The Tribune

By JEFFARAH GIBSON

Tribune Features Writer

jgibson@tribunemedia.net

IMPROVING the wellness of Bahamians through education is the major goal of the Eye on Health seminars presented by Solomon’s Fresh Markets.

The seminars, which started two years ago, feature presentations on a wide range of topics and themes that speak to how lifestyle and dietary changes can be used to help manage, prevent and even treat many common ailments and conditions.

The next seminar to be held on August 1 at Solomon’s Fresh Markets Old Fort Bay location and will feature Cairo Rocha, OMD, PhD. He will give a talk on the holistic view of health and elements of nature. His talk will also explore ancient concepts of traditional Chinese medicine and their practical application in our daily lives.

According to Angela Lightbourne, marketing coordinator at Solomon’s Fresh Markets, Mr Roacha is looking forward to sharing his knowledge on Chinese medicine as many persons have suggested he make a presentation on the topic for some time.

“This is the first time Cairo Rocha has actually been with us and he is excellent at what he does. He will mainly talk about Chinese medicine because that is his speciality and that is something that people have been interested in,” Ms Lightbourne said.

“We have actually become very popular in the local health community and we have been approached by a number of professionals who have expressed an interest in participating in the seminar.”

The Eye on Health seminars are part of the a partnership between Dr Vanessa Graham and Dr Stephen Truszkowski of Pure Health Bahamas and the Blake Integrative Medical Clinic.

“We have been doing the Eye on Health seminars for several years now. Fresh Markets is primarily a health food store focused on healthy living. We noticed that when we opened our doors two years ago we knew that it would be difficult to educate the public on healthy lifestyles,” Ms Lightbourne said.

“We wanted our consumers to know and understand why it is we sell this brand as opposed to a conventional brand. We wanted people to be more familiar and educated about healthy living, so we have topics every month. We usually have a new speaker every month. We invite experts around Nassau to come and talk about their field of expertise. We have had everything from fitness seminars to making healthy smoothies, to yoga sessions. And now we have a strong following of people that come to our seminar,” she said.

The previous Eye on Health seminars have covered a wide spectrum of topics that concern the average person, including cancer, healthy eating for children, diabetes, cholesterol and more.

“The whole meaning behind our seminars is to just educate the public on living a healthy lifestyle so we can help Bahamians eat healthier. And that goes back to our core values as a company and that is what we preach in our stores every day,” Ms Lightbourne said. “We want to make sure everyone knows how to live that lifestyle. We do not just want to say, ‘Eat this food’, but we want to show people how to incorporate it into their lives. We let the local experts explain for us.”