Physicians Committee, Food for Life Classes in the Carolinas

Recently, my hometown of Polk County, NC had its first introduction to Physicians Committee and the Food for Life program, and it felt like the whole community came together to pitch in!

One of our local physical therapy medical facilities, PRO Physical Therapy,  hosted the event and a local grocery store, IGA Tryon, donated most of the food for this free introduction class. People volunteered ahead of time to assist in the class, and around 35 people from this small community showed up to learn about nutrition and how it affects our health. Even our local newspaper published an article about the class.  It seems nutrition is a hot topic, even in my small town in rural North Carolina.

In a public health climate where 68% of adults in the U.S. are overweight or obese and millions have diabetes, the need for a lifestyle change is greater than it has ever been. Reviews by the American Institute for Cancer Research showed that as much as 40% of cancer risk may be related to diet.  Certain diet patterns seem to have a major effect in helping cancer survivors to live longer, healthier lives. Numerous studies have shown that a diet built from plant foods offers the most cancer-fighting protection of any diet plan.

The Food for Life: Kickstart Your Health classes offer a chance to discover which foods are optimal for weight management, learn about various health topics including blood pressure and digestion, and get empowered with the practical cooking skills needed to help on a journey to better health. In the classes, attendees do all of this while enjoying a cooking demonstration and tasting delicious, healthful dishes in a supportive setting.

In addition to KickStart Your Health, other series and classes offered in the Food for Life program include:

• The Cancer Project (Cancer Prevention & Survival)
• The Diabetes Initiative (Diabetes Prevention & Treatment)
• Kids Health
• Nutrition Essentials
• Healthy Basics
• Spanish Diabetes

I am proud to say that in my community, those both young and old, came together to learn about the power of food to heal the body. In attendance we had teenagers, middle-aged folks, senior citizens, athletes, healthcare providers, and everything in between, all gathered in the same room to educate and empower themselves. It was a beautiful sight!

The Physicians Committee also offers an Employee Wellness Program. Below is a list of some of our employer partners. If you are interested in finding out more about this program please contact me.