Press Release 2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Historic 1st annual national nonprofit disease prevention conference in Asheville NC, Nov. 14-16, 2014

Plant-based Prevention Of Disease (P-POD) Conference addresses evidence-based nutrition measures against heart disease, cancer, diabetes, other conditions

Asheville NC, Nov. 3, 2014

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 7 of the 10 leading causes of death in the U.S. are chronic diseases, and about half of all adults suffer from one or more of them.  These conditions were responsible for 84% of all health care spending in 2006.  Heart disease and cancer alone accounted for 48% of all deaths in 2010.  Diabetes affects over 29 million people in the U.S., serving as the leading cause of kidney failure, non-injury leg amputations and new blindness cases among adults, and representing a dangerous risk factor for all cardiovascular diseases.

The public health community has for decades recognized that dietary choices are crucially involved with risk and incidence of major chronic diseases.  However, it is universally acknowledged that U.S. physicians are inadequately prepared by training to integrate effective nutritional assessment and counseling into clinical service of patients.  Few of the continuing education opportunities for health professionals generally, deal with the possibilities for helping prevent chronic diseases through nutritional measures.

The 1st annual national Plant-based Prevention Of Disease (P-POD) Conference responds to these problems via evidence-based explorations of how eating choices may reduce the risks of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and other preventable chronic conditions.  While welcoming the general public and students, it provides continuing education credits for physicians, nurses, Registered Dietitians, Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, Certified Nurse Midwives, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists and other practitioners.

P-POD is a collaboration of nonprofits, accepting no funding or support from commercial sources.  It is hosted by the Department of Health and Wellness, University of North Carolina Asheville, and coordinated by the North Carolina nonprofit corporation Plant-based Prevention Of Disease, Inc.  The continuing education activity is jointly provided by P-POD and Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC), as defined specifically on the event website.

P-POD is committed to affordable registration rates allowing broad public participation:  $112, students;  $261, physicians;  $176-$208, other practitioners;  $192, general public.  Friday and Saturday-Sunday offerings may be attended separately.  Thus far, registrants represent 17 states and Canada.

P-POD features presentations by 19 distinguished researchers, clinicians and educators, representing:
*medical school faculties of Harvard, George Washington U., Montefiore Einstein, Universities of Texas and Rochester
*public health faculties of Universities of North and South Carolina, and Walden U.
*Cleveland Clinic Center for Disease Reversal, and M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
*national nonprofit collaborators:
    –Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)
    –T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies
    –Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
*4 cardiologists, 3 cancer researchers, 7 Registered Dietitians

North Carolina Dietetic Assn. has expressed support by scheduling its annual meeting in Asheville to take place Friday, Nov. 14, just before P-POD.

P-POD is delighted to make Asheville NC the deserving site for this historic inaugural national public health event.

Information:
www.p-pod.org
www.PreventionOfDisease.org

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Press contact:  info@p-pod.org (Bob LeRoy)
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