The healing pantry

Manila Bulletin Sustainability Focus Session 2025 spotlighted health and mindful eating

- By RODMILL G. LOPEZ

Taking care of your health starts with what's on your plate. Eating well is one of the most effective ways to stay strong, prevent disease, and maintain a good quality of life. In a time when fast and processed foods dominate, turning to simple, plant-based meals can be a powerful step toward lasting wellness.

That's where Mesa ni Misis comes in. This nonprofit champions healthy eating by promoting plant-based meals made with local vegetables—many of them underused or forgotten. Through community-based programs, Mesa ni Misis helps make affordable, nutritious food accessible to more Filipino families, especially in areas where healthy options are limited.

At the recent Manila Bulletin Sustainability Focus Session, which centered on solutions for primary healthcare in underserved areas, Mesa ni Misis founder Juana Manahan-Yupangco emphasized the vital role of food in wellness. Speaking to healthcare officials and students, she urged them to look beyond clinics and campuses—and start where health truly begins: at home. Many illnesses like diabetes and hypertension, she noted, can be prevented or managed through proper, plant-based nutrition.