Want a Side of Kale With That?

Pecan Pie.Strawberry shortcake.Fried chicken and cornbread.If you've ever lived in the South or have visited this region of the country, then these food staples will sound very familiar. "Comfort food" as it's most known as below the Mason Dixon line, is the main delicacy of the area. Restaurants such as Cracker Barrel and Bojangles are frequently visited my tourists and townies alike, just to get their fill of southern comfort food.

The stigma that many people hold who aren't from these parts, is that Southerners are extremely unhealthy and suffer from a lot of health problems.But what i've come to realize growing up, is that it really just depends on the individual.

Wilmington, N.C. and most Coastal Carolina cities for that matter, are very health conscience. Yeah we enjoy our corn bread and fat-laden collard  greens, but the next morning we're outside or in the gym, burning of some of those calories. Many people flock to our area just to get the chance to run on the beach in one of the many marathons and triathlons that have sprung up in recent years. Paddleboarding races and wakeboarding competitions have always been pretty popular.  There's not much to do in terms of inside activities, but if you like staying active in the water, or on land, Wilmington is always a great choice.

 My upbringing was one that was on the healthier side as well. My mother and grandmother always made sure that I had a plate full of vegetables and then watched me to assure that every one of those pieces of broccoli and carrots were gone from my plate.We lived near the water, so we ate lot's of baked and steamed seafood as well. Ask any kid in my town what they grew up participating in during school, and they'd probably name going to the beach riding bikes or swimming, surfing, most likely participated in some form of sport in middle school and high school.That was the average kid's upbringing. I fondly remember the summers taking tennis classes, or swimming lessons. Though I didn't do a sport in high school, I would go to my friend's neighborhood and play basketball or soccer. I would like to say that I did those things in order to remain healthy but it was probably more due to sheer boredom sometimes

But there were times in High School where I had to ensure that I was in the best physical shape. During JROTC practice it wasn't uncommon for us to do 100 pushups in one afternoon or be told to start sprinting around the track, even holding our 20 pound rifles over our head for 20 minutes at a time just because. Maybe it was because our instructor wanted to punish us for talking during class that day, or it could have been because he truly cared about us being the top competitors. I'm still trying to figure it out.

Growing up in the South does equate to eating some very unhealthy traditional cooking(I miss you homemade mac and cheese), but we truly do care about our health. Except when were outside, no one still wear sunscreen.