Until I read about the pending opening of a Clean Eatz franchise in Huntington over the summer, I had never heard of the North Carolina-based restaurant chain. I was impressed with their proclamation that menu items are a maximum 500 calories, and that the owners’ goal is to help people adjust to a healthy lifestyle.…
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The recent story that an apple a day may not keep the doctor makes for good headlines, but I beg to differ. There is more to this story than meets the casual eye. Granted, researchers who followed more than 8,000 people over a three-year period found those who ate an apple daily didn’t have significantly…
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The connections between Pastor Rick Warren and me are thin as a reed. We have never met and—considering his schedule—aren’t likely to in the future. Yet a few links exist, starting with me writing a couple stories for the Purpose Driven web site, back when his mega-bestseller had created a mini-publishing boom at Saddleback Church.…
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By Ken Walker – While it isn’t likely to attract national media attention, the Try This Conference at West Virginia Wesleyan College June 6-7 is a remarkable story of the grassroots awakening of healthy lifestyles in the state. One of the most tangible signs is the conference selling out in advance. The 350 attendees already…
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When I interviewed Steve Willis nearly four years ago for a story about the filming of the final episode of Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, I had no idea the assignment would lead to a book. Until Steve later reminded me of it, I had forgotten an off-handed remark I made that day. After appearing on…
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By Ken Walker- Although I have written more than 3,500 articles for various publications and web sites over the past 25-plus years, I rarely am the subject of a story. And since I did the interview during a hectic book editing deadline, I had almost forgotten that the latest issue of Energy Times was carrying…
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By Ken Walker- I recently commented on an apology by Thom Rainer for old material produced by LifeWay Christian Resources that had offended the Asian-American community. However, another of his recent posts caught my attention for a different reason. I could have written “Confessions of an Obese Christian” for many years, all the while feeling…
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By Ken Walker- Recently I attended a free seminar on men’s health and nutrition at Huntington’s Kitchen. The life of this sparkling facility originated as the cooking studio during filming of the ABC Network’s Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution. While this was only the latest of several visits to this downtown storefront space, this trip gave…
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By Ken Walker- I used to hate the cliché, “When life hands you lemons, make lemonade.” However, after watching Huntington making lemonade in recent years, I am a bit fonder of this saying. The lemon came in the form of national headlines labeling us the “nation’s fattest city,” based on a Centers for Disease Control…
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By Ken Walker- Obesity remains a problem in West Virginia and a dozen other states, according to a story on the most recent annual study by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Five years ago, a CDC report on the Huntington area’s nation-leading problems with obesity and its related diseases prompted grassroots action, as well…
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