Presentations

To add value to your next conference or association meeting, email   vesanto.melina@gmail.com   Book this best-selling author, award winning speaker, and Registered Dietitian for an informative, compelling, and entertaining seminar. Presentations are continually updated, and are adapted to suit specific audience interests. Each is typically one hour long, followed by questions and discussion. The length and range of topics can be adjusted to suit specific events.
Speaker Biography
Vesanto Melina is an award winning speaker whose presentations have inspired audiences in 10 countries from Barcelona to Reykjavik and from Dresden to San Paulo and across North America. She  has been on the faculty of the University of British Columbia and of Seattle’s Bastyr University. She is co-author of 14 bestselling books on plant-based nutrition and foods; now in 9 languages and with almost a million copies in print. She is author (with Brenda Davis) of the new Plant Powered Protein, the award-winning Becoming Vegan: Comprehensive Edition  and of the Kick Diabetes Cookbook, Becoming Raw, and The Raw Food Revolution Diet (also with Cherie Soria). Vesanto is lead author of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics latest position paper on vegetarian diets.  
Websites:  nutrispeak.com, plant-poweredprotein.com, becomingvegan.ca, and kickdiabetescookbook.com
Presentation with audience clapping

This presentation by dynamic dietitian and author, Vesanto Melina, addresses these topics. In a plant-based diet: Can you get enough protein? Even for an athlete? Can you get the tastes you like? Can it be easy? What vitamins do you need to consider? What’s an overall food guide? Is this a good city for plant-based eating? Vesanto is lead author of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ current Position Paper on Vegetarian Diets. She is co-author of award winning books that are the classics on plant-based nutrition. Her book: Plant-powered Protein, co-authored with Brenda Davis and Cory Davis, will be released this fall.

Would you like to reduce your and your family’s risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cancer? How can this be done? What are links between dietary choice and chronic disease? Exactly how can we eat to stay in optimal health?

 

Is your diet shifting in a plant-based direction? Are you considering going plant-based? What are the benefits? What supplements should you consider? Can you get enough protein? Can an athlete be plant-based? In this presentation, you will learn how to incorporate plant based eating into your breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. This can work whether you are a gourmet chef, a novice in the kitchen, or mainly a restaurant eater. And, your meals can be delicious!

Join award winning Registered Dietitian Vesanto Melina, co-author of bestselling books: The Kick Diabetes Cookbook, Becoming Vegan: Express Edition, Becoming Vegetarian, The New Becoming Vegetarian, Becoming Raw, Becoming Vegan, Raising Vegetarian Children, The Raw Food Revolution Diet, The Food Allergy Survival Guide, Cooking Vegetarian, and Cooking Vegan, for a comprehensive overview on how to keep yourself in superb health on a plant-based diet. Enjoy an update on protein power from plant foods, bone building without a drop of dairy, getting reliable sources of vitamin B12, including the good fats in your menus, and keeping your blood sugar level between meals without resorting to vegan junk food.

Enjoy recent highlights in the world of vegetarian, vegan, and raw food nutrition and a few of the topics people wonder about. These include, on a plant-based diet:
– Where will I get my protein?
– What are iron rich plant foods for babies, children, (and everybody else)?
– Are carbs good or bad?
– Is soy good or bad?
– Will a vegetarian diet make me healthier?
– Can I get tasty food?

Across North America, cohousing communities, the 21st century version of the village, are providing a new and heart warming way to live. These communities express many ideals such as trying to leave a lighter ecological footprint, share meals (vegetarian and non-vegetarian), learning to live with compassion for other beings, and finding safe and happy ways to live in community.
In this beautifully visual presentation, Vesanto Melina will introduce you to the concept of cohousing, touch on existing communities and present features of WindSong Cohousing Community near Vancouver, British Columbia, where she lived for almost 2 decades  and Vancouver Cohousing, where she and Cam continue to appreciate being part of part of the community.

Quotes about Vesanto as a speaker

“Your talk inspired people at the Lovin the Earth Climate Action Fair. We heard you described as “knowledgeable”, passionate”, and we would add “spirited”, “heartfelt”, and “hard-hitting”. We admire how you spoke your truth and delivered powerful messages to inform and motivate the audience. And we appreciate your reminding us of the importance of dietary choice. With gratitude,
 Oliver Lane, Executive Director, SPEC (Society Promoting Environmental Conservation)

“It is beyond simple words of thanks to you for an outstanding speaker series. Your sessions were heard by hundreds of dietitians across Canada and the evaluations that have been returned continue to show how well received you were as a speaker. Kindest regards and many thanks! ”
   Corinne Eisenbraun, Dietitians of Canada

“An extra thank you to Vesanto for her presentation—we are truly privileged to have such an acclaimed author speak to our group!”
     Patricia Tallman on behalf of the Langley Herbivores

“Thank you for making the finale of the festival a huge success.”
     Chris Gay, Raw on the Rawk Festival, Salt Spring Island

We have heard you described as “knowledgeable”, “passionate”, and “inspiring”. We agree with these comments and to them would add “spirited”, heartfelt” and “hard hitting”. We admired how you spoke your truth and delivered powerful messages to inform and motivate the audience. And we appreciate your reminding us of the importance of dietary choice.
With gratitude,
     Oliver,  CEO Society Promoting Environmental Conservation (SPEC)


“Informative, educational & inspiring.”
“I thought this session was great! There was so much to learn about the vegan diet”
“Very informative. Vesanto was very clear on all points and very easy to follow. She also made it enjoyable and was a pleasure to listen to.”
“Very interesting. Great speaker. Taking useful information back with me to apply to my work & family.”
“Very interesting; the speaker was so knowledgeable”
“Very fact based; I learned about websites to learn from and research. Convinced me to explore vegan options”
“Very informative. Vesanto was very clear on all points and very easy to follow. She also made it enjoyable and was a pleasure to listen to.”
“Very good session. There was so much information and presented in a comprehensive manner.”
“Was happy to learn about the health benefits of a vegan diet in relation to heart health and other chronic illnesses.”
“Very informative, very knowledgeable on food, good speaker, easy to understand and listen to.”
     Evaluation comments from Executive Chefs, Nutrition Managers, and Supervisors, CPS Clinical Day, Aramark