It’s All About Food - Lisa Suriano & Brendan Brazier - 04/08/14

Part I: Lisa Suriano, Veggiecation
Lisa Suriano is a certified nutritionist holding a Master’s degree in Nutrition and Food Science and specializing in school food service as the Director of Operations for J.C.Food, a premier school food service consulting company for independent schools in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Lisa founded the evidence-based nutrition education program, Veggiecation that introduces 1000s of American children to the delicious world of vegetables. As a school food service expert, Lisa serves as Co-chair of the board of directors of the New York Coalition for Healthy School Food, a non-profit that works in partnership with New York City’s Department of SchoolFood to improve the health of New York state students. Additionally, she serves as the Nutritionist for Lessing’s Food Service Management consulting for college level foods service programs, providing menu advisement and sports nutrition guidance for university athletics teams and providing nutritional services for their corporate dining customers. Lisa has been featured in a selection of national and regional media, including traditional print and broadcast as well as online news and social media outlets. Featured broadcast segments include NBC Weekend Today in New York and WPIX Morning News, where Lisa shared with viewers healthy, vegetarian recipes and discussed how viewers can incorporate healthy food choices into their diets. Lisa has also made broadcast appearances on ABC News, The Wendy Williams Show, One on One with Steve Adubato, News 12 Brooklyn, News 12 New Jersey and New York 1.

Part II: Brendan Brazier, Thrive Energy Cookbook
Brendan is a former professional Ironman triathlete, a two-time Canadian 50km Ultra Marathon Champion, the creator of an award-winning line of whole food nutritional products called VEGA, and the bestselling author of Thrive. He is also the developer of the acclaimed ZoN Thrive Fitness program and the formulator of the award-winning, 7-product natural VEGA Sport system.

The creator of THRIVE FOODS Direct, Brendan developed the plant-based, whole food delivery service based on his nutritional philosophy, which he adapted from his Thrive book series. It launched in December of 2011.

Recognized as one of the world’s foremost authorities on plant-based nutrition, Brendan is a guest lecturer at Cornell University and presents an eCornell module entitled “The Plant-Based Diet and Elite Athleticism.”

Brendan’s intentions of spreading the word of an ethical, environmentally-friendly, and healthy lifestyle through plant-based foods have taken him across North America, speaking at events such as the Chicago Green Festival and the United States Humane Society Gala. Brendan was also invited to address US Congress on Capitol Hill, where he spoke of the significant social and economic benefits that could be achieved by improving personal health through better diet. The focus of his speech was to draw attention to the role that food plays in the prevention of most chronic diseases currently plaguing North Americans.

Spanning the whole month of October of 2008, Brendan was a keynote presenter on a cross-Canada university speaking tour called Students for Sustainability. Speaking at 21 universities, along with others such David Suzuki and Stephan Lewis, the tour went coast-to-coast offering practical environmental preservation solutions to students. It was Canada’s largest environmental tour.

His latest book (September, 2011) is called Thrive Foods: 200 Plant-Based Recipes for Peak Health. It delves deep into the environmental aspects of food production and offers practical solutions that help us each reduce our strain on the environment.

To learn about Brendan’s favorite nutritional, fitness, and enviro-friendly products, you may follow him on Open Sky.