Janeen Beard

WESTFIELD — The Chautauqua County Vegetarian-Vegan Society will meet on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the YWCA, 58 S. Portage St., Westfield.

The speaker will be Janeen Beard, whose topic is “Restoring Health. One Meal at a Time.” Beard’s presentation deals with more than six decades of research demonstrating that food is one of the most powerful medicines one can use. She’ll talk about reversing diabetes, reversing heart disease and a host of other health-related issues. Beard is a registered nurse who was originally schooled in traditional American medicine and eventually came to understand the power of a whole plant-based nutrition program when pills and medicine didn’t work for her. She has done research, has completed courses of study in plant-based nutrition, has graduated from a plant-based culinary course and she is now completing the last step, a holistic nutrition certification program. Beard owns a small organic farm in Russell, Pa., where she teaches whole plant-based cooking course and counsels in health and nutrition.

The menu for the evening will be pot luck. Those attending are invited, but not required, to bring a nutritious dish to share which will serve eight to 10 people. All food should be vegan, with no meat, eggs, dairy products or cheese, and, as much as possible, organic and locally grown. Those attending should also bring their own table service.

The cost of the dinner is $6 per person or $2 per person for those bringing a dish to share, with reduced rates for children. For more information or to make a reservation, call Gail Erb at 753-7761 or Anne Watkins at 782-4334, or email annewatkins@juno.com.

All meetings are open to the public, especially to those who are interested in learning more about healthy eating and living. It is not necessary to be vegan or vegetarian to attend the meeting. The Vegetarian Society is an information and support group for individuals seeking to explore healthy eating through vegetarian or vegan lifestyles. The group meets monthly for a vegan dinner.