About Us
Our Vision
A healthy future for ourselves and our community
At Lotus Health Foundation, we are dedicated to modeling and promoting healthy lifestyles to help individuals reduce their suffering from chronic diseases. The lotus flower, a symbol of purity, resilience, and growth, perfectly embodies our mission.
Our Mission
Deliver evidence-based education
Lotus Health Foundation’s mission is to provide evidence-based education to promote healthy lifestyle management that empowers individuals to successfully manage and prevent chronic illness, reduce medical interventions and decrease medical costs. LHF will deliver culturally-sensitive and responsive education for all. We will operate with transparency, integrity, and honesty with all providers, clients, and members of the public.
The Power of Lifestyle of Medicine
Chronic health conditions account for the majority of the health care costs while greatly impacting the quality of life.
Chronic health conditions, such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and arthritis account for the majority of the health care costs while greatly impacting the quality of life. According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 10% of US population has diabetes or prediabetes. It is the seventh leading cause of death in the US with an annual cost of $500 billion. Similar to other chronic conditions, the costs include the direct care, the complications, the loss of work productivity, and the reduced quality of life.
The current treatments for those chronic conditions have been medications, surgeries, and supportive modalities. They treat the symptoms but not the root causes. It is estimated that 80% of the chronic health conditions are lifestyle related. Much research has shown that adopting a healthy lifestyle is as effective, if not more effective, than current treatment options. More importantly, adopting a healthy lifestyle can frequently arrest, reduce, or even reverse multiple chronic conditions.
Unfortunately, lifestyle medicine and components of a healthy lifestyle are rarely included in health care programs. When health care providers are not educated on the concept of lifestyle medicine, or when they are suffering from the chronic conditions, it is hard to image how they can teach the concept of lifestyle medicine to their patients and reverse the epidemic of chronic health conditions.
The Lotus Health Foundation (LHF) is an emerging nonprofit prepared to undertake this task. Through education, research, and collaborations with community partners, LHF seeks to improve health and wellness of the communities.
Meet Our Board
Mei Liu
MS, MBA, Certified CHIP Facilitator, Founder and President
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Mei (Meiping) Liu is the Founder and President of the Lotus Health Foundation and the Chief Financial Officer of Rochester Clinic, PLC, where she champions evidence‑based lifestyle medicine as a powerful approach to preventing and reversing chronic disease. She holds a Master’s Degree in Health Care Administration and an MBA from Des Moines University and Drake University.
A certified Complete Health Improvement Program (CHIP) facilitator since 2014, Mei helped introduce lifestyle‑medicine education to the Rochester community in 2015. After witnessing remarkable improvements among more than 100 CHIP participants, she founded the Lotus Health Foundation in 2015 to expand access to culturally responsive, evidence‑based wellness education.
Mei is widely recognized for her leadership in community health advocacy, working to reduce health disparities and support underserved populations. She collaborates with local organizations, health systems, and civic groups to build a healthier and more resilient community. Her service includes grassroots initiatives, where she organizes volunteers to prepare monthly whole‑food, plant‑based meals for families at the Ronald McDonald House and for mothers and children in the Jeremiah Program.
She also partners with community organizations supporting individuals in recovery from addiction and mental health challenges, integrating WFPB nutrition–centered lifestyle medicine into recovery‑focused programs to promote physical, emotional, and cognitive healing.
As a dedicated advocate of the Food is Medicine movement, Mei co‑founded the FARMacyRx Community Garden, which provides thousands of pounds of fresh produce annually to community members and organizations. She also leads volunteers and local medical students in cultivating and maintaining the garden, fostering hands‑on learning, intergenerational engagement, and deeper community connection.
Guiding all of her work is Mei’s personal motto:
“If I save one person’s life, that person may turn around to save a whole village.”
This belief fuels her commitment to empowering individuals, strengthening communities, and creating ripples of healing that extend far beyond any single program.
Mei’s influence extends through co‑hosting the Healing Steps to Wellness with Dr. J and Mei podcast with Dr. Jengyu Lai, where they share practical insights on nutrition, movement, emotional well‑being, sleep, and community support. Her contributions have been highlighted in community events, media stories, symposiums, and collaborations with civic leaders, underscoring her role in building a healthier, more vibrant “Med City.”
Outside her professional endeavors, Mei enjoys cooking and gardening, passions she integrates into her outreach to help others cultivate joyful, sustainable, whole‑person health.
Jengyu Lai
DPM, DipACLM, FAPWHc
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Dr. Jengyu Lai serves as a board member of the Lotus Health Foundation.
Dr. Lai is the Chief Manager of Rochester Clinic and has been providing podiatric and wound care for almost two decades. He earned his DPM (Doctor of Podiatric Medicine) at the College of Podiatric Medicine at Des Moines University in Iowa. After completing a fellowship in Biomechanics Research and a residency in podiatric orthopedics, he accepted a fellowship in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.
Dr. Lai takes a holistic approach to treating common foot and ankle problems. Since many of those problems are associated with chronic diseases, such as diabetes and obesity, he became interested in lifestyle medicine to treat the root cause instead of managing symptoms with medications.
By serving on the LHF board, Dr. Lai hopes to spread the awareness of the importance of a healthy lifestyle.
Mary Ernst Larson
BS, LMT (retired)
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Mary lives in the Twin Cities and is one of the founding members of PlantPureMN, a group of PCRM Building Healthy Communities (formerly Plant Pure Communities Pods). After doing laboratory research for over 10 years she pivoted to a more hands on approach to the science of health and well being and spent over 25 years doing therapeutic massage.
A background in health and wellness along with a strong family history of chronic disease brought her to a plant based lifestyle over a decade ago. A love of cooking, nutrition, health, science, and community building combine to make Mary passionate about things like Lotus Health Foundation’s ‘Community of Wellness’ events.
Always looking to learn more about nutrition and healthy lifestyle, or try a new recipe, she has taken CHIP facilitator training, Dr. Klaper’s Moving Medicine Forward, T. Colin Campbell’s Plant Based Nutrition, Rouxbe’s Intro to Plant-Based Cooking, and is currently enrolled in Rouxbe’s Professional Professional Plant-Based Chef course.
Through a plant based approach to nutrition and an active lifestyle Mary hopes to ‘square the curve’ for herself and members of the community; lengthening not only lifespan, but as importantly, healthspan!
Steve Thompson
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In 2016, Steve retired from a successful career in retail and financial services.
That year, he was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. He researched alternative treatments to medication and discovered a dietary pattern known as whole food plant-based eating. He modified his diet and was able to reverse his type 2 diabetes and lose 50 pounds. This discovery ignited his passion to dedicate his retirement years to disseminating the information that most chronic diseases can be prevented and reversed in many instances. During his retirement, he returned to the University of Minnesota and completed a Bachelor of Science in Public Health Nutrition. In 2018, Steve established a local chapter of the non-profit organization Building Healthy Communities, an action network of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, in Minneapolis. This organization focuses on educating the public about healthy eating and supporting individuals seeking to make dietary changes. It has expanded to include five chapters in Minnesota. Additionally, Steve serves on the board of Mazahua Valley Ministries and volunteers at The Hospitality Center.
Rhonda Himle
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With 31 years of nursing experience, including 24 years at Mayo Clinic, I am deeply committed to patient care and the power of lifestyle medicine. Passionate about empowering individuals to take charge of their health through evidence-based lifestyle changes.
Denise Stegall
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With 25 years of experience in wellness, Denise Stegall is an expert in nutrition, mindset, and coaching. An amateur chef with a professional plant-based certification, she helps women on their menopause journey rediscover energy, purpose, and joy. As the founder of Healthy Living with Denise and the author of the international best-sellers, Healthy Living, Happy Life and Healthy Thinking, Happy Life, Denise empowers high-achieving women to create personalized lifestyles that support longevity and well-being.
Her approach blends whole, delicious foods (yes, dessert is always on the menu!) with mindset shifts to overcome self-doubt and limiting beliefs. Denise’s mission is clear: to help you move better, feel better, and live better—so you can thrive with confidence and vitality for years to come.
Mary Scmidt
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Early Life and Education
Mary grew up in a small farming community in western Illinois. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Education, which laid the foundation for her career and community involvement.
Career at Mayo Clinic
Mary worked for 15 years in the Human Resources Department at the Mayo Clinic, serving as a Supervisor and Audit Analyst. She retired from her position in December 2014.
Church and Community Involvement
Active in her church, Mary held the role of Co-Chair for the Staff Parish Relations Team and participated as a choir member. After retiring, she contributed to the church office, primarily in the Office Manager’s office. Her responsibilities included scheduling church activities, managing records, performing data entry, compiling reports, and creating various documents. Drawing from her experience at Mayo Clinic, she wrote office procedures and trained new Office Managers.
Mary also volunteers for Saturday Noon Meals and leads the flower garden ministry team, focusing on the incorporation of pollinators and native plants into the church landscape. As a member of the EarthKeepers team, she advocates for more environmentally friendly practices within the church community.
United Women of Faith (UWF) Leadership
Mary volunteered as a technical advisor and later became co-chair, serving as District Treasurer for the United Women of Faith (UWF). UWF is an international organization dedicated to justice through compassionate service and advocacy for women, children, and youth; addressing issues such as racial and gender injustice, economic inequality, and climate concerns.
Personal Wellness and Advocacy
Mary’s family history of chronic disease and obesity motivated her to pursue a healthier lifestyle during her time at Mayo Clinic. When the Dan Abraham Healthy Living Center opened in 2007, she participated in its nutrition and cooking programs. After retirement, she studied numerous nutritionbooks and enrolled in cooking classes offered through Community Education, where she learned about the CHIP program during a plant-based cooking session.
Inspired by Michael Greger’s How Not to Die, Mary deepened her commitment to wellness. She completed the CHIP program twice and enjoys volunteering with the Lotus Health Foundation as needed.
Nancy Halaska
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Nancy is a retired elementary school teacher with more than 30 years of experience in the field of education. She holds both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse.
Her commitment to wellness is grounded in focusing on fitness and a dedication to whole-food, plant-based nutrition. Nancy currently serves as a co-leader for Plant Based Rochester, a Building Healthy Communities initiative in partnership with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.
In retirement, she remains active through travel, gardening, and community volunteer work. Nancy believes that pursuing new adventures brings happiness.
Derek Salsbery
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Lotus Health Foundation provides evidence-based education to promote healthy lifestyle management that empowers individuals to successfully manage and prevent chronic illness, reduce medical interventions and decrease medical costs.
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Stay in Touch: (507) 218-3095 / [email protected] / 3070 Wellner Dr. NE, Rochester, MN 55906
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