Triangle Mayors and Doctors Fight Leading Causes of Death on October 27

WASHINGTON—Local doctors and health care professionals will team up to provide local residents with a nutrition blueprint to reach optimal health and reduce the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, certain forms of cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease later in life. 

The Kickstart Your Health Triangle initiative created by the nonprofit Physicians Committee in partnership with One Meal a Day, and supported by Durham Mayor Steve Schewel, Cary Mayor Harold Weinbrecht, and Raleigh Mayor Nancy McFarlane, will provide the Triangle with a weekend of free events.  All three mayors have proclaimed Saturday, Oct. 27, Kickstart Your Health Day. 

“We suffer from obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic diseases at the same rates as the rest of the country,” says Jonathan Sheline, M.D., M.S., founder of Physician Assisted Wellness and a guiding force behind the Kickstart Your Health Triangle initiative. “This health fest is a great opportunity to educate residents about the importance of plant-based nutrition in preventing and treating chronic diseases and also introduce them to local doctors, nutritionists, dietitians, and chefs who can help them.” 

Dr. Sheline, alongside Kickstart Your Health Triangle leaders Parul Kharod, M.S., R.D., L.D.N., Dilip Barman, Queenetta Moore, C.P.T., L.M.T., and Nadine Blake will provide the Triangle with free movie screenings on Oct. 26 at the Varsity Theater in Chapel Hill and a free health fest on Oct. 27 from 12-5 p.m. at Panther Creek High School in Cary. 

The Kickstart Triangle Health Fest will feature local health organizations, a free fitness class, nutrition and healthy lifestyle tips, and a cooking demo. Special guests Suzy Amis Cameron and Neal Barnard, M.D., will be presenting and signing books. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds that 91 percent of North Carolina adults fall short of consuming at least two servings of vegetables each day. One in three adults now has prediabetes. 

A plant-based dietary pattern—rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes—is scientifically proven to boost metabolism, lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol, stabilize blood sugar, and provide a cost-effective solution to today’s chronic health problems.