Blessed Are The Peace Makers
For They Shall Inherit The Earth
The Peace Diet Program
The mission of the Peace Diet Program is to acknowledge, address, and neutralize the severe neuro-psychological damage borne by minority children in disaffected areas. Our innovative program endeavors to stop violence before it happens by intervening at the root of human behavior--the brain. This is our research-based attempt to break the school-to-prison pipeline by taking responsibility for our youth's mental health and behavior. We empower our youth to exert self-control in order to lessen the likelihood that others (police, mental health hospitals, prisons, etc) get the chance to control them.
In partnership with the Greater Auburn Gresham Development Corporation, we have initiated a pilot program at the Literacy Gold Summer Camp at Westcott Elementary School on the Southside of Chicago. Inspired by circumstances, we adapted our program to the needs of our students (K-5) and have created a series of plant-based, neuro-protective, kid-friendly snacks. We utilize organic fruit and vegetables, whole grains, and high-quality ingredients, crafted together to comprise whole-food supplements, each consisting of a full and comprehensive battery of nutrients essential for optimal neuropsychological function--DHA and ALA omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, iron, B-vitamins, bromelain, antioxidants, etc.
Recent studies have indicated an alarming correlation between emotions, mood, anti-social behavior, and the foods we eat. Newly described influences of dietary factors on neurological function, synaptic plasticity, and consequently, human mood and behavior have revealed some of the vital mechanisms that are responsible for the action of diet on brain health and mental function.
The fact that feeding is an intrinsic human routine emphasizes the power of dietary factors to modulate mental health on an individual and collective level. Acknowledging the molecular basis of the effects of food on cognition guides our program, helping us to determine how best to manipulate diet in order to increase the resistance of our children, and ultimately our community, to trauma and promote mental fitness.
Building upon our successes here in the United States, we are currently preparing to launch the first international Peace Diet pilot program at a local school in Accra, Ghana. More details will be forthcoming in the Spring season of 2021!
