Too sweet to handle

Holistic nutritionist consumes refined sugar, alternative medicine license now under review

By Jillian McMullen, Staff Writer

A tribunal met early this morning to deliberate the future of Vancouver holistic nutritionist Bianca Greene. Greene, who has been working in the health consciousness industry for the last four years, allegedly consumed refined sugar in the form of granola on September 17 while out to brunch at a café in Kitsilano. She is also alleged to have shared said cereal with Kenneth Bends, a local yoga instructor.

The tribunal is now deciding whether or not to revoke Greene’s alternative medicine license. Jeremy Laituse, juror and president of the Vancouver School for Natural Health Care, explained to the Other Press in a phone interview that while there currently exists no governmental standards for holistic nutritionists, consultants must respect the code of ethics learned at his school.

“We’re concerned about Ms. Greene’s commitment to natural nutrition and healthy lifestyle choices,” said Laituse. “We provide some of the best training possible to our students. When you receive an alternative medicine license from VSNHC, it’s supposed to really mean something. Ms. Greene only received her license in 2013, so we find it difficult to believe that she has already forgotten how to differentiate between whole and processed foods.”

Greene has maintained her innocence throughout her review. In Greene’s account of the event, upon entering the establishment she inquired what the café used to sweeten their pastries. The waitress serving her explained they were sweetened with only the finest fair-trade, sustainably-sourced, raw coconut sugar. Greene then assumed all items would be made similarly; however, the café instead uses high-fructose corn syrup to make their granola.

“You know what they say about assuming,” stated Laituse.

Kenneth Bends, the victim of Greene’s oversight, explained to the Other Press outside the tribunal how concerned he now is about the syrup’s presence in his body, stating “That stuff is just as addictive as any drug. I struggled with my health a lot in my youth. I cut out refined sugars 10 years ago and I’ve been on the straight and narrow ever since, but I can feel the syrup really affecting my daily practice.” Bends added that he had felt safe around Greene because of her professional training, so he didn’t think to question her dietary choices.

“This has really affected our friendship. When I see her walk into the studio for one of my classes, a shiver goes up my spine. Like, how do you betray a friend like that? My body is a temple and she treated it like dumpster.”

The tribunal will announce its decision next week.