{"id":18604,"date":"2022-01-10T09:00:35","date_gmt":"2022-01-10T14:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vrg.org\/blog\/?p=18604"},"modified":"2021-12-29T11:50:00","modified_gmt":"2021-12-29T16:50:00","slug":"plant-based-food-course-offered-in-spanish-for-health-professionals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vrg.org\/blog\/2022\/01\/10\/plant-based-food-course-offered-in-spanish-for-health-professionals\/","title":{"rendered":"Plant-Based Food Course Offered in Spanish for Health Professionals"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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By Odette Olivares, MSN<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In October and November 2021, Alimentando El Ma\u00f1ana offered\nits first 40 hour-professional –<\/del>course in\nSpanish geared towards Latin American health professionals: Plant-Based Food:\nHealth, Culture, and Sustainability. The course provided an update on whole\nfood, plant-based nutrition and food preparation. A whole food, plant-based\ndiet can be a vegan diet, mainly composed of whole foods. The course took place\nonline in three hour-long, weekly sessions for 7 weeks, reaching around 200\nparticipants. It covered the public health and ecological benefits, nutritional\napproach, and cooking recommendations for whole food, plant-based diets. The\ncourse consisted of 5 modules based on scientific evidence: 1. Food and Public\nHealth; 2. Food and Culture; 3. Food and Socio-environmental Impact; 4.\nPlant-Based Food and Clinical Nutrition Approach; and 5. Plant-Based\nCooking.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Classes were dynamic since most of them contained activities\nthat permitted interactions between numerous participants. At the end of every\nlecture, there was a question section of about 15 minutes. If necessary, you\ncould contact the lecturers by email and receive a prompt answer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alimentando El Ma\u00f1ana selected lecturers from South America who\nare recognized as experts in the topics that they taught. An attempt was made\nto include diverse lecturers in order to fulfill policies of inclusiveness from\nSinergia Animal. They could not have chosen a better team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Constanza Romero Waldhorn brilliantly explained the first\npart of module 1. Dietary Patterns and Non-Communicable Diseases, and all of module\n4. Plant-Based Food and Clinical Nutrition Approach. A nutritionist since 2017,\nConstanza is the president of the Chilean Association of Vegetarian\nNutritionists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lecturer Romero Waldhorn clearly and dynamically explained\nremarkable epidemiological studies, such as EPIC (European Prospective\nInvestigation of Cancer and Nutrition)-Oxford, and the Adventist Health Study-2.\nBecause of their large sample sizes of thousands of participants, these studies\nallow significant comparisons in their level of risk of developing\nnon-communicable chronic diseases to be made between omnivores, vegetarians,\nand vegans. Lecturer Romero Waldhorn also shared position statements from\nofficial nutrition associations around the world regarding plant-based diets,\nsuch as the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) from the United States, the\nBritish Dietetic Association (BDA), the Italian Society of Human Nutrition\n(SINU), the Argentine Society of Nutrition, the Ministry of Health of New\nZealand, and Dietitians of Canada. All these associations strongly state that\nvegetarian diets are healthy and nutritionally adequate. Some associations\nstress the benefits of these diets for the treatment and prevention of\nnon-communicable chronic diseases and also highlight their ecological\nsuperiority. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cynthia Schuck-Paim, PhD, was the lecturer for the second\npart of module 1. Food Production Systems: Impacts on Global Health, Epidemics,\nand Other Epidemiological Risk. She is a remarkable researcher with more than\n50 published scientific articles in international peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Schuck-Paim\u2019s\nresearch focuses on epidemiology, respiratory diseases, and pandemics, and her\nlatest work is on health and wellness in farm animals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her presentation led us to the origins of many food-derived\npandemics such as the coronavirus, SARS, chicken-flu, and pork-flu pandemics.\nShe taught us how a plant-based diet can decrease the risks of the next\npandemic outbreak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In module 2. Food and Culture, we had the pleasure to work\nwith Dr. Alexandra Navarro, one of the two managers of Food Policies for\nArgentina, together with Dr. Mar\u00eda Marta Andreatta. Dr. Navarro\u2019s doctoral\nresearch focused on representations, culture, and identities that sustain the\nconsumption of animal food products in Argentina. Her objective was to\nunderstand which elements were fundamental to creating a positive change in the\ncultural perceptions of plant-based diets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

An example of an obstinate barrier was Speciesism-based\neducation. Speciesism is the discriminatory ideology in which some species are\nmore important than others. Speciesism-based education continues with the violence\ntowards farm animals by making them invisible, degrading them to things, and\ncreating a fiction where they voluntarily give up their meat. Anthropocentrism was at the center of her model;\ntherefore, this was the hardest barrier to overcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lia Alviar Ram\u00edrez, MEM, and Dr. Paula Mira Bohorquez taught\nmodule 3. Food and Socio-environmental Impact. Lecturer Alviar Ram\u00edrez is an\nexperienced professor in agricultural sciences, who has received multiple\nawards throughout her career. Dr. Mira Bohorquez obtained her PhD at Mannheim\nUniversity and has published five scientific articles and one book, among other\npublications. She has been a professor at Antioquia University since 2005.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lecturer Alviar Ram\u00edrez and Dr. Mira Bohorquez easily and\npassionately explained how current food and economic systems are unsustainable.\nLecturer Alviar Ram\u00edrez concentrated on the advantages of traditional\ncultivation methods, used by indigenous people, and the disadvantages and\nhazards of continuing with conventional methods.  Dr. Mira Bohorquez clearly exposed the topic\nof climate change along with the weaknesses of the current economic systems,\narguing that it should be regulated according to human health and world limits,\nfood sovereignty of nations, and the basic human rights every person\ndeserves.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lecturer Romero Waldhorn came back in module 4 to present\nthe latest scientific evidence related to plant-based diets and the life cycle,\nillustrating that it is completely possible and healthy to follow a plant-based\ndiet in all life stages, including pregnancy. In addition, she shared with us\nrecommendations for treatment adherence and the consultation process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, Chef Maria Camila Mosos, also known as Maca Bites,\nkindly guided us throughout a culinary journey. She has conducted personalized\ncooking workshops since 2019. Her passion is inspiring other people through her\nplant-based culinary creations while at the same time showing the great\ndiversity of Latin American foods and highlighting the valuable work of\nfarmers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In module 5, Maca encouraged us to confidently create tasty\nand healthy plant-based meals. From simple changes to incredibly inspiring\ntransitions, she debunked the myth that plant-based food is boring and\ntasteless. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the course, participants were granted access to\nbooks, scientific articles, and other virtual resources to prepare for every\nlecture or for further study. Additionally, one week before the online exam,\naccess was granted to the recorded lectures. A satisfactory grade in the online\nexam led to an international certification. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next course geared towards nutritionists and health\nprofessionals will take place in April and September 2022. Institutions can\nparticipate by enrolling their nutritionists in the course on its website https:\/\/www.alimentandoelmanana.org\/<\/a>\nor they can visit its Facebook page Alimentando El Ma\u00f1ana. To participate,\ninstitutions need to have a cafeteria where employees eat at least once a day,\nand they have to commit to offering one plant-based menu once a week.\nAlimentando El Ma\u00f1ana is conscious that every institution has its own needs and\nrequirements, so negotiations are possible provided the objective of one\nplant-based menu per week is accomplished in the long term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alimentando El Ma\u00f1ana (Feeding Tomorrow) is one of the\nprograms of Sinergia Animal, an international non-governmental organization.\nThe young program, founded in 2019, aims to promote the reduction of animal\nfood product consumption by teaching how to create healthier, more sustainable,\nand affordable menus, to ensure that future generations inherit a habitable and\njust planet. Despite being quite a young program, Alimentando El Ma\u00f1ana has\nalready convinced nine institutions in Colombia to offer plant-based menus once\na week, and at least nine institutions in Argentina are interested in the\nprogram. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These countries are not the only ones where Alimentando El\nMa\u00f1ana is working. Two culinary demonstrations have taken place in a monastery\nin Thailand, and 19 schools and six companies have also been informed about the\nprogram. Furthermore, 50 institutions have been reached in Indonesia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the future, Alimentando El Ma\u00f1ana plans to train the\nmaximum possible number of nutritionists, health professionals, and public and\nprivate institutions in Argentina, Colombia, Indonesia, and Thailand. However,\nafter attending their professional updating course for health professionals, I\nbelieve they will soon reach other countries wherever there are Spanish\nspeakers, since many students, including me, expressed our great satisfaction with the\ncourse. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Odette is from Mexico and recently completed her master\u2019s in\nnutrition and health at Wageningen University, The Netherlands. She completed\nan internship with The Vegetarian Resource Group under the supervision of Reed\nMangels, PhD, RD and wrote these articles:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/www.vrg.org\/nutrition\/foods_calcium.htm<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/www.vrg.org\/nutrition\/best_latin_american_websites.htm<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/www.vrg.org\/nutrition\/Best-Websites-in-English-with-Information-on-Calcium-in-the-Vegan-Diet-for-Latin-Americans.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/www.vrg.org\/nutrition\/Evaluation-of-Calcium-Information-for-Latin-American-Vegans-in-Governmental-Entities.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Odette Olivares, MSN In October and November 2021, Alimentando El Ma\u00f1ana offered its first 40 hour-professional –course in Spanish geared towards Latin American health professionals: Plant-Based Food: Health, Culture, and Sustainability. The course provided an update on whole food, plant-based nutrition and food preparation. A whole food, plant-based diet can be a vegan diet, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18604","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vrg.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18604","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vrg.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vrg.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vrg.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vrg.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18604"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.vrg.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18604\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18606,"href":"https:\/\/www.vrg.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18604\/revisions\/18606"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vrg.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18604"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vrg.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18604"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vrg.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18604"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}