The Raw Truth

Though Sarasota has many things to be proud of (the great weather, the pristine beaches, the scores of art galleries and theatres), one of our most recent bright spots is a girl who just wanted to dress up for Halloween. A few years ago, when Jenna Norwood tried to fit into a showgirl costume, she didn't like what she saw in the mirror. So she took her journey to a better figure and turned it into a small empire.

Jenna has been a vegetarian for most of her life, but admitted to herself that she was a junk food vegetarian, binging on pizza, chocolate, french fries and other foods that don't exactly scream "healthy." Jenna started doing her research on a way to clean up her diet and raise her energy. She chronicled her choice to wellness in the documentary "Supercharge Me: 30 Days Raw."

An answer to "Super Size Me," the biting commentary (no pun intended) by Morgan Spulock on the way fast food (McDonald's in general) is largely responsible for our country's obesity problem, Jenna decided to take her film in another direction. Instead of eating nothing but fast food for 30 days, she ate nothing but raw food. A fan favorite and award winner at several film festivals, "Supercharge Me: 30 Days Raw" opened up the door for Jenna to develop her own podcast of raw food recipes and even open her own raw food restaurant in Sarasota called Vibe Cuisine.

Sometimes called "Rachel Raw," Jenna is truly making a name for herself and raising the consciousness of the community toward a healthier diet and a more sustainable planet. She's been featured in over a dozen newspapers and blogs, radio, and television. For more information on Jenna, "Supercharge Me: 30 Days Raw," or to find some really great raw food recipies, visit her at www.jennanorwood.com.

Tell her Steve says "Hi."