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9 THE BUZZ AROUND WAYNE COUNTY MAY 2026 Whole Foods: What Do We Really Mean? By Billy Tart. DNP, RN You may have heard a lot recently about avoiding "processed foods." But not all processing is the same, and understanding the difference can help you make healthier choic- es without unnecessary confusion. A whole food is a food that is as close to its natural state as possible. Examples include fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains like brown rice or oats, beans, nuts, eggs, and fresh meats. These foods contain little to no added ingredients. Processed foods are foods that have been changed in some way for safety, convenience, or shelf life. This includes frozen vegetables, canned beans, milk, yogurt, and whole grain bread. These foods can still be very nutritious and are often practical, affordable options. Ultra-processed foods are more heavily modified and often contain multiple added ingredients such as sugars, refined starches, unhealthy fats, and additives. Examples include sugary drinks, packaged snacks, pastries, and many fast foods. These foods tend to be lower in nutritional value and are best limited. The goal is not to avoid all processed foods, but to build your meals around whole foods most of the time. When choosing packaged foods, look for short- er ingredient lists and nutrients like fiber and protein. Healthy eating doesn't have to be complicated. Focus on foods that are simple, familiar, and close to how they come from nature. Dr. Billy Tart, DNP, RN, Outpatient Diabetes Preven- tion & Wellness Coordinator UNC Health Wayne Di- abetes HealthCheck Billy.tartjr@unchealth.unc.edu Hot Cars Can Quickly Become Deadly for Children By Shelly Willis Director of Program Coordination and Evaluation Even though it is only spring, temperatures are rising, making vehicles dangerously hot in minutes. More than 30 children died last year in the United States from heatstroke, which can occur when children are left unattended in cars. The Partnership for Children and Safe Kids Wayne County remind caregivers to never leave children alone in a vehi- cle and to call 911 if you see a child alone. Heatstroke is the leading cause of non-crash, vehicle deaths for children. It happens when the body cannot cool itself quickly, causing body tem- perature to rise to dangerous levels. Young children are at risk because their bodies heat up faster than adults. "A car can heat up 19 degrees in 10 minutes," said Shelly Willis, Safe Kids Coordinator. "Heatstroke can happen anytime. We are asking everyone to help protect children from this preventable tragedy by never leaving a child alone in a car." Together, we can decrease child deaths by remem- bering to ACT. •Avoid heatstroke-related injury and death by never leaving a child alone in a car. Keep your car locked when not in use so kids don't get in on their own. •Create reminders. Keep a stuffed animal in your child's car seat when it's empty and move it to the front seat as a reminder when your child is in the back seat, or place and secure your phone or bag in the back seat when traveling with your child. •Take action. If you see a child alone in a car, call 911. One call could save a life. AI Advisors By Jonathan Greeson,CFP® Artificial intelligence is supposed to change our lives. It may help, but we should be careful about how much we rely on it. I remember the Microsoft Word paperclip being helpful, but it couldn't replace the human element required in good writing. The software I use for blog posts is supposed to help my content show up in Google searches while correcting my grammar and helping me create a positive reading experience. Recently, the program said the section where I referenced Ecclesiastes was too repetitive. Should I automatically trust artificial intelligence when a simple grammar check tells me the Bible is written incorrectly? Christian or not, most agree the Bible is one of the greatest books ever written. That being said, should we trust artificial intelligence for important things like financial advice? A recent article said we are already doing this to a certain degree. Maybe that's because we are afraid of being embarrassed. We are rarely taught financial management in school and parents don't like to talk to their children about money, but we are expected to know everything about money as adults. We don't ask for help because we fear being mocked or worry about our secret shame getting out in public. We research our symptoms online when feeling sick, but we still go to an actual doctor for the cure. Our financial health should be treated the same way. Feel free to research online, but don't hesitate to talk to a professional before making decisions. Email me! Jonathan Greeson Financial Planning is located in Pikeville. For more information, visit www.jonathangreeson.com. Investment advisory services offered through Brookstone Wealth Advisors, LLC (BWA), a registered investment advisor and an affiliate of Brookstone Capital Management, LLC. BWA and Jonathan Greeson Financial Planning are independent of each other. Insurance products and services are not offered through BWA but are offered and sold through individual- ly licensed and appointed agents. OPENING DOORS HEAVY DOORS REQUIRE HELP By Matthew Whittle With doors on my mind lately, I was struck recently by how hard it is to open some doors. You know the doors, I'm talking about. Ones that are so big and heavy you have to heave to crack it open and then dart inside before it crashes shut behind you. Or some- times it's a door that just tends to stick. Maybe it's old. Maybe it's a little off kilter, but it takes a special touch to open it And of course, that got me thinking that sometimes life is like that, too. Sometimes there are obstacles that are so heavy, we can barely move them. Or that are such a puzzle that it takes just the right touch – a touch that maybe we don't have. But in both cases, all we need is the right help. Kind of like with our Habitat homeowner families. They all have this door of opportunity in front of them. And they are trying to open it, but sometimes they need our help – and your help – to open that door so that they can walk through and take advan- tage of that opportunity on the other side. We're not opening the door for them, but we're opening it with them as Congratulations to Polemarch Roderick White being awarded the MVAC Veter- ans Award fpr leadership and advocacy om behalf of verterans in our communi- ty. Brother Larry Gunter awarded the Active Service Award by the Military and Veterans Affairs Commission for his continued leadership and commitment to supporting our nation's service mem- bers. Brother Anthony Wright II, the Histori- an for Goldsboro Alumni received the Alumni Scrapbook Award on behalf of the chapter and played a significant role in developing the scrapbook. Founders' Day Celebration Kappa League Induction Ceremony National Day of Reading at Carver Heights Elementary Donating to United Way's FILL THE THEATRE Serving Our Kommunity, we are Goldsboro Kappas!!!