Christine Findlay and Amy Soudek of Peace River are on a mission to encourage and teach the students, staff and parents in the Peace Region about proper nutrition and the positive effects of eating healthy meals.

Both Christine and Amy are Natural Nutrition Clinical Practitioners who are passionate about helping others in their overall health journeys.

Christine and Amy have been enthusiastic about holistic well-being for their entire lives and have continued to expand their knowledge by receiving applied nutrition diplomas. Christine graduated from the Alive Academy and Amy from the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition. Together, they combined their years of experience and individual nutrition practices to create ONE Nutrition and Health in 2019.

The Peace River School Division has teamed up with the duo to promote a new initiative called the Brain Food Building Blocks, which will educate students and parents alike about the connection between their brains and gut health.

“This is our way of providing nutrition education about how food affects our brain, mental states and moods,” said Amy.

The initiative is being launched in a series of cooking videos that will be available online to everyone within the Division. The premise is that anyone watching can bring their recipes to life, all while learning about specific ingredients and how they can nourish their bodies better.

“We want everyone to understand that food is not only to function, but to flourish,” said Christine. “It’s important to know that the food we consume directly impacts our moods and attitudes.”

In the videos, Christine and Amy will also be discussing real life topics such as mental health and social interactions to promote awareness and to highlight the connection between brain functions and proper nutrition.

“Many children face challenges surrounding their concentration levels and emotions, and with better nutrition, these challenges can be moderated,” said Amy.

The overall goal of the Brain Food Building Blocks initiative is to provide everyone in the Division with the tools they need to be successful in all areas of their lives. Viewers can expect simple, actionable ways to incorporate more nutrient dense, functional foods into their daily routines.

“Our program is inclusive to all students from all walks of life, backgrounds and cultures. Regardless of circumstances, there is something for everyone,” said Christine.

Videos will be rolling out within the next month, and more activities surrounding the initiative will be available to schools soon. The Peace River School Division is extremely proud of and excited about this local collaboration. Stay tuned for more details!