Before we jump in… an encouragement! 👇️ 

🧑‍⚖️ Confirming RFK Jr. as Secretary of HHS: please contact your Senators today

TOMORROW, Wednesday, January 29th, at 10:00 AM, the Senate Finance Committee will hold a nomination hearing to consider Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for Secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services. If you’d like to see him confirmed, I implore you to write to these Senators and the Senators of your state (see post for links to their contact forms) encouraging them to confirm him. I believe we have a once-in-a-generation chance to redefine our healthcare priorities and truly heal our nation — which could lead to an unprecedented increase in American thriving, and vastly reduced costs. Remember, America has the worst health outcomes among ANY high-income country despite spending the most.

This is an existential and spiritual moment for America, and I believe that RFK Jr. can lead us to a significantly healthier future - for people AND the planet (he has dedicated his life to environmentalism and public health). Doubling down on the status quo of American healthcare is not a good decision in my opinion - I believe we need a disruptor focused on root-cause health. RFK Jr. has the track record to challenge entrenched systems that are perpetuating suffering for both children and adults. He stands for addressing root causes—poor diet, environmental toxins, overuse of medication, and systemic failures of the food, agriculture, and pharmaceutical industries. Please do not fall for the well-funded propaganda that is constantly spouted about him by mainstream media, whose main advertisers (processed food and Big Pharma) stand to be challenged if he’s confirmed. You can hear more about why I appreciate his point of view in my interview with Bill Maher, and in his interview with Joe Rogan. 

Now, onto the newsletter! 👇️  

🧑‍🏫 How one educator transformed her school’s  food—and how you can too

I receive countless emails from parents and teachers dismayed by the state of school food today. Reforming childhood nutrition has been a passion of mine for years because it’s unconscionable that, in the wealthiest country in the world, corporate interests are consistently prioritized over children’s health. Sadly, that’s the reality. (For more, check out my 2020 The Hill article, which I co-wrote with my dad! 👉 "USDA Abandons America’s Schoolchildren.")

Just take a look at these important facts from Eat Real, a non-profit that works directly with public schools to replace ultra-processed items with nutritious, delicious, whole and sustainable food: 

• 67% of our kids' calories are ultra-processed, and Big Food is working hard to make sure that kids are being served ultra-processed food in and out of school. 

• Public schools are the largest restaurant in the country, serving 7 BILLION meals a year. Some of these meals look really horrifying. US public schools have more locations than Starbucks, Subway and McDonald’s combined. 

• 30 million kids in the US rely on school food for 30%-100% of their daily calories.

• The Result: Kids born today are estimated to live shorter lives than their parents due to preventable issues including obesity. Today, around 40% of children are overweight or obese, and chronic disease is skyrocketing in kids. 

🎙️I interviewed the CEO of Eat Real here: 7 Tips to Encourage Kids to Eat Healthy, Whole Foods

💰 Profit motive and entrenched norms in school food

The school food system has been corrupted and weaponized for profit:

• In a NYC bribery scandal, leading to the imprisonment of Eric Goldstein, the head of food services for the NYC district, schools were serving chicken filled with plastic and metal shards in school lunches. 

• In recent years, the USDA brokered a deal with ultra processed food manufacturer Kraft Heinz to get Lunchables into school cafeterias, which took effect in April of 2024. The Lunchables made specifically for schools were found in independent testing to have relatively high levels of sodium, lead, cadmium, and phthalates. Fortunately, they were removed from schools in November 2024. 

• The efforts of Big Food lobbying to influence the regulations around school lunches are very aggressive, with millions of dollars spent to try to get larger and larger shares of the multibillion National School Lunch Program budget. The National School Lunch Program spends over $17 billion dollars per year, and Big Food companies want as much of those dollars as possible. They are creating lifetime, addicted customers, for very unhealthy “foods.” 

🔁 Hope: Transforming school food rapidly 

Let’s focus on solutions. This week, I interviewed Dr. Rosalind Schoppet (“Dr. Roz”), a 20-year veteran educator who revolutionized her school’s food program rapidly after reading Good Energy. She is an inspiration! 

🎙️My interview with Dr. Roz: How One Director Transformed School Food for Kids' Health

At Pathways, Tempe—a preschool for kids 6 weeks to 6 years old—Dr. Roz transitioned from serving standard, ultra-processed, sugary snacks (which are the norm in most public and private schools), to an organic, whole-food menu, free of added sugars and dyes. 

I asked her how she decided what to originally serve in her preschool when she started Pathways in 2020:

“I based the Pathways menus off of what I knew from working in (public and private) schools. [In those schools], they served chocolate covered graham crackers, Goldfish, Cheez-Its, and would throw in fruit here and there. So I used my experience and did what I had learned.”

Then, she read Good Energy, and thought: 

“Wow, I need to make some changes. I realized how what the kids are eating is so important to their lives, and we have to start early, and that moderation is not ok. We need to make sure that everything kids are eating is healthy, and I feel like we are responsible for taking care of them and I want to make sure they are healthy, so we started the changes.”

It’s important to note that the process of changing the food program in an independent preschool is very different (and more straightforward) than for a large public school. (This is why collaborating with a nonprofit like Eat Real can be so useful.) The purpose of sharing this story is to inspire awareness and inspiration to have these conversations with schools. 

The results of changing the food program? 

👌 Benefits

• Lower costs: The new, organic menu is surprisingly cheaper than the former menu with packaged foods. (!!!!)

• Minimal added labor: The staff workload remains largely unchanged.

• Thrilled kids: Children now happily eat raw broccoli, cucumbers, fresh fruit, plain Greek yogurt, and Brazil nuts! The kids love it! (I know! Who knew?) 

• Engaged parents: Families are inspired to pack healthier lunches and are excited by the change! (This is where lasting change occurs!)

⏸️ Considerations

• Equipment: Dr. Roz purchased a freezer for frozen veggies and a hot plate for cooking.

• Food Preferences: Kids initially disliked quinoa and plain Greek yogurt but now enjoy both after adding a tiny bit of salt to the quinoa, and repeated exposure to the yogurt.

• Preparation Time: Quinoa takes slightly longer to prepare than serving packaged snacks - about 10 minutes.

Dr. Roz buys most of the food for the school at Costco. Utilizing Good Energy food principles and snack ideas (I list a bunch at the bottom of this email!!), she made her way back through the aisles and found snacks that provided healthier nutrition. She is now looking for ways to communicate the love of these foods to parents, in hopes of inspiring more organic whole foods in the kids’ lunches (which the parents pack), and even their meals around their homes. 

She says, “[When I initially made the changes]. I didn't talk to the parents. You know, it was something that I feel like was needed for the kids. So, I did it for the kids, hoping that the influence would go to the homes too, which it has.” - Dr. Roz

💬 How to talk to your kids’ schools about making changes 

Dr. Roz offers helpful suggestions on how to talk to your kids’ school about making changes:

• Provide Examples: Share healthy snack menus (e.g., Dr. Roz’s February 2025 menu, below).

• Share Resources: Give a copy of Good Energy to teachers or administrators and forward this newsletter or Youtube convo with Dr. Roz.

• Be Confident: Advocate boldly. As Dr. Roz says: “It’s okay to be open about how you feel. This is the health of your child.”

• Connect with Experts: Offer to connect your school with Dr. Roz—she’s happy to help. Reply to this email for more details.

• (And a bonus tip from me) Involve “Eat Real:” Get support from Eat Real, the amazing non-profit that works directly with public schools to replace ultra-processed items with nutritious, delicious, whole and sustainable food. They can certify and help a school transform its food program in two years or less. Learn more at eatreal.org. 

Sending you good energy this week!

🤗 , Dr. Casey

Newsletter Sponsor:  Laird Superfood

👀 In Case You Missed It

🌟 I’m speaking at Luminescence - THIS WEEKEND!!!!

🎟️ Sign up here and save 20% with the code CASEY20

Luminescence is a one-day women's health and longevity summit presented  by Commune, the world's leading online course platform for personal and societal well-being. This groundbreaking event will take place THIS Saturday, February 1, 2025, at the iconic Saban Theater in Los Angeles, California. Expected attendance is 2,000.

This event is designed for women to connect with themselves and others, be inspired, and receive the encouragement they deserve to thrive — for life.

Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with a series of compelling lectures and conversations covering vital topics such as nutrition, metabolism, hormones, menopause, emotional regulation, personal development and fitness. This event promises to be an inspiring and transformative experience, fostering a supportive environment for women to learn, connect, and grow.

Luminescence is a celebration of female health, embodying a more nurturing and introspective "yin" energy. This event recognizes that true well-being is not only an individual pursuit. It celebrates the constellation of community that is central to human vibrancy.

This summit will feature world-renowned female doctors and health experts including Dr. Sara Gottfried, Jillian Michaels, Kimberly Snyder, Marianne Williamson, Schuyler Grant, Dr. Mindy Pelz, J.J. Virgin and others. I’ll be speaking there!

Don't miss this unique opportunity to gain invaluable insights and practical advice from the leading voices in women's health and longevity. Join us in celebrating the power and potential of women's health at Luminescence.

❤️‍🔥 Additionally, the Luminescence team is offering anyone affected by the fires free tickets 🙏… If you would like to take advantage of this offer, email [email protected] to request up to two free tickets.

Forward to a friend: If you enjoyed this issue, please forward to a friend! They can sign up for the newsletter here.

👩‍🍳 Must try restaurant!! Ama in Washington, DC

I took my family out to a special dinner at Ama in DC last night and WOW: this place is DOING THINGS RIGHT!!!… They abide by a set of food principles that are so aligned with Good Energy it feels like a dream come true that this place exists… I just pray that more restaurants will follow suit! We got to meet the inspiring chef and co-founder, powerhouse visionary Johanna Hellrigl, and hear about the mission, the inspiration, and the food… and every bite was simply incredible (Look at this menu! 🤤). Also, their non-alcoholic beverage menu is out of this world (my favorite was the ZP Spritz 🍷). I wished I lived closer to DC so I could come all the time. Below are their CORE PRINCIPLES (can you imagine if every restaurant did this?! The world would be a much healthier and happier place!) 👇️ 

• Slow Food Cooking: They avoid ultra-processed foods, instead serving minimally processed, additive-free, whole food ingredients. And they only use unrefined sugar.

• Ingredients as Nature Intended: They support regenerative agriculture, source organic produce, and use electrolysis purification for produce-washing.

• Healthy Fats: NO SEED OILS. They replace industrial seed oils with high-quality fats like olive oil, avocado oil, and butter from pastured animals, opting for shallow-frying over traditional fryers.

• Microplastic-Free Dining: They do not use single-use plastics, BPA, PFAS, and phthalates, instead using compostable disposables without harmful coatings (which are very rare… did you know nearly all paper cups are lined with plastics!? But not at Ama! 💪 ).

• Quality Water Purification: They use double catalytic carbon filtration to ensure pure water for both drinking and cooking while retaining essential minerals.

• Planet-Friendly Practices: They reduce water usage with a 93%-efficient scraping system and prioritize waste reduction, going beyond recycling and composting.

• They Question Everything: Rejecting the status quo, they opt for ozonated water and botanicals for non-toxic cleaning (instead of chemical-filled cleaners), stainless steel cookware instead of toxic non-stick, and biodegradable disposables free from toxins or microplastics.

• All-Electric Kitchen: Fully electric equipment ensures energy efficiency, safety, and a smaller environmental footprint.

• Sustainably Sourced Proteins: They serve wild-caught fish, pasture-raised poultry, and grass-fed, grass-fed, grass-finished meats for premium quality and integrity.

The best part is that even after a big meal like this, we all woke up this morning feeling great! That’s what clean ingredients will do for you!!!

If we as a community support restaurants and businesses doing the right thing, change can happen. So, if you live in the DC area: go on a date here, get coffee here, plan an event here, get takeout from here. Support THIS way of doing things! Reply and let me know of other restaurants like this leading the charge to a healthy future! 💪 

BONUS: Some Good Energy approved “on-the-go” packaged snack ideas

Note: I aim to keep packaged foods to a minimum, as the packaging is generally unsustainable and extractive, and the packaging also can leech microplastics and other chemicals into the food. The best option is always to prepare organic food with minimal packaging straight from the farmer’s market.  With that said, if you’re going to buy packaged snacks for on-the-go needs, here are some of the best options I know of:

• Daily Harvest frozen soups, Harvest Bakes, and Harvest Bowls (I top these with chia seeds, sardines, black beans, and sauerkraut for a perfect Good Energy lunch!) - and a lot of their packaging is compostable!

• Organic whole fruits that are easy to transport, like apples, oranges, and pears

• Organic pre-cut vegetables, like carrot sticks

• Natierra Organic Freeze-Dried fruit packs

• Unroasted organic nuts (check the label to ensure no added oils)

• Organic coconut flakes, like Let’s Do Organic brand

• Wholly Guacamole organic classic minis

• Brami Italian Snacking Lupini Beans (high in fiber, zero net carbs, and lots of protein). Not certified organic but company states they use organic practices.

• Flackers Flaxseed crackers

• Top Seedz Crackers

• Brad’s Veggie Chips and Kale Chips

• gimMe Organic Roasted Seaweed Snacks (sea salt & avocado oil)

• Artisana Organics Raw Almond Butter snack packs

• Stonyfield Organic 100% Grassfed Organic yogurt cups

• Cocojune or Harmless Harvest unsweetened coconut milk yogurt cups

• Epic bars (choose no-sugar-added options like Chicken Sriracha and Salt & Pepper Venison)

• Paleovalley or Chomps 100% Grass Fed Beef Sticks

• Hard Boiled Eggs

• Organic Valley pasture-raised string cheese

• Wild Planet packets: Wild Pink Salmon, Albacore Tuna, Skipjack Tuna

• Kettle & Fire Bone Broth

• Organic nuPasta Konjac Root noodles

• Choi’s Organic Nori, 50 sheets (great as a tortilla alternative)

• NuttZo Organic nut butter

• Sweet Nothings Organic Spoonable Smoothie Cups

Pack snacks in glass tupperware, mason jars, or silicon baggies to minimize toxicity.

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