NUTRITION FOR FAMILIES

Nutrition for Families supports pediatric health professionals and families on the health benefits of a whole foods plant-based diet from pregnancy through infancy, childhood, and adolescence. We are especially determined to assist clinicians and families in the critical first 1,000 days – pregnancy and the first two years of life. Increasing nutrition education both during training and for experienced clinicians is critical to our mission.

Program Objectives

  • Research and summarize relevant medical and nutrition peer review literature.
  • Create booklets, factsheets, webinars, newsletters, and other resources in support of families and clinicians.
  • Develop both Parents and Clinicians Advisory Councils.
  • Launch practical research, starting with a survey on pediatricians’ attitudes and support needs on plant-based nutrition.


Interested in learning more?
Click here to sign up for Nutrition for Families program updates.

 

CLINICIANS ADVISORY COUNCIL

Brenda Davis, RD

Canada
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Ronnie Hasson, RD

Israel
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Allan Kornberg, MD

United States
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Niklas Oppenrieder, MD

Germany
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Carissa Pitalo

United States

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Reshma Shah, MD

United States
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Dagmar Struncova, PharmD

Czech Republic
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Dr. Tami Turner

United States

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Carolin Wiedmann, MD

Germany
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RESOURCES

 

Nourish: The Definitive Plant-Based Nutrition Guide for Families

Nourish is a comprehensive, evidence-based resource for achieving optimal health through plant-based nutrition for pregnant women, children, and families. Written by award-winning authors and members of PAN’s Nutrition for Families’ Clinical Advisory Council – Reshma Shah, MD, MPH and Brenda Davis, RD – Nourish offers practical guidance that empowers parents with the expertise on how to best meet their children’s nutritional needs during all stages of development. A step-by-step guide for busy families, Nourish brings together scientifically-sound medical and nutritional advice, recipes, and strategies that illuminate the power of plant-centered eating. Learn more.

About the authors:

Reshma Shah, MD, MPH is a plant-based pediatrician for nearly 20 years, instructor for Stanford’s Healthy Living Program, and director for the nutrition curriculum at Stanford University’s Pediatric Integrative Medicine Fellowship.

Brenda Davis, RD is a world-renowned expert in plant-based nutrition with over 800,000 copies of 12 published books sold worldwide, including Becoming Vegan.

 

Get Balanced Now

Balanced is a global network of health professionals, nutrition experts, and citizens whose mission is to advocate for a more accessible and healthier food system for everyone. Balanced offers a quick and easy assessment and menu guide with simple, practical ways to balance the meals families make at home. Learn more.

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Brenda Davis RD is a pioneer in plant-based nutrition, an internationally acclaimed speaker, and an author/co-author of 12 books. Her most recent work, co-authored with Dr. Reshma Shah, is called "Nourish: The Definitive Plant-Based Nutrition Guide for Families." Brenda lives with her husband in Calgary Alberta, Canada.

Ronnie Hasson M.Sc. RD is CEO of PAN Israel. She’s a registered dietician and nutritional scientist with years of experience leading national and community health promotion projects for various target audiences: professionals from various fields, parents, teens and children.

Dr. Allan Kornberg served as Vice-Chair and Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Buffalo, and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Brown University.

He has served as medical director with managed care organizations and provider institutions, as well as government and advocacy groups, typically working with complicated populations, both clinically and socioeconomically.

Dr. Kornberg received his BS in Biology from MIT, his MD from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and his MBA from the University of Rochester.

Niklas Oppenrieder is a physician specializing in pediatrics at Aschaffenburg Hospital in Germany.

Being both PAN International’s Medical Director and Chair of the Board of PAN USA, he heads the strategic development of both organizations, applying his medical and scientific expertise as a pediatrician as well as his first-hand technical knowledge as a member of several different medical associations.

Carissa Pitalo brings years of experience in business management, plant-based education, and public speaking, with a demonstrated history of working in the nonprofit sector, to her role as PAN’s Nutrition for Families Program Manager. She is a passionate advocate for a whole food plant-based diet for good health, as well as environmental stewardship. Carissa’s studies include business management, accounting, and plant-based nutrition.

Reshma Shah, MD, MPH is a board-certified pediatrician and adjunct instructor at Stanford University School of Medicine. She is the co-author of "Nourish: The Definitive Plant-Based Nutrition Guide for Families." She received her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Johns Hopkins University and her medical degree from Drexel University College of Medicine. She lives in the Bay Area with her husband and two children. Most Sundays, you can find her at the California Avenue Farmers Market in Palo Alto where she finds inspiration for weekly family meals.

Dagmar Struncova is the co-founder of PAN Czech Republic. A pharmacist with clinical experience from Edinburgh, UK and State Institute for Drug Control, Czech Republic, she is now a Ph.D. student in the field of plant-based nutrition at the Faculty of Medicine of Masaryk University, CZE and a proud mother.

As Nutrition Director, Dr. Turner develops nutrition education materials and guidance for PAN's Nutrition for Families program. She is a widely-published nutrition researcher and has experience designing health programs with particular work in behavior change.

Dr. Turner is a Registered Dietitian with a Ph.D. in Nutritional Biology from the University of California, Davis. Her postdoctoral research focused on nutrition and behavior related to obesity and diabetes at the University of Arizona. Tami is also a U.S. Air Force veteran and former K-12 science teacher.

Carolin Wiedmann MD is a pediatrician specializing in pediatric nutrition. She works in a pediatric clinic in the greater Munich area and consults with families about whole food plant-based nutrition during pregnancy and childhood. Carolin co-founded PAN and serves as its first chairwoman.