GLIIHC Healthy Cooking Show Makes Love From Scratch
Ronald (Ron) Grieger is a man of many hats at the Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center (GLIIHC) whose goal is to help clients control weight, diabetes, blood pressure and lower their risk of cancer.
“I’m a big guy,” admits Ron, GLIIHC’s Security Lead, who greets you with a beaming smile as you walk through the doors of our clinic located in Milwaukee’s Historic Mitchell Street Neighborhood.
“I’ve tried many ways to lose weight, but get back to square one,” says Ron. “I’ve recently lost 15 pounds and I want to inspire others to lose weight and eat healthy with the program that I have learned since working here.”
Ron recently co-hosted a cooking demonstration – with 640 Facebook views as of this posting – alongside Lisa Albright, Community Health Outreach Coordinator; and Loren Rendino, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Certified Lactation Counselor.
The trio, each from a different GLIIHC department, work as one to promote healthy eating throughout the year via the All Nations Wellness Program.
While Ron’s wife and main champion, GLIIHC Certified Application Counselor Winona Grieger, taped the cooking demonstration for Facebook, a diverse group of 12 were on site and delighted in the mixture of herbs and spices that wafted through the air as a low-calorie, low-sodium vegetarian lasagna was prepared.
“We make love from scratch,” quipped Ron.
“We make love from scratch,” quipped Ron. “This dish takes 10-minutes to prepare and one hour to cook and it was done for $3.60 per-person meal.”
The results?
“The dish tastes wonderful,” pronounced Amy Cardin, of the Ho-Chunk Nation, adding that “The Wellness group does wonders for me. It rejuvenates me.”
This was one many cooking demonstrations that is part of a pilot program funded by an American Cancer Society Grant that is, unfortunately, in its last month.
“The purpose of the Evidence Based Nutrition Pilot Program from the American Cancer Society is to educate people that there is a connection between eating a healthy diet and lowering your risk of developing cancer,” Albright said.
“In addition,” she added, “The program helps to define what it means to follow a healthy diet using the nutrition guidelines found in MyPLATE while increasing a person’s ability to improve their consumption and access to affordable healthy foods in the community where they reside.”
Albright said she hopes to get funding to continue the programs that serves many needs in Milwaukee’s native community, particularly the elderly.
“We are here to help you live a long life, a healthy life and a healthy life is about a healthy mind, body, soul and feelings”
Located on Historic Mitchell St., GLIIHC’s mission is to improve the health, peace and well-being of urban Indians in Greater Milwaukee. Medical, wellness, cultural, spiritual and social services are available for people of all tribes, races, and ethnicities.
Ron’s next cooking demonstration will be at 10:30 a.m. and Noon Saturday, February 22, at the Milwaukee Winter Farmers Market at the Mitchell Park Annex.