A local woman wants to help people live a healthier life.

To do this, Bellevue resident Jennifer Colvin has started Vibrant Life, a business that teaches people about the health benefits of raw food.

“In 24 hours I promise you that you will feel a difference,” Colvin said. “Your body wants to be balanced.”

Colvin teaches hands-on classes in which clients learn how to create delicious raw food dishes. She also acts as a coach, calling clients to see how things are going and making suggestions if needed.

An introductory four-hour class teaches the basics of living on a raw food diet. She then coaches clients for four weeks after the class.

A raw diet consists of food that never enters an oven and is never heated above 115 degrees. Raw food advocates contend that heat kills the natural enzymes found in food. These enzymes improve the immune system and aid in healthy digestion.

Colvin has long worked in medical coding and billing.

“I see adults who are chronically ill and take all this medicine,” Colvin said. “I thought, ‘I should be teaching these people how to be healthier instead of sending them a bill.’”

Food can be medicine, she said.

Registered and licensed dietitian Carrie Hamady, who is the director of the undergraduate dietetics program at Bowling Green State University, said raw foods have their place in the American diet.

“Americans do not eat enough fruits and vegetables; we eat too much processed food,” Hamady said.

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