Culinary Medicine
Supporting Healthier Lives With Food Not Pharmaceuticals
I heard someone say once, “The only difference between medicine and poison is dose”. Plain and simple. Scientific research has shown that what we eat impacts gene expression within minutes. Yep, within minutes. Here are five tips… and if you curious and want to learn more about culinary medicine and how to make changes in your life and empower your kids, click here to learn more about our virtual group classes offerings, including some geared for Kids only and another series for Adults!
Additional bonus of chewing food: you actually slow down the process of eating, which means your stomach has a better chance of being able to tell your brain you are full, well, when you are full! Meaning you eat less. According to the Centers for Disease Control, from 1999–2000 through 2017–2018, the prevalence of obesity increased from 30.5% to 42.4%, and the prevalence of severe obesity increased from 4.7% to 9.2%. Eat less, weigh less. This trend in obesity is reversal. This generation is projected to be the first generation to have a life expectancy shorter than their parents due to the complications from obesity. Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer that are some of the leading causes of preventable, premature death. Prevent obesity and we prevent these preventable causes of premature death.
Tip #1: Chew your food.
Especially fruits and vegetables. And especially greens. Drinking a green smoothie? You can still “chew” it by swirling it around in your mouth before you swallow to activate this process. Why? To digest food, your body needs the important digestive juices and enzymes from your saliva to mingle with your food before it goes to your stomach. Since our digestive processes started long before blenders existed, chewing is the natural way in which saliva is produced. It activates nitric oxide (you knew there would be science right?) which helps protect your stomach and even prevent cardiovascular disease. How? Nitric Oxide (NO) causes vasodilation - relaxation of your blood vessels. NO production is essential for overall health because it allows blood, nutrients and oxygen to travel to every part of your body effectively and efficiently through this process of vasodilation…. and it all starts with chewing your fruits and veggies.
Tip # 2: Eat a rainbow a day.
From NATURALLY occurring foods. Not Cheetos. (Side bar - and yes my kids hate me for throwing this fact at them - Cheetos was constructed in a lab to have vanishing caloric density tricking your brain because it melts so quickly that your brain thinks it has no calories so you keep eating … the whole bag. Read more in this article by food scientist Steven Witherly in the New York Times Magazine).
Some of the best for NO production (re-read chew your food if you’ve forgotten the importance of NO): kale, spinach, swiss chard, arugula, beet greens, beets, (yes, beets!) , bok choy, collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, napa cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, cilantro, parsley and asparagus.
Introducing: Team PHYTOCHEMICALS! (insert applause & wild enthusiastic cheers)
Red – Lycopene: an antioxidant. Any antioxidant prevents dangerously charged particles from bumping into our DNA, causing unwanted changes or abnormal cell growth – triggers of cancer.
Orange – Alpha and Beta Carotene: often converted to vitamin A once inside the body – a vitamin crucial for good immune system health. They are also antioxidants.
Yellow – Lutein and Zeaxanthin: build up in our retinas, acting as antioxidants.
Green – Chlorophyll: binds to cancer-causing compounds preventing them from being absorbed by our intestines AND improved wound healing.
Blue and Purple – Anthocyanins: considered one of the most powerful antioxidants; help keep blood vessels relaxed instead of rigid, as well as preventing LDL cholesterol from building up; and increased blood flow to all parts of the body, reduced blood pressure, and reduction of inflammatory proteins.
White – Glucosinolates: promoting cancer cell death, to managing estrogen production, preventing the spread of cancer cells, and increasing immune cell response.
Tip #3 Eat Organic when it counts
Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen
Foods to buy organic because they are more likely to still have pesticide residue even after you wash them.
Strawberries
Spinach
Kale
Nectarines
Apples
Grapes
Peaches
Cherries
Pears
Tomatoes
Celery
Potatoes
Environmental Working Group’s Clean 15
Avocados
Sweet corn
Pineapple
Onions
Papaya
Sweet peas (frozen)
Eggplants
Asparagus
Cauliflower
Cantaloupes
Broccoli
Mushrooms
Cabbage
Honeydew melon
Kiwi
Tip #4: Move… every day!
Nope. Culinary medicine is not only about food. The CDC’s recommendations for physical activity, which include 150 minutes a week of moderate intensity physical activity and strength training two days every week. Increasing non-exercise activity time (N.E.A.T.), can help improve overall fitness. NEAT means taking the stairs when you can. Walking or biking to run errands. Or just getting up every 30-60 minutes and moving.
Tip #5: Sleep at least 7 hours every night
Bonus Tip: Try Meditation
Think this is all counting your breath? Try this simple meditation on eating one raisin. Check out some meditation resources to other methods to explore!