but I was looking at
00:07:10.93\00:07:13.93
disadvantaged... more from
the perspective of health...
00:07:13.96\00:07:16.00
so there are people
across the broad spectrum
00:07:16.03\00:07:18.53
who have been
living their way of life
00:07:18.57\00:07:20.77
for years in whatever
community they live in...
00:07:20.80\00:07:24.14
and then you have an
intersection with them...
00:07:24.17\00:07:27.04
and you want to talk to
them about making changes
00:07:27.08\00:07:29.41
in their health...
and for some of them...
00:07:29.44\00:07:31.45
that's a really big
challenge to make those changes
00:07:31.48\00:07:35.55
especially the kind
that I'm suggesting...
00:07:35.58\00:07:38.25
once, however, you
can connect with them...
00:07:38.29\00:07:41.86
and build trust... it's easier
for them to listen to you...
00:07:41.89\00:07:46.53
and that is one of
the things that I did
00:07:46.56\00:07:48.03
in one of the
first projects that I did
00:07:48.06\00:07:49.50
with the Extension Service
and later on when I worked
00:07:49.53\00:07:51.80
with Morehouse
School of Medicine
00:07:51.83\00:07:53.37
we actually got
into the community
00:07:53.40\00:07:54.90
where the people
were... met with the people
00:07:54.94\00:07:57.37
who were the decision
makers who people were there...
00:07:57.41\00:08:00.08
trusting them... let them know
00:08:00.11\00:08:01.74
that we were there to help them
00:08:01.78\00:08:03.35
make themselves
better... and then when they
00:08:03.38\00:08:05.18
bought into it it
wasn't quite as hard...
00:08:05.21\00:08:07.38
the other challenge that I saw
00:08:07.42\00:08:08.88
was so many people...
especially African Americans
00:08:08.92\00:08:13.36
who are always
listed in the health data
00:08:13.39\00:08:17.19
as being the worst for
every disease that there is...
00:08:17.23\00:08:20.70
out there... and I began to see
as they were willing to embrace
00:08:20.73\00:08:24.20
the things that we
were teaching them...
00:08:24.23\00:08:25.90
we were able to see changes
in those medical outcomes
00:08:25.93\00:08:31.54
but you had to get
them to trust you first
00:08:31.57\00:08:33.81
to do it... And
the thread here...
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in what you're telling
me is getting them to trust
00:08:36.41\00:08:40.05
that you can make
a difference for them
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and part of that
trust... comes into play...
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with food that tastes good...
nobody wants to be, you know,
00:08:45.65\00:08:50.26
eating nasty food... Right...
00:08:50.29\00:08:52.33
some people will say,
"Well, I'll just eat it because
00:08:52.36\00:08:56.46
I know it's going to
make me feel better...
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I'm supposed to... "
00:08:58.80\00:09:01.80
but... if it doesn't
taste good what's the point?
00:09:01.84\00:09:04.71
Right... and the real
deal is... if you hate it...
00:09:04.74\00:09:07.58
you're not
going to keep it up...
00:09:07.61\00:09:08.88
you're not going to
be consistent with it...
00:09:08.91\00:09:10.91
but if you can have
something that tastes like
00:09:10.95\00:09:16.05
what you normally
have... but it's better for you
00:09:16.08\00:09:21.39
and even may taste better,
then, you're not giving up
00:09:21.42\00:09:26.70
you're not sacrificing
so much, and I think...
00:09:26.73\00:09:29.40
that's a major thing too...
One of the things that worked
00:09:29.43\00:09:33.87
well for me was...
whenever I was working
00:09:33.90\00:09:36.87
in an urban
community, and I did this in the
00:09:36.91\00:09:39.77
Metro-Atlantic area in
Columbia, South Carolina...
00:09:39.81\00:09:42.51
Augusta, Georgia area and now
in the Metro-Huntsville area...
00:09:42.54\00:09:47.02
when you are
working with Southerners
00:09:47.05\00:09:49.58
and or people of African descent
there was always a chance
00:09:49.62\00:09:54.29
to talk to them about
God... and I would remind them
00:09:54.32\00:09:57.76
that the first
miracle that Jesus performed
00:09:57.79\00:10:00.30
was turning the water into wine,
and when they drank the wine,
00:10:00.33\00:10:04.23
they said, "Why did you
save the best until the last?"
00:10:04.27\00:10:06.94
and I told them
that anytime you do
00:10:06.97\00:10:09.54
what God wants you to do,
it's always going to be better
00:10:09.57\00:10:12.61
than anything that
you've ever done...
00:10:12.64\00:10:14.08
and so, I then
personally took it upon myself
00:10:14.11\00:10:17.31
to make sure that the things
that I was introducing to them
00:10:17.35\00:10:20.08
to improve their health,
were something that would
00:10:20.12\00:10:23.08
taste better than what
they were doing before...
00:10:23.12\00:10:26.02
and it would
integrate into their lives...
00:10:26.05\00:10:28.49
and they would be able to
continue to make the changes
00:10:28.52\00:10:31.56
in their lives... so that
they could recover their health
00:10:31.59\00:10:33.90
because ultimately
that's what we were trying to do
00:10:33.93\00:10:35.93
And you know what
Donna, that's so important
00:10:35.96\00:10:37.87
because you're teaching
them to integrate these changes
00:10:37.90\00:10:42.47
these minor things
that can end up being major
00:10:42.50\00:10:46.37
in terms of health
outcome you're teaching them
00:10:46.41\00:10:50.28
to integrate these
things into their daily lives
00:10:50.31\00:10:53.95
so that... I mean...
you have in your book...
00:10:53.98\00:10:57.49
this book is so... I
got to tell the viewers
00:10:57.52\00:11:01.06
this is called,
00:11:01.09\00:11:02.26
"Cooking Up Good
Health" Recipe Collection"
00:11:02.29\00:11:05.96
and...
00:11:05.99\00:11:08.93
in this book...
Donna gives these
00:11:08.96\00:11:11.83
different substitutes for things
so, like, if you are used to
00:11:11.87\00:11:16.17
eating a lot of
margarine for example...
00:11:16.20\00:11:20.18
like unhealthy,
trans-fat laden margarine...
00:11:20.21\00:11:23.85
she'll give you a substitute
00:11:23.88\00:11:26.92
for that... she'll give
you a substitute for dairy...
00:11:26.95\00:11:29.98
she gives you a
substitute... so that...
00:11:30.02\00:11:32.19
now that you have a
recipe, you can take that recipe
00:11:32.22\00:11:36.66
and make it healthier
by using the substitutes
00:11:36.69\00:11:40.10
that are in your book... I
found that to be very, very
00:11:40.13\00:11:43.47
informational
because... informative because
00:11:43.50\00:11:47.37
there are so many
people who don't know...
00:11:47.40\00:11:49.97
what shall I use
for this? what other...
00:11:50.01\00:11:53.34
what alternative sweeteners
00:11:53.38\00:11:54.94
can I use that aren't
going to be harmful...
00:11:54.98\00:11:58.25
what can I use that might
not impact my glucose levels
00:11:58.28\00:12:02.18
Right... so, we
have all kinds of things
00:12:02.22\00:12:05.29
that are in this
book... not to mention
00:12:05.32\00:12:08.39
not to mention the
mac and cheese recipe
00:12:08.42\00:12:11.46
that you have in this book,
that I'm getting ready to make
00:12:11.49\00:12:15.00
my son is a mac
and cheese fanatic...
00:12:15.03\00:12:17.30
and I'm really
worried about his arteries
00:12:17.33\00:12:19.47
and I'm thinking...
even now... I mean...
00:12:19.50\00:12:21.60
they have studies that show
that atherosclerosis can start
00:12:21.64\00:12:26.17
as early as 3... Absolutely...
00:12:26.21\00:12:28.44
so, I really want to do
something to... you know...
00:12:28.48\00:12:33.92
that tastes good
for him... but yet,
00:12:33.95\00:12:36.62
I'm not, you know,
hurting him Right...
00:12:36.65\00:12:39.29
and so you're recipe
in here... is awesome...
00:12:39.32\00:12:42.09
and so, I'm going
to be, Lord willing,
00:12:42.12\00:12:43.99
making it really soon
so that he can have that...
00:12:44.03\00:12:47.30
so, you know, these are things
00:12:47.36\00:12:49.26
the things that you're
offering here... the recipes
00:12:49.30\00:12:53.64
are recipes that are familiar...
00:12:53.67\00:12:56.47
meals that are
familiar to the culture...
00:12:56.50\00:12:59.94
but healthier
versions of it. Absolutely...
00:13:00.04\00:13:02.64
So... That was another thing
00:13:02.68\00:13:04.41
that Jesus did... when He
left and sent the Holy Spirit
00:13:04.45\00:13:08.55
on the day of Pentecost...
and all of the believers were up
00:13:08.58\00:13:12.69
in the Upper Room
and they received it...
00:13:12.72\00:13:14.49
when they came out of
the room and they began
00:13:14.52\00:13:16.73
to talk to people...
everyone who listened
00:13:16.76\00:13:18.86
heard it in their own
language, and I think for me
00:13:18.89\00:13:21.40
as a Health Educator...
that is something that's
00:13:21.43\00:13:23.93
really important...
and you alluded to that
00:13:23.97\00:13:25.43
at the beginning of the
show what good does it make
00:13:25.47\00:13:28.24
to me... if you
tell me how to do better
00:13:28.27\00:13:30.21
but it's not in a
language that I can understand
00:13:30.24\00:13:32.24
and so for... people that look
like me... macaroni and cheese
00:13:32.27\00:13:36.28
and when I talk to my
students all the time...
00:13:36.31\00:13:37.61
and if there's
no mac and cheese...
00:13:37.65\00:13:38.75
as a matter of fact...
when my mother passed away...
00:13:38.78\00:13:40.82
they had a repast
00:13:40.85\00:13:42.98
for our family at the Church
00:13:43.02\00:13:44.45
and our relatives were
there and everything...
00:13:44.49\00:13:46.69
and when it was over...
we went back to the house
00:13:46.72\00:13:48.89
all my family
members were like okay...
00:13:48.92\00:13:50.73
we know how you
all eat and all that...
00:13:50.76\00:13:52.76
but then nobody had
any macaroni and cheese
00:13:52.79\00:13:54.73
and I'm thinking...
00:13:54.73\00:13:56.13
my mom just died...
and you'll come up without
00:13:56.16\00:13:58.57
any macaroni and
cheese... it's unbelievable...
00:13:58.60\00:14:00.94
so, it's important
for me to take what is
00:14:00.97\00:14:04.91
culturally relevant...
which is... what Jesus did...
00:14:04.94\00:14:07.41
He met people where they were,
so there are recipes in there
00:14:07.44\00:14:10.68
for Caribbean food... I
had the wonderful opportunity
00:14:10.71\00:14:15.02
in teaching the
Vegetarian Cuisine Course
00:14:15.05\00:14:17.29
at Oakwood University and
I had students from Africa
00:14:17.32\00:14:19.59
and Haiti and
Jamaica and US Virgin Islands
00:14:19.62\00:14:23.26
and I tried to listen to
what they were used to eating
00:14:23.29\00:14:27.23
and what their family ate...
and then tried to teach them
00:14:27.30\00:14:31.20
how to take that
and convert it...
00:14:31.23\00:14:33.07
and for many of them...
it really wasn't hard...
00:14:33.10\00:14:35.37
because so many of them,
are allergic to dairy products
00:14:35.40\00:14:38.94
anyway so many of them
use coconut milk instead
00:14:38.97\00:14:41.58
and we could use
coconut milk and other milks
00:14:41.61\00:14:44.51
and when we were able
to use the flavorings...
00:14:44.55\00:14:47.42
to put into the foods...
that were familiar to them
00:14:47.45\00:14:51.45
then, they were
interested in doing it...
00:14:51.49\00:14:53.49
and then they took it
back to their families...
00:14:53.52\00:14:55.32
then there were a
number of students
00:14:55.36\00:14:56.42
who would sit in my
class... have a family member
00:14:56.46\00:14:59.13
who was sick... and I
would teach them how to do
00:14:59.16\00:15:01.83
what they would tell their
parents or sick family member
00:15:01.86\00:15:04.97
what to do... the
family member would
00:15:05.00\00:15:06.87
incorporate that... enjoy it...
00:15:06.90\00:15:08.54
and recover from a lot
of their health problems...
00:15:08.57\00:15:12.14
And that's such a
blessing because once people
00:15:12.17\00:15:15.68
really get the
nutrition connection,
00:15:15.71\00:15:19.58
you know, the connection
between nutrition and health
00:15:19.61\00:15:22.78
a lot of people don't
realize that no matter...
00:15:22.82\00:15:25.89
whatever you eat has
an impact, Absolutely...
00:15:25.92\00:15:28.89
it either has a negative
impact or positive impact...
00:15:28.92\00:15:32.33
but it's food... it
is your body's fuel...
00:15:32.36\00:15:35.36
so either you're going
to put good fuel in the body
00:15:35.40\00:15:37.83
or you're going
to put bad fuel in...
00:15:37.87\00:15:40.10
and you're not going to have
an optimally operating organism
00:15:40.14\00:15:45.34
so, the key is to find
those things that really work
00:15:45.37\00:15:50.08
that tastes good and incorporate
them into the diet...
00:15:50.11\00:15:54.78
Absolutely...
and I think that...
00:15:54.82\00:15:56.35
if we can do that...
because as you mentioned
00:15:56.38\00:15:59.29
we are the forerunners
for disease in this Country
00:15:59.32\00:16:02.72
for chronic disease...
so, it has to be something...
00:16:02.76\00:16:06.13
what are we doing
wrong... we have to say,
00:16:06.16\00:16:08.23
"What are we doing
wrong?" and look at
00:16:08.26\00:16:10.33
what are those
things in the diet
00:16:10.37\00:16:13.54
that are contributing...
that are making an environment
00:16:13.57\00:16:17.11
internally that's
friendly for disease...
00:16:17.14\00:16:20.18
so... food changes it...
00:16:20.21\00:16:23.98
Go ahead... No,
food changes it...
00:16:24.01\00:16:26.08
that's what I was going
to say, food can change...
00:16:26.11\00:16:28.05
help to change that
internal environment
00:16:28.08\00:16:30.72
to make it
unfriendly for disease
00:16:30.75\00:16:33.39
Absolutely... and I think
I don't have to go very far
00:16:33.42\00:16:37.89
when I'm talking to our audience
what I really need to do
00:16:37.93\00:16:42.33
is to teach them how to
substitute the bad things...
00:16:42.36\00:16:45.20
because historically...
we talk about soul food...
00:16:45.23\00:16:48.34
and if you were to just
take the meat off the table
00:16:48.37\00:16:51.61
of soul food... you're
still left with sweet potatoes,
00:16:51.64\00:16:55.78
and greens and corn and
cabbage and any kind of bean...
00:16:55.81\00:16:59.88
pinto bean,
black-eyed pea, lima bean...
00:16:59.91\00:17:02.45
I remember my grandmother...
great-grandmother cooking
00:17:02.48\00:17:04.92
those things... when
it got to our desserts
00:17:04.95\00:17:07.29
we were eating berry
pie and peach cobbler
00:17:07.32\00:17:09.92
and things like that...
we would take fresh tomatoes
00:17:09.96\00:17:13.63
and eat those... and so...
the foundation of what we eat
00:17:13.66\00:17:17.27
historically...
had to be healthy
00:17:17.30\00:17:19.40
especially in this Country
when we were enslaved because
00:17:19.43\00:17:22.17
if we didn't eat
healthy, we would be of no value
00:17:22.20\00:17:24.81
to the business that
was going on around us...
00:17:24.84\00:17:27.48
but once we became
free... we started to eat
00:17:27.51\00:17:30.21
a little higher on
the hog... and take it...
00:17:30.25\00:17:32.81
Literally...
literally... that's what we did
00:17:32.85\00:17:35.38
because in
slavery we couldn't do it
00:17:35.42\00:17:37.09
and then after
slavery... we had access...
00:17:37.12\00:17:39.52
and now, we have
access to everything...
00:17:39.55\00:17:42.19
and so on top of
"the higher on the hog"
00:17:42.22\00:17:44.79
and all the other animals...
we're eating the processed food,
00:17:44.83\00:17:47.66
and the sugar and the
sodas and all of that...
00:17:47.73\00:17:49.83
so if we can recover our
heritage... our history...
00:17:49.86\00:17:53.70
it would be a lot easier
for us to connect to the fact
00:17:53.74\00:17:57.51
that, you know
what... we aren't healthy...
00:17:57.54\00:17:59.37
and when I
remember... I'm 55-years-old
00:17:59.41\00:18:01.14
so, I can remember 50 years
ago, 50 years ago... yeah...
00:18:01.18\00:18:04.91
going to my great-grandmother's
house for dinner...
00:18:04.95\00:18:08.45
and those people were not
bent over sick and dying...
00:18:08.48\00:18:11.92
like they are today... Hmmm...
00:18:11.95\00:18:14.09
and that was in
the 60s... but after...
00:18:14.12\00:18:16.69
maybe 65 or 68 or
so... that's when we started
00:18:16.73\00:18:20.23
making poorer
choices and we added
00:18:20.26\00:18:22.26
all these negative ingredients
00:18:22.30\00:18:23.67
to what was otherwise, a
pretty good way to eat...
00:18:23.70\00:18:26.87
So, really what
you're saying is...
00:18:26.90\00:18:29.64
if you take the
meat out we really had
00:18:29.67\00:18:33.74
a lot of plants in our
diet... we had the beans,
00:18:33.78\00:18:36.54
we had the greens,
00:18:36.58\00:18:37.88
we had the fruits
and the vegetables
00:18:37.91\00:18:41.48
and that kind of thing And
they were mostly organic...
00:18:41.52\00:18:43.42
because we raised them ourselves
and we didn't put all this junk
00:18:43.45\00:18:47.66
on them that
they're putting on now
00:18:47.69\00:18:48.62
to raise them en
masse... and they were fresh
00:18:48.66\00:18:51.03
because we picked them
from the field and we brought
00:18:51.06\00:18:53.06
them into the kitchen...
and we prepared them...
00:18:53.09\00:18:55.76
and we tend to block
that part of our history out
00:18:55.80\00:18:58.43
and back then... we didn't
have as many of the diseases
00:18:58.47\00:19:01.10
as we have today...
Hmmm... so... and we also
00:19:01.14\00:19:04.24
didn't have the GMOs...
you know that we have today...
00:19:04.27\00:19:06.88
Certainly, as a
matter-of-fact you save the seed
00:19:06.91\00:19:09.58
I have a good friend of
mine who stays with me sometimes
00:19:09.61\00:19:12.18
and she came on one occasion and
brought some heirloom tomatoes
00:19:12.21\00:19:15.62
that she had
planted a year before
00:19:15.65\00:19:17.22
so, if you were the farmer,
you kept the seeds yourself,
00:19:17.25\00:19:20.32
and you planted it... so
it just continued to give you
00:19:20.36\00:19:23.43
what you had
before... you rotated your crops
00:19:23.46\00:19:25.93
it was a whole
different lifestyle for us...
00:19:25.96\00:19:28.43
but now we are less dependent
on providing our own food
00:19:28.46\00:19:32.53
and more dependent on
what is provided for us...
00:19:32.57\00:19:35.94
and we're not... as in control
00:19:35.97\00:19:37.84
of what goes into the food
00:19:37.87\00:19:39.67
but we can make different
choices with what we eat...
00:19:39.71\00:19:42.38
that is available...
Absolutely... absolutely...
00:19:42.41\00:19:45.11
you had an
experience in your life...
00:19:45.15\00:19:47.92
that made this more meaningful
to you... tell us about it...
00:19:47.95\00:19:52.89
I was vegetarian all my life...
but I did do milk, cheese, eggs,
00:19:52.92\00:19:57.79
butter, ice cream,
yogurt, that sort of thing...
00:19:57.83\00:20:00.03
all dairy products and in
1996, I went to the doctor...
00:20:00.06\00:20:05.37
we were watching a
lump in my breast...
00:20:05.40\00:20:07.00
he decided that we were
going to check it that year...
00:20:07.04\00:20:10.24
we weren't worried about
it because I had another lump
00:20:10.27\00:20:13.44
before that...
that had been taken out
00:20:13.48\00:20:14.61
that was not cancerous...
but he was impressed to check it
00:20:14.64\00:20:17.55
he did... to make
the long story short...
00:20:17.58\00:20:19.51
within a month's time... I
was diagnosed with invasive,
00:20:19.55\00:20:23.42
aggressive,
metastatic breast cancer...
00:20:23.45\00:20:25.39
and they went under the
arm... took out lymph nodes
00:20:25.42\00:20:28.82
and 6 of 17 of the
lymph nodes were positive
00:20:28.86\00:20:31.26
the doctor looked me in
the face and said, of course,
00:20:31.29\00:20:34.83
because you're African American,
because you're 37-years-old
00:20:34.83\00:20:38.57
because you have...
00:20:38.60\00:20:39.67
one of those more
aggressive cancers
00:20:39.70\00:20:42.27
we're only going to give
you 2 to 5 years to live...
00:20:42.30\00:20:44.31
and what we want
you to do... is to have
00:20:44.34\00:20:46.98
a stem cell transplant
00:20:47.01\00:20:48.41
2 sets of chemotherapy,
well actually chemotherapy first
00:20:48.44\00:20:53.21
stem cell
transplant... more chemotherapy,
00:20:53.25\00:20:55.68
radiation and then
Tamoxifen for 5 years,
00:20:55.72\00:20:58.09
and nobody seemed to offer
00:20:58.12\00:21:00.06
me any help...
because of my upbringing...
00:21:00.09\00:21:02.69
I was very
interested to see what kind of
00:21:02.72\00:21:06.46
"natural things" they
would include in it...
00:21:06.49\00:21:09.86
but every doctor
that I went to said,
00:21:09.90\00:21:11.63
"it was worst-case
scenario" and that I would die
00:21:11.67\00:21:15.20
if I didn't do what they said...
00:21:15.24\00:21:16.54
and then when I enquired
further about the treatment plan
00:21:16.57\00:21:19.41
they said that most
of the women who even did
00:21:19.44\00:21:22.08
the treatment plan
that I did... died anyway...
00:21:22.11\00:21:24.91
and so, it kind of
made me put my brakes on
00:21:24.95\00:21:27.62
and go back to what
I knew, which was...
00:21:27.65\00:21:30.29
a faith in God... a
deep and abiding trust in God
00:21:30.32\00:21:33.09
because they were
asking me questions like
00:21:33.12\00:21:34.52
"Don't you want to
see your child grow up?"
00:21:34.56\00:21:35.92
and I'm like,
"Are you kidding me?"
00:21:35.96\00:21:37.16
and then when they
said, "Because you're Black"
00:21:37.19\00:21:39.36
I thought... but wait a minute,
I didn't ask to be born Black...
00:21:39.39\00:21:41.86
this is what God made
me... I don't believe that
00:21:41.90\00:21:43.73
God would make
me... something...
00:21:43.77\00:21:45.23
that would cause me risk...
that's just not... who God is...
00:21:45.27\00:21:48.17
and so I really got
back into the Word...
00:21:48.20\00:21:50.67
looking for promises... looking
for medical professionals
00:21:50.71\00:21:54.28
that believed... in
the power of prayer...
00:21:54.31\00:21:57.11
who were trained
medically, and could incorporate
00:21:57.15\00:22:01.15
lifestyle and less toxic
substances into my system
00:22:01.18\00:22:05.15
and I drastically
changed my lifestyle...
00:22:05.19\00:22:07.76
instead of eating
all the animal products
00:22:07.79\00:22:10.29
I gave all the
animal products up
00:22:10.33\00:22:12.43
and I now subsist on
a plant-based diet...
00:22:12.46\00:22:15.80
totally plant-based
diet... fruits, nuts, grains
00:22:15.83\00:22:18.20
and vegetables... and I
think because of my work
00:22:18.23\00:22:20.60
as a professional... at
the time I was diagnosed...
00:22:20.64\00:22:22.74
I lived in Atlanta...
and I was working in a
00:22:22.77\00:22:25.44
cancer-prevention project
for Morehouse School of Medicine
00:22:25.47\00:22:28.11
the irony of it all... Wow...
00:22:28.14\00:22:29.68
and then started working
for the Office of Nutrition
00:22:29.71\00:22:32.31
for the State of Georgia,
where we're teaching people
00:22:32.35\00:22:34.85
again... how to make better
choices to reduce their risk
00:22:34.88\00:22:37.35
for disease... and so it
was an amazing opportunity
00:22:37.39\00:22:40.32
for me... to begin to
share with my colleagues
00:22:40.36\00:22:43.16
and the residents
00:22:43.19\00:22:45.19
of the State of Georgia
00:22:45.23\00:22:46.13
because we were a
State-wide Organization
00:22:46.16\00:22:48.00
how they could
make these changes
00:22:48.03\00:22:49.86
and they started asking
me "Well, how do you make...
00:22:49.90\00:22:52.97
what's the best
way to make field peas
00:22:53.00\00:22:55.07
and what's the best
way to make cabbages...
00:22:55.10\00:22:56.71
and cornbread recipe...
Right... right... right... so...
00:22:56.74\00:22:59.51
look at what happened
here... so, you find out
00:22:59.54\00:23:05.71
that you have an
aggressive, invasive,
00:23:05.75\00:23:09.02
metastatic breast cancer,
00:23:09.05\00:23:11.82
and for those
who don't really know
00:23:11.85\00:23:13.12
what that means that
means... it's moving fast,
00:23:13.15\00:23:15.79
Right... it's moving around...
00:23:15.82\00:23:17.96
it's growing and
it's fast-paced Right...
00:23:17.99\00:23:22.16
so now the doctor is
saying, 2 to 5 years...
00:23:22.20\00:23:25.20
that's all you
get... and I'm sure...
00:23:25.23\00:23:27.77
that had to just be
mind-boggling to you...
00:23:27.80\00:23:30.91
because you weren't...
it came from nowhere...
00:23:30.94\00:23:34.04
Absolutely... It came from...
00:23:34.08\00:23:36.18
and you're a health lecturer,
you're a health instructor,
00:23:36.21\00:23:40.12
and you had this happen,
so, it can happen to anyone,
00:23:40.15\00:23:43.99
but look at what you did,
the first thing is... you prayed
00:23:44.02\00:23:47.09
Absolutely...
and you talked to God
00:23:47.12\00:23:48.69
and you recommitted
yourself so to speak... to God
00:23:48.72\00:23:52.89
reconnected... not that
you had lost connection...
00:23:52.93\00:23:55.33
but, I guess, your
connection became deeper...
00:23:55.36\00:23:57.73
Yes... and then
you sought out medical
00:23:57.77\00:24:00.47
practitioners who
used integrative medicine
00:24:00.50\00:24:03.61
and I think, that is
a very important point,
00:24:03.64\00:24:06.68
like... when you find doctors
that are open to the natural
00:24:06.71\00:24:10.18
but they're also trained...
00:24:10.21\00:24:11.71
Right... natural
remedies in the backwoods...
00:24:11.75\00:24:15.15
to take care of the
body... now you have somebody
00:24:15.18\00:24:18.22
who is... kind of to
me... the best of both worlds...
00:24:18.25\00:24:21.26
Absolutely... so, we
want our viewers to know
00:24:21.29\00:24:23.49
we are not saying...
"If you have breast cancer
00:24:23.53\00:24:25.69
that you shouldn't
go to your doctor...
00:24:25.73\00:24:29.16
Go through a
doctor... go to the doctor...
00:24:29.20\00:24:32.07
absolutely... And
that's where I went first
00:24:32.10\00:24:34.90
but I think... the
thing that was so amazing...
00:24:34.94\00:24:37.74
I thought you were going to
another direction with that...
00:24:37.77\00:24:39.67
back to my profession
was health education...
00:24:39.71\00:24:42.38
here I was... working
on a cancer project...
00:24:42.41\00:24:44.98
I pretty much was living...
on healthy lifestyle choices...
00:24:45.01\00:24:48.28
I mean... I exercised... I
thought I was in pretty good
00:24:48.32\00:24:51.52
health... according
to what the doctor said,
00:24:51.55\00:24:54.19
but here God orchestrated
an opportunity for me
00:24:54.22\00:24:56.86
to bring it up a
little higher, Hmmm...
00:24:56.89\00:24:58.93
and I think, for our
viewing audience who are facing
00:24:58.96\00:25:01.40
cancer, diabetes,
heart disease, stroke, lupus,
00:25:01.43\00:25:06.20
multiple sclerosis,
obesity... any of those things,
00:25:06.23\00:25:09.50
when you are seeking out
00:25:09.54\00:25:12.01
medical professionals...
who have an appreciation for the
00:25:12.04\00:25:16.01
Creator God... they
were not just talking about
00:25:16.04\00:25:18.88
you getting well from
the "disease" that you
00:25:18.91\00:25:21.65
present with... but you're
talking about what God says
00:25:21.68\00:25:24.45
in the Word...
"Wilt thou be made whole"
00:25:24.49\00:25:26.89
because God is trying
to touch those of us...
00:25:26.92\00:25:30.29
who are experiencing
the consequences of sin
00:25:30.33\00:25:33.70
and He's trying to
restore us... can you imagine
00:25:33.73\00:25:37.03
what it would be like...
if our viewers would all just
00:25:37.07\00:25:40.24
eat less meat... if
they would eat less calories,
00:25:40.27\00:25:43.10
if they would exercise,
if they would pray more...
00:25:43.14\00:25:45.84
if they would be less
stressed about their thing...
00:25:45.87\00:25:48.51
and connect to the Creator
God, I shared with my students
00:25:48.54\00:25:52.21
a week ago... a
study that had been done
00:25:52.25\00:25:54.22
recently... where
they're looking at the activity
00:25:54.25\00:25:56.62
in the brain... when
a person is praying...
00:25:56.65\00:25:58.75
and they put these
electrodes on this woman
00:25:58.79\00:26:00.82
they put a dye through her body,
and as she sat there and prayed
00:26:00.86\00:26:04.86
the frontal lobe of
her brain, lit up...
00:26:04.89\00:26:07.40
just like yours
and mine are lit up now
00:26:07.40\00:26:09.80
because you and I are having
a face-to-face conversation
00:26:09.83\00:26:12.17
and the woman wasn't
talking to anybody but God...
00:26:12.20\00:26:14.54
All right... If you can do that
00:26:14.57\00:26:17.41
and hear from
heaven... because God says,
00:26:17.44\00:26:19.84
"If my people... will
do this list of things...
00:26:19.87\00:26:22.31
then I will hear from
heaven and restore them... "
00:26:22.34\00:26:24.71
and that's what God
wants to do for His people...
00:26:24.75\00:26:27.05
and if all of these
things hadn't happened to me
00:26:27.08\00:26:30.29
18 years ago... I
wouldn't be in the place
00:26:30.32\00:26:32.85
that I am... because He didn't
just handle the breast cancer
00:26:32.89\00:26:36.19
there were so
many other challenges
00:26:36.22\00:26:38.26
that I learned to give to
Him, and to trust Him about,
00:26:38.29\00:26:42.36
and to discover... how
He wanted to prosper me...
00:26:42.40\00:26:47.40
not wealth or anything like
that but give me what I need
00:26:47.44\00:26:50.57
when I needed it and
lead me to other people
00:26:50.61\00:26:53.14
who were looking
for the same thing.
00:26:53.17\00:26:54.71
Absolutely... so
now, not only do you have
00:26:54.74\00:26:58.35
the information...
you have it first-hand
00:26:58.38\00:27:02.02
because your life has
been transformed by it...
00:27:02.05\00:27:04.89
Absolutely...
Donna, Thank you so much
00:27:04.92\00:27:08.06
for being with us today...
00:27:08.09\00:27:09.22
I can't believe
our time is up...
00:27:09.26\00:27:10.59
You have been a wonderful,
wonderful resource for us
00:27:10.63\00:27:14.83
and a great
guest... thank you so much
00:27:14.86\00:27:16.70
and may God bless
you and your ministry...
00:27:16.73\00:27:19.50
and "keep us
shouting" I will... I will...
00:27:19.53\00:27:22.27
Hippocrates said, "Let
your food be your medicine
00:27:22.30\00:27:26.78
and let your
medicine be your food"
00:27:26.81\00:27:28.88
today we've heard from
Donna and we've heard how she
00:27:28.91\00:27:32.75
turned her food into medicine...
00:27:32.78\00:27:34.65
and she shares that with you
in her lectures and her books...
00:27:34.68\00:27:38.65
God has given us
healing foods from the earth
00:27:38.69\00:27:41.42
to support our bodies...
why not make some changes
00:27:41.46\00:27:44.39
in your diet today...
why not start drinking more
00:27:44.43\00:27:47.30
water...
exercise... get some sunshine...
00:27:47.36\00:27:50.17
get a plant-based
diet... move more towards eating
00:27:50.20\00:27:54.74
from the earth...
and less junk food...
00:27:54.77\00:27:57.14
Well, our Program
has come to an end...
00:27:57.17\00:27:59.51
Thanks so much for tuning in...
00:27:59.54\00:28:00.84
Join us next time...
00:28:00.88\00:28:02.01
It just wouldn't be
the same without you...
00:28:02.04\00:28:04.58