Local Expert To Teach Parents About Nutrition

Lolli Leeson knows a thing or two about nutrition. 

A wellness educator, cooking instructor and mom, she also understands how tough it is to get fruits and vegetables into an adult's diet, nevermind a child's. 

"Nutrition is a blind spot for parents," Leeson, of Marblehead, said. "I get feedback from parents all across the country looking for tips to get their kids to eat more fruits and veggies."

On Friday, Leeson will hold a free health education conversation for parents at the Lynch/van Otterloo YMCA from  8:45 to 9:45 a.m. Leeson will give tips and recipes on how to build a nutritious lifestyle with your family. The event is open to the public, sign up at the front desk at the YMCA.

"I'll go over how to shop the grocery store," Leeson said. "I'll also talk about the food groups and on a bigger scope, about today's trends and what is happening with children."

Leeson said it is not only the skyrocketing obesity rates that scare her but the fact chronic illness is being seen in young children at an alarming rate.

"Younger and younger children have chronic illness," Leeson said. "There are 12  year-olds with hardening of the arteries. They have the arteries of a 40 year-old."

Part of Leeson's mission, she says, is spreading information about nutrition and educating parents about Juice Plus+ products as a tool to supplement a health lifestyle.

Leeson says her own experience with Juice Plus+ started when she wanted to make delicious, healthy food that could taste like the rich foods she was accustomed to making as a chef.

"Food is paramount to me," Leeson said. "But I didn't put it together until I started volunteering and became a board member for Health Link, an environmental group on the North Shore."

At Health Link, Leeson saw research on how local soils are contaminated and because of that, fruits and vegetables are compromised.

"I ate a lot of fruit and vegetables and was doing well but I realized it wasn't enough," she said.  "I started seeing the bigger picture; that food can build you up or tear you down."

Since then, Leeson has been running nutritional seminars and cooking classes with various local groups and out of people's homes.

While she says she never requires anyone buy the Juice Plus+ Products, she does stand behind them and the research behind the products.

"I put the information out there and people can decide. I don't want people buying it that don't understand the value of it," Leeson said. "People are so oriented with wanting things right now but you have to build the foundation of nutrition from the inside out."

On Friday, Leeson hopes anyone interested in nutrtion comes to the educational seminar.

"I hope people come and listen to the tips and get some good recipes they can try," Leeson said.