May 05, 2017

Audrey Sanchez: Balanced (Part II)

15 minutes

Following the health primer with Dr. Michael Greger (Part I), I talk with Audrey Sanchez, the Executive Director of the new non-profit: BALANCED.

Balanced is a nonprofit aimed at making healthy food more accessible in workplaces, schools, hospitals, universities, and retail spaces across the country. Formed in collaboration with leading nutrition expert, Best-Selling author, and founder of NutritionFacts.org, Dr. Michael Greger, Balanced was created to help end the ongoing public health crisis that is associated with the overconsumption of unhealthy foods.

“As a mom, I know first-hand the challenges associated with finding healthy foods. The inspiration behind Balanced is simply the belief that it shouldn’t be as hard as it is to feed our families well,” Balanced Executive Director, Audrey Sanchez said. “Making healthier options more accessible in workplaces, schools, health care facilities, and universities is something I take very seriously. Given their scale, major food companies and institutions have the ability—and responsibility—to make simple but meaningful changes that will make it easier for our families to stay healthy. It’s time they stop serving foods that have such a negative impact on our health, and instead, serve more foods that reflect the best available nutrition evidence.”

Unique in its approach, Balanced's efforts focus on campaigning for alternatives to the unhealthy foods served by major food companies. Balanced’s goal of mobilizing consumers to demand these changes sets it apart. Balanced is calling on these food companies to reduce the amount of meat and foods high in cholesterol, saturated fats, and carcinogens they serve and increase health-promoting foods such as grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables.

Echoing Sanchez’s sentiments, Dr. Greger had this to say, “The science is clear. The research has shown, time and again, that diets high in meat are associated with increased risk of a variety of our leading killer diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, certain types of cancers, and premature death in general. One of the most significant ways a person can impact their overall health is to instead maximize their intake of whole healthy plant foods.”

Get Involved with BALANCED:

"Healthy food is a RIGHT, and we are going to FIGHT for it. For too long, too many major food corporations have prioritized their profits over our health. They’ve ignored federal dietary guidelines and the best nutrition evidence, and our families have paid the price—with diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and premature death.

"These companies have created a public health crisis and blamed it on us, just like big tobacco did two generations ago. Like big tobacco, they’ve called consumer health an individual choice—not a corporate responsibility. The truth is, we’ve been set up to fail. When cafeterias, restaurants, and grocery aisles are overstocked with disease-causing foods, when major food corporations are promoting these products at every turn and piling them high on our plates, how much choice do we really have?"

Enough is enough: "TOGETHER, WE WILL HOLD MAJOR FOOD CORPORATIONS ACCOUNTABLE FOR BRINGING BALANCE TO CAFETERIAS, MENUS AND STORE SHELVES."

Learn more and sign up for the newsletter: http://www.Balanced.org

Balanced on Social

People interested in joining the fight for balanced options can connect with the organization at its website, or on Facebook and Twitter. For more information, email [email protected] and direct media requests to [email protected]

Web: http://balanced.org

Facebook: http://facebook.com/getbalancednow

Twitter: http://twitter.com/getbalancednow

Instagram: http://instagram.com/getbalancednow

The Trump Administration's Recent Act:

Dr. Greger (in Episode 10, Part I) references President Trump's recent directive unwinding Michelle Obama's nutrition efforts.