Jaclyn Albin, MD, CCMS, DipABLM, is a board-certified pediatrician and internist. Additionally, Dr. Albin is board-certified in lifestyle medicine and is a certified culinary medicine specialist (CCMS). She serves on the national advisory board for the CCMS program and on committees within Health Meets Food and the Teaching Kitchen Collaborative. Dr. Albin studies the impact of culinary medicine classes on a variety of disease states and has published her work in interprofessional education in culinary medicine and community engagement.

From the beauty of growing food to transforming it into delicious, nutritious meals, Dr. Albin's personal story intertwines with her professional mission. In this enlightening conversation, Dr. Albin discusses the intersection of food, health, and empowerment. Offering practical models for physicians seeking to integrate culinary medicine into their practice, she champions its potential to reshape the future of patient care as it pertains to nutrition and changing dietary habits. Dr. Albin shares insights from her approaches, including teaching kitchens and community partnerships. She showcases the power of interdisciplinary collaboration in crafting personalized treatment plans centered around culinary medicine. Dr. Albin inspires healthcare professionals to embrace culinary medicine as a catalyst for enhancing patient outcomes and reducing physician burnout.

Resources:

"Culinary Medicine programs aim to improve nutrition education for doctors”: https://www.utsouthwestern.edu/newsroom/articles/year-2022/september-culinary-medicine-programs.html

Follow Dr. Jaclyn Albin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaclyn-albin-mp-doc

Diana Guevara is a dedicated Registered Dietitian committed to improving the health and well-being of underserved populations through innovative nutrition programs. Currently serving at UTHealth School of Public Health in Houston, TX, Diana implements community-facing, grant-funded culinary nutrition programming addressing nutritional literacy in underserved communities. Diana aims to impact the field of nutrition and public health through culinary medicine, health promotion, and disease prevention. Diana is bilingual in both English and Spanish.

Join us as Diana shares her journey from a childhood fascination with cooking and health, to her current role as a dietitian at UT Health Houston where she spearheads culinary nutrition training programs. Olivia and Diana explore the intersection of food, health, and community, highlighting initiatives like "Nourishing the Community Through Culinary Medicine," which empowers patients with diabetes to cook nutritious meals at home with a focus on hands-on learning and practical skills; And the “Nourish” program at UT Health Houston which takes a “seed to plate to prevention” approach to training dietetic interns, medical students, and other healthcare professionals on culinary medicine practices. Diana discusses the transformative impact of culinary medicine in healthcare settings and beyond, envisioning a future where food becomes a powerful tool for healing and wellness.

Resources:

Nourish UT Health Houston: https://sph.uth.edu/research/centers/dell/nourish/why-nourish

Nourish Instagram Page: https://www.instagram.com/nourishprogram?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

UT Health Houston Dietetic Internship Program: https://sph.uth.edu/research/centers/dell/dietetic-internship-program/

Follow Diana on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-guevara-mph-rd/

UT Health House Faculty Page: https://sph.uth.edu/research/centers/dell/faculty-member.htm?member=59bae12b-5e48-42bd-a538-3bad198ade8d

Christina Badaracco, MPH, RDN, LDN, is a healthcare consultant specializing in evidence-based nutrition and its integration into healthcare. She regularly writes, teaches, and presents about nutrition, culinary medicine, and sustainable agriculture. Her diverse roles include presidency at DC Metro Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and board membership in Slow Food DC. She holds an MPH from UC Berkeley and an AB in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Princeton University. She completed her dietetic internship at Massachusetts General Hospital and was selected as 2023 Emerging Dietetic Leader by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

In this podcast episode, Christina provides insights into the intersection of agriculture, nutrition, and health. Drawing from her background in environmental science and biology, she emphasizes the importance of improving the food system to enhance human health and environmental sustainability. Christina highlights the connection between the farm bill and healthcare, particularly through programs like produce prescriptions, which enable physicians to prescribe healthy food to patients. The discussion extends to culinary medicine and ways healthcare providers can support local food systems at the same time that they promote healthy eating habits. Christina encourages listeners to engage in learning, teaching, researching, and advocacy to support positive changes in food policy and healthcare practices. Additionally, she mentions her book, The Farm Bill: A Citizen's Guide, as a resource for diverse audiences interested in better understanding the complexities of agricultural policy and its impacts throughout our food system and society more broadly.

Resources:

www.christinabadaracco.com

The Farm Bill: A Citizen's Guide: https://islandpress.org/books/farm-bill#desc

“Six Health-Focused Fixes for SNAP”: https://thehealthcareblog.com/blog/2019/04/11/six-health-focused-fixes-for-snap/

Congressional Research Service farm bill reports: https://crsreports.congress.gov/search/#/?termsToSearch=farm%20bill&orderBy=Relevance

National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition: https://sustainableagriculture.net/publications/

Farm Action: https://farmaction.us/

USDA Farm Service Agency: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/farm-bill/index

Environmental Working Group Farm Subsidy Database: https://farm.ewg.org/

Yadira Garcia, a Dominican-American NYU graduate and trained Natural-foods Chef, is the founder of Happy Healthy Latina, INC. She champions food sovereignty and justice, nutrition education, and health equity in NYC. She has an extensive list of clients and has worked with Community-Based Organizations, Nonprofits, Private Universities, NYC Public Schools, Bronx & NYC Urban Farms, and Corporate organizations over the past eight years as a culturally relevant cooking, nutrition education, food justice, educational curriculum, workforce program development, and facilitator. As Head Chef Developer at Loisa, she has launched award-winning spice blends. Her impact extends to online platforms and television, including her cooking show "Naturally Yadi." Continuously partnering with like-minded individuals and organizations, Yadira strives to foster socially conscious programs addressing food access, sovereignty, and social justice. 

In this episode of Culinary Medicine Chats, Chef Yadi discusses the profound impact of utilizing food as a vehicle for justice and sovereignty. As the Director of Community Programming and Innovation at Corbin Hill, Yadi shares their team's mission to forge racial equity, nurture food sovereignty, and expand access through community-based partnerships. Their vision extends to building a sustainable network of Black, Indigenous, and Brown farmers, intertwining the food they serve to meet the needs of their community. Through intergenerational programming and a commitment to challenging existing narratives, Corbin Hill fosters knowledge exchange, honors culinary heritage, and champions data sovereignty. By cultivating meaningful partnerships, they provide food as medicine while navigating the complex system with determination.  

Resources:

Learn more about the Corbin Hill Food Project: https://corbinhillfoodproject.wpcomstaging.com/

Contact Corbin Hill Food Project: https://corbinhill.localfoodmarketplace.com/Contact

Learn about Loisa, where Chef Yadi is the Head Chef, Educator, & Part Owner: https://loisa.com/

Sherene, an acclaimed dietitian and chef, pioneers an equitable and sustainable food system, intertwining plant-based nutrition, inclusive culinary education, and health equity. Collaborating with national entities, she devises innovative programs for accessible and sustainable nutrition education. She served as the Chair for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Vegetarian Nutrition Practice Group, Nutrition Advisor for the Plant Based Foods Association, and currently is on the advisory board for the Teaching Kitchen Collaborative and Padilla’s DE+I Collective. In 2020, she co-founded Food + Planet, an initiative to empower healthcare professionals to transform the food system.

Sherene discusses her holistic approach to sustainable food systems, tracing her journey from leading a community-based teaching kitchen to co-founding Food + Planet. Recognizing a gap in sustainability education, Sherene co-founded Food + Planet, engaging over 8,000 dietitians in workshops, and offering resources like the Blue Foods as Medicine Cookbook and serving as the health partner to Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch. Their approach encompasses planetary health, nutrition, social-cultural, and economic pillars. Sherene's work showcases how practitioners can impact the dynamic landscape of food as medicine.

Resources Referenced:

Follow Sherene’s work on Instagram: @eatsustainablefoods

Blue Foods as Medicine Cookbook: https://eataquaticfoods.org/cookbook

Seafood Watch: https://www.seafoodwatch.org/seafood-basics/sustainable-healthy-fish

Culinary Nutrition Collaborative: https://www.culinarynutritioncollaborative.com/

Diversify Dietetics https://www.diversifydietetics.org/

Teaching Kitchen Collaborative https://teachingkitchens.org/

Dená Brummer, a cook, teacher, and writer, epitomizes the modern chef with her unwavering dedication to community empowerment through health-focused cuisine. Much of her work is centered around the simple idea that our food system should protect the environment and biodiversity, promote health and wellness, and provide quality jobs with dignity.

In this episode of Culinary Medicine Chats, Dená shares her journey into culinary medicine, highlighting her company, On The Grow. Through teaching gardens and community cooking classes, Dená partners with a cancer institution in Southern California to help patients navigate treatment and rebuild their lives post-survival. Taking it a step further, her innovative mobile kitchen and laboratory empower people to grow, cook, and eat healthy food, reaching communities wherever they are. Dená emphasizes the vital role of chefs in the food-as-medicine movement and highlights how chefs and dietitians can collaborate to impact lives in beautiful ways.

Resources from the episode:

Learn more about Dená's work here:

https://www.denabrummer.com/

Julia Maclaren, RD, a culinary dietitian with Alberta Health Services, leverages her diverse experience to pioneer culinary medicine programs, enhancing nutrition interventions. Delivered in partnership with clinical teams, and amplified through broadcast media technology, these programs are accessible to 4.4 million Albertans and provide innovative nutrition care opportunities for populations from pediatric to geriatric, covering a range of preventative and condition-specific topics. As an advisory board member for the Teaching Kitchen Collaborative, Julia advances this transformative approach to care. Julia received a 2024 Teaching Kitchen Collaborative Research Fellowship, contributing to evidence-based practices in healthcare settings.

Picture yourself learning to drive a car for the first time. How confident would you feel getting behind the wheel, alone, with no expert in the car to support you? You are given a few handouts and the opportunity to listen to someone talk about driving, and then you are expected to hit the highway without any practice or support. Most would say I don’t feel that confident! Join Julia and Olivia in this episode of Culinary Medicine Chats as they discuss how culinary medicine transforms traditional nutrition approaches, empowering individuals through hands-on learning to cultivate self-efficacy and confidence. Julia vividly illustrates the significance of practical, method-based learning in culinary medicine.

Resources referenced:

Culinary Medicine or Culinary Nutrition? Defining Terms for Use in Education and Practice: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/16/5/603

Registered Dietitian Nutritionists Taking the Lead in Teaching Kitchens: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37453534/

Rewire Health Culinary Medicine in Clinical Care: https://www.rewire-health.com/blog/culinary-medicine-in-clinical-care