Krewe de Lose
Are you ready to spring into a more active lifestyle? Do you want to introduce your family to healthier eating habits? The Brinton Family Health & Healing Center, 711 N. Broad St., has the krewe for you.
Located within Mid-City’s Ruth U. Fertel Tulane Community Health Center, the clinic hosts health education program Krewe de Lose every Monday at 5:15 p.m. and Wednesday at 11 a.m.
The Krewe de Lose plan includes neighborhood events and peer-led lectures covering valuable topics like portion control, the importance of physical activity and maintaining mental health.
“I’ve seen people get off their insulin, lose weight and gain social support.”
Sarah Goodman, senior program coordinator at the Brinton Family Health & Healing Center
Seeking a creative approach for getting locals invested in weight loss, the clinic’s coordinators began the program in March 2013.
“Initially, the clinical staff got together to talk about supporting patients in losing weight. Eventually, it evolved into a healthy lifestyle program,” says Sarah Goodman, the clinic’s senior program coordinator.
However, the program isn’t restricted to patients. All classes are free and open to the public.
“People can join at any time. They come for different reasons, but I’ve seen people get off their insulin, lose weight and gain social support,” says Goodman.
Clinical experts, like Tulane University School of Medicine residents, are present at every session to address medical questions.
Krewe de Lose also connects its members with convenient community resources, making it easier for participants to incorporate health-conscious habits into their daily routines.
Partnering with nonprofit Market Umbrella, the program provides “veggie prescriptions” to all consistent participants. Eligible Krewe members receive vouchers for prescribed fruits and vegetables to spend at participating local “farmacies,” like the Crescent City Farmers Market.
“They receive $48 a month to use at markets to put into practice what we’re teaching,” says Goodman.
Grow Dat Youth Farm also regularly donates produce to the clinic.
Krewe de Lose additionally collaborated with urban farm organization Sprout NOLA in March to cultivate a community garden lined with okra, tomatoes, eggplant, cucumber and peppers.
The program also holds partnerships with Dr. Sarah Amering and the Xavier University College of Pharmacy.
Krewe de Lose’s summer session starts in May.
