Food for Life: Kickstart Your Health Cooking Course Starts February 26

Pen Bay Healthcare's Picker Family Resource Center will host a series of healthy cooking classes taught by chef, health coach and certified Food For Life instructor MiMi McGee. Based on Dr. Neal D. Barnard’s latest book, 21-Day Weight Loss Kickstart: Boost Metabolism, Lower Cholesterol, and Dramatically Improve Your Health. This interactive course teaches participants about foods to promote weight loss, improve energy and sleep, relieve pain and prevent or reverse diabetes.

Classes begin on Tuesday, February 26 and meet every Tuesday for five weeks from 5:30–7:30 p.m. at the Picker Family Resource Center. The cost is $85 and includes samples, recipes, shopping, dining out tips and more!

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), a national nonprofit organization that promotes preventive medicine, particularly good nutrition, and supports higher standards in research, is offering this cooking course designed to help local residents lose weight and improve their health through proper diet and nutrition.

“Losing weight has never been easier,” says Susan Levin, M.S., R.D., the director of nutrition education for PCRM. “Participants can expect to lose a pound a week without counting calories. Many experience significant health benefits, including lowered cholesterol and blood pressure, elimination of chronic pain, and increased energy.”

The Rx for weight loss and health? It’s a low-fat vegetarian diet. Load up on fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, Levin says. "They’re naturally low in fat, chock-full of fiber, and filled with immune-boosting antioxidants and phytochemicals. These foods will naturally tame your appetite and boost metabolism."

The challenge, Levin acknowledges, is not only to teach people which foods are good for them, but also to show them how to make the foods taste good. Each class centers on important nutrition topics as local chef/cooking instructor MiMi McGeeguides students through the preparation of tasty and easy-to-prepare recipes.

For more information about Food for Life: Kickstart Your Health Cooking Classes, visit www.FoodforLifeClasses.org.

Food for Life is a collaborative effort of physicians, researchers, and nutritionists who have joined together to educate the public about the benefits of a healthful diet for weight management and disease prevention. Based in Washington, D.C., Food for Life is a program of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

The Picker Family Resource Center is located between the Women's Health Center and Urology Building on the Pen Bay Medical Center campus, 3 Glen Cove Drive, off Route 1 in Rockport. Use the parking lot and door nearest the Urology side of the building. Call 596-8950 for directions if needed.

The Picker Center promotes building community by providing health resources and support that serve the needs of women and their families throughout their lives. The center’s hours are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Online at www.penbayhealthcare.org/pickercenter.