CHICAGO—The Salaam Community Wellness Center in Chicago held its 3rd Annual Integrative Health and Wellness Expo on August 24. The expo offered various vendors, a food demonstration presented by a chef, and a health presentation.
Dr. Constance Shabazz is co-founder of the wellness center. “We have practitioners who practice non-Western modalities, not practicing alternatively to Western medicine.
Our phrase is, ‘we use the best of Western and non-Western,’ which makes it integrative. The Salaam Community Wellness Center is more than a health center, it is a safe environment that Allah (God) has blessed us to be able to create,” Dr. Shabazz explained.
“Right now, the mainstream health system is not a system. A system works together just like the organs in our body. When the organs do not work together then we have ‘dis-ease,’ so we have a ‘dis-eased’ health care system. But what the Salaam Community Wellness Center is trying to do, is truly create a system of health and wellness,” she added.
“I thank Allah (God) for another successful gathering of community outreach. We brought local vendors from around the city of Chicago to showcase what we are doing right here at the Salaam Community Wellness Center.
We are grateful to have this center in West Woodlawn and we are being an Islamic ecosystem,” stated entrepreneur Akbar Kurt Muhammad, who is also a co-founder of the Salaam Community Wellness Center.
Dr. Terry Mason, former commissioner of the Chicago Department of Health, presented information on how food directly affects health. Dr. Mason stated, “You should know that the thing that controls what diseases you get more than anything else, is what you put into your mouth. It is just that simple.
All intelligent people will grow their own food. This way you would know that the food is not contaminated with harmful chemicals. When we eat out of God’s pharmacy, food grown from the earth, we will not eat very much man-made food from a lab. Unless we grow our own food, we really do not know what we are eating,” he said.
Chef Maria Fernandez presented live demonstrations at the Eat to Live Urban Farm: Paradise Garden Food is Medicine, which is next door to the wellness center. She used fresh organic basil from the garden among other ingredients to demonstrate how to make a healthy grilled cheese. During the demonstration, she explained the health benefits of each ingredient used.
Community residents enjoyed the information that was presented.
Nikitta Foston is a Zumba instructor. “Dr. Shabazz has always been an instrument of better health and community, and it is wonderful to see her bridge both worlds. I respect what Dr. Shabazz is doing and what she is destined to do,” said Ms. Foston.
Mandene T. Muhammad is a member of C.R.O.E. (Coalition for the Remembrance of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad). “I am enjoying myself at this expo, and this is something that is needed in the community.
We really have to take care of our health as the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad stressed to us through his Teachings and both of his books, ‘How To Eat To Live, Book I, II’” he told The Final Call.
“It is vitally important for not just this community but for people of faith, Muslims in particular to talk about how we can better serve our communities and how to think about health in more creative ways.
Think about how we can take our health into our hands; lowering stress, meditation, yoga, acupuncture, and other natural modalities that can be implemented at home,” said Imam Tariq El-Amin of Chicago’s Masjid Al-Taqwa.
In the tradition of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon Him), the simplest charity is a smile. What is it to extend on that? To extend on that is to give people a reason to smile. Our health is the most important. This expo is a living and breathing invitation to Islam because Islam is good health,” he said.
—Shawntell Muhammad, Contributing Writer
