my driving force

Good morning, my sweets! Today's the day. My room is clean, my car is packed, and it's just about time for my road trip to begin. But, before I go, there's a few things we must go over :). First, I will not be able to blog every day. With that said, please note that I will be working hard to have at least one post for each stop and I'll be incorporating video blogs from the road. Should be an interesting feat! Also, if you'd like up-to-the-minute updates (because, let's be serious, that's always fun too), make sure that you're following me on Twitter.

Second, although I will certainly make tasting local delicacies a priority, I'm still a young woman on a budget. For this reason, I've contacted a couple of food companies for snack donations... and have been blown away with their generosity. Case in point, even though I am not usually a Shake & Go kind of girl, I'm excited to try the Vega smoothie samples from the Healthy Living Summit.

For early morning wake up calls, as most driving days with be, I'll be all set with Click, an instant espresso protein drink. It's really yummy, energizing, and full of vitamins. Plus, they sent me an awesome bumper sticker.

I will be spending the next few weeks trying out two gorgeous pairs of adventure sunglasses. But like some details about this trip, you're going to have to head over to Go Backpacking to read the reviews.

Kardea nutrition bars made the cut with their innovative flavors and heart healthy focus. Did you know that each one of their bars delivers 50% more heart healthy soluble fiber than found in oatmeal? Good stuff.

In those moments of true hunger, I don't doubt that one of Doctor Kracker's products paired with hummus or nut butter will make a delectable hearty meal on the road. These crackers are made with a blend of organic whole grains and seeds and come in fantastic flavors like Apple Crisps and Pumpkin Cheddar.

Then, of course, I have my fair share of Ange's Glo Bars. If you didn't know already, I am a huge fan of Glo Bakery so I gladly ordered these on my own. However the lovely Angela also threw in samples so that I could spread the word and promote the brand along the way.

In my opinion, Glo bars are simple yet tasty and ridiculously satisfying. I love too that they are the handmade creation of one of my favorite bloggers :). I have at least one Endure, Liberate, Empower, Awake, Renew, and soon-to-released-mystery-flavor, to get me threw each and every day of travel.

There'll be a bunch of Pure Bars as well. Made from certified organic ingredients, these scrumptious bars are gluten-free, vegan, raw, and kosher. Oh yes, they're amazing, and the Chocolate Brownie is to die for. Seriously. 

I also stuck the remaining Healthy Living Summit swag with my food inventory including: the assorted bag of Oh! Nuts, Yum Universe fruit leathers, Barney Butter samples, and sponsored coupons.

I'm sure I'll be eating salads every chance I get but calcium is hard to come by in transportable snacks so I'm thankful to have Adora Calcium Supplements with me for the ride. Mmm, dark chocolate. Bring on the antioxidants.

By the chance that I do get to eat breakfast before I go, I'm looking forward to trying Earnest Eats granola planks. I have my own personal collection of Maple Almond crunch, a natural blend of fruits and nuts... talk about a sweet deal.

It was never a question as to whether I'd frequent a grocery store or two. And when I do, I will most definitely put these Nasoya coupons and Siggi's gift certificates to good use. Hope my hosts don't mind home cooked meals ;).

Third, the time has come once again to call for the support of World Food Programme. In the midst of preparing for my own hunger, here are ten reasons why we should also, and more importantly, face the challenge of ensuring that all the world's inhabitants receive adequate nutrition. You can do your part by clicking to the banner to the right.

1. Save lives

Poor nutrition is the largest single contributing factor to child mortality, more than HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria combined.  It is the underlying cause of more than one-third of deaths of children under five. That's 3.5 million a year.

2. It’s doable

We have the knowledge, ability and means to prevent child undernutrition in developing countries. According to the World Bank, US$3.6 billion would give all the undernourished small children in the world the nutritious foods they need. 

3. Irreversible effects

Without the right nutrition in the first two years of life, a child’s physical and mental development is compromised irreversibly. This is recognised by medical science and is stated explicitly in an often-cited 2008 article in The Lancet. 

4. Key in emergencies

Getting vital nutrients to the hungry in emergencies means you can save more lives. After an earthquake such as the one in Haiti recently the threat of malnutrition is always lurking as people struggle to find food. Read story

5. Stave off disease

Malnourished bodies are more vulnerable to diseases like malaria and tuberculosis. In fact, the health effects of undernutrition are responsible for more than one-third of childhood deaths and 11 percent of the world's disease burden.

6. Prevention best

Acting before malnutrition becomes severe makes sense. It costs  $40-80 per child, per year, for a complementary food intervention to prevent it.  Compare that to the $200 it costs to treat just one episode of severe malnourishment.

7. Reduce stunting

Chronic undernourishment often results in stunting – or lower than average growth. It afflicts nearly 200 million children in the developing world (UNICEF), and many more are at risk.

8. The economic cost

Malnutrition has a significant economic cost – one study of Central America and the Dominican Republic found that economic losses due to child undernutrition cost an estimated $6.7 billion in one year alone, representing up to 11.4 percent of a nation’s GDP.

9. New products

There is a range of simple solutions now available for fighting malnutrition. For example, micronutrient powders, or ‘Sprinkles’, are sachets containing a powder that can be sprinkled onto food to ensure people get all the micronutrients they need. They cost a few cents each. 

10. Building foundations

Combating malnutrition means ensuring that those in the next generation – the very future of our planet – are able to reach their full potential by having healthy minds and bodies.

Get it? Got it? Good. Sorry that was so much to, ahem, digest ;). After one last morning meal at home, now I'm really all set. I feel nervous and anxious and, dare I say it, ready. See you in Philadelphia! Alrighty then, here goes nothing...