Welcome to The Connected Physician, where healthcare professionals and innovators converge to explore groundbreaking insights in patient care, wellness, and medical advancements. In this episode, host Katharina Juenger welcomes Dr. Michael Fenster, a board-certified interventional cardiologist, professor of culinary medicine, and acclaimed author. Also known as Chef Dr. Mike, he brings a unique perspective, blending medicine and culinary arts to transform how we think about food and health.

In this episode, Dr. Fenster and the host dive into:

• What is Culinary Medicine? Discover how this emerging field maximizes the positive relationship between food and health by examining how personal eating experiences impact wellness and disease.
• Dr. Fenster’s Unique Journey: Learn how Dr. Fenster's culinary roots—starting as a dishwasher and advancing to executive chef—shaped his path as a physician integrating food and medicine.
• Food’s Emotional and Environmental Impacts: Explore how emotional states and environmental contexts, such as eating during stress versus joyful moments, influence gut health and overall well-being.
• The Science of Chrono Nutrition: Dr. Fenster introduces chrono nutrition, explaining how aligning eating habits with natural biological rhythms enhances health and reduces stress.
• Food as Complex Information: Unpack the dynamic relationship between diet and the gut microbiome, which co-evolves with humans, affecting immunity, metabolism, and health outcomes.
• Rethinking Traditional Nutrition Science: Hear Dr. Fenster’s critique of reductionist approaches to nutrition, advocating for a systems-based model that considers emotions, environment, and biology.
• Practical Insights for Healthier Eating: Learn actionable tips, such as practicing mindful eating techniques like MBEAT to improve satiety, reduce overeating, and foster gratitude around meals.
• The Ultra-Processed Food Epidemic: Understand the detrimental effects of ultra-processed foods and simple strategies—like the “five-ingredient rule”—to make healthier choices.
• Historical Lessons from the French Paradox: Discover how traditional diets based on minimally processed foods, like those in France, contribute to better health outcomes compared to ultra-processed food consumption in the U.S.

Links and Resources:

• Michael (Chef Dr. Mike) Fenster, MD

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