Naperville Veggie Fest heals with food, fun, music
Healing people in ancient times never required prescription medicines.
People relied on what grew naturally from the earth - fruits and vegetables, said Dr. James Gruft, medical director and president of From Pain to Wellness in Oakbrook Terrace.
Among all the amazing food, fun and music at this weekend's fifth annual Veggie Fest in Naperville, there's a lesson to be learned from the food we put in our mouths, he said.
"Having a plant-based diet is the solution to many people's problems," Gruft said. "I see a lot of scientific support for this. Over and over and over again you find that this kind of food is good for this or for that. Ultimately, it gets back to the very ancient adage that food is your medicine."
He'll speak to that belief during one of 24 different discussions that will take place on stage Saturday and Sunday.
Known as the largest free vegetarian food festival in the United States, organizers expect more than 20,000 people to visit the grounds of the Science of Spirituality Meditation Center, on the corner of Naperville and Warrenville roads.
"It's a celebration of the vegetarian diet," said Jonathan Kruger, an organizer. "People can enjoy and a have a good day out and relax and come to the center and just have a good time."
More than 100 vendors will serve food - from full meals to light snacks - and of course, it'll all be vegetarian.
Several international cooking demonstrations will take place as well, including Indian, Mexican, Italian and Mediterranean food.
That good time includes fun for the kids with face painting, bounce houses, jewelry and hair beading, arts and crafts and more.
While it's a celebration of the vegetarian lifestyle, it's also an educational event as physicians and scientists from throughout the country speak to the research they've done that points to the healing powers of vegetables.
"Unquestionably, where the vegetarian aspect comes in, the highest nutrient-based foods are plant-based," Gruft said. "You don't get tons of micronutrients and vitamins and minerals from a heavily carnivorous diet."
Gruft, who is a board certified pain specialist, is also a functional medicine doctor. As such, he turns to a systems biology approach to get deep in the health concern and then helps a patient heal through diet and lifestyle changes rather than medicine.
He cited a recent government interest in preventive medicine that hopes to save the country money while helping people be healthier.
"The way that you prevent so many of the major illnesses in this country is the three pillars of TLC: dietary modification, exercise and stress management," he said. "Therapeutic lifestyle change can reduce or eliminate these problems."
Part of the TLC includes a diet high in vegetables, he said.
For a full schedule of events or for more information, visit www.veggiefestchicago.com.
<p class="factboxheadblack">If you go</p>
<p class="News"><b>What: </b>Veggie Fest</p>
<p class="News"><b>When:</b> 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 7, and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 8 </p>
<p class="News"><b>Where:</b> Science of Spirituality Meditation Center, 4S175 Naperville Road, Naperville</p>
<p class="News"><b>Cost:</b> Free</p>
<p class="News"><b>Info:</b> <a href="http://Veggiefestchicago.com" target="new">Veggiefestchicago.com</a></p>