really important that we bring healing to
our families and our communities.
Mary: So, what is the relationship
between DHK Wellness Strategies, your
not-for-profit organization and Debra’s
Healing Kitchen?
Debra: Debra’s Healing Kitchen is my
umbrella company where I have my events
and books. I am also creating anti-inflam-
matory seasoning blends under my umbrella
company, Debra’s Healing Kitchen.
Mary: Who conducts the pilot study
nutrition and cooking classes in the high
school that you mentioned?
Debra: I was asked to do this at a high
school that had a culinary program. I was
able to meet with the Principal and the
teachers also liked what I had to say, and
they were ok with it. I am not being paid
by the school. I raise money on my own. I
meet with the students during their culinary
class period and we talk about nutrition. We
do healthy cooking demonstrations, watch
movies, and I bring in other professionals
like dentists and personal trainers who can
talk to them about various aspects of health.
Mary: I assume you want to take the
pilot culinary class to the national level…
making it available to high school students
across the country.
Debra: Oh yes, I am working on that
now. I have a colleague who is helping me
write a proposal to obtain funding. Yes, I
absolutely want this school-based nutrition
project to become a national model for
informing, motivating, and inspiring the
next generation of young people to make
22 HimPower May/June 2019
better nutrition choices than many of us
older adults made.
Mary: Health communication research
suggests that repeat messaging becomes
instructional. How can we repeat health
messages so that they become instructional?
There are more venues to promote unhealthy
food messages than healthy food messages.
Often the unhealthy TV and social media
messages seem to be more appealing…
maybe even powerful to both Christian and
non-Christian communities. Let’s look at the
church community…. how do you make sure
that healthier eating messages are repeti-
tional and instructional?
Debra: First of all, let’s say it’s an uphill
battle. They (church family) see me as a food
police. They already know what needs to
be done, but they refuse to make changes.
However, I keep repeating the messages
over and over at all my events (church and
community); I then get people who buy in
to help spread the messages. It really is all
about creating a network. To me that’s the
best way to do it.
I am always blown away when church
people make unhealthy nutrition choices
in front of other people. I had one of my
church members order a coke in front of me
at this fancy restaurant where we went for
lunch. I was so blown away. Everyone asked
her why do you have to do it in front of Mrs.
Haynes and she said, “I have not done it in a
while.” I was so livid.
The other thing is that we do not
understand that these foods and drinks are
drugs. For example, white processed sugar