Bay Area

Chef Nikki Shaw Shares Healthy Eating Advice at Williams Sonoma

Published

5 years ago

February 20, 2020

Bridging her zest for life and healthy eating, celebrity chef Nikki Shaw spoke at Williams Sonoma headquarters in San Francisco on Thursday, Feb. 13 for the company’s Black History Month series.

Through her “Get It… Got It” call to action for a healthier community campaign, Shaw provided food and health tips to keep illness at bay and unnecessary doctor’s visits away.

Before an audience of 50 guests, the Oakland-based culinary expert discussed ways to fight disease in the kitchen during a fireside chat with Williams Sonoma Merchandise Analyst Sherie Carter.

“Heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure are all preventable,” said Shaw.

“When you modify how you eat, you can control your health….With a diet of more fruits, vegetables and lean meats with exercise you can live a longer and healthier life.”

Shaw shared her concern for the next generation of youth that tend to enjoy junk foods as opposed to whole foods. While enthusiastically teaching a public health class at a public high school several years ago, she used some pretty shocking tactics to ensure students understood that many of the items they consume, such as Hot Cheetos and sodas, are actually hurting them in the long run.

“I showed pictures of amputees and dialysis centers where people have to spend several hours a day on a machine that does what their own kidneys can no longer do which is filter the blood of toxins and waste,” Shaw recalled.

Shaw suggests healthy eating begins at home and habits of a lifetime start while you are young. “It is important for our youth to make good food choices so their bodies have enough fuel to learn and focus,” Shaw said.

For weight loss, Shaw suggests eliminating carbs. “I have my own love-hate relationship with carbs (carbohydrates) – carbs are not my friend,” she joked. “Be carb conscious. That includes bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, croutons on your salad.” Shaw also said to reduce the intake of sugar and salt. “Salt makes the body retain water.”

Kale and Brussels sprouts are superfoods that Shaw suggests adding to one’s diet.

“Kale and Brussels sprouts are filled with so many vitamins and minerals,” she said. “Roasted Brussels sprouts are amazing and paired with baked salmon is perfection.”

As far as food preparation is concerned, Shaw urged audience members to break some of the traditions passed down.

“As delicious as deep-fried foods are, they contribute to heart disease because the oil enters the bloodstream and thickens. It’s like sucking a milkshake through a straw, making your heart work harder to pump the blood throughout the body.”

In partnership with the American Heart Association, Shaw says she is excited to tour faith-based organizations to raise healthy eating awareness throughout the year.

The Williams Sonoma Black History Month program will also feature Venture Capitalist Lo Toney, Founding Managing Partner of Plexi Capital.

“It is very important to discuss the work that African Americans are doing in the community to prevent heart disease and encourage a healthy lifestyle,” said Carter.

For more information visit: chefnikkishaw.com

Carla Thomas

Posts by Carla Thomas

Activism

U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries Speaks on Democracy at Commonwealth Club

Based on his first speech as House minority leader, “The ABCs of Democracy” by Grand Central Publishing is an illustrated children’s book for people of all ages. Each letter contrasts what democracy is and isn’t, as in: “American Values over Autocracy”, “Benevolence over Bigotry” and “The Constitution over the Cult.”

Published

2 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Oakland Post

: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries at the Commonwealth Club World Affairs Council on Dec. 2. Photo by Johnnie Burrell. Book cover: "The ABCs of Democracy" by Hakeem Jeffries.

By Linda Parker Pennington
Special to The Post

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries addressed an enthusiastic overflow audience on Monday at San Francisco’s Commonwealth Club, launching his first book, “The ABCs of Democracy.”

Based on his first speech as House minority leader, “The ABCs of Democracy” by Grand Central Publishing is an illustrated children’s book for people of all ages.

Each letter contrasts what democracy is and isn’t, as in: “American Values over Autocracy”, “Benevolence over Bigotry” and “The Constitution over the Cult.”

Less than a month after the election that will return Donald Trump to the White House, Rep. Jeffries also gave a sobering assessment of what the Democrats learned.

“Our message just wasn’t connecting with the real struggles of the American people,” Jeffries said. “The party in power is the one that will always pay the price.”

On dealing with Trump, Jeffries warned, “We can’t fall into the trap of being outraged every day at what Trump does. That’s just part of his strategy. Remaining calm in the face of turmoil is a choice.”

He pointed out that the razor-thin margin that Republicans now hold in the House is the lowest since the Civil War.

Asked what the public can do, Jeffries spoke about the importance of being “appropriately engaged. Democracy is not on autopilot. It takes a citizenry to hold politicians accountable and a new generation of young people to come forward and serve in public office.”

With a Republican-led White House, Senate, House and Supreme Court, Democrats must “work to find bi-partisan common ground and push back against far-right extremism.”

He also described how he is shaping his own leadership style while his mentor, Speaker-Emeritus Nancy Pelosi, continues to represent San Francisco in Congress. “She says she is not hanging around to be like the mother-in-law in the kitchen, saying ‘my son likes his spaghetti sauce this way, not that way.’”

Oakland Post

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Oakland Post: Week of December 18 – 24, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of December 18 – 24, 2024

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2024

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

Oakland Post

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City of Oakland Celebrates Reopening of Main Library

“Libraries are such critical facilities for all Oaklanders, whether it’s children coming to story-time, adults reading the newspapers or borrowing the latest novels, and people engaging with a range of services and programs that the library hosts,” said Council President and District 2 Councilmember Nikki Fortunato Bas. “Such library services and programs are only possible when the facility’s electricity, heating, roof, and lighting are fixed and running efficiently. I’m proud to join this re-opening of our Main Public Library.”

Published

4 days ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

Left to Right- Jamie Turbak, Director of Library Services, LaTonda Simmons, Assistant City Administrator, Nikki Bas, President Oakland City Council, Shen Thao, Mayor of Oakland, Carroll Fife, Oakland City Councilmember District 3, Harold Duffey, Assistant City Administrator, Sean Maher, Projects Coordinator. Photo by Kevin Hicks.

The branch had been closed since May for critical infrastructure upgrades

Special to the Post

The City of Oakland leadership and community partners gathered to celebrate the reopening of the Main Library after completion of critical infrastructure upgrades to enhance the library’s facilities and provide a better experience for patrons.

Renovations include new roof installation, skylight repair, critical electrical system upgrades, new boiler control system installation, auditorium heating and cooling system installation, and improvements to lighting, flooring and ceilings throughout the building.

“This is truly something to celebrate, the reopening of our wonderful Main Library! I congratulate the staff and our partners for this important project to make the Main Library a more comfortable place for everyone for years to come, said Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. “Thank you to Oakland voters and the California State Library for making these crucial improvements possible.”

“Public libraries are a wonderful resource for our residents, offering a safe space for learning and being,” said District 3 Councilmember Carroll Fife. “It is critical to improve and modernize our libraries so more members of our community can utilize and enjoy them. I’m excited that the necessary renovations to the Main Library have been completed successfully and thank everyone involved, particularly the City team, who helped secured the necessary grant funds for this work.”

“I am proud of the City staff and project partners who kept this important project on schedule and under budget,” said Assistant City Administrator G. Harold Duffey. “The library is an incredibly important resource for our community members, and this project is an investment into the library’s future.”

“December 2nd was a momentous occasion for Oakland Public Library as we proudly reopened the doors of the Main Library following extensive infrastructure repairs,” said Director of Library Services Jamie Turbak. “Closing the Main Library for six months was no easy decision, as it serves as the central hub for our library system and is truly the heart of Oakland. Yet, this renovation was essential, representing more than just physical upgrades—it reflects our ongoing commitment to creating a safe, welcoming space for everyone.”

The City Administrator Jestin Johnson also attended the press conference and signalled his support for the completion of the record-setting completion of the renovations. Gay Plair Cobb, a newly appointed Library Commissioner said the Library represents the soul and brains of our community.

The Oakland Public Library secured funding for these crititcal repairs through a variety of sources. The California State Library’s Building Forward Library Facilities Improvement Program awarded the Main Branch $4.2 million. To comply with the grant terms, the City of Oakland provided matching funds through Measures KK, as approved by the Oakland City Council in October 2023.

The Main Library will host an Open House to celebrate the reopening on February 22, 2025, 10 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

About the Oakland Public Library

The Oakland Public Library is a part of the City of Oakland in California and has been in existence since 1878. Locations include 16 neighborhood branches, a Main Library, a Second Start Adult Literacy Program, the Oakland Tool Lending Library, and the African American Museum and Library at Oakland (AAMLO). The Oakland Public Library empowers all people to explore, connect, and grow. Oaklandlibrary.org