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The Plant-based Academy is a collection of virtual-live plant-based educational programs brought to you by Plant-based Lifestyle Medical Expert, Jim Loomis, MD and plant-based chef and certified health and wellness coach, Caryn Dugan.

The Center for Plant-based Living is embarking on a month-long campaign in January 2021 to better help connect businesses who offer plant-based food + goods with people who are seeking them. They are highlighting a new STL resource every day on their Instagram and Facebook accounts. We will keep a running tab here.

Because there is so much information out there, we want to present the topics that you are most curious about. Typically, I find those to be: weight loss type 2 diabetes gut health / immune enhancement

Because of COVID-19, I closed the Center for Plant-based Living's doors on the afternoon of March 16. I spent the evening at the shop refunding each and every registered person, one by one, for the upcoming classes and programs. Slowly but surely, I felt my new little business slipping away.

"...Even before we opened the brick+mortar location, I knew we’d have to digitize to scale the operation, but I certainly did not think it would be 7 months into it. ..."

Over the past 7 months I have often thought about how all of those lessons will help me in the future - there has to be more than just learning how to do something. What muscles did I strengthen enough to get me though the next "oh shit" moments?

Please excuse the messy hair and the red eyes. It’s been a helluva day. All of us small (and large) businesses are hurting from this, but with the amount of immune compromised people who come into my shop to learn how to help themselves, I cannot take the risk of them becoming infected. Our 80% alcohol cleaning solution and new serving guidelines can only do so much. Fear of this virus has no business in my business. We’ll see you on the other side of that bell curve. Please be well. caryn

“People want to know the why,” explains Dugan. “Unless you know why you’re doing something, there’s not a big motivator. … Come in and learn. That’s why I offer the programs.” That about sums it up! Thank you to Emily Wasserman for writing such poetic words about our shop and thank you to Judd Demaline for capturing us so beautifully. And- of course to a long time friend and publisher, Cat Neville for the kind and inspiring words in your Letter from the Publisher. xo I hope you enjoy the read.

ST. LOUIS - Mastering Diabetes is an online coaching platform for people living with all forms of diabetes that focuses on low-fat plant-based whole-food nutrition. Caryn Dugan owner of Center for Plant-based Living along with Dr. Cyrus Khambatta and Robby Barbaro joined Fox 2 to discuss the Center for Plant-based Living "Give Back Sessions".

In 2011, the same year I founded STL Veg Girl, I had a crazy thought, that someday there should be one place, a building a center where you could learn about what a plant-based diet is, how and why that might be a good thing in your life and where you can find continual: resources, education, inspiration, motivation and support. In 2017, still no such place existed, so I started saving. In early 2019 the perfect little space opened in downtown Kirkwood (A bustling neighborhood in the middle of St. Louis, MO) and I grabbed it.