There are groups in the Christian County area that care about your health and nutrition. The people with the University of Illinois Extension office are making it their goal to spread the word about healthy diets and habits. Coming soon from the U of I Extension office and the LiveWell Wellness Center in Pana is the Summer Salsa Making class followed by the Cooking for Diabetics class.

Lisa Peterson is the Nutrition and Wellness Educator for the University of Illinois Extension and is truly in her element, providing useful knowledge and skills that will make preparing and maintaining your food easier. The classes will focus on natural ingredients and easy-to-follow steps. Salsa making is Thursday, July 13th from 11:30 A.M. to 1:00 P.M.

The U of I Extension Office serves four counties in the Central Illinois Area; Christian, Jersey, Macoupin, and Montgomery. The cooking classes are specially catered to the citizens in these communities. The citizens can be educated on proper portion sizes and how to make meals for one or two people.

A piece of these educational classes is learning how to preserve your food through canning. Fruits, vegetables, and meats, if stored properly can have a much longer shelf life. The U of I Extension office will teach these skills and even check pressure gauges for canning, free of charge.

Botulism is a food-borne illness that can attack the body's nerves and can potentially lead to death. Proper canning practices will eliminate the chance of Botulism spreading to your produce.

For information about food preservation visit, https://extension.illinois.edu/food/food-preservation.

The best way to contact Lisa Peterson is by email at, lap5981@illinois.edu/

For events and activities, this summer go to, extension.illinois.edu/cjmm.

Lisa Peterson appeared on the WTIM Morning Show as a guest.