by Bob Benenson, FamilyFarmed

The Good Food Is Good Medicine programming at our free Good Food Festival March 23 is presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois. Pre-registration for the Festival can be found on the Good Food EXPO site.

The Good Food is Good Medicine programming at the past two Good Food EXPOs drew enthusiastic standing-room-only crowds. So we have expanded it to six panels at the Good Food Festival on Saturday, March 23:

The Road to Wellness is Paved With Good Food

Dr. Melinda Ring, Executive Director, Osher Center for Integrative Medicine
Introduced by Charlotte Flinn, Board Chair, FamilyFarmed and president of Flinn Consultants

10:30-11:45 a.m., Room H

Carbs, fats, protein. One day they’re in, the next they’re out. Dr. Melinda Ring of Northwestern Medicine’s Osher Center for Integrative Medicine breaks down the science so you can make the choices for long-term health and well-being.

Food and Mood

Dr. Adam Murphy, Assistant Professor of Urology and Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University (moderator)
Dr. Ed McDonald, Associate Director of Adult Clinical Nutrition, University of Chicago Medicine
Dr. Tiffany McDowell, Director, Equity Institute, YWCA Evanston/North Shore
Dr. Julie Rowin, M.D. in Clinical Private Practice
Dr. Glenn Zemel, Anesthesiologist, DuPage Valley Anesthesiologists/Edward Hospital

10:30-11:45 a.m., Room G

Diet has been linked with mood and wellness. This panel of eminent practitioners will discuss how to use food to improve your mental health.

Healthy Food, Healthy Families

Tiffany McDowell, Director, Equity Institute, YWCA Evanston/North Shore (moderator)
Cecile DiMello, Englewood Rising
Mikey DiTomasso, Celebrity Junior Chef, Fox Television’s Master Chef Junior Season Six
Chandra Lee, Holistic Nutritionist, Herbalist, Gourmet Vegan Chef
Kerri McClimen, Senior Director of Communications, Niman Ranch

Room G, Noon-1:15 p.m.

It isn’t always easy to find meals that are both healthy and appealing to everyone in the family. Join us for this discussion of accessible and family-friendly foods in our diverse city.

Good Food Leadership: Eating Our Way to a Healthier Chicago

Dr. Ed McDonald, Associate Director of Adult Clinical Nutrition, University of Chicago Medicine (moderator)
Dr. Damon Arnold, Assistant Dean, College of Health Sciences, Chicago State University
Dr. Terry Mason, Department of Public Health, Chief Operating Officer, Cook County Department of Public Health
Eliza Fournier, Urban Youth Programs Director, Chicago Botanic Garden
Trista Li, Founder & CEO, KitcheNet LLC
Connie Spreen, Executive Director, The Experimental Station

Room H, Noon-1:15 p.m.

Join this holistic discussion of how public and private organizations work together to address food insecurity issues in our communities, turning food deserts to oases.

The Doctor Is In 2.0

Charlotte Flinn, FamilyFarmed Board Chair; Flinn Consultants (moderator)
Dr. Ed McDonald, Associate Director of Adult Clinical Nutrition, University of Chicago Medicine
Dr. Adam Murphy, Assistant Professor of Urology and Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University
Angela Odoms Young, Associate Professor, Kinesiology and Nutrition, University of Illinois at Chicago
Dr. Melinda Ring, Executive Director, Osher Center for Integrative Medicine
Dr. Glenn Zemel, Anesthesiologist, DuPage Valley Anesthesiologists/Edward Hospital

Room H, 1:30-2:45 p.m.

Want to live your best life? Get expert tips on how eating Good Food will improve your quality of life.

The ABCs of CBD

Jamie Ponce, Director of Strategic Partnerships, City Tech Collaborative (moderator)
Ryan Crane, CEO, Tempo
Dave Donnan, Senior Partner, A.T. Kearney
Perry Galanopoulos, Owner, FUFLUNS’ FOODS
Jessica Hochman, Senior Manager of Natural Insights and Innovation Research, SPINS

Room G, 1:30-2:45 p.m.

CBD, aka cannabidiol, is a hemp extract described as having therapeutically qualities similar to marijuana, without getting you high. Barely registering as a category just three years ago, CBD is now one of the Natural Products industry’s hottest product sectors. [An article on CBD is featured in the Good Food Insights series published by New Hope Network and produced by FamilyFarmed in partnership with SPINS.]

Are you inspired to join us for the Good Food EXPO? Please go to the EXPO ticket page where you can pre-register for the free Good Food Festival — and also buy tickets for the Good Food Trade Show that opens the EXPO on Friday, March 22.