Cure the Culture

Food is Medicine: How Black Dieticians Can Decrease Disease Burden in the Black Community

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Food is our happy place, literally!

Did you know that 95% of serotonin is produced in our gastrointestinal tract (G.I.)? The link between proper nutrition and good health is well-documented, yet most healthcare providers are taught very little about the natural healing power of food.  Worse are the barriers between insurance providers and dieticians like our guest, Denine Rogers MS, RDN, L.D., FAND. Instead of using a proper balanced diet, exercise and nutrition to heal, we are often taught to treat patients with pharmaceuticals.  Today, we speak to Denine Rogers, registered dietitian and licensed nutritionist, about the need for more black dieticians, barriers within the field, and how physicians and dieticians can work together to create a complete and individualized wellness plan.

Key Takeaways:

[00:01:53] Meet Denine Rogers MS, RDN, LD, FAND

[00:03:49] What inspired her to become a dietitian 

[00:13:54] Why the culture needs more black dieticians and how to get started

[00:14:04]  Challenges that dieticians face and how to overcome them

[00:17:44]  How Denine is leading the charge to recruit more dieticians

[00:23:50]  Reframing weight loss to make better food choices

Takeaways to help you Cure The Culture:
  • Denine did not aspire to be a dietitian and nutritionist. It was an internship and the encouragement of Paula Sneed, the first black Senior Vice President of Global Marketing Resources & Initiatives at Kraft Foods, Inc., that exposed her to the industry. Her experience highlights the importance of mentorship in the black community.
  • Healthy living is marketed as aspirational instead of a fundamental human right. This causes underrepresented communities to shy away from healthy lifestyle changes. In this interview, Denine explains the mental and physical roadblocks that prevent patients from experiencing the healing benefits of food and how dieticians and physicians can begin to work together.
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