Taking the Temperature of the Local Food Movement
by Linda Sechrist N
o longer just a trend among counter-culture enthusiasts, the local food movement now has a firm grip on mainstream society and is steadily picking up speed. It’s never been easier to adopt a plant-based diet or learn about raw foods and juicing, get one-on-one instructions for creating healthy meals using local produce and flavorful seasonings, join a community garden or find community supported agriculture programs or farmers’ mar- kets that vend local, organic produce. Hydroponics and aquaponics are no longer foreign concepts and finding local restaurants that feature vegetarian and vegan entrées prepared from local ingredients is not that difficult. Southwest Florida is no exception.
From increased attention to population health by large employers such as Lee Memorial Health Care Systems and the Collier and Lee county health depart- ments to the enthusiasm of profession- ally trained health coaches and person- al chefs, as well as vegan and raw foods meet-up groups, awareness of the need to build the foundation of our health outside of the industrial food system has come into clear focus.
Population Health Deborah Chesna, a health educator and program consultant at the Collier County Health Department, is tasked with reducing the incidence of obesity, other chronic diseases and inactivity. “Some of the tools I use to promote healthy life- styles, in addition to the Friday farmers’
Implications for Diet, Weight Loss, and Long-Term Health. Additionally, lunch- and-learn programs, wellness coaches and educational seminars on nutrition are aspects of programs designed to educate employees on how to become consumers of healthier food.
Above: Meet-up group at The Local, Naples Below: Farmers’ market at the Collier Government Complex
market, are a newsletter that includes health tips and recipes, a user-friendly
HealthyCollier.org website and smart growth principles that can provide for a healthier, more livable and sustainable infrastructure,” says Chesna.
Since 2010, Lee Memorial Health
System, in Fort Myers, one of the largest in Florida, has been investing in the creation of a wellness culture focused on prevention. Dr. Sal Lacagnina, vice president of health and wellness, points out several significant steps the organization has taken. “Our voluntary wellness exams have had priceless returns—detection of serious undiag- nosed health issues such as early stages of cancer, high blood pressure and dia- betes. The changes in our cafeteria and café menu now reflect better nutrition,” he says. The latest program, Savor the Flavor, is intended to raise awareness of the benefits of a plant-based diet as identified in The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutri- tion Ever Conducted and the Startling
Meet-ups Formed prior to 2006, the Naples Liv- ing Foods Group, a raw foods meet-up of more than 500 enthusiasts, gathers monthly to enjoy potlucks, listen to speakers or view and discuss documen- taries, such as Fat Sick & Nearly Dead, The World According to Monsanto, and Vanishing of the Bees. “We also host lectures given by individuals such as Dr. Brian Clement, director of the Hippocrates Health Institute in West Palm Beach [Florida], Dr. Craig Som- mers, author of The Raw Foods Bible, and Brenda Cobb, founder of the Living Foods Institute, in Atlanta, Georgia. We frequently partner with the Fort Myers Living Foods Group, which has about 300 members,” says Lisa Tomasi, event organizer for the Naples group. Linda Berson’s Green Scene Veg- ans meet-up group includes 98 health seekers, the majority of which also belong to the Fort Myers Living Foods Group. The group’s guide is Berson’s book, The Green Scene Diet, which is based on plant-based nutrition and cui- sine. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr. M.D., T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D., and Neal Bar- nard, M.D., president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine,
36 Collier/Lee Counties
swfl.NaturalAwakeningsMag.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64