Culinary Medicine

Our food environment has changed. Retailers want us to buy more. Processed foods look so very attractive. Meal portions sizes have become larger. Health Canada suggests that all this means it’s harder to maintain a healthy weight. They advise that “eating a nutritious and balanced diet is one of the best ways to protect and promote good health”.

We spoke with Dr Jones and asked her to explain why their practice teaches the principles of Culinary Medicine. 

Q: First, we asked what’s culinary medicine? 

A: It’s a new fact-based medical field that blends the art of food and cooking with the science of medicine. The goal is to help people make good personal decisions about creating and eating quality food, that will enhance their well-being. 

Q: What is the difference between minimally and highly processed foods?

Some foods are slightly altered or minimally processed. The main purpose of any processing is to preserve the food. For example, they might be cut, dried, or cooked. Their nutrition remains as nothing much is added or removed from the food.
Other foods are subject to a range of processing, some even being highly processed. They may have many ingredients added to them. The common additives are sugar or oil or artificial colors or preservatives.

Q: Why are minimally processed foods better for us?

A: Research tells us that preparing minimally processed foods at home has significant health benefits. It’s because home cooking helps us to avoid including extra and often hidden additives in our diet. The good news is that making our own food can reduce our risk of heart attack by up to 30% and help us reduce the risk of diabetes. 

Positively home-prepped food helps us feel full and satisfied for longer. When we feel full, we may more easily be able to manage our weight.

Q: Does what we eat affect our gut health? 

Yes, different foods can support or affect the health of our gut.  This is called our gut biome and refers to the collection of microorganisms that live in our digestive tract. We’re still learning about the ways this all works. One of the purposes of the gut biome is to help us maintain and control our immune system.  Another is that having lots of beneficial bacteria keeps our intestinal tissue healthy.

You can be kind to your gut with your choice of food. It benefits from a diet with lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, beans and legumes. Unless you are vegan/vegetarian add in clean, hormone-free meats and fish, too. So, yes, choosing to eat minimally processed foods makes a real difference. 

Q: Can food help manage diseases?

A: Yes, Harvard confirms that nutrition is an essential part of preventing and managing some diseases.  Research demonstrates that nutrition is a vital part of Lifestyle Medicine. It can help to both prevent disease and well as being a vital part of treatment, management (and reversal) of many noncommunicable chronic diseases (NCDs). These might include type-2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, stroke, many cancers including breast and colon, as well as depression, anxiety, osteoarthritis, and sexual health issues. 

Q: How does healthy cooking help mental health? 

At PsychClinic, we use cooking and healthful food as part of our holistic treatment approach. First, we accept the research that suggests nutrition and healthy gut biomes can improve disease conditions. And second, the food and menus we suggest can contribute to improving wellness. 

As an added benefit, our patients tell us that cooking together and with family adds fun back into learning healthful habits. Of course, for anyone with special dietary needs, we’d always recommend that you contact a specialist nutritionist.

Q: Why don't many people cook for themselves?

A: People say that they lack time. So, we suggest ways to cook in bulk. Second many say that don’t know have the knowledge they need. Our course includes many practical timesaving and budget-supporting tips.  These include batch cooking, knife skills, and creating a ‘mise en place’.  We provide a range of recipes so people can practice in their own kitchen. 

Q: That’s a fancy word - What’s a ‘mise en place’? 

A: Yes, it isn’t it. It’s a simple concept. Mise en place is a French culinary phrase that means "putting in place" or "gather". It refers to the setup required before cooking. Professional kitchens may use it as they speak about the way they organise and arrange the ingredients that their cooks will need for the items on the menu. We use it to describe how to be organised during any cooking. 

Thank you Dr Jones, we look forward to attending one of your cooking workshops.