Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Advocating For The Potato?

Part of my role as a mental health professional is to advocate for others--for those who are unable to advocate for themselves--like for elderly, children, mentally ill--you get the idea.  I believe advocacy is very important but I never really thought about advocating for vegetables or fruits, but maybe their time has come.

Seems Chris Voigt, executive director of the Washington Potato Commission got all mashed up about the fact that potatoes are the only vegetable not allowed for purchase under the Federal program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) after the Institute of Medicine recommended they be removed.  They also recommended that school lunch programs limit potatoes.  


Chris couldn't take it any more and so to bring dignity and grace back to the slandered potato, he decided to go on a 60 day "spud diet".   For two long months he ate pototoes...boiled, fried, baked, grilled, mashed...any way he could.  He didn't use any toppings, sour cream or butter just so he could prove that the potato was in and of itself a marvelous food.

60 days later he feeling like a living Potato Head and ready to eat any and everything that is far removed from the potato family.  However despite distain for his once beloved potatoes, he lost 21 pounds, and lowered his cholesterol by 67 POINTS!  Lipitor beware.

Not sure if the WIC program is going to change its stance but Chris proved that potatoes have their place in our homes, schools and cholesterol levels.

If you want to see Chris (aka "Spud") in person and hear his story just click on the link.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/40424707/ns/today-today_health/

1 comment:

  1. I would much prefer to see someone buy a bag of potatoes than a bag of potato chips.

    ReplyDelete