Sarasota-based fitness and healthy lifestyle advocate Heather Hackett-Kaufman recently became certified in Plant-Based Nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies, a program sponsored by Cornell University. Hackett-Kaufman and her husband, Dr. Ken Kaufman just completed a year developing Optamiz™, the first mobile phone app designed for scalable plant-based living. “The number of people who are curious about plant-based foods and healthier living is growing. There’s been a tremendous increase in plant-based food sales,” Hackett-Kaufman noted. “But many people don’t know where to start, or how to make the transition.” The Optamiz app, available in January 2022 for both iPhone and Android devices, is a central “source for restaurants, recipes, resources, products, and services to live a plant-based lifestyle for anyone, regardless of how casual or committed,” said Hackett-Kaufman. “It can help newbies learn about the basics of plant-based diets, while at the same time help experienced vegans find restaurants, products and more.” 

Hackett-Kaufman has been an outspoken advocate for plant-based diets, and recently published the “Plant-Based Jumpstart Manual”, a 70-page guide for anyone wanting to easily transition to a plant-based lifestyle. The Plant-Based Jumpstart Manual is free with the Optamiz app download. Heather Hackett-Kaufman and Dr. Kaufman are partners of Optamiz Health, Inc. and and Sarasota Sports Medicine in Sarasota, Florida. The Optamiz App is your source for restaurants, recipes, resources, products, and services to live a plant-based lifestyle, regardless of how casual or committed. Optamiz, “The App for Plant-Based Living” can be downloaded on Google Play as well as the Apple Store. For additional information or media inquiries, please email