Natural Health restaurant offering classes to help smokers kick the habit

Smoking cessation classes for people looking to kick the habit will begin next week at Country Life Natural Health Food Store and Vegetarian Restaurant.

The classes will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 6-10 at the restaurant on 1217 Eberhart Ave. Presenters will be Ron Porterfield, education director at Uchee Pines Institute, and John Champen, the institute's chaplain.

The classes are part of a health series that the restaurant started in September focusing on vegan cuisine and natural health remedies. Other events for the month of December will include a vegan demonstration workshop at 5 p.m. Dec. 17. Organizers also will hold a Winter Health Session at Uchee Pines Lifestyle Center in Seale, Ala., on Dec. 13-23.

Leslie Ann Cecere, the restaurant's customer service manager, said December is a time when many people are re-evaluating their lives, and the smoking cessation classes will help them turn over a new leaf.

"Our main purpose here is to assist the community to make the best choices so they can have total health -- not just physical health, which we tend to focus on more, but also mental, emotional and spiritual health," she said. "So overcoming any type of addiction is not only going to free the body physically, but it is also going to set the person free in their mind emotionally so they can be more successful in their home, in their career, so it can benefit their home life, the community and their family."

The total cost for the smoking cessation classes is $25.

"However, we don't want anyone to be held back from participating simply because of lack of funds," Cecere said. "So, if someone sincerely has the desire to overcome in this area, but truly can't afford it, we do have resources to assist with a portion of it, or all of it if needed, so they can participate."

The cost for the vegan registration workshop on Dec. 17 is $10.

For details about the Dec. 17 Winter Health Session at Uchee Pines, call 334-855-4764.

Alva James-Johnson, 706-571-8521. Reach her on Facebook at AlvaJamesJohnsonLedger.

This story was originally published November 29, 2015 at 10:10 PM with the headline "Natural Health restaurant offering classes to help smokers kick the habit ."