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AB575

CA Assemblymember Jerry Hill speaks at NANP conference lunch – part 2

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This is a continuation of the presentation given by CA Assemblymember Jerry Hill during the lunch at the NANP conference, where he mentioned a number of CA nutrition/legislative matters that are near and dear to the hearts of our members, and are encouraging for the health of all Californians.

In this article I’ll be sharing information about California Healthy Food Financing Initiative and school lunches, the award and the delicious menu. The “Let’s Get Healthy California Task Force”, labeling of GMOs and the tax credit for farmers who donate fruits and vegetables to food banks were covered in part 1.

(1)  The introduction of the California Healthy Food Financing Initiative (AB 581) to expand access to healthy foods in underserved communities.

According to the author, AB 581 will increase access to healthy and nutritious foods to underserved urban and rural communities in California.  Known as “food deserts,” regions of California without access to healthy food generally have a higher incidence of certain types of diseases such as diabetes, cancer, obesity, heart disease, and premature death.

You can read the whole bill here.

(2)  First Lady Michelle Obama is championing the cause of improving the health of our children. The California Department of Education will work closely with school districts as they make school lunch improvements

“These new standards will help put more fresh fruits and vegetables in school lunches, which means healthier children in our classrooms,” State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson stated.

This is a great start and we do have a way to go as Congress wants to keep pizza and french fries on school lunch lines, fighting back against an Obama administration proposal to make school lunches healthier.

Assemblymember Jerry Hill wrapped up by saying “thank you for everything you are doing” and awarded an Assembly Certificate of Recognition to NANP:

I am pleased to recognize and commend the NANP for its advocacy on behalf of holistic nutrition professionals in support of their right to practice.

recognition from assemblyman jerry hill
Recognition from CA Assemblyman Jerry Hill

And then we all enjoyed a delicious organic locally sourced lunch that was free of gluten, corn, soy, canola, white or artificial sugars and included raw dairy and wild-caught fish.  You can see all the menus here. Here is the lunch menu:

Tossed Arugula and Baby Spinach, Dried Figs, toasted Walnuts with Balsamic Vinaigrette (Dressing on the side)
Poached Salmon with Watercress Reduction
Brown Rice Lentil Pilaf
Braised Spinach with Extra Virgin Olive & Herbed Roma Tomato
Gluten-free Bread
Raw Butter
Seasonal Fruit with Fresh Whipped Cream
Vegetarian Option: Roasted Eggplant Stuffed with Mediterranean Vegetable Ragout with Quinoa Pilaf

May all Californians (and everyone everywhere) be healthy and happy and have the means to eat delicious and healthy food like this. Thanks Assemblymember Hill for joining us and doing your part!

[Note: I say “we” on behalf of NANP and the legislative committee, which I chair]

CA Assemblymember Jerry Hill speaks at NANP conference lunch – part 1

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Assemblyman Jerry Hill luncheon address at NANP conference

It was a real pleasure to have CA Assemblymember Jerry Hill (who  represents the 19th district) join us for lunch at the NANP conference.  We had met him and invited him to join us during the recent CA lobby days. We are so pleased he joined us and we thoroughly enjoyed his wonderful presentation.

Assemblymember Hill started off by saying “You represent everything that is good” and endorsed the conference theme of Holistic Nutrition Through the Ages, saying “what you are doing is so important”.

Assemblymember Hill then went on to mention a number of CA nutrition/legislative matters that are near and dear to the hearts of our members, and are encouraging for the health of all Californians:

(1)  On May 3, Gov. Jerry Brown  drafted a “Let’s Get Healthy California Task Force” to develop a 10-year plan to improve Californians’ health and reduce health-care costs.

Preventable and chronic health conditions are detrimental to every Californian’s quality of life, cause disproportionate social and economic burdens, and result in California spending 80% of the state’s total healthcare dollars on just 20% of the population.

The NANP and our members can be a big part of this, distributing wellness and nutritional information and helping people make informed decisions about their own health.

(2)  The labeling of GMOs was added to the CA ballot on May 2

In victory rallies across state today, supporters celebrated as the California Right to Know campaign filed 971,126 signatures for the state’s first-ever ballot initiative to require labeling of genetically engineered foods. The huge signature haul, gathered in a 10-week period, is nearly double the 555,236 signatures the campaign needs to qualify for the November ballot.

If passed this November, Californians will join citizens of over 40 countries including all of Europe, Japan and even China who have the right to know whether they are eating genetically engineered food.   

You can read why we need this GMO labeling to ensure the safety of food for California families and children and that even chickens refuse GM corn (or mielies as its called in South Africa)

(3)  California legislators enacted a tax credit for farmers who donate fruits and vegetables to food banks.  Here is information on AB152 prior to the bill being passed: http://www.cafoodbanks.org/docs/AB%20152%20Full%20Factsheet.pdf

Every dollar in credit leverages approximately 10-20 pounds of fresh healthy food for low-income Californians. California growers want to do their part to help low-income Californians eat more fresh healthy food. California would be following the lead of several other states, including Arizona, Colorado, North Carolina, and Oregon that offer tax incentives to encourage fresh produce donations from growers to emergency food providers.

You can read this great post by Amy Winterfeld: what lawmakers in other states are doing to encourage better eating and support local economies.

Assemblymember Hill also shared information about California Healthy Food Financing Initiative and school lunches and this, together with the award and  menu  will be covered in part 2.

[Note: I say “we” on behalf of NANP and the legislative committee, which I chair]

NANP 2012 Golden Carrot awards for Impact, Service and Going Up: Trudy, Liz and Sara

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Each year the National Association of Nutrition Professionals / NANP (www.nanp.org) awards three Golden Carrot awards during the annual conference:

  • IMPACT: awarded to a member who has obtained visibility in the wider world during the past year. It could be a book, a TV show, testimony before a Senate Committee on Health Promotion, or other project that they executed with impact
  • SERVICE: awarded to a member whose efforts at mentoring and building connections that grow the holistic nutrition community deserve recognition
  • GOING UP: awarded to a member, in professional practice for one year or less, who has already begun to obtain visibility, success and distinction in their business.

I was honored and humbled to receive the 2012 Golden Carrot Award for IMPACT.

Nicole Hodson, NC shared this heart-felt story before making the award announcement:

“Trudy Scott is the reason I am here today, as Executive Director of NANP.  Trudy became my nutritionist when I turned to her for help with weight loss a number of years ago.  Although I had been reading up on nutrition and trying to make changes on my own, I didn’t see the results I wanted until I began working with Trudy.  Most importantly Trudy was able to advise me on the holistic approach to some of my difficult hormonal health challenges.  In fact, Trudy was such an inspiration to me that I decided to pursue an education in holistic nutrition myself.  Trudy continues to inspire me as she tirelessly pursues new educational and growth opportunities.”

I’m smiling as I write this …as I have grown in my nutrition career I have been inspired by so many before me and it is truly wonderful to be able to inspire others! And to inspire someone like Nicole, whose has done so much for the organization, is truly wonderful!

Nicole continued:

“I would like to announce that Trudy Scott, CN is the 2012 NANP IMPACT winner. Trudy has done everything that fits this award’s description. Trudy obtained visibility in the wider world by being a focused leader as the past president of the NANP and organizer of the fight against CA AB575.  She is the current chair of the legislative affairs committee and continues to support our members to protect their right to practice. In June 2011, she released her first book, The Antianxiety Food Solution – How the Foods You Eat Can Help you Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood and End Cravings (New Harbinger) and has been presenting on food and mood at the national level and has become known as the Food Mood Expert.  She demonstrates passion and commitment on all levels and has the time to help anyone who needs it. Trudy truly is a passionate leader and a supporter of others.”

trudy scott and impact award with nicole
Trudy receives the 2012 NANP IMPACT Award from Nicole

I am so honored to be in the company of the other amazing award winners, Liz Lipski, Ph D, CCN, and Sara Edison, Certified Nutrition Consultant.

Liz received the SERVICE award:

“Liz Lipski, a nationally known clinical nutritionist, author of Digestive Wellness, and speaker has been an inspiration to the nutrition community for many years. She” is the founder of Innovative Healing,  “implemented a mentoring program for recent graduates and is the Director of Doctoral Studies at Hawthorn University. In 2012, Liz became an advocate for our industry as seven states attempted to pass licensure bills that would restrict or prevent holistically trained nutritionists from practicing. Liz helped connect individuals with attorneys and national organizations and recommended courses of action to those in need. She continues to contribute to NANP – most recently by sharing her knowledge of the legislative process with members in the Nourishing the Nutrition Professional teleconference.”

Sara received the GOING UP award:

“Sara Edison graduated from Bauman College in the spring of 2011 and has launched a private practice called A Stone’s Throw to Health. She also has a BS in Exercise Science from Skidmore College. In addition to starting her own practice, Sara is working with a colleague to build The Scoby Collective. This group is bringing together nutrition professionals interested in working collaboratively, i.e. peer to peer mentorships, sharing communal workspaces, and organizing informal gatherings to build nutrition knowledge and help recent graduates build confidence.

I plan to continue making an impact and sharing my food mood message! I know Liz well and I know she will continue to be a mentor and be of service!  She has always inspired me!  I have not met Sara and look forward to meeting her and watching her continue on her upward path leading people to optimal health!