Lifestyle

3 Health Benefits of Cooking Outdoors

Published

3 years ago

January 18, 2023

Do you like cooking outside — perhaps even during the wintertime? It can be a pleasant experience cooking on your patio deck if you prefer to avoid feeling cooped up behind the four walls of your kitchen. But did you know there are also some health benefits of cooking outside?

Continue reading for three reasons why cooking outdoors can be good for your health.

Fresh Air

Your kitchen can get stuffy if you’re cooking up a storm. Are you used to having all four of your stove burners going as you make a multi-course meal for a family gathering? Depending on the menu, your kitchen could be filled with all sorts of aromas. Even the best-smelling cuisine can overwhelm you if the scents are confined to a small area. Opening a window can help, but you might still lack the fresh air you want. That’s why cooking outside makes sense.

Cooking out in the open air means you’ll be able to breathe in fresh air. According to one source, fresh air cleans your lungs, boosts your energy levels, reduces your heart rate, and improves your digestion.

So, the next time you use your flat top grill to cook up a storm on the patio deck, remember that you and yours will be healthier cooking and eating outdoors. It’s the right thing to do, and you and yours will enjoy gathering on the back deck for family time.

Vitamin D

Another reason to cook outside is that you can get exposure to the sun, which will get you some vitamin D. Vitamin D is a nutrient you can get through your diet and a hormone your body manufactures. The benefits of vitamin D are many. For instance, research suggests it can reduce cancer cell growth, lessen inflammation, and help fight infections. Vitamin D is also needed to help your body absorb phosphorus and calcium, which are required for bone building.

While you can get some vitamin D through your food, few foods naturally contain the essential vitamin. That’s why many people rely on supplements to get the vitamin D they want. But another way to get vitamin D is the sunshine. So, cooking outside will allow you to get your daily dose of vitamin D. Of course, too much of a good thing can be bad.

If you don’t have a patio cover providing some covering, you’ll want to wear a hat, use suntan lotion, or limit your direct exposure to the sun.

Mental Health

Spending time outside in green spaces can benefit your mental health. Do you have a garden in your backyard? Have you invested in creating a great outdoor living space? Cooking outside, where you can enjoy relaxing, can bring significant mental health benefits. For instance, it can improve your mood, lessen feelings of stress, and boost your connection to nature.

If you enjoy cooking in a kitchen, you’ll enjoy cooking out on the back deck even more. And knowing that being outside in a green space can help your mental health, you’ll enjoy it all the more. It’s also been shown that families that eat together can improve mental health. So, that’s all the more reason to cook outdoors and enjoy a meal as a family outside.

As you can see, there are various health reasons to cook outdoors rather than indoors. So, while that doesn’t mean you have to cook all your meals outside, doing so occasionally is a good idea. You and your family will be able to enjoy the health benefits of not only cooking outside, but also enjoying meals and family time in the great outdoors.

Lifestyle

Donnette Russell-Love on How Policy Changes Are Reshaping the Immigrant Experience in America

Published

4 days ago

January 16, 2026

Michelle Langton

What happens when the rules for chasing the American dream keep changing? For millions of immigrants, the answer is anxiety, confusion, and a constant fight to stay one step ahead of shifting policies that can decide their future overnight.

This is the reality that Donnette Russell-Love, attorney and CEO of Immigration Care Service, faces every day. With a career built on both courtroom experience and compassionate advocacy, she has become a steady guide for individuals and families navigating one of the most unpredictable legal systems in the world.

A Changing Landscape

Over the years, U.S. immigration policy has shifted from being opportunity-driven to increasingly restrictive. Donnette Russell-Love has seen how these changes have reshaped not only the process but also how immigrants are perceived. She believes that leadership plays a major role in setting the tone; each administration influences whether the focus lies on inclusion, enforcement, or deterrence.

Under the current administration, the path to the American dream has become much narrower. There has been a stronger push to limit humanitarian provisions for people fleeing unstable conditions, less tolerance for long-term immigrants with even minor offenses from years ago, and growing efforts to challenge birthright citizenship.

These policies reflect a clear shift in how the United States approaches immigration. For many of her clients, the rules that once offered hope now feel like walls. Yet, her mission remains the same: to help them find a way through, one informed decision at a time.

Guiding Clients Through Constant Change

In an environment where laws and regulations can change faster than people can adapt, Donnette’s approach is built on preparation. She doesn’t just focus on forms and paperwork; she focuses on context. Her process starts with understanding each client’s story, background, and long-term goals. From there, she helps them see not just what’s required legally, but what’s likely to be asked, reviewed, or challenged along the way.

For her, education is the most powerful defense. She believes that informed clients are stronger, calmer, and more confident when facing interviews or hearings. She spends time explaining how new rules apply to their situations and how small details, like old records, travel history, or documentation, can make all the difference.

Her deep understanding of immigration stems not only from her legal training but also from her background in compliance and risk management. These skills have shaped her proactive style, allowing her to anticipate potential issues before they arise. Instead of reacting to policy shifts, she prepares her clients to adapt to them.

Leadership That Balances Law and Humanity

Running a law firm in such a turbulent field requires discipline, empathy, and vision, qualities that Donnette has cultivated over years of leadership. As the head of Immigration Care Service, she manages the balance between legal precision and genuine human care. Her team works closely with clients from diverse backgrounds, ensuring they receive not only sound legal guidance but also emotional support during uncertain times.

She also emphasizes the importance of staying grounded. Her philosophy is that immigration law is not just about policies or procedures, it’s about people. Every case represents a life story, a dream, or a second chance. And while the system may grow more rigid, her role is to help clients see that persistence and preparation can still lead to opportunity.

Moving Forward with Purpose

For Donnette Russell-Love, the work doesn’t end with one case or one victory. It’s about helping her clients understand the bigger picture, that success in immigration is not only about following rules, but about knowing how to navigate them with clarity and confidence.

She recognizes that the path to legal residency or citizenship is harder now than ever before. But her message is one of resilience: knowledge and preparation still open doors.

In a time when immigration policies seem to shift with every election cycle, Donnette’s approach stands out for its steadiness and humanity. She reminds her clients and the broader community that while laws may change, the pursuit of hope, belonging, and a better life remains constant. And with the right guidance, that pursuit is still worth every effort.