■ HEALTH goGREEN with your health BY Victor Marasso Have you ever met someone who, after only a brief conversation, totally changed your life for the better? Well, that’s what this writer experienced after meeting with Marc Stafford Wood, a long-time Astoria resident and whole plant-based food coach. Wood’s passion for helping people and making a positive impact on their lives is evident in every word that he speaks. Articulate and charismatic, Wood is dedicated to giving those who he comes in contact with the knowledge they need to live a healthier lifestyle, while also fighting disease. Wood sat down to chat at one of our neighborhood’s most inviting coffee bars, Astoria Coffee. After taking a couple of sips of his beverage, Wood wasted no time in getting to the point. “Every single thing that we eat or drink has a direct impact, positive or negative, on our bodies,” Wood said. “It’s ironic that most people are extremely careful about what kind of fuel that they gas their car up with, but they don’t pay as close attention when it comes to putting fuel into their body.” “Self care is the only true care,” he added. “We are all masters of our fate. I want to empower my clients with the knowledge that they need to take better care of themselves and their loved ones.” Wood certainly doesn’t ask his clients to do the impossible; just “be the best possible version of yourself.” As a whole plant-based food health coach, Wood does not deal in fad diets or nutritional trends. Plant-based food, he explained, isn’t anything remotely strange or esoteric. It’s the good for you stuff that you already know and love: lentils, zucchini,broccoli ,collard greens, eggplant, chickpeas, celery, peppers,lettuce and green peas. The list of edible, plant-based goodies goes on forever, as does the variety of tasty, nutritious dishes that Wood can show you how to cook in the comfort of your own home. During his 28-day plant-based intro course, Wood will team up with you in your kitchen and, together, you will prepare unbelievably delicious meals without meat or dairy products. If you like, Wood will be happy to accompany you to your local supermarket or natural and organic store and you can shop together, using his healthy shopping list. When you invite your family or friends over to sample some of your new culinary creations, they will rave about the meal and ask for your “secret” recipe. Wood’s dishes are that good. Easy going and with a tremendous sense of humor, Wood makes learning fun and entertaining. A natural teacher, who can make even the most mundane facts interesting , Wood has recently put a couple of cooking lessons up on YouTube. The response from people all over the world has been tremendous. One of Wood’s personal goals is to one day appear on The Food Network and, eventually, have his own show. Whether you take the four week intro course or Wood’s five hour workshop, you’ll learn how and where to get all of the complex carbohydrates, proteins, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals that you need. Wood also does one hour consultations via Skype or Face-time. Leaning forward in his chair, Wood said that his happiness comes from helping people to help themselves. “My recipes and meals contain no carcinogens, no antibiotics,hormones or estrogen. There’s also no animal suffering involved because everything is meat and dairy-free,” he said. By this time, Wood and I had moved our conversation over to one of Astoria’s true hidden gems, Athens Square Park, located on 30th Avenue and 29th Street. With bright sunshine and some unseasonably warm temperatures setting the scene, this small but beautiful park was the perfect place in which to learn about taking your health and nutrition to another level. While we were talking, a group of kids wandered into the park, looking to blow off a little steam after school. Shaking his head, sadly, Marc pointed out just how obese many of the children were. “It’s a crying shame.” Wood said. “ You can see that these kids are overweight from snacking on chips, candy and fast food.” Wood also told this writer about a family who are not only clients but have become close friends as well. “When I first met them, the mom and dad were grossly overweight and their two kids were not eating the best stuff, either,” Wood said. “The Marc Stafford Wood
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