In response to a growing demand for information and how to get started crafting a plant-based diet, St. Louis, Missouri, will be home to the United States’ first fully plant-based nutrition and culinary education center – the Center for Plant-based Living (CPBL).
Caryn Dugan, (AKA) STL Veg Girl, adopted the diet in 2008 in response to both her father’s untimely passing from cancer and her own diagnosis exactly 10 weeks later. She soon became St. Louis’ official plant-based nutrition, culinary and lifestyle go-to gal.
According to the Center for Disease Control, 86% of all healthcare dollars are spent treating preventable diseases, such as heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. One out of every five healthcare dollars is spent on treatment of type 2 diabetes, the prototypical “food-borne illness.” These chronic diseases account for 7 out of 10 deaths in the United States. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services tells us that 15,000 people die of heart disease every year.
Over the years, Dugan earned her spurs as she sought out the gold standard in plant-based nutrition and culinary education. She shares this information with the St. Louis community through in-person classes in several venues, including presentations, collaborations with Washington University physicians, and hosting a plant-based nutrition summit on its campus. Dugan also appears on morning television show segments.
“This is a natural progression of the business. Over the years, I have watched this plant-based movement gain strength and speed, and with that, people are hungry for a place to go where they can always get reputable information and gain the skills they need to start adding more plants to their plate. They also need support; oftentimes the missing key component that halts change. CPBL will offer all of this,” said Dugan in a statement.
Dugan has strong ties with Forks Over Knives, The Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) and the Plantrician Project, all of which will be evidently apparent through classes and programs offered. These are trusted organizations in the plant-based arena and people put value in these entities. A speaker’s series, corporate team building, cooking classes and much more will be offered at CPBL. Dugan has also named James Loomis, MD, MBA of PCRM, as the Center’s Medical Director.
CPBL classes include:
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Hands-on and Demonstration Cooking Classes
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Official Forks Over Knives Community Program
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Certified Diabetes Initiative Classes and Support Programs
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Speaker Series with World Renowned Experts Offering the Latest in Plant-based Nutrition Research
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Healthcare Provider CME Eligible Programs
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Corporate Team Building Events
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Employee Wellness Programs
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Meal Planning (Coming Soon)
