In early 2012, Casey Persohn, Daviess Community Hospital’s Registered Dietitian, spearheaded a campaign to help hospital employees find better health and improved wellness. Her search for a dynamic, entertaining and effective employee wellness program led her to a program called DIET FREE. A 10-week video seminar program that focuses on nutrition, fitness and healthy lifestyle changes, Persohn used DIET FREE to help hospital employees embark on a life-improving quest to better health and wellness.
Ninety Daviess Community Hospital employees participated in the hospital’s first 10-week program. At the program’s close, participants saw an average weight loss of 5.5 pounds and during the 10 weeks, they experienced a continued increase in their physical activity and in their fruit and vegetable intake. Their results as well as the positive feedback from the program, helped Persohn and the hospital make the decision to offer the next program series to the community.
Daviess Community Hospital will kick-off the next session of DIET FREE at a community-wide celebration at 7 p.m. on Thursday, September 6 at the Washington High School Auditorium. At that event, Zonya Foco, the author of the program will do a live presentation of “Living DIET FREE!” The public is invited to attend the free event – which includes free health screenings sponsored by Daviess Community Hospital from 6 to 6:45 p.m..
Like Persohn, Zonya Foco is a Registered Dietitian (RD). She is also a Certified Health and Fitness Instructor (CHFI) and has earned the prestigious Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation. She is host of “Zonya’s Health Bites” on national public television, author of the DIET FREE Program, co-author of the DIET FREE novel, Water with Lemon, and author of Lickety-Split Meals cookbook. She has also worked with Bob Greene as a guest presenter for “Oprah & Bob’s Best Life Challenge,” providing entertaining and educational cooking presentations. Before launching her professional speaking and writing career, she worked for eight years as a clinical nutritionist for the Michigan Heart and Vascular Institute of St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor, MI.
“She is an exciting, vital and unforgettable speaker,” says Persohn. “She has made it her mission to make nutrition and fitness exciting, fun and life-changing, and she is a life force for her and for dietitians and other health educator’s cause – healthy eating. She is a champion of the diet down-trodden and knows the value of engaging her audiences. “
“Those who attend will be inspired,” added Persohn.
For further details or information, contact Casey Persohn, RD, at Daviess Community Hospital at (812) 257-7559 or cpersohn@dchosp.org. | 
Zonya Foco, Registered Dietitian
and author of DIET FREE |