We hosted an event January 24 at Canadore College Lounge, joined by phenomenal guest speakers, talking about raising youth to eat healthily.
Please read our post-event information summary here:
Growing Healthy Eaters was an informative event designed for parents, caregivers, and anyone supporting children’s health.
Three guest presentations included:
- Lifestyle Medicine in Practice: Insights from Real Families, by Dr. Rikin Patel
- Raising Kids on Real Food in a Processed World, by Clarissa Kennedy
- Bring the Fun Back to Meals: From Picky to Progress, by Natalie Pelto
Presentations were be followed by a Q&A panel.
Outdoor activities with Parry Sound Forest School and indoor activities with the Georgian Bay Biosphere ran for kids throughout the whole event.
Dr. Rikin Patel:
Dr. Rikin Patel is a consultant pediatrician and lifestyle medicine physician. He is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Toronto. He completed his pediatric residency at Memorial University of Newfoundland, and prior to medical school he completed a Masters in Health Policy Planning and Finance from the London School of Economics and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Currently, Dr. Patel works for the Scarborough Health Network and is the founder of Reset Pediatric Lifestyle Medicine clinic, a virtual clinic aimed at empowering families to make the best lifestyle choices for their health. He is a member of the Medical Advisory Board for the Centre for Nutrition Studies. He is passionate about promoting a culture of prevention, wellness and resilience through medical improv, yoga, meditation and plant-based nutrition. He is a certified yoga instructor and teaches Shaolin Kung Fu at the Waterloo Kung Fu Academy as a 3rd degree black sash with over 35 years of experience.
Clarissa Kennedy:
Clarissa Kennedy is a Clinical Social Worker and founder of Reinvent Your Bliss Point, co-founder of Sweet Sobriety, and co-host of the Food Junkies Podcast. With over 15 years of experience and a diploma in Professional Addiction Studies, she has worked across residential, outpatient, and private practice settings, supporting adolescents, adults, and families.
A survivor of eating disorders and food addiction herself, Clarissa brings deep empathy and lived experience to her work. She blends compassion with evidence-based care to create a safe, supportive space for healing. Her integrative approach draws from CBT, DBT for Eating Disorders, Mindfulness, Motivational Interviewing, and Somatically Informed Self-Compassion Therapy—helping clients reconnect with their bodies and navigate meaningful, sustainable change.
Natalie Pelto:
Natalie Pelto is a clinical nutritionist and brain development specialist who helps families turn picky eating into real progress—without stress, force, or mealtime battles. She’s the founder of Blue Life Rx, home of the BLA, a practical, science-based program that teaches parents how to use food to support their child’s learning, emotions, and overall development.
For over a decade, Natalie has helped families address the root causes of common childhood struggles—like poor focus, anxiety, difficulty with reading and writing, sleep issues, big emotions, speech delays, and social challenges. She teaches that many of these begin in the brain—and the brain begins with what’s on the plate.
Natalie’s approach is warm, realistic, and rooted in everyday family life. She equips parents with simple tools to help their kids feel calmer, more connected, and more confident—at home, in school, and in life.