Unleashing Health and Flavor: The Power of Culinary Medicine

I am excited to share with you this short clip about the transformative power of culinary medicine. I recently had the privilege keynoting the 2500+ attendee A4M conference in Orlando, Florida, and although not a TED talk, the energy and excitement in the room for the power of culinary medicine were reminiscent of one.

Culinary medicine blends the art of cooking with the science of medicine to create and offer high quality meals and foods and beverages to help prevent and treat disease. ?

In my presentation, I recounted the story of a patient who struggled with managing diabetes despite medication. By introducing culinary medicine principles, such as recipe modification and practical cooking techniques, we witnessed a remarkable improvement in her blood sugar control and overall well-being.?

These changes are not unique— just this week the Journal of the American Heart Association shows that produce prescriptions for patients with diabetes and food insecurity can both prevent heart attacks and save money— in fact, they’re likely to be cost-effective in as little as five years. ?

I also described patients who didn’t eat a significantly better anti-diabetes diet (my acronym for anti-inflammatory foods is BITES: (berries, Indian spices, tea, edamame and salmon), and fewer ultraprocessed foods (most breads, pastas, cereals, commercial foods).?I gave clinicians ways that I provide ongoing support and guidance when patients struggle. Using culinary medicine to fight inflammation from the ground up, when time and money and culinary skill are all short requires patience, persistence, shortcuts and empathy.

From humble beginnings with only one medical school (SUNY-Upstate/Syracuse) offering culinary medicine in 2003, we have seen tremendous growth. Now, culinary medicine is integrated into the curriculum of ~70% of medical schools across the United States. This slow but steady expansion is a testament to the growing recognition by curriculum committees and intrepid faculty member of the vital role that food plays in health, especially in fighting chronic disease, especially diseases of inflammation (from arthritis to Alzheimer’s to inflammatory bowel disease and even obesity, inflammation is the root cause of most chronic disease).?

The visibility and progression of culinary medicine also demonstrates a shifting mindset among clinicians, who have taken their clues from patients, from Food TV, from transformative story and from our own lives.?

But too many clinicians struggle to walk the talk of healthful lifestyles. Though the life of a clinician in the U.S. has become more stressful and more prone to burnout—over 50% of clinicians have signs of burnout, with double the suicide rate of the general public— than ever before, those of us who care for patients have a powerful secret weapon: our own ability to take care of ourselves well.

This means using food as medicine for our own mental and physical health, not just for patients and their families.?We need to be seen in farmer’s markets and on hiking trails, to be mindful of our sleep needs and alcohol consumption, to develop mindfulness practices, to eat optimally not grab and go, and to get our daily dose of nature exposure and experience.

After my presentation, I was surprised to have colleagues crowd around, seeking ways to incorporate culinary medicine into their own practice and lives. The demand for speakers in this field has skyrocketed, and this immense interest signifies the bright future of culinary medicine.

It’s possible we may witness a paradigm shift about food and health inside of insurers and corporations over the next 20 years. A greater focus on nutrition and food as medicine— not just as prevention, but as treatment—e.g., with food and meals on formularies, and for optimal performance at work. If we make the healthy choice the easy, truly delicious choice, affordably, and conveniently.

The captivating world of culinary medicine holds immense promise for transforming patient outcomes and revolutionizing healthcare, while celebrating flavor, texture, aroma and color of great food. I invite all of you to join me on this extraordinary path towards unleashing health and well-being through culinary medicine.