Lisa Doggett

Stop calling me! I don't need another reminder to vote.

What? I have 28 NEW email? I just deleted everything like 15 minutes ago. Oh right – more pleas for money and volunteers.

So now you're texting me? I just donated 30 minutes ago, and now you want more? How about some gratitude?

These are all election-related thoughts I've had over the last few weeks.

But even though I'm irritated, I am relieved that others are so dedicated to keep calling/texting/stopping by/emailing.  It feeds my underlying guilt that I need to do more, more, more, but each interruption is still a little bit of hope.

My overwhelming stress/concern/frustration is that we are so close in Texas – and many other parts of the country – to making change happen in a big way next week. But we can only do that if people vote. I'm worried they won't. I'm worried they will be too disconnected, disengaged, cynical, hopeless, angry, and disempowered.  I hope I'm wrong.

I am from a political family – VERY political. My dad was elected to the Texas State Senate when I was 11 days old. He has spent his entire career in public service; I have spent my entire life supporting that career. We didn't go to baseball games or on camping trips when I was a kid. Instead, I rode with my dad in parades, went to fish fries and barbeques, shook hands at fundraisers, and smiled through long speeches. My dad is running for Congress again now, and I couldn't be more proud of his incredible tenure in the U.S. House. Elections are a very big deal for my family – our Super Bowl, our Academy Awards, but with much more at stake than a game or awards ceremony.

Now I also look at this election from the perspective of a patient. And the "elections don't matter" argument, espoused by many non-voters, now makes me madder than ever. Those of us with chronic disease are especially vulnerable to the whims of our leaders and special interests – the big pharmaceutical companies, the health insurers. In the next couple of years, decisions by those leaders could matter A LOT to people like me:

· They could make it hard or impossible for those of us with preexisting conditions to get health insurance.

· They could rein in the cost of prescription drugs, or they could continue to let them go unchecked. (Drug costs for MS routinely surpass the $60,000 mark per patient per year!) 

· They could restrict or allow access to certain medications that help people with MS.

· They could require reasonable quality standards for health insurance plans or allow junk plans to be sold.

Other issues are at stake too, like global warming – and our government's terrifying refusal to adequately recognize and address it. The consequences of climate change will soon touch nearly every living thing on this planet. I am not exaggerating or fear-mongering; we are on the brink of a point-of-no-return disaster with our climate. 

Public education, immigration, gun violence, workers' rights, poverty, the racial divide – these only scratch the surface of the issues that will be impacted by the outcome of this election.

Yesterday, I was honored to join a group from Worker's Defense in South Austin to block walk, urging everyone to get to the polls. This time I was the one interrupting people from their Saturday morning routines, annoying some and hopefully motivating others. On Election Day, November 6, I'll make phone calls to remind folks to get to the polls. This election is critically important for me, for my kids, for our community, and for everyone.

Please share what you're doing to help get out the vote and to support your chosen candidates during the next week. For more info and voting resources, check out VOTE411 or any number of other online resources.

And if someone knocks on your door to ask for your vote or remind you to cast your ballot, be friendly, and thank them for stopping by.

FIVE servings a day of fruits and vegetables. MINUMUM. That's a pretty universal recommendation from nutrition experts. Yet, only one in 10 U.S. adults eats enough, according to the Centers for Disease Control. A plant-based diet, with lots of fruits and veggies, is one of the best ways to prevent cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and many other chronic diseases. Replacing less healthy options with fruit and vegetables can help people lose weight and keep it off. But it can be tricky to fit in those servings, especially if you're not used to it. Here are some ideas, especially to add more veggies to your diet:

1)      Eat more salad: These days salads are not just tasteless iceberg lettuce and tomatoes tossed with a store-bought dressing. With the right ingredients, salads can be exciting and make for a very satisfying entrée. Mix together different kinds of greens with whatever other veggies look fresh or in-season. Toss in nuts or beans. Add fruit – fresh or dried. Add a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar (no need to buy dressing), and voilà: you have a great meal with three to four servings of veggies.

2)      Choose veggie-centered soups and stews: With cooler weather coming, stews and soups can double as comfort food and healthy entrées or starters. When choosing a soup or stew in a restaurant or selecting a recipe to make at home, choose one with a lot of veggies. Go light on the cream and butter. Look for recipes with great combinations of colorful vegetables; you'll easily meet the serving recommendations and get lots of important vitamins and nutrients in the process.

3)      Grab a bowl: Bowls filled with veggies, sometimes with grains, beans, and/or an egg, have become popular over the last few years, and they are a great way to add veggies to the diet. Combinations like quinoa with roasted Brussel sprouts, broccoli, carrots and avocado, maybe sprinkled with toasted pumpkin seeds or pecans, can be a delicious way to get more veggies in the diet.

4)      Go vegetarian: You may not want to give up meat altogether, but choose at least one day a week to try out life as a vegetarian. Consider joining the movement for Meatless Mondays, for example.  It may help you shift your focus from seeing meat as the centerpiece of the meal and come up with more creative – and healthy – veggie-centered alternatives. Check out this great article from The Guardian on how a plant-based diet also helps the planet!

5)      Snack on veggies: Baby carrots, cucumber slices, or celery sticks make great snacks, and are much healthier than chips or cookies. Keep some handy in the refrigerator along with hummus or a healthy dip.

6)      Try baked sweet potatoes: Yams or sweet potatoes are far more nutritious that regular white potatoes. They also make a satisfying and healthy entrée, especially when stuffed or topped with other veggies like green peas, beans, or roasted peppers.

7)      Fill a tortilla with veggies: In my hometown of Austin, Texas, we live and breathe tacos. Tortillas filled with veggies are my favorite. Try black beans with sautéed spinach and mushrooms or carrots and broccoli. Pour on the salsa and add some guacamole for even more veggie goodness.

8)      Smoothies! I know this article is on veggies, but fruits are great too. A super easy way to get in three to four servings is by making smoothies in the blender at home. With frozen bananas as a base, add other in-season fruits and milk, juice, or a non-dairy alternative; mix; and you're left with a delicious healthy beverage, which can even work as an entrée for any meal. I sometimes throw in veggies with the fruit too: frozen kale stems (from my garden) are my favorite.

Share your ideas below. Adding more veggies to your diet is an excellent way to improve your health and feel better.