Episode 3: Plant-Based Diet: What You Need to Know

Brian Hubbard

Carrie Bloemers

Erika Graziani

Brian Hubbard [00:00] Welcome to the Living the Healthy Life Podcast, where we bring you the latest on health and Wellness from the experts here at Lee Health. Discover what's happening in Lee Health and take away tips and inspiration to reach your ideal state of health.

Brian Hubbard [00:24] Hello and welcome everybody. It's Friday morning, my name is Brian Hubbard. I am the Manager for Marketing & Brand Management at Lee Health. With me is my co-host, as always, Carrie Bloemers, who's a registered dietitian, as well as the Director of Education and Navigation at the Healthy Life Center at Lee Health Coconut Point.

Brian Hubbard [00:41] Hello Carrie, good morning

Carrie Bloemers [00:43] Good morning. Today I am really excited with another registered dietitian on the show. It's always fun to chat

Brian Hubbard [00:50] that's right, I may stay out of the way on this one. Just have you guys go crazy. We are very very happy today, excited, to welcome Erika Graziani. She is the Outpatient Nutrition Program Coordinator at Lee Health Solutions. Erika is here to tell us all about some trends in the world of food and nutrition, as well as some other fun topics for the community. So hello, and good morning, Erika.

Erika Graziani [01:12] Hello. Good morning to you both. Thank you so much for having me

Brian Hubbard Oh you're welcome. Thanks for being here. This is going to be fun. Erika, before we get started, I want to just knock this out, right? I've heard a rumor that you are a triathlete. Since this is so far and away, from anything that I've ever accomplished in my life, I want to know a little bit more about that. Obviously too, we like, we like our guests to talk a little bit about their personal journey. How they got involved in health. Sort of, how you take that and use it in your professional life. Where did that passion come from, and all that good stuff?

Erika Graziani [01:49] Well let's see... how I got to triathlon, is sort of a roundabout way.

Brian Hubbard [01:52] OK

Erika Graziani [01:54] growing up, I have to mention, I did have three brothers, and a neighborhood full of boys-

Brian Hubbard [01:58] OK

Erika Graziani [01:59] so I was very… you got made to go outside then... Remember? -

Brian Hubbard [02:03] Yes

Erika Graziani [02:04] always out playing, doing things. Given that it was mostly boys I was always playing with my brothers- You know- Any type of sports, so I ended up kind of having a passion for running and track & field events. I did track & field from the time it was offered -I guess- in junior high. I ended up continuing that through college; and completely opposite from triathlon -I actually…. my main event from college was pole vault.

Brian Hubbard [02:30] wow really?

Erika Graziani [02:32] yes, I pole vaulted at West Virginia University -

Brian Hubbard [02:34] Wow!

Erika Graziani [02:35] and as I finished, I remembered this feeling of emptiness -

Brian Hubbard [02:40] Yeah

Erika Graziani [02:41] because I have always been a competitive person, like the collegiate level even, thinking now where do I go?

Brian Hubbard [02:45] Right

Erika Graziani [02:46] like what do I do now? as I went off to Graduate School at Kent State, I… just trying anything to -kind of- stay active. You know? -In that spare time, that you have as a grad student... right? - and internship and everything else.

Erika Graziani [03:00] so I just kind of started doing some distance running again... 'cause I ... cross country was one of the things that I also did in addition to track. So anyway, I kind of started off getting into distance running, a little bit. Then, when I moved to Florida in 2012, at that time I was kind of getting into… I had done a couple of half marathons. So, I was kind of a runner, and I was a clinical dietitian at Gulf Coast (A Hospital in SWFL.) When I was working there, you round every day in the ICU, one of the nurse practitioners -good friend of mine, - she's always talked to me about running, and she said “have you ever tried this word triathlon?

Erika Graziani [03:42] I said, “I never have, but I always thought it would be cool, and I really don't know anything about it.”

Erika Graziani [03:48] so, she said “yeah.” She got me in connection with the team that she was sort of on. It was kind of at an all-girls team and they really kind of taught you a lot about the sport how to be empowered, what have you- learned all about it so I did my very first triathlon and 2014, and I loved it.

Brian Hubbard [04:06] Yeah

Erika Graziani [04:07] they call it Olympics distance. so after that I remember thinking, how do people do like half iron mans and Iron Man? Like my very first experience I'm thinking gosh that would cost a lot. So, anyways- so I thought well the swim is not that much longer than the Olympic for the half Iron Man. That was always the part that like I wasn't as keen on because I was more of a runner not a competitive swimmer, so I started to do… take some swim lessons and try to get better on that. Anyway, so by like the next year I had done my first half Ironman triathlon.

Brian Hubbard [04:49] Wow, ok! progression continues

Carrie Bloemers [04:55] Wow!... what else

Brian Hubbard [04:55] right?

Erika Graziani [04:56] then I finally decided to pull the trigger, and I am… well... actually before I did a full Ironman, I qualified for one of the World Championships, were a long course Triathlon and so the race that I qualified to do that was a half Ironman distance, but then when you get to the world championship they had kind of these oddball distances… and it was sort of it was longer than a half, but it wasn't quite a full, it was like three quarters of the distance; -I guess you call it.

Brian Hubbard [05:26] Mmmhmm

Erika Graziani [05:27] so so then I did that. So, then if I am that close, I've got to be able to do a full one. So, my very first full one, was in 2018, I did Chattanooga. I did my first full Iron Man, which is very challenging. The feeling that you get at the end. To realize what you accomplished, I think that's that the best thing -I guess- ever. But also, what sort of got me hooked in triathlon, the other piece that I missed, was that there's so much camaraderie and so much support-

Brian Hubbard [06:00] Mmmhmm

Erika Graziani [06:01] - and it doesn't matter how fast you do them in, or whatever, it's just there's so many people out there cheering you on, and everybody sort of understands each other. Understands -you know- how bad it can feel at times.

Brian Hubbard [06:13] That’s the key to a lot of things in life, isn’t it?

Erika Graziani [06:14] Yeah, yeah

Carrie Bloemers [06:18] and the commitment you have, you just told us you were in the pool this morning.

Erika Graziani [06:20] Yes

Carrie Bloemers [06:21] So everyone else out there training, on their own time, and then you show up for this one event.

Erika Graziani [06:24] Yes

Brian Hubbard [06:25] So did this – you know- obviously you’ve been very, very active -like you said- your entire life. Did that sort of lead you into your interest in being the dietitian, and sort of the healthcare aspect here at Lee Health? -

Erika Graziani [06:37] Yeah

Brian Hubbard [06:39] its part of your lifestyle it sounds like.

Erika Graziani [06:39] yes, and this is actually kind of interesting too. So... again, I attribute a lot of things to growing up so, I am from... My dad’s side of the family, big Italian side, Mom’s... big Hungarian. It’s a big family on both sides, and I was fortunate enough as a kid, we would. -my parents are from West Virginia, so we would always trave down there, like for birthdays or holidays, what have you. So, I didn’t always get to see all of those relatives, and we would all get together, it was always a pretty big get-together.

Brian Hubbard [07:09] Yeah

Erika Graziani [07:09] And so, my Granddad, he had six of them. I had all these great uncles and again I was always like out there with my brothers, with my cousins playing football. Whatever the case was, and my uncles would always say things to us about -you know- being strong and being fast and taking care of your body, and we would talk about nutrition. You got to drink water. I just remembered all of those things as a kid. We always had gardens, and things like that. So, I remembered always having an interest in nutrition, taking care of myself, and I guess that was the little competitive piece too with my brothers. I always kind of do my best. So, I was always interested in what can I do to make myself better.

So, that kind of started at a young age I even remember, as a little kid I would sit there all the time when I would eat my breakfast, and I would stare at the nutrition facts label on the cereal box. I didn’t care about the other stuff, I wanted to read the nutrition facts label. I knew nothing about what any of it meant at the time. But I would always read it.

Brian Hubbard [08:15] That’s how I feel now. I don’t know what it means now. No, that’s a good point. So, you have been surrounded by it your whole life. This is just a part of who you are. Its actually pretty inspiring to heat, -you know. -

Erika Graziani [08:27] My grandparents, my Grand-Da would always say things like, “You got to eat your vegetables. Everything in moderation. You got to eat healthy.” He would always say “I got high cholesterol, so I’ve got to watch this, or that” so you know as a kid, you didn’t quite understand what cholesterol meant, but I just knew that I didn’t want to get high cholesterol. Because so many of my family members, seemed to have had it. And so that kind of sparked my interest, and then, when I had to pick a major in college, -because I remember the first year you just take all the classes that you have to take- and I was trying to figure out, because I knew I liked health, nutrition, and I thought about nursing, I thought about physical therapy, thought about occupational therapy. I just couldn’t nail it down, and then I decided, because I was really starting to get interested in my health and taking care of myself. So, I ended up just saying like – I’m going to go into nutrition. At that point, I didn’t really understand completely what a dietitian did. I just knew that I wanted to understand food better -

Brian Hubbard [09:29] Of course

Erika Graziani [09:30] And it affected you so, I wanted to learn more about it. That was sort of the start of the journey

Brian Hubbard [09:35] OK! No, that makes a lot of sense. Speaking of that as we Segway into... I mean that’s your personal journey. That’s an inspiring kind of tale. You’ve been surrounded by it your whole life. You had people who were telling you. You were surrounded by good supportive people who were telling you “Food can do this, and food can do that.” So, sort of…-

Caroline Bloemers [09:56] Positive influences

Brian Hubbard [09:59] That’s kind of what registered dietitians try to do. Am I wrong? Am I right; With the community, correct?

Caroline Bloemers & Erika Graziani [10:04] Yes

Brian Hubbard [10:05] So, on that note, Erika, tell us a little bit about as a registered dietitian, what you do at Lee Health specifically sort of how your services and skills benefit community members?

Erika Graziani [10:15] Sure. So, I work for the department, Lee Health Solutions, and we have a team of dietitians, as well as nurses that are involved with things like diabetes care, pain management, and of course our dietitians. We also do one-on-one outpatient nutrition counseling. so, a big part of what I do day-to-day is meeting with individuals from the community, some of our own employees, for various things. It could be disease specific, maybe somebody all the sudden found out that they have Celiac Disease, so they don’t know anything about it. It could be that stuff. It could be that people found out they have high cholesterol, or are at risk of heart problems, or had a scare, so they want to know more about what they can do now. So, there are several different things. It could be general weight management. I get some people from the community that just say, “I just want to know what’s healthy?”

Brian Hubbard [11:13] What do I do?

Erika Graziani [11:14] What am I supposed to be doing?

Brian Hubbard [11:14] What am I supposed to eat? That kind of thing?

Erika Graziani [11:15] so, you kind of get all walks of life, which is kind of fun, so you are always shifting gears, that’s a big part of what I do. I also get asked to do things like provide nutrition presentations for the community, so I do quite a few of those.

Caroline Bloemers [11:30] Yeah! Erika has been very engaged with our Healthy Life Center and education platforms there. Pre-Covid and now as we continue as well, so she has been virtual with us

Brian Hubbard [11:42] Good

Caroline Bloemers [11:43] and lending her expertise to the community, so we can still learn even if we can’t gather

Erika Graziani [11:47] exactly, yes.

Brian Hubbard [11:48] So your... People come to you and … like you said, “I don’t feel right, I am confused as to what to eat. I might have a disease, a chronic disease to manage, diabetes... ok. Like you said, all walks of life. Is there anything that you are noticing in the community, that maybe there is trends – something that more and more people are coming to you for?

Erika Graziani [12:11] Yeah. I mean, a couple things -I guess. First of I will say that there has been -which I know we are going to get into the topic later- there has been a little more interest and questions on plant-based nutrition. And some people have told me that their nurse practitioner or their doctor, whoever, had suggested plant-based, but they don’t know a whole lot about it. So dietitians are a good person to come to learn about those things. Which is great so, so, I do. -That is always fun, it’s a passion for me to teach people about things that they really don’t know. So anyway, I get a lot of that…

Erika Graziani [12:49] What was the question I was answering?

Caroline Bloemers [12:50] Yeah

*Laughter all around*

Brian Hubbard [12:54] No, you are good.

Caroline Bloemers [12:57] People who are ready to make that change, or they are a little motivated maybe for a reason, whether it is that their blood pressure is now high, their cholesterol is a little high, and they, are the ones that end up seeking help.

Erika Graziani [13:08] Yeah, exactly!

Brian Hubbard [13:09] General weight loss questions, I would think? -

Erika Graziani [13:11] Trends.

Brian Hubbard [13:12] - I am just speaking for myself

Erika Graziani [13:12] Yes, we were talking about trends. I remember, I am back on my cue now. I remember where I was going with that now. Yes, there has been more interest in plant-based nutrition, but aside from that even. I am just seeing more – we are getting people who are like, “Ok, I need to make a change.” Especially with the pandemic, we have really seen it de-rail people.

Brian Hubbard [13:33] Oh, that is a great point.

Erika Graziani [13:34] sort of have to help your life, un and not even just, eating habits, but just the stress that people are under.

Caroline Bloemers [13:44] Yes

Erika Graziani [13:35] And that tends to get, oftentimes pushed under the rug, like all of us have stress, but we really... it really is so important to manage in a healthy way, which is one of the aspects of a healthy lifestyle

Brian Hubbard [13:53] Carrie you and I have talked about that before

Caroline Bloemers [13:55] Yeah

Brian Hubbard [13:56] It’s like, the… you feel... you want more comfort food.

Caroline Bloemers [14:00] Yeah

Brian Hubbard [14:01] I should say I. I want more comfort food. You find yourself less, and less active.

Caroline Bloemers [14:06] You may be working remote, and your pantry is right there.

Brian Hubbard [14:09] That’s it.

Caroline Bloemers [14:10] and to your point with stress, all humans were used to that idea. There is that acute or short-term stress, and I think when Covid hit, we all hit that, but then it really didn’t go away from any of us, and it turned into chronic stress and that’s where

Erika Graziani [14:27] Ongoing

Caroline Bloemers [14:28] Yep. You know professionals like you, who can support people through that, by starting to refocus -You know- reprioritize, for their health and well being

Brian Hubbard [14:39] It’s hard to do without help. Like if I wanted... -you know, I am aware on some level, that I need to make a change. But it is difficult to motivate yourself. Which is where you guys come in. I would imagine.

Erika Graziani [14:50] Yes, that is a big piece of what we do, and I think Carrie can attest to that as well. And that is the thing, sometimes people are not even sure how to change, where to even start, and they just feel overwhelmed

Brian Hubbard [15:02] exactly

Erika Graziani [15:03] and sort of where they are at with their health, and they just know that they are not comfortable with where they are at, so…

Caroline Bloemers [15:08] And there are these pressures to be perfect at all things, so when we get that idea that we need to change, its so overwhelming, or I need to do all of this at once. I think Erika, I am sure you can speak to, what are some of those initial changes or things that you might look at with a patient, where it doesn’t have to be all or nothing.

Erika Graziani [15:28] Right! – you know

Caroline Bloemers [15:29] it doesn’t have to be overwhelming -

Brian Hubbard [15:30] a little bit at a time.

Caroline Bloemers [15:31] but what works for you.

Brian Hubbard [15:32] Right

Erika Graziani [15:33] That’s where we really -you know- all of us, dietitians, really try to work with our patients with starting to level with where they are at, Number one. I really try to sit down and ask people like if there is even just one thing that you feel “Hey, I can maybe change this.” We start there. I always say there is no change too small, because if you get something under their belt that they can have some confidence about doing and say ok this is definitely something I can do-

Brian Hubbard [16:04] They realize-

Erika Graziani [16:05] I know it’s not

Brian Hubbard [16:06] It is not as hard as it seems maybe at that point.

Erika Graziani [16:08] Yeah and start there. You know, everyone is different, that’s the thing with working with people, some people are ready to make several changes at once and they are fine with that. Some people just need one thing –

Brian Hubbard [16:17] Cautious

Erika Graziani [16:18] At a time. You know?

Caroline Bloemers [16:20] mmhmm

Erika Graziani [16:21] and that’s the thing, I think some people, they have just gotten down -kind of that bad path that everything is unhealthy, and they are like “where do I even start?”

Brian Hubbard [16:30] There is so much food, there’s so many options. You go to the store, and your like “I don’t even know.”

Erika Graziani [16:35] Right

Brian Hubbard [16:36] What to look at. – You know- that kind of thing.

Erika Graziani [16:37] So we usually end up trying to talk about what “OK. let’s start with where we might like to try to get to, and then from there, we start like “

Ok, what’s one step that I can do to try to get towards, the optimal eating. We might not be anywhere near here yet

Caroline Bloemers [16:54] Right

Erika Graziani [16:55] but where can we start, smart steps towards that, and that’s what we want to do. Just work our way there.

Caroline Bloemers [17:00] I love that, and I think it ties into where we are going, Bryan, with the popularity or the forefront, that’s coming with plant-based eating. This is one of your expertise, I can say that it is your lifestyle

Erika Graziani [17:12] Yes

Caroline Bloemers [17:13] So I know from the community perspective we often look to Erika when we get requests for those topics, and then, even those patients it’s great when you can match the person with what they are looking for exactly in that care team. So, I am hoping that I am not jumping Brian

Brian Hubbard [17:30] No go for it

Caroline Bloemers [17:31] But uh, what would you say about plant-based nutrition and how people maybe make those little changes, and even why it’s important to you.

Erika Graziani [17:44] Sure, sure. So yes, there has definitely been -like you said- more people I think understanding and seeing that plant-based nutrition can definitely be in your corner as far as helping with health improvement. So, what that is, and I think part of the struggle out there is that there is so much in the media

Caroline Bloemers [18:08] Misinformation

Erika Graziani [18:09] Misinformation, yeah!

Brian Hubbard [18:10] You can google plant-based diet, who knows what you are going to get, right?

Erika Graziani [18:13] And that is the point that I am trying to make, is that there is not really regulatory

Caroline Bloemers [18:19] Definition

Erika Graziani [18:20] Definition

Caroline Bloemers [18:21] Yeah

Erika Graziani [18:22] Saying like in order to be plant based It has to be X, Y & Z. so there are some kind of different takes on it, and -you know- there are several directions we can go with this, but just for simplicity here, um, I think that the bottom line is that- I think it is a fair assessment to say that most people could benefit from including more plant foods in their daily eating,

Caroline Bloemers [18:43] Absolutely

Erika Graziani [18:44] So I think it’s a great place for many people to start.

Caroline Bloemers [18:46] Mmhmm

Erika Graziani [18:47] there's different people out there. Some people are just those people, that can make that big jump and go straight to exclusively plant based. That's great, not everybody can do that, but also, some people feel that it has to be that way or nothing they may never go anywhere close to that. so, I like to really kind of put it to like “hey can we just start moving in that direction?”

Brian Hubbard [19:11] like with any big change like that, you don't want to do it all at once

Erika Graziani [19:15] yeah

Brian Hubbard [19:16] you can’t, you will fail.

Erika Graziani [19:16] even myself, ass I learned about it, I transitioned. I didn’t...

Brian Hubbard [19:18] Right

Caroline Bloemers [19:19] you can think of it as kind of a spectrum right

Erika Graziani [19:22] Yes

Caroline Bloemers [19:23] and we just want to move the needle the bar a little bit

Erika Graziani [19:24] yes

Caroline Bloemers [19:25] If you think about the standard American diet, and even the impact COVID had on maybe someone who was following more of a general healthy lifestyle, we can ask the question, are you, even eating fresh plants, like produce

Erika Graziani [19:40] Yes

Caroline Bloemers [19:41] and vegetables every day, even a serving. You know there's so much

Erika Graziani Yes

Caroline Bloemers [19:41] convenience in packaged items. and -you know- I could speak for parents in the pandemic and working from home more, than having kids, and virtual school, and then to feed them too. Your day never ends. so many people went to convince. My family included.

Erika Graziani [:] Yeah, a lot of people did that.

Caroline Bloemers [20:03] The standard American diet and the impact of Covid, we all have that opportunity to make that one move down the line.

Erika Graziani [20:11] exactly

Brian Hubbard [20:12] So if someone comes to you and says, “I'm interested in plant based.” I'm OK, I'll play devil's advocate myself. So, it's like; well I know that it's good for me. I've heard that it's good for me, but I just can't imagine that this is going to taste very good. Because plant-based diet, the first thing you think of, it's going to be all lettuce. It's going to be tasteless.

Caroline Bloemers [20:30] Right

Brian Hubbard [20:31] it's going to be that…

Erika Graziani [20:32] The misconception becomes the rule

Brian Hubbard [20:33] exactly. So, how do you sort of say, oh wait a minute that's not actually true what do you say to them

Erika Graziani [20:37] First off, I usually try to explain to people, -I guess- if we kind of have this general consensus of the definition; what is plant based actually mean.

Brian Hubbard [20:45] right

Erika Graziani [20:46] it means that we are predominantly or mainly trying to base our meals, and what we eat around natural foods that grow. So it's not a life of salads. You are talking about

Brian Hubbard [20:58] this is good to know

Erika Graziani [21:01] Fruits and vegetables,

Caroline Bloemers [21:02] whole grain

Erika Graziani [21:03] and whole grains. Thank you, and beans, legumes

Caroline Bloemers [21:06] Quinoa, rice

Erika Graziani [21:07] all types of good things.

Brian Hubbard [21:08] so it's not just eating a bowl of lettuce us every day. There's a lot going on there

Erika Graziani [21:11] You are going to starve if you try and do that

Caroline Bloemers [21:06] yeah

Brian Hubbard [21:08] good point

Caroline Bloemers [21:15] Nuts and seeds

Erika Graziani [21:21] yeah you guys have all those good things in there, so there's a lot that you can do with it, and there's so many resources and that's why It’s a lot of help to provide people, different types of resources, different recipes to try. You know, I try to start simple things that does not take a lot of steps, it doesn't have to be this complicated you know recipe

Caroline Bloemers [21:34] not at all

Erika Graziani [21:37] you can just, simple ways -I mean- I always… I liked to also tell people you can ease into including more plant foods. By thinking about your familiar foods and meals that you like to have-

Caroline Bloemers [21:51] mmhmm

Erika Graziani [21:52] and then we could talk about hey what's the modifications that we could do to make that include more plants and less -you know- meats and Standard American Ingredients. Right?

Caroline Bloemers [22:00] Right, I think that is a great way to approach it. Even as a dietitian, our family, -it's like- what we've learned, is we have been able to incorporate more plants or compliments to the meal, or just maybe smaller portions, even of the animal based proteins. Even my husband doesn't miss it, right? Like we are used to eating much smaller amounts of chicken, beef, or whatever it is. That is all we need.

Erika Graziani [22:29] Yeah

Brian Hubbard [22:30] That’s a good point, you introduce it a little bit at a time

Caroline Bloemers [22:33] Yeah

Brian Hubbard [22:34] and it becomes a more colorful plate, that kind of thing.

Erika Graziani [22:36] gradually just make more room on that plate for the things that grow make a less room for the things like meats and other things that are going to have more calories and not as much nutrition bang for your buck.

Brian Hubbard [22:47] It's much more… so plant based diet really is much more versatile than we may think

Erika Graziani [22:53] absolutely, yes

Brian Hubbard [22:54] is probably much tastier than we imagined, and a little more easier to incorporate, than maybe a popular misconception.

Erika Graziani [23:02] yeah, and what we… I really try to focus to the fact that plant-based eating, it's a pattern, very similar to like the Mediterranean pattern, which is actually highly plant based, but there's no rigid rules, there doesn't have to be rigid rules. OK? Everybody is in a different place. Yes, if someone has maybe some major health issues or things, they might be more considering; “like hey, I’ve got to do something major, so maybe I'm open to be exclusive because I need to try to right this disease or whatever the case may be. Your average person looking to try to improve health or prevent some of these problems, you have a little bit more time to ease into it

Caroline Bloemers [23:43] yeah

Erika Graziani [23:44] and kind of open yourself up. So, it doesn't have to be all or nothing. I say that just because I feel that that opens the door for more people.

Caroline Bloemers [23:53] right

Erika Graziani [23:54] if you put that wall up with all or nothing many people turn

Brian Hubbard [23:58] turns people off

Erika Graziani [24:00] yeah, and I always say, my patients hear this all the time, I always say, don't sweat the small stuff so when they ask me “well if I'm mostly plant-based, and I decided to have a little bit of fish on Friday, is that OK? If you are eating, mostly plant based that is fantastic. If you compare it to maybe what you were doing, that is probably a huge improvement.

Brian Hubbard [24:20] so be nice, be kind.

Erika Graziani [24:20] So, I do not worry about that. Do not sweat the small stuff. If I can people get more and more these natural foods. Yeah that is it. Just real foods and grains not processed foods

Caroline Bloemers [24:29] Yes

Erika Graziani [24:30] you know things that you are making yourself. I think that is a huge step in the right direction.

Brian Hubbard [24:20] This is fascinating stuff. I feel like we could talk about... We could go down the rabbit hole, specifics on individual meal plans, and all these other things. I bet we could just, I mean, Erika we would love to have you back to discuss some more specifics. Like I said, Carrie as you know, the two of you could probably talk about various insider dietician things all day.

Caroline Bloemers [24:55] We’ve been assuming the health benefits and we haven't even talked about how do you get your protein Erika.

Erika Graziani [25:02] Oh I know

Caroline Bloemers [25:03] Another interesting topic

Brian Hubbard [25:04] Interesting. Well, is there anything else? You know we want to keep it general for your first spot here Erika. We really appreciate it. Is there anything else that we want to discuss our mention that we that we haven't talked about yet?

Erika Graziani [25:13] I think we hit on this a little bit. I think overall, remembering that also being healthy and having a healthy lifestyle is more than just one piece.

Caroline Bloemers [25:23] Absolutely

Erika Graziani [25:24] we also have to make sure we are taking care of ourselves in other ways, sleeping enough, managing that stress in a positive way,

Caroline Bloemers [25:32] yes

Erika Graziani [25:33] exercise, or at least moving, trying to not sit as much.

Brian Hubbard [25:37] it is not just food, it is not just this.

Erika Graziani [25:39] Yeah it is just a lot of pieces.

Brian Hubbard [25:41] we have not had any stress lately, so I do not know…. why… No, it's been, we've talked about this in past episodes, it’s been so stressful while for a lot of us, for everyone, not a lot of us, just about everyone. Of course, talking about COVID, pressures of work from home, and all the things that certainly changed our lives. So those stresses we are all feeling, so these kinds of things, making yourself feel better through physical activity, plant-based diet, through better sleep, mental health, all those things that we talk about

Caroline Bloemers [26:11] yeah

Brian Hubbard [26:12] that is all part of the wellness lifestyle.

Caroline Bloemers [26:13] that is all a part of this show.

Brian Hubbard [26:15] I like that; you should put that as a tag line for show

Caroline Bloemers & Brian Hubbard [26:18] all a part of the show

Brian Hubbard [26:20] very good. Thank you very much Erika it has been a joy to have you.

Erika Graziani [26:26] you’re welcome

Brian Hubbard [26:28] Lee Health Solutions is available if you want to reach out. To people out there listing want to reach out and get to know a little bit more about what we talked about here today; plant-based diets, exercise, chronic disease management, -all those things- you can reach out directly to Lee Health Solutions team. Their number is 239-424-3120, or you can go to www.leehealth.org and search for Lee Health Solutions. You can also type Lee Health Solutions into Google; you will find conditions, resources, relevant blog articles, and more information for Lee Health Solutions. Thank you, Carrie. Thank you, Erica.

Erika Graziani [27:02] Thank you

Caroline Bloemers [27:03] Yes

Brian Hubbard [27:04] we hope you will tune back in for upcoming episodes. We will be interviewing experts from around Lee Health, so you can learn more about what we do, and how we strive every day, to fulfill our mission to the community, and to provide the best care, close to home. Thanks for listening everyone, have a great day.