The health fair held Friday afternoon at the Nancy J. Dembowski Community Center in Knox offered not just a variety of health screenings but a cornucopia of healthy food options as well. Laura Boyd, culinary coordinator for IU Health Starke Hospital, explained that the hospital provided health alternatives to everyday food, including vegetarian sloppy joes made with vegetarian crumble, Sweet Baby Ray’s barbecue sauce, and sautéed onions. Boyd said the sloppy joes contain about half the fat as a typical burger and said they are not only completely healthy but delicious too.
On top of that, Boyd said the hospital provided sugar-free diet cheesecake, an item that they serve at the hospital and can be purchased in supermarkets, as well as other gluten-free items.
During the health fair, members of the hospital staff offered several free screenings, including blood pressure, blood sugar, osteoporosis, oral cancer and take-home screening kits to check for colorectal cancer. Attendees also received a free gift, and refreshments were offered.
