New Culinary Medicine program empowers Cincinnatians to eat healthier

The culinary medicine team offers education on the health benefits of a plant-based eating pattern which maximizes the consumption of nutrient-dense plant foods by encouraging vegetables, fruits, beans, peas, lentils, soybeans, seeds and nuts and minimizing the consumption of processed foods, oils, and animal foods.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of adults in Ohio who meet the recommended daily intake of fruits is 9.5%, and only 7.4% of vegetables. Mladen Golubic, MD, PhD, medical director for the Osher Center for Integrative Health explains, "In Ohio, research shows more than 90% of people do not meet the recommended daily intake of fruits and vegetables. This is concerning because the evidence shows we should be eating 10+ daily servings, more than the recommendation from the CDC."

The Osher Center for Integrative Health's new Culinary Medicine program offers something for everyone. 

A new three-part virtual series Cooking for Optimal Health will run February 21, March 21, and April 18 from 6-7:30 p.m. via zoom. The series will teach the science and evidence behind plant-based eating patterns and the benefits to your health, in addition to a healthy cooking demonstration. Recipes include lavish lentil stew, vibrant brussel sprout kimchi, and design-your-own protein bars/balls.

The Osher Center is also hosting Plant-Based Power Hour with Chef Stephanie Michalak-White, EdD, a free virtual event that will teach basic knife skills and knife safety, how to choose the right ingredients for a balanced and filling lunch, and how to properly package your meal for optimal freshness.

Collaborations with community organizations throughout Cincinnati offer healthy hands-on cooking experiences including the Turner Farm Teaching Kitchen and LaSoupe. Diva Jonatan, nurse practitioner, of the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism in the Department of Internal Medicine at the UC College of Medicine, collaborated with LaSoupe to bring four monthly kitchen-based classes for Centering diabetes and pre-diabetes patients to learn how to cook healthy, nutritious meals. According to Jonatan, patients in this program saw their A1C, a common blood test used to diagnose diabetes, drop on average of 2% within 12 months of healthy food and lifestyle changes. 

Pamela Sharpe, nurse practitioner, recently joined the Osher Center for Integrative Health team, bringing her experience as a trained chef to her patients. Born out of her desire to create higher-quality nutritional meals for her family and friends who were adversely affected by chronic health and lifestyle-related conditions, Sharpe's clinical practice focuses on providing patients with a personalized self-care plan to implement and sustain a healthier lifestyle.

Integrative healthcare emphasizes multimodal interventions and a focus on whole-person health including a whole-food, plant-predominant eating pattern, physical activity, restorative sleep, stress management, avoidance of risky substances and positive social connections.

Integrative health practices, such as healthy nutrition, movement, and mindfulness meditation, have been shown to positively impact both chronic and acute conditions to improve health outcomes. According to the World Health Organization, one-third of deaths worldwide are from cardiovascular disease; while lifestyle modifications could prevent 80% of coronary heart disease, 90% of type 2 diabetes, and 70% of colon cancer and stroke according to the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.