The crossroads at which America has arrived at was in fact the main reason that the late Frank Oakes opened Food & Thought in 2004. The Southwest Florida “militantly organic” guru could see that while a modern food system was providing cheap and abundant food, the chemicals and toxins used in growing it were leading

to nutrient-deficient soils, a contaminated water supply, herbicide-resistant weeds and conditions that have contributed to a catastrophic decline in the world’s bee population. Oakes also spoke frequently about the U.S. healthcare system, which ranks last among 11 industrialized countries. “Our present system, based on chronic disease management, emphasizes symptom-suppressing drugs and marginalizes holistic and natural based methods that are capable of allowing the body to truly heal itself,” he said.

Regeneration, the summit’s theme, covers myriad possibilities regarding how to change the way our food supply is grown, how healthcare is provided and how we can pursue transparency and accountability in our nations’ food system, how food is important as energy and nourishment and other subjects.

In addition to featured talks, attendees can speak with a wide array of Naples complementary and alternative healthcare practitioners at booths in the courtyard. Other highlights include raffles, prizes, storewide sales and a children’s area, where learning about farming and healthy eating includes fun.  

A weekend pass to the entire event is $20, including all talks and the Saturday night party. Net proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to the nonprofit Florida Organic Grower's Association and the Frank Oakes' Scholarship for Organic Horticulture at the University of Florida. The total amount will be announced at the event’s conclusion.

April 1: Opening Night Ceremony Pre-event

6:30 p.m. Activities emceed by Michael Monteleone, Cade Copeland, DC, and Laura Grammatico honor Frank Oakes for sharing his wisdom and mission in promoting health freedom. Additionally, New York Times bestselling author Dr. David Perlmutter presents on Global Agriculture and Your Brain.

Vashãli

April 2: Alternative Healing and Preventative Medicine

10 a.m. Solving Modern Problems with the Ancient Wisdom of Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Vaishãli, who healed herself of terminal illness twice without Western medicine, prescription drugs or surgeries, speaks on easy to implement natural health tips and practices for improving health and mindset. Her guest, Alfred Cormier, DOM, will speak on stem cell therapy to avoid surgery and drugs.

11:10 a.m. Reverend Christopher Macklin on Protecting and Heightening Your Energetic Frequency in our Challenging Modern World. The author of Dissolving the Enigma of Divine Healing, this medium and healer from England speaks on his techniques that can be used to protect and heighten an individual’s energetic frequency on an emotional, spiritual and physical level.

12:20 p.m. Linda Sechrist with A Potpourri on Healthy Lifestyle.  The Natural Awakenings editor and senior staff writer of 12 years on spotting trends in healthy living from her “catbird seat” of writing and conducting thousands of interviews. Her guests, whom she has interviewed, are Kathy Bero, founder Nugenesis Farm/researcher on angiogenic foods; Maya van Rossum, Delaware Riverkeeper, on protecting clean water; and Lina Garcia, DMD,

DDS, a holistic dentist who treats Dr. Joseph Mercola.

2 p.m. Cade Copeland DC, on Selling Health; the Sickest Sales Pitch We've Ever Been Sold. The owner of LIFEstrength Health Center on the big picture of restoring health—cellular detoxification, metabolic conditioning, whole food nutrition, supplementation and spinal correction.

3:10 p.m. Linell King, M.D., on Mastering Vitality. The author of Mastering Vitality: 7 Simple Sustainable Steps to Lose Weight, Live Pain Free, Energize Your Life and Gain Power Now on life-saving information for preventing many diseases that he has treated.

4:20 p.m. Laura Grammatico – The Metabolic Paradigm, Correct Nutrition for Your Unique Body. The certified Hippocrates holistic educator/nutrition coach/natural foods chef on metabolic typing, gut-brain connections and ayurvedic nutrition as three tools in accomplishing a no-one-size-fits-all health goal for vegan, vegetarian, Mediterranean or Paleo followers.

5:30 p.m.  Alan “Allowah” Lowenschuss on Yoga, Amazonian Plant Medicine and the Healing of Our World. The student of philosophy and world spirituality talks about his 20-year yoga practice, as well as two fascinating trends—how yoga and plant

medicine have proven effective in healing the mind and our fractured selves.

6:40 p.m. Susan “DeFlavis” Winters on Medical Qigong. The registered nurse and master in medical qigong speaks on Chinese energetic medicine and describes this main form of medical treatment in China’s qigong hospitals.

April 3: Regeneration

11:30 a.m. Michael Monteleone on Seeking Alternatives to the Corporate Agricultural System. The summit’s lead coordinator on an in-depth look at how traditional farming is compromising health and jeopardizing our planet’s ecological well-being.

10 a.m. Early Bird Sunday Morning special 80-minute presentation by Cathy Via on Organic Aromatherapy and Essential Oils. The owner of Cathy’s Herbs and Botanicals speaks on the art and science of utilizing naturally extracted aromatic essences from plants to balance, harmonize and promote the health process by unifying body, mind and spirit.

11:30 a.m. Michael Monteleone on The High Cost of Cheap Food. Learn how we are paying the price for our industrialization of agriculture with its emphasis on the use of poisons and toxic chemicals for growing food, as well as how the food industry systematically deceives the public to advance their agenda.

12:30 p.m. Carey Gillam on Seeking Transparency and Accountability in our Nation’s Food System. The Research Director for U.S. Right to Know, veteran journalist, researcher and writer, with more than 20 years of experience in the news industry shares in-depth knowledge of agrichemical companies (Monsanto, Dow AgroSciences, DuPont,

BASF, Bayer and Syngenta), which she gained as a senior correspondent for Reuters. She specialized in food and agriculture with a focus on the rise of the biotech crop technology, associated pesticide product development and their environmental impacts.

2 p.m. Marty Mesh on Back to the Future (organic agriculture):  What Was Once Our Past Must Now Be Our Future. The executive director of Florida Organic Growers on the facts about why our food system should return to a healthier and more sustainable form of agriculture. 

3:10 p.m.  Koreen Brennan on What is Permaculture? The former coordinator for Sustainable Urban Agriculture Coalition in St Petersburg, Florida, and co-founder of Create Clearwater, an education-based community organization, defines permaculture and its many benefits for humanity and the planet.

4:10 pm Dean Martens on Food Energies and Nourishment. The clinical herbalist, president and founder of Herbs of Light on the love and compassion in Mother Nature’s Laws of Health used to produce his “Living Food”, GMO-free, organic herbal tinctures and capsules.

5:40 p.m. Deanna Bess on Organic Gardening. The Naples organic gardener and blogger (DeanasGarden.com) who has used plants for healing throughout her life, speaks on improving Florida’s nutrient-deficient sandy soil for ideal growing.  

6:30 p.m. Vaishali on Taking Our Power Back: Crafting An Empowering Emotional Response To The Daunting Challenges of Our Modern Day Era

For more information and to purchase a weekend pass, visit FoodAndThought.com.