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‘Food Dude’ to speak at UTMB
By Bronwyn Turner
Correspondent
Published October 18, 2009
GALVESTON — The man Oprah Winfrey dubbed “The Food Dude” will be a guest lecturer at the University of Texas Medical Branch on Tuesday in an event open to the public.
Dr. Steven Pratt’s talk will be based on his recent book, “SuperHealth: Six Simple Steps, Six Easy Weeks, One Longer, Healthier Life.”
The event begins with a book signing. The lecture will be presented from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
His audience will be medical students, as well as the public.
“I think I would want medical students to learn that it is incumbent upon everybody in this field to learn how to prevent disease,” Pratt said, speaking by telephone from his office in California.
“There’s a tremendous amount of data now substantiating how you can prevent pretty much every disease of modern man — all the chronic diseases of modern man — in one way or another related to lifestyle or nutritional choices that we make or don’t make every day….
“The goal is to get them (patients) off their medications and into a super healthy zone where they can stay the rest of their life.”
That message and several books on the topic have propelled Pratt into the national limelight.
He has lectured in scientific forums around the world, as well as appearing on the Oprah show.
Pratt bases his books on medical research, his family’s healthy living philosophies and feedback from patients in his 28 years as a physician.
He is a senior staff ophthalmologist at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, Calif., specializing in ophthalmology, ophthalmic cosmetic plastic and reconstructive surgery and holistic medicine.
“The whole medical establishment is set up to treat and not prevent,” he said.
“We’ve got a health care crisis going on right now and all this debate about health care and the future of health care.
“I haven’t heard much about prevention. Everybody is saying it doesn’t really work; it doesn’t save money. That’s a bunch of bull. It does save money. Not only that, it empowers people to help themselves.”
Pratt refines his advice to a basic recipe:
• Put the right fuel (super nutritious foods) in the tank;
• Add physical activity; and
• Add the right amount of sleep and a positive outlook.
“Here’s the thing: Everybody is going to have tragic things,” Pratt said. “You can’t control some of these things, but you can certainly control how you react to them.
“That’s one of the key things to getting to 100; you’ve got to be optimistic.”
Pratt’s message is most urgent for aging baby boomers.
“It’s kind of almost a patriotic duty,” he said.
“There’s not going to be enough nursing homes to put all the boomers into if we don’t start getting a little smarter about our choices.
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At A Glance
WHAT: Dr. Steven Pratt, best-selling author, presenting a lecture from his book, “SuperHealth; 6 Simple Steps, 6 Easy Weeks, 1 Longer, Healthier Life.”
WHEN: Tuesday. Book signing is from 5:30 to 6 p.m. Copies of the book will be available. Lecture is from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
COST: Free and open to the public.
WHERE: University of Texas Medical Branch, Levin Hall North, Auditorium 2.220, Galveston.
SPONSORS: Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and the Nicholson Professorship.
CONTACT: Call 409-771-9008, e-mail msierpin(at)utmb.edu.
ON THE WEB: superfoodsrx.com
INFORMATION: Pratt also has developed a program for public schools used by the Denver public school system, with plans to expand nationwide. For information, check the Denver school Web site at http://foodservices.dpsk12.org/superfoods.html.
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