One local physician has combined her love of cooking, her long-term interest in nutrition, and her medical knowledge to create a culinary medicine practice.
I sat down with Susan Warner, founder of Seasoned MD, to learn about this new field of culinary medicine and how we can apply it to our lives.
“Culinary medicine is the merger of medical knowledge, nutrition, and culinary skill. Basically, it’s about food. Food is medicine. Food has the power to destroy health or bring wellness. It’s taking what we know as doctors about medical science and nutrition and converting it into a way to talk to patients about real food.”
Through her business Seasoned MD, Susan trains other physicians and medical residents. But she has some tips we can all use.
“First, follow a Mediterranean-style diet, this is what I was taught at the Goldring Center for Culinary Medicine at Tulane University. Secondly, have more whole foods and less processed foods. Thirdly, eat mostly plants, less meat, good fats, and good carbs. And finally, number four, portion control. That sounds so simple yet it can be so difficult. We as a community really need to be taught and that’s why I started Seasoned MD.”
If you are wondering what exactly is a Mediterranean Diet, here is Susan’s explanation.
“The Mediterranean Diet is based on nine principles. Consuming more fruits and vegetables, more whole grains, more fish, and more good unsaturated fats. It also includes limiting dairy, meat, and alcohol consumption.”
It sounds like we need to look at food in a different light and how it effects are health and well-being.
“Food is health, medicine, and life. Share it with the ones you love.”
This is Jennifer Chandler with The Weekly Dish. Eat Well!
Seasoned MD was created to improve the health and well-being of the community through Culinary Medicine education to groups, medical practices, and businesses about disease and its prevention by evidence-based nutrition and how to plan and prepare nutritious, delicious food.
For more information about Seasoned MD and Dr. Susan Warner, visit www.seasonedmd.com.
