Barnard Medical Center Hosts Free Cooking and Nutrition Class to Help Washington Residents Combat Type 2 Diabetes

PLEASE POST TO CALENDAR LISTINGS:
WHAT: Food for Life: Diabetes Prevention and Treatment (cooking and nutrition class)
WHEN: July 5 to Aug. 2 (Tuesdays), 6 to 8 p.m. 
WHERE: Barnard Medical Center, 5100 Wisconsin Ave, N.W., Ste. 400, Washington, D.C. (a short walk from the Friendship Heights Metro stop on the Red Line). 
SPONSOR: Barnard Medical Center
COST: There is no cost to attend this Food for Life course, but registration is required. 
REGISTRATION: To register, please contact Rose Saltalamacchia at 202-527-7314 or RSalt [at] pcrm.org. 

Diabetes Cooking and Nutrition Course Starts July 5
Participants Will Learn How a Healthy Plant-Based Diet Can Treat and Prevent Type 2 Diabetes

WASHINGTON—The nonprofit Barnard Medical Center is offering a cooking and nutrition course to help people with type 2 diabetes, or pre-diabetes, put the latest medical research into immediate practice. Each class offers a cooking demonstration, and provides samples of delicious, diabetes-fighting dishes, along with a take-home packet of easy-to-prepare and affordable recipes.

The curriculum, designed by Neal Barnard, M.D., F.A.C.C., founder of Barnard Medical Center, is based on clinical research, funded by the National Institutes of Health, that shows a plant-based prescription—vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes—improves blood sugar control, or A1c levels, three times as effectively as a standard diabetes diet and outperforms leading medications, leaving only desirable side effects: weight loss, improvements in blood pressure and cholesterol, and a reduced risk for obesity, heart disease, and certain forms of cancer. This five-class series is specifically designed for those who are looking for a nonpharmacological solution to today’s most pressing health problems. 

Local Food for Life instructor and health coach Kara Blank-Gonzalez will cover important diabetes-nutrition topics, from blood sugar control to insulin function, and guide students through the preparation of tasty and easy-to-prepare recipes, including black bean chili, roasted red pepper hummus, kale salads, and dessert, including peach smoothies and chocolate mousse. 

The class details are as follows:

July 5, 6 to 8 p.m.–Introduction: Presentation by a Barnard Medical Center Clinician
July 12, 6 to 8 p.m.–How Foods Fight Diabetes 
July 19, 6 to 8 p.m.–The Power of Your Plate and Grocery Cart
July 26, 6 to 8 p.m.–Understanding Type 2 Diabetes
Aug. 2, 6 to 8 p.m.–Designing a Diet for Maximum Weight Control

Students will leave the class with information about how to switch to a low-fat, plant-based, vegan diet, and additional diabetes resources, including online webcasts and group support. Participants are strongly encouraged to work with their health care team to safely make dietary changes. 

This prescription continues to earn accolades from national medical organizations, including Kaiser Permanente and Kim Williams, M.D., F.A.C.C., former president of the American College of Cardiology, to contemporary stars, including Beyoncé and Venus Williams. 

For more information about the Food for Life: Diabetes Prevention and Treatment cooking and nutrition course, visit www.BarnardMedical.org. 

For an interview with a Barnard Medical Center physician, please contact  JMcVey [at] pcrm.org (Jeanne Stuart McVey), Media Relations Manager, 202-527-7316, 202-686-2210, ext. 316.

Food for Life is a collaborative effort of physicians, dietitians, and nutrition and cooking instructors who come together to educate the public about the health benefits of a plant-based diet for weight management and disease prevention. Based in Washington, D.C., Food for Life is a program of the nonprofit Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. 

Barnard Medical Center, a subsidiary of the Physicians Committee, is a nonprofit medical center, founded by Neal Barnard, M.D., that integrates nutrition and medicine into complete primary care. 

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Barnard Medical Center
5100 Wisconsin Ave., N.W., Ste. 400, Washington, DC 20016
Website: www.BarnardMedical.org