Source: hafsite.org
UNITED STATES, April 2010: “Why do they have to stick ham on even a salad?!” lamented Ishani Mehta, daughter of Hindu American Foundation (HAF) supporters Bijal and Aseem Mehta, over the fact that healthy, vegetarian options were not available daily at her school cafeteria. Well, next week is your chance to speak up by urging your congressional representative to pass H.R. 4870, the Healthy School Meals Act.
Whether your family is vegetarian or not, a varied and balanced diet is essential to good health. If we do not take responsibility in managing the health of our children, they will be left managing their disease as adults. Especially for the South Asian community, a predisposition to insulin resistance, adoption of a western diet compounded by increasingly sedentary lifestyles leads to weight gain, higher prevalence of diabetes, and coronary heart disease.
H.R. 4870 aims to improve children’s eating patterns by encouraging the inclusion of healthful plant-based options in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs. This legislation will introduce plant-based foods to schools, increase the availability and affordability of these foods, and provide incentives for schools to provide daily plant-based options. Visit http://healthyschoollunches.org/ to learn more about the effort.
HAF is also proud to announce its recent partnership with the Humane Society of the U.S. (HSUS) and bring to light the importance of a Hindu perspective on the ethical treatment of animals. The Foundation’s statement highlights the core Hindu belief that the Divine resides in all living beings, both human and non-human, and Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.