Food for free and not just any kind of food, but the kind that is good for the body and helps reverse lifestyle or non-communicable diseases, says Dr Alipate Vakamocea.

A Food Festival has been organised at Sukuna Park in Suva by the Adventist Healthcare in association with American charity Complete Health Improvement Programme.

Dr Vakamocea said under the CHIP initiative, they managed to reverse a number of lifestyle diseases.

He said they documented results of people who have undergone the programme.

“There is a notion that meat and dairy have to be part of food. But it is not. What we have done is shown that locally-grown food and vegetables are high in nutrients and good for you,” he said.

“These foods also help you to reverse diseases. We have had people go on the programme and come out with good results. In one case, a person weighing 150kg was able to shed 50kg in six months.

“We have had tests to see what this diet does for diabetes. We have found that sugar levels have normalised just because of the diet and some people have even gone off medication. But we don’t recommend people go off their medication.”

Dr Vakamocea said the programme started two years ago. The activities involve advice on diet, free food and services by the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Women.

The three-day event has cost a substantive amount and ends today.

Edited by Susana Tuilau

Feedback:  shalveen.chand@fijisun.com.fj