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Christina Hiten - Child Nutrition and WIC · Look Who's Talking

• 0:00
  You are listening to Look Who's Talking.
• 0:21
  I am Cameron Minter.
• 0:22
  I am your co-host and the fabulous Jessica Coffie is our host.
• 0:28
  Hey guys.
• 0:29
  What's going on Jessica?
• 0:30
  Fabulous.
• 0:31
  Don't put my head up.
• 0:32
  Listen.
• 0:33
  It's one of them days.
• 0:34
  It's one of them days.
• 0:35
  If you pump it up it's going to blow.
• 0:36
  It's Friday Eve.
• 0:37
  Oh yeah it is Friday Eve.
• 0:38
  It's always good.
• 0:39
  It's Friday, Friday Eve.
• 0:40
  Woo!
• 0:41
  That's a shouting move right there.
• 0:42
  Hallelujah!
• 0:43
  You know what?
• 0:44
  I didn't even realize today was Thursday.
• 0:45
  Come on girl.
• 0:46
  That's how my week has been.
• 0:47
  I know right.
• 0:48
  Like I'm just trying to make it to the end.
• 0:49
  I know right.
• 0:50
  I don't even look at my phone.
• 0:51
  That's why I'm here.
• 0:52
  I'm just trying to make it to the end.
• 0:53
  I know right.
• 0:54
  I don't even look at my phone.
• 0:55
  That's why I'm here.
• 1:00
  I got to live one day at a time.
• 1:03
  Friday Eve.
• 1:04
  I'm excited about that.
• 1:05
  That's it.
• 1:06
  That's a good thing.
• 1:07
  But I'll be working on the weekends.
• 1:09
  Oh my lord.
• 1:10
  I'm so sorry.
• 1:11
  I know.
• 1:12
  Listen.
• 1:13
  So much has happened since our last show.
• 1:15
  Cal has jumped his ship.
• 1:17
  Help us Lord!
• 1:20
  You've had time to listen to that Lil Jive album of yours.
• 1:24
  We need some updates.
• 1:25
  What are we doing with the album?
• 1:28
  Well.
• 1:29
  And just so our listeners know, we're talking about Beyoncé's country album.
• 1:34
  Yes.
• 1:35
  If you listen to the show, we probably talk about Beyoncé every show.
• 1:38
  At least once.
• 1:39
  At least once.
• 1:40
  Yeah.
• 1:41
  Because you know that's important.
• 1:42
  She's important.
• 1:43
  Okay.
• 1:44
  However, but before that, I want to say we survived the eclipse.
• 1:48
  Oh.
• 1:49
  Because there's been a lot of people thinking the eclipse is happening.
• 1:53
  You survived it.
• 1:54
  Grab your wives.
• 1:55
  Grab your kids.
• 1:56
  Okay.
• 1:57
  Hold up.
• 1:58
  I want to talk about Cal first.
• 2:00
  Okay.
• 2:01
  Can we do that?
• 2:02
  Get Cal.
• 2:03
  Let's get Cal.
• 2:04
  Listen.
• 2:05
  You know, I'm a UK fan.
• 2:09
  Football and basketball.
• 2:11
  I stuck with them even when we had Billy Gillespie.
• 2:15
  Come on.
• 2:16
  That was a bad season.
• 2:17
  That was a bad two years.
• 2:19
  Okay.
• 2:20
  Come on.
• 2:21
  But I stuck with it.
• 2:22
  That is ours.
• 2:23
  And I still will be a UK fan.
• 2:25
  However, I'm mad at all the other fans because this is what they wanted.
• 2:29
  You're right about it.
• 2:30
  What we going to do now?
• 2:31
  You're right about it.
• 2:32
  But you know what, I look at it this way.
• 2:35
  Denny Curum was the Duncan coach.
• 2:38
  Two points, right?
• 2:39
  Uh-huh.
• 2:40
  Then Rick Pitino came and said, you can do your two points if you want to.
• 2:44
  UK, we're doing three points, right?
• 2:46
  Yeah.
• 2:47
  Then that area.
• 2:48
  Now Cal came with the one and done with the freshmen, right?
• 2:51
  Yeah.
• 2:52
  And that era is over.
• 2:55
  It is.
• 2:56
  You know, I talked to a friend about it, Cam, and I was like in between, I was like, I know
• 3:03
  that we are a school for winning, but at the same time he's changing these men's lives.
• 3:12
  That's right.
• 3:13
  That's right.
• 3:14
  And at the point like.
• 3:15
  It never got on with the fan base.
• 3:18
  The fans wanted championships, Cal wanted progress with kids.
• 3:22
  Yeah.
• 3:23
  And I can't be mad at that.
• 3:24
  You can't be mad at it, but if you wanted championships, you could be mad.
• 3:28
  Yeah.
• 3:29
  You've had the best, best classes.
• 3:31
  Well.
• 3:32
  We best.
• 3:33
  The famous people won't come no more.
• 3:35
  Like Drake ain't going to come back.
• 3:37
  Well, Drake, Drake was your downfall.
• 3:39
  You don't need Drake.
• 3:40
  Well, every time he came, we lost the game.
• 3:42
  Exactly.
• 3:43
  You don't need Drake.
• 3:44
  Hey, have you heard that Pitino was coming here?
• 3:47
  What?
• 3:48
  No, I heard that.
• 3:49
  That's your coach.
• 3:50
  That's my coach, but he ain't coming.
• 3:52
  I mean, but if he did.
• 3:54
  That's what the word on the screen is.
• 3:56
  I'm a little bit of a fan just in case y'all don't forget.
• 3:58
  And I've gone through the worst two years to her little Billy Glepsy.
• 4:01
  Two?
• 4:02
  Hasn't it been like five?
• 4:04
  I mean, at least we've been winning some games the last two years.
• 4:07
  We ain't won no games.
• 4:08
  I mean, come on.
• 4:10
  Yeah.
• 4:11
  It's been a rough ride.
• 4:12
  You know what?
• 4:13
  It's a hard time for Kentucky college basketball, let's say that.
• 4:18
  Yeah.
• 4:19
  Well, I only really mean UK and Louisville.
• 4:23
  I don't know what everybody else is doing.
• 4:25
  Well, yeah, because Transy, you know, Transy, they won the championship.
• 4:28
  Did they do it again this year?
• 4:29
  The women?
• 4:30
  I've lost track, but anyway, at least they did it last year.
• 4:34
  Yeah.
• 4:35
  What about Cowboy Carter?
• 4:36
  Okay.
• 4:37
  Give me your songs.
• 4:38
  Oh, you know what?
• 4:41
  I like a lot of them.
• 4:43
  My favorite one right now is Levi Jeans.
• 4:47
  Levi Jeans.
• 4:48
  Yeah.
• 4:49
  You need to listen to that one.
• 4:50
  But she did, she redid Jolene.
• 4:53
  Oh yeah.
• 4:54
  Yeah.
• 4:55
  You were talking about the How Was It?
• 4:56
  Yeah.
• 4:57
  It's good actually.
• 4:58
  It's okay.
• 4:59
  But I like Dolly being gone and talking to her.
• 5:02
  Oh really?
• 5:03
  Yeah.
• 5:04
  She's on there.
• 5:05
  Willie Nelson is on there.
• 5:06
  Wow.
• 5:07
  Saying some stuff.
• 5:08
  So I think it's a good...
• 5:09
  This was all political though.
• 5:11
  This is all just getting her...
• 5:12
  She was proving a point.
• 5:13
  Well, she's in the door and her fans alone will keep her in the door.
• 5:18
  That part.
• 5:19
  But I think she's gained different fans from this too.
• 5:21
  We'll see.
• 5:22
  Yeah, we'll see.
• 5:23
  We'll see.
• 5:24
  We'll see at the Country Music Awards next year.
• 5:27
  No doubt.
• 5:28
  No doubt.
• 5:29
  Will she be invited?
• 5:30
  No doubt.
• 5:31
  That's the question.
• 5:32
  And now that we've got the question out of the way, I think it's time for a coffee break.
• 5:38
  All righty.
• 5:39
  For this coffee break, I just want to say to everyone, never be a prisoner of your past.
• 5:55
  It was a lesson, not a life sentence.
• 5:58
  And some of the best lessons, Cam, that I've learned is from just things from the past
• 6:06
  that I felt like I was bound to, but what I realized is I'm not.
• 6:10
  Right.
• 6:11
  Say that.
• 6:12
  Say that.
• 6:13
  There's so much in our past that shapes us who we are.
• 6:16
  And if we had the choice, we would desire not to go through that path.
• 6:21
  We sure would, but we wouldn't be the person or the people that we are today without just
• 6:29
  some of those lessons in life.
• 6:31
  So don't hang on to your past too long.
• 6:35
  You can make it through.
• 6:37
  Absolutely.
• 6:38
  How many things from your past that God saved you from?
• 6:41
  How many guys in your past that you just knew you was going to love for life?
• 6:46
  Every single one of them.
• 6:48
  I'm sorry.
• 6:49
  All of them.
• 6:50
  And you're glad that you dodged them, right?
• 6:52
  This is the one.
• 6:53
  This is the one.
• 6:54
  But you know what?
• 6:55
  I used to be like, this is the one.
• 6:58
  But they never met my parents.
• 7:00
  That should have been a key sign.
• 7:03
  Clear.
• 7:05
  Yeah, no.
• 7:06
  Because you're a daddy's boy girl, ain't you?
• 7:09
  Well, I hope I'm not a daddy's boy.
• 7:11
  I am a daddy's girl.
• 7:12
  I'm definitely a daddy's girl.
• 7:13
  But you know what?
• 7:14
  My mama be jealous.
• 7:15
  Of course.
• 7:16
  Of course you're picking one.
• 7:18
  Oh my goodness.
• 7:19
  I'm not picking.
• 7:20
  I'm a daddy's girl and a mama's girl, but my daddy understands me.
• 7:25
  You just hope they don't listen to your podcast because you be spilling beans.
• 7:28
  You know what?
• 7:29
  And I don't share it with them.
• 7:31
  Just like I did share them relationships with them.
• 7:33
  I ain't sharing this podcast when I talk about them.
• 7:36
  I know it.
• 7:37
  I know it.
• 7:38
  Because they will have something to say.
• 7:39
  You got it.
• 7:40
  Who we got on the show today?
• 7:42
  Listen, today on the show, she's one of my favorite people in my personal life.
• 7:50
  It is Christina Highton.
• 7:53
  Yeah.
• 7:54
  Welcome, Christina.
• 7:55
  Who is the clinical services manager for the Lexington Fayette County Health Department.
• 8:02
  Christina and I met in college, in grad school.
• 8:05
  Uh oh.
• 8:06
  And it's a crazy story.
• 8:08
  I remember it like it was yesterday.
• 8:10
  I was sitting in the advisor's office and she walks in.
• 8:17
  She's always so cheerful and hey and all of that.
• 8:21
  And I'm like, who is this?
• 8:23
  But what we realized that day is we were going to be in all classes together.
• 8:28
  But we had the same undergrad experience and never, like I had never seen her before.
• 8:35
  Wow.
• 8:36
  I was like, how?
• 8:37
  So yeah.
• 8:39
  Welcome.
• 8:40
  It was fate.
• 8:41
  It was fate.
• 8:42
  And here we are.
• 8:43
  They used to call us, what's the, the yin and yang.
• 8:48
  Yeah.
• 8:49
  Yeah.
• 8:50
  So where you see, it's all one, you will see the other.
• 8:53
  Yeah.
• 8:54
  Well.
• 8:55
  Now look at us.
• 8:56
  We got to get some, uh.
• 8:57
  They were scared too.
• 8:58
  We got to get some dirt.
• 8:59
  We got to get some dirt while you're here.
• 9:01
  Dirt, dirt, dirt.
• 9:02
  What?
• 9:03
  There ain't no dirt.
• 9:04
  No dirt?
• 9:05
  Only thing is.
• 9:06
  It's to the grave.
• 9:07
  There's dove soap.
• 9:08
  It's clean over here.
• 9:09
  There's dove soap.
• 9:10
  It's only pure white dove soap, huh?
• 9:11
  Duff.
• 9:12
  Shout out to Duff.
• 9:13
  Y'all paid me.
• 9:14
  That's our sponsor.
• 9:15
  We're trying to get some endorsements.
• 9:16
  We're trying to get some endorsements.
• 9:17
  Oh my goodness.
• 9:20
  God, my goodness.
• 9:23
  So you all have a, uh, background in health.
• 9:28
  Is that correct?
• 9:29
  Nutrition.
• 9:30
  Correct.
• 9:31
  Nutrition.
• 9:32
  Yeah.
• 9:33
  Our, our background is in nutrition and you know, I think it's crazy how, um, just life
• 9:38
  goes because, um, when we got out of what, like when I say we were together all the time,
• 9:45
  like literally all the time, we had an office that was no bigger than this table.
• 9:50
  It was a, it was literally a closet.
• 9:52
  Wow.
• 9:53
  It was a closet.
• 9:54
  It didn't even, I don't, it might've shut.
• 9:57
  It might have shut.
• 9:58
  I don't even know if it shut all the way.
• 9:59
  I know it did.
• 10:00
  Cause we used to take naps.
• 10:01
  Oh yeah.
• 10:02
  Well that part.
• 10:03
  What?
• 10:04
  We'd take naps in there.
• 10:05
  We dimmed the lights down and.
• 10:06
  UK, I'm not paying that money back.
• 10:08
  Even though I was asleep and you were paying me.
• 10:11
  But um, you know, I, I, after grad school, um, I started working for the health department
• 10:19
  and then I, I don't know how many times I was like, Christina, come on, work, work.
• 10:25
  So finally she was like, okay, I'll put in the application.
• 10:28
  She got hired and then I left.
• 10:32
  Yeah, that's funny.
• 10:36
  But we both always worked for, um, in the field of community nutrition with pregnant
• 10:42
  moms to five years old.
• 10:44
  Okay.
• 10:45
  Yeah.
• 10:46
  So tell us about your story.
• 10:47
  Tell us about the health department, WIC and why it's important.
• 10:52
  Yeah.
• 10:53
  Um, golly, it's so crazy to sit here and talk to you.
• 10:56
  And I was having flashbacks of school and all those group projects that we were have
• 11:01
  to do together.
• 11:02
  And, um, yeah, Jessica was the ride or die, uh, when I was in school, uh, or when we were
• 11:08
  in grad school, anytime a group project came around, it was, I got you.
• 11:12
  You got, okay, we're going to be in the group together.
• 11:14
  Cause we knew we could rely on each other and the work would get done.
• 11:17
  So Christina probably doesn't know the work.
• 11:21
  We made it even through our thesis.
• 11:23
  I'll never forget.
• 11:24
  We both defended and she told me, now don't you ask no questions after my presentation.
• 11:31
  She did.
• 11:32
  And sure enough, I raised my hand.
• 11:33
  I said, you're going to know this.
• 11:34
  You're going to know this.
• 11:35
  So, cause I wanted to know how to know the answer.
• 11:40
  Um, but then yes, uh, she recommended that, uh, there was a, an opening at the health
• 11:46
  department as a WIC nutrition specialist.
• 11:49
  And at the time I was working at a pharmacy and, um, had graduated.
• 11:54
  And at that point in time, you know, trying to figure out what you want to do when you're
• 11:57
  done with school.
• 11:58
  So that's just a challenge in and of itself, cause now you've got all these bills you have
• 12:03
  to pay.
• 12:06
  Parents done cut you off.
• 12:08
  It's time to grow up.
• 12:09
  So definitely, uh, that was probably the best decision I ever made.
• 12:14
  And I'm forever grateful to Jessica.
• 12:16
  Cause I wouldn't have applied or probably done that if she had not recommended me.
• 12:21
  And then left you.
• 12:22
  And yeah, I left.
• 12:23
  But now I look at her and she running, she ran in the whole clinic.
• 12:29
  It's not just WIC.
• 12:32
  Tell us some of the programs that are, um, you know, that you lead.
• 12:36
  Yeah.
• 12:37
  So I started as a WIC nutrition specialist and then evolved into a clinical, uh, team
• 12:43
  leader, uh, over the business services side and then, um, supervise the WIC clinic, uh,
• 12:50
  directly.
• 12:51
  And then now I'm the clinical services manager.
• 12:52
  So now I oversee our business services area, our WIC program, and we also have a harm reduction
• 12:58
  program as well.
• 12:59
  Tell me about the WIC program.
• 13:01
  I, I am familiar, but not familiar with what WIC does.
• 13:06
  Yes.
• 13:07
  It's an amazing, um, food and supplemental program for women, infants and children.
• 13:13
  That's what WIC stands for, uh, all the way from birth until the age of five.
• 13:16
  And the idea is that once they go into, um, kindergarten, that they will then carry on
• 13:22
  and get those, uh, uh, school meals.
• 13:26
  So breakfast program, lunch program, but from, uh, birth until then we are providing a lot
• 13:33
  of nutrition education.
• 13:35
  We do referrals.
• 13:36
  So if there is any point in time and individual who needs a car seat referral or referral
• 13:42
  for more food in the home or if they have any type of domestic violence as well.
• 13:48
  So you have to know your resources to be able to assist people who are coming needing more
• 13:54
  than just WIC services.
• 13:56
  Cause sometimes it's not just WIC that they need.
• 13:58
  They need other things, uh, to help and assist.
• 14:02
  And we certainly are there to provide that.
• 14:05
  And so with that, uh, and the women, uh, women who are pregnant and breastfeeding as well.
• 14:11
  So we have breastfeeding support.
• 14:12
  So we provide nutrition education, but we also provide food benefits that come on a
• 14:16
  card and these are foods that are essentially nutritious for individuals in this age category.
• 14:24
  So for women, um, and children, they get cheese, eggs, milk, bread, rice, tortillas, or whole
• 14:33
  wheat pasta.
• 14:34
  There's money towards fresh fruits and vegetables.
• 14:36
  We do offer peanut butter for women and children who are two and up.
• 14:41
  And then for the infants, we have formula.
• 14:44
  We know that it is very costly and expensive.
• 14:47
  We had a formula recall recently that we went through, uh, that was very devastating for
• 14:52
  mothers and families, uh, altogether.
• 14:56
  Very scary time, honestly, uh, to be able to, I can't imagine having to worry about
• 15:01
  how I was going to be able to feed my, my infant, uh, and where I was going to find
• 15:05
  it.
• 15:06
  And so we were there to be able to try to change food packages and allow for, uh, women
• 15:11
  to find and, and guardians and caregivers, uh, these formulas that were available.
• 15:18
  Uh, so very scary.
• 15:20
  And then infant cereals and jarred fruits and vegetables for them.
• 15:24
  Wow.
• 15:25
  That's a lot.
• 15:26
  And that's just part of what you do.
• 15:28
  We're going to take a quick commercial break.
• 15:31
  And when we come back, we're going to talk more with Christina listening to the who's
• 15:39
  talking.
• 15:52
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• 15:56
  Every day our staff works together to help families recover from this crisis.
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  To get connected and ensure your young child gets a head start on their education, call
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  community action council at 859-233-4600.
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  You can also find community action council online at comaction.org.
• 16:50
  We're back here listening to Look Who's Talking and our guest is Christina.
• 17:15
  Hi, I'm Christina.
• 17:21
  Hi.
• 17:22
  All right.
• 17:23
  Jessica, this is your friend.
• 17:24
  It is.
• 17:25
  This is your friend and we're talking about all things nutrition.
• 17:27
  Trying to get this radio voice down.
• 17:29
  Get it down, get it down, get it in.
• 17:32
  Girl, just talking your normal.
• 17:35
  Don't be afraid.
• 17:40
  I was talking about obesity.
• 17:42
  Oh, okay.
• 17:43
  So let me talk about obesity my way and then y'all can get it right.
• 17:48
  Obesity is a lie.
• 17:50
  When I go to the doc and they say I'm morbidly obese, I am upset with that.
• 17:54
  I am upset with that.
• 17:56
  Those are standards from a long, long time ago.
• 17:59
  Yes, they are a long time ago.
• 18:01
  Okay.
• 18:02
  So I said my piece now.
• 18:04
  They don't take in effect muscle.
• 18:05
  Come on.
• 18:07
  It's like fighting words, right?
• 18:08
  Come on, morbidly obese.
• 18:11
  Somebody actually said, I said for real?
• 18:14
  Okay.
• 18:15
  Let's talk about obesity.
• 18:18
  You went in on that.
• 18:19
  I just had to get that off.
• 18:20
  I just had to get that off my chest.
• 18:21
  He's not upset about that.
• 18:22
  I'm not upset.
• 18:23
  I'm not upset about that at all.
• 18:25
  So what I want to talk about with you, Christina, is like for Head Start, we focus, you know,
• 18:32
  there is one of several focuses and we, you know, make sure we give nutritious food to
• 18:40
  hopefully combat obesity within that zero to five age range.
• 18:45
  What are some of the things that WIC encourages families and mothers to do to or how you all
• 18:53
  address obesity within, you know, those age ranges?
• 18:56
  Right.
• 18:57
  So it's really important how you also address the topic as well because there are some ways
• 19:02
  in which you want to be able to get the messaging across that your child is not necessarily
• 19:06
  obese, but that they're at a higher range than where we would like for them to be, especially
• 19:12
  on the growth chart.
• 19:13
  So our first way in which we can address that is we take height and weight in our clinic
• 19:18
  and then we plot it on the growth chart.
• 19:20
  And so that way we can sit with the parent and let them know or the guardian, hey, this
• 19:23
  is where your child is on the growth chart.
• 19:26
  And then from there, we can make those recommendations as far as what we can do to make small, easy
• 19:31
  changes in an individual's diet.
• 19:35
  And I call them lifestyle changes.
• 19:37
  I don't necessarily like the word diet because every time I hear the word diet, I feel like
• 19:41
  it's here today, gone tomorrow.
• 19:43
  Exactly.
• 19:44
  So we really want to make behavior changes or behavior modifications.
• 19:48
  And it could be as easy as, hey, instead of going to McDonald's through the drive through
• 19:53
  and getting those chicken nuggets, why don't we bake them at home and buy them from the
• 19:57
  grocery store and then put them in the oven?
• 19:59
  Or I know right now the air fryer is very popular.
• 20:02
  A lot of people love to utilize the air fryer.
• 20:06
  Another way is we do talk about the amount of juice intake.
• 20:10
  Sugar is very, I don't know, very popular and it makes us happy.
• 20:14
  I mean, we always talk about when a baby is first born and you talk about sweet, sour,
• 20:19
  salty, bitter, even now umami is a flavor profile as well.
• 20:25
  Sweet is always the one flavor that's going to make an infant happy.
• 20:29
  I mean, you saw, you remember in class, like out of all the baby faces, I mean, that baby
• 20:33
  was so happy whenever they got the sugar and it makes you happy, right?
• 20:36
  I mean, Cam over there, what's your favorite candy bar?
• 20:39
  Oh, Snickers.
• 20:40
  See, Snickers.
• 20:41
  He didn't hesitate.
• 20:42
  No, he did not.
• 20:43
  No, he didn't.
• 20:44
  I like an individual who knows his favorite candy right off the bat.
• 20:49
  And it makes you happy.
• 20:50
  It sends those happy little signals to your brain and it can almost, people have said,
• 20:56
  have addicting properties too, in a sense.
• 20:59
  I know a lot of people drink sodas and are, have a really hard time limiting the amount
• 21:05
  of sugar intake.
• 21:06
  So with that, you know, we do provide juice on the WIC program, but we're asking, are
• 21:10
  you diluting it with water?
• 21:11
  Are you cutting it half and half?
• 21:14
  And we do then an assessment and talk about what is your child eating?
• 21:18
  What are some ways in which we can change how we create, how we produce food or make
• 21:24
  food at the house?
• 21:25
  So instead of using oil or frying things, it's baking and using olive oil.
• 21:29
  Instead of drinking a lot of juice, can we add a little bit of milk with that that now
• 21:34
  has some calcium and vitamin D supplementation?
• 21:38
  Can we do a vitamin if needed, a multivitamin?
• 21:42
  Because a lot of the times children don't want to eat a lot of the things that are offered.
• 21:47
  We have these picky eaters.
• 21:48
  And so I know some children would come to the office and it's, they only want chicken
• 21:52
  nuggets, french fries, and pizza.
• 21:54
  That's it.
• 21:55
  And so also taking the time to practice and to work with your child as well.
• 22:02
  I think a lot of the times it's just easy just to give them what they want, but we really
• 22:06
  need to start from scratch.
• 22:09
  And that's why it's important that we start in early and we're right there from the jump.
• 22:14
  Yeah, well, my grandkids, I force them to try things.
• 22:20
  I think they get an opinion from other people and they adopt that themselves.
• 22:25
  I was like, but have you tasted it?
• 22:27
  So we'll go get all those wild fruits and things.
• 22:30
  I'm going to do it with my granddaughter now because we have to taste passion fruit and
• 22:34
  kiwi and all these different things that are not normal in our everyday eating.
• 22:40
  But it's in the scoring.
• 22:41
  You know what?
• 22:42
  It takes 15 to 20 tries to just about to say that.
• 22:46
  Yeah.
• 22:47
  Identify whether you really like something or not.
• 22:49
  Really?
• 22:50
  Yeah.
• 22:51
  In different settings, too.
• 22:52
  It's not 15 to 20 different teaspoons there with the infants.
• 22:56
  It's literally different moments in time that you're trying it.
• 23:00
  And so that's why I tell families, I said, why do you think other cultures and countries
• 23:05
  eat what they eat?
• 23:06
  And you would probably turn your nose up at it and not think anything about eating it
• 23:11
  or not or wonder.
• 23:12
  I would never eat that.
• 23:13
  Well, it's because it's a part of their culture and it's ingrained in their day to day life.
• 23:18
  And so, again, if we start with those good habits at the very beginning, then they're
• 23:23
  just going to take them on.
• 23:24
  Well, I ate everything because my mama said, if you don't eat this, you ain't need nothing.
• 23:30
  But it struck me odd.
• 23:32
  I went by a Head Start classroom for something and they were eating raw broccoli.
• 23:37
  And I said, in one life, would children be eating raw broccoli?
• 23:44
  And I didn't see any ranch.
• 23:47
  But it's all about introduction and getting it to them and letting them make a decision
• 23:53
  on their own.
• 23:55
  And have fun with it.
• 23:56
  We want food to be a fun experience.
• 23:58
  We don't want it to be disciplinary because that's something that a lot of parents want
• 24:03
  to do is they want to discipline their child and say, OK, well, if you're not going to
• 24:08
  eat this, then this or if you eat this, then this will happen.
• 24:13
  So we want to make it more enjoyable and fun.
• 24:16
  And so I even tell parents when they're first introducing solids to their babies, just let
• 24:22
  them have it.
• 24:23
  It's OK if they play in it and have it all over their face.
• 24:27
  And if it falls on the ground and the dog gets it, OK, good for the dog or the cat.
• 24:31
  But it should be a fun, enjoyable thing.
• 24:35
  And that's one of the things that I love about our Head Start program.
• 24:39
  Not only are we doing healthy meals on a budget where we are teaching the parent and the child,
• 24:46
  one, how to pick healthier options, but also how to cook together.
• 24:49
  So because your child is more likely to try something new when you get them involved in
• 24:55
  the preparation process.
• 24:57
  But also we have taste test Tuesdays where our kiddos, we are introducing, say, possibly
• 25:06
  mango, something that they probably wouldn't get in their lunch that we provide them and
• 25:12
  possibly something that they wouldn't get at home either.
• 25:16
  So some of those exotic fruits or vegetables we have been introducing to our kiddos.
• 25:23
  And it's funny because in another show you had mentioned that parents leave and say,
• 25:30
  I don't understand how you all get them to try stuff when we're at home is absolutely
• 25:36
  no.
• 25:37
  And they're with their peers at school.
• 25:40
  And if they see their friends trying it, they're like, oh, let me try it.
• 25:44
  But at home, it's more like, well, you're trying to make me eat it.
• 25:50
  Where here we give them the option, but the option is in a room where they're like, oh,
• 25:57
  my best friend trying this.
• 25:59
  Let me try it too.
• 26:00
  And I'm glad you mentioned budgeting because that's really important right now.
• 26:03
  I mean, food costs have increased so much.
• 26:07
  I mean, anybody can look at their food bill right now and see how much it has increased
• 26:13
  over the years.
• 26:14
  And so even for us in the WIC program, being able to work with families and assisting them
• 26:19
  and trying to figure out what are some good ways to budget.
• 26:23
  And it's just vital right now.
• 26:25
  Everybody I think is needing a little bit of that.
• 26:28
  So tell us about if there's any programming or special things that you all as WIC or the
• 26:35
  health department are doing that's coming up maybe this spring and summer.
• 26:39
  Yeah.
• 26:40
  So something that we look forward to and our participants are already calling us asking
• 26:43
  about the farmers market program.
• 26:46
  And so what that is, is there is some funding set aside for our participants, WIC participants
• 26:52
  to be able to go out to the local farmers and buy fresh locally produced fruits and
• 26:58
  vegetables.
• 26:59
  So they can't buy anything that is not in a sense Kentucky proud.
• 27:03
  So it has to be fresh fruits and vegetables, not allowed to buy any meats, pastas, baked
• 27:08
  goods, honey.
• 27:09
  That's not allowed on there.
• 27:10
  Just again, back to that grassroots fresh fruits and vegetables homegrown here.
• 27:14
  And it also assists the local farmers as well because those funds are going directly to
• 27:19
  them.
• 27:20
  So we are allotted a certain amount of money and each year so far it's been $30 per person
• 27:26
  as long as they're five months and up and they can go out and go to these WIC approved
• 27:33
  vendors and go shopping and buy fresh fruits and vegetables.
• 27:36
  So you can use your WIC card at the farmers market.
• 27:39
  So with the funds, it's on, it's actually really interesting now.
• 27:43
  It used to be on a check and we used to...
• 27:46
  Called a voucher.
• 27:47
  Yes, called a voucher or food instrument.
• 27:51
  But now as recently as gosh, it's either we're in the second or the third year where they
• 27:56
  have an app now.
• 27:58
  So we can actually log in and to a solely market app and an individual will sign up.
• 28:05
  We send them an email and it goes right into that.
• 28:08
  And so the farmer has the ability, if you open up the app and they can scan and get
• 28:14
  those funds to the farmer.
• 28:16
  If you don't have an app, we can get you a card and it's a separate card.
• 28:21
  So you have your WIC card, but then you also can have your farmers market card as well.
• 28:25
  So when you say the farmers market, are you talking about the big one downtown?
• 28:27
  Yes.
• 28:28
  So there are several actually.
• 28:30
  There is one at Plotted Place in Hamburg.
• 28:34
  They typically will set up at the Liquor Barn parking lot out there.
• 28:38
  They have one on High Street.
• 28:42
  So over there by Rupp Arena.
• 28:44
  They have it set up downtown on Saturdays.
• 28:47
  And then a really popular one I enjoy going to is the one on Sundays at Southland Drive.
• 28:52
  That one's really huge.
• 28:54
  There are a ton of vendors there.
• 28:55
  So really great to see local individuals coming out with, I call it craft.
• 29:04
  I don't think it's easy to do what they do.
• 29:07
  And so another thing too that we talk a lot about in food and nutrition and healthy eating
• 29:15
  is sustainability.
• 29:17
  And so teaching individuals how to garden.
• 29:19
  And so this is our way.
• 29:22
  Exactly.
• 29:23
  This is also a great way for individuals to learn and for children to learn that your
• 29:29
  tomatoes really don't come from Kroger or from Meyer or Walmart.
• 29:33
  Someone actually took the time to grow them.
• 29:38
  And so for them to meet the farmer and learn a little bit more about that process, that's
• 29:43
  also a blessing as well.
• 29:45
  Can you tell our listeners, what if they're like, hey, I don't know if I qualify for WIC.
• 29:54
  How do I find out if I qualify for WIC?
• 29:57
  What are the qualifications?
• 29:59
  Yes.
• 30:00
  So anybody who has a medical card automatically qualifies for WIC.
• 30:05
  Individuals essentially have to meet 185% of the poverty level or below.
• 30:09
  So we talk about household income.
• 30:10
  This is before taxes.
• 30:12
  If they have food stamps, then they are eligible for WIC.
• 30:16
  We also do income guidelines.
• 30:18
  So those can be found on our website.
• 30:21
  And if individuals have any questions or concerns, they're more than welcome to call and reach
• 30:26
  out to us.
• 30:27
  So we're happy to be able to do an assessment right there if we need to, to see if you're
• 30:32
  eligible.
• 30:33
  And that's one criteria.
• 30:34
  And then of course, another criteria is being nutritionally at risk, which we can always
• 30:40
  find a risk factor.
• 30:41
  I mean, eating a cookie, a cake, and a candy can qualify you for WIC too.
• 30:45
  So say if you nutritionally qualify but don't financially, could you possibly be on WIC?
• 30:53
  No.
• 30:54
  Okay.
• 30:55
  Definitely have to.
• 30:56
  It's an income-based program.
• 30:57
  So step one would be qualifying you for the income piece.
• 31:05
  And then once you pass that hurdle, then we qualify you for a nutrition risk factor.
• 31:10
  Gotcha.
• 31:11
  Okay.
• 31:12
  Good deal.
• 31:13
  So how can people get ahold of WIC?
• 31:16
  Let us know.
• 31:17
  Yeah.
• 31:18
  So we have a website, www.lfchd.org.
• 31:22
  And then we also have our public health clinic.
• 31:24
  It is located at 650 Newtown Pike.
• 31:27
  We're open Monday through Thursday.
• 31:29
  We are closed on Friday.
• 31:30
  So you guys were talking about the weekend and how this is Friday Eve.
• 31:33
  This is my Friday.
• 31:34
  Uh-oh.
• 31:35
  Sorry.
• 31:36
  So now we need to, we need to hate on her.
• 31:40
  We need to, that's a, you have a four-day work week.
• 31:43
  I do, but I'm not going to, I'm not going to lie.
• 31:46
  It's not for the faint at heart.
• 31:48
  So they work really, really hard, the staff do, to be able to be there throughout that
• 31:54
  timeframe.
• 31:55
  So we're, we're there Monday through Thursday.
• 31:58
  We do have a late night on Wednesdays.
• 32:00
  So our doors are open until 6 30.
• 32:02
  So we do want to make sure that we are accommodating those individuals, those working families
• 32:06
  that may need us later.
• 32:08
  And then of course individuals can always call us as well.
• 32:13
  So we need a funny story about Jessica before we get off the show.
• 32:20
  Just one, just one.
• 32:21
  Like Jessica's shaking her head.
• 32:22
  She's not very happy.
• 32:23
  She's like, I'm not very happy.
• 32:24
  She's not very happy.
• 32:25
  She said, no.
• 32:26
  Tell them what you want to Christina.
• 32:27
  Just tell them.
• 32:28
  You got something good.
• 32:29
  You got something good.
• 32:30
  She looked like she got something good.
• 32:31
  I'm trying not to get in trouble.
• 32:32
  I'm telling you it's dub soap over here.
• 32:33
  I'm linked.
• 32:34
  I know right.
• 32:35
  It's just pure.
• 32:36
  It's like boy knocks.
• 32:37
  Well, thank you Christina for being on the show.
• 32:38
  We hope that's some good information that has been given today.
• 32:41
  Help you out.
• 32:43
  Help us all out.
• 32:46
  We need to get some garden.
• 32:54
  I want to know what you're doing about garden because I need to get one.
• 33:00
  All right.
• 33:01
  That's the show.
• 33:02
  Thank you for listening.
• 33:03
  Tell your friends.
• 33:04
  And I would like to say the word of the day is nourishment.
• 33:08
  Nourishment.
• 33:09
  Nourishment.
• 33:10
  Nourishment.
• 33:11
  That's nourishment.
• 33:12
  Nourishment.
• 33:13
  Nourishment.
• 33:14
  Nourishment.
• 33:15
  Nourishment.
• 33:16
  Okay.
• 33:17
  You're going to have that coming to you.
• 33:18
  Nourishment.
• 33:19
  All right.
• 33:20
  That's the word of the day.
• 33:21
  Look at it in.
• 33:22
  See that?
• 33:23
  Nourishment.
• 33:24
  Nourishment.
• 33:25
  Nourishment.
• 33:26
  You have been listening to Look Who's Talking.