New Year's Resolutions to Improve Health and Well-being! By Theresa Dormi, Owner, Lucky Onion, Inc.

Theresa Dormi and her husband, Brian Gilligan, own and operate Lucky Onion, Inc, makers of all-natural spice blends sold at the Downtown Fort Pierce Farmers' Market, Fort Pierce, Florida. You can visit them at the market and taste their dips, mixes and rubs or order on-line at www.lucky-onion.com.

The holidays are over and the New Year has just begun. Most of us start the New Year with the promise of sticking to our 'resolutions,' but few of us actually do. This year, some of the Fort Pierce market vendors and I are trying to make some simple, yet life changing New Year's resolutions that will benefit ourselves, our families and the environment. These simple changes in our daily routines continued throughout the year can make a difference.

Below are 12 simple resolutions that are easy to adopt and can set us all on the road to sustainable living. Better yet, some may even save money as well as helping the environment!

1. Eat locally grown, organic foods. Jane and Carlo from Carlo's Lean Sicilian Sausage were part of a large group of vendors that pledge to eat more organic fruits and vegetables this year. Farmers markets have a great assortment and most of them are locally grown. As an added bonus, locally grown products usually require less packaging and eliminate the environmental costs of long-distance transport.



2. Use only reusable shopping bags on all your shopping trips. Linda Hudson, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Fort Pierce Farmers' Market suggests purchasing the market's personalized bag and using it whenever/wherever you shop! The new 12th anniversary bags will be very colorful and very chic and they go on sale on January 10th to celebrate the Fort Pierce Farmers Market's 12th anniversary!



3. Buy fewer disposable items. I have slowly switched to glass storage containers for my leftovers and I will continue to shop for long-lasting goods that won't have to be replaced as often. You'll reduce waste and save landfill space.



4. Compost leaves and garden trimmings. This is my husband, Brian's resolution for 2009! We recently moved to a house with a very large yard with big oak trees and a lot of landscaping. The compost will improve our garden soil, reduce fuel required to take the garden trimmings to the landfill and reduce waste in the landfill.



5. Buy recycled products whenever possible. While you're shopping with your reusable shopping bag, look for products with recycled content. Buying recycled completes the cycle by putting resources back into use.



6. Be more active! If one of your resolutions is to get more exercise, try doing your shopping and errands on foot as part of your exercise program. Walking will help keep automobile pollution down and, like carpooling, help ease traffic congestion. Rather than driving to the farmers market, get outside and ride your bike or walk to the market.



7. Feed and reward your dogs and cats with natural food. Fred Kugel of Good Dog Bakery urges everyone not to forget your pets when switching to a natural lifestyle. Typical dog and cat 'off-the-shelf' cookie brands that you find at box stores are less expensive than natural/organic treats since they use waste products from meat packing houses, expired oil by-products and other fillers. Commit to buying all natural or organic pet food and treats at the farmers market in 2009!



8. Say NO to fast food and YES to freshly prepared foods, organic and local produce. Enjoy a relaxed, delicious meal on the waterfront at the Fort Pierce Farmers' Market! Help the local economy and feel part of the community! Locally grown organic food tastes better and you'll feel better for it.



9. Recycle even more! Krisitn DiPentima of Hale Groves resolves to recycle as much as possible at home and at work in 2009! A mature tree will produce just 14 newspapers. The energy saved by recycling one aluminum can will run a TV for three hours. Recycling one glass bottle will save enough energy to light a 100-watt bulb for four hours.



10. Take Time for Tea. I have read that drinking green tea has many healthy benefits. So, another of my simple resolutions for 2009 is to drink more green tea. Maria Sparsis of Tea and Chi suggested that I drink a cup of Macha tea everyday. Matcha is the ceremonial, powdered green tea that has been consumed in Japan for almost 1000 years. The health-giving properties of Matcha are beyond any other tea and virtually any other natural beverage on the planet. Matcha has approximately 70 times the antioxidants of orange juice and 9 times the beta carotene of spinach. Matcha has more antioxidant power than blueberries, making it one of the highest ORAC rated foods available today.



11. Reduce household waste. Above all, try to buy items with the least amount of packaging available. Choose aluminum, tin, or paper if you have to buy packaged goods as these types of packaging are easily recycled. Avoid plastic packaging since it can be the toughest item to recycle, because many recycling centers don't process it. Avoid disposables and choose cloth rags instead of paper towels, cloth diapers, metal and ceramic dinnerware instead of plastic and paper. Also, buy in bulk whenever you can. The more you can buy in one package, the less packaging you'll waste.



12. Smell the roses. Have you found that you are always going to or coming from somewhere? Do you feel like you are moving from one place to the next without taking the time to smell the roses? Most people just seem to find it difficult to make time to sit down, relax and unwind. In 2009, consider taking some time to relax in your backyard. Walk the farmers market and choose a new houseplant for your windowsill or bush to plant in your yard. Introduce your children to the feeling of satisfaction when growing a plant or vegetable from a seed. If you take time to relax and get yourself centered, you will feel better and find it easier to be more focused on your work.