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Plant Centered Culinary Medicine

Practical Approaches for Primary Care

October 19, 2023

Krishna M. Desai, MD, FAAFP, ABOIM

Assistant Professor

Associate Residency Program Director

New York Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center

Center for Family and Community Medicine

Danielle Medina, AFAA, ACE, NASM, RYT

Fit N Play Mama LLC

Plant-based Nutritionist

Food For Life Culinary Educator

Corrective Exercise Specialist

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PRE TEST

Please complete the PRE-TEST

  • Anonymous
  • Use unique identifier

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Funded by Weil Grant.

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Recognize the components of a healthful plant centered meal.

Review evidence based research on how plant centered nutrition can reduce the burden of chronic diseases.

Practice plant centered culinary medicine skills using the 4 food groups: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.

Acknowledge social determinants of health and structural factors that impact access to healthful nutrition.

Objectives

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Danielle Medina, AFAA, ACE, RYT

  • Corrective Exercise Specialist & Yoga Expert Instructor
  • Plant-based Nutritionist
  • Food For Life Culinary Educator
  • Fit N Play Mama LLC
    • www.fitnplaymama.com

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“Start today with the intention of changing your health for the better.”

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Food Prep!

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Recognize the components of a healthful plant centered meal

  • Vegetables
  • Fruits
  • Whole grains
  • legumes

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Meet: The Power Plate

The Power Plate

  • Veggies - 4 or more
  • Fruit - 3 or more
  • Whole Grains - 6 or more
  • Legumes - 3 or more

Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine, 1991

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Vegetables. Legumes. Fruits. Whole Grains.

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Vegetables. Legumes. Fruits. Whole Grains.

Sancocho. Cacucha. Rice and Peas. Rajma. Spanish rice and beans. Toast and beans.

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  • Max sugar intake recommendations:
    • Women 25 grams
    • Men: 37.5 grams

  • Max salt intake recommendation for patients with HTN:
    • No more than 1150 mg sodium per day (< ½ tsp)

AHA Recommendations

Average American consumes ~3500 mg sodium and 68 grams sugar per day!

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Check on your rice and apple crisp!

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10 MIN BREAK!

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  1. Review evidence based research on how plant centered nutrition can reduce the burden of chronic diseases.

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Barnes LL, et al.. Trial of the MIND Diet for Prevention of Cognitive Decline in Older Persons. N Engl J Med. 2023 Aug 17;389(7):602-611.

Jacka FN, et al. A randomised controlled trial of dietary improvement for adults with major depression (the 'SMILES' trial). BMC Med. 2017 Jan 30;15(1):23.

Corley J. Adherence to the MIND diet is associated with 12-year all-cause mortality in older adults. Public Health Nutr. 2022 Feb;25(2):358-367.

Koch CA, et al. Vegetarian or vegan diets and blood lipids: a meta-analysis of randomized trials. Eur Heart J. 2023 Jul 21;44(28):2609-2622.

Afzaal M, et al. Human gut microbiota in health and disease: Unveiling the relationship. Front Microbiol. 2022 Sep 26;13:999001.

Tuso P, et al. Nutritional Update for Physicians: Plant-Based Diets The Permanente Journal. 2013 Spring;17(2):61-66

Food Is Medicine: Plant Centered Nutrition Reigns Supreme!

Whole foods Plant Based Vegetarian/Vegan MIND

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  • MIND diet may reduce risk of AD, cognitive decline in brain function

  • Lower risk of depression, as well as other mental health conditions

  • Decrease risk of cardiovascular disease (decrease atherosclerotic burden; potassium rich foods lower blood pressure)

  • Lower all cause mortality!

Food Is Medicine: Plant Centered Nutrition Reigns Supreme!

Whole foods Plant Based Vegetarian/Vegan MIND

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  • MIND diet may reduce risk of AD, cognitive decline in brain function
        • Elderly patients are particularly vulnerable (sarcopenia, SDOH, dec ability to absorb and utilize nutrients)

  • Lower risk of depression, as well as other mental health conditions

Food Is Medicine: Plant Centered Nutrition Reigns Supreme!

Whole foods Plant Based Vegetarian/Vegan MIND

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Gut Microbiome:

collection of all microorganisms including bacteria, fungi and viruses in the digestive tract.

Zhang F, et al. The gut mycobiome in health, disease, and clinical applications in association with the gut bacterial microbiome assembly. Lancet Microbe. 2022 Dec;3(12):e969-e983.

Manos J. The human microbiome in disease and pathology. APMIS. 2022 Dec;130(12):690-705.

  • Role: digestion, metabolism, immune system, bidirectional communication with every other organ in the body.
  • Dysbiosis: leads to disease states.

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Afzaal M, et al. Human gut microbiota in health and disease: Unveiling the relationship. Front Microbiol. 2022 Sep 26;13:999001.

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HOMEOSTASIS

Scher JU, et al. The microbiome and rheumatoid arthritis. Nat Rev Rheumatol. 2011 Aug 23;7(10):569-78.

DYSBIOSIS

-Proinflammatory cytokines

-Immune complex deposition

-Macrophages/fibroblasts/osteoclasts

-Cartilage and bone degradation

  • Genetic predisposition
  • Diet
  • Food intolerances
  • Obesity
  • Micronutrient deficiencies
  • Antibiotics/Medications
  • Smoking
  • GI diseases
  • Chronic stress

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��

Plant Centric Nutrition

  • eliminates most histaminergic, inflammatory foods that promote dysbiosis
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis as example:
    • 27 RCTs (diet or supplements): moderate strength evidence for POS effects on disease activity score (DAS 28)

Nutritional Recommendations: Optimize Gut Microbiome

Nelson J, et al.. Do Interventions with Diet or Dietary Supplements Reduce the Disease Activity Score in Rheumatoid Arthritis? A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutrients. 2020 Sep 29;12(10):2991.

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  • Optimize maternal microbiome during pregnancy
  • Vaginal delivery
  • Breastfeeding
  • Plant centric nutrition; Avoid sugars, refined carbs, processed foods
  • Stress management (gut-brain axis)
  • Eat prebiotic foods: jerusalem artichokes, garlic, onions, green bananas.

Healthy Microbiome: not predetermined!

Rothschild D, et al. Environment dominates over host genetics in shaping human gut microbiota. Nature. 2018 Mar 8;555(7695):210-215.

Le Doare K, et al. Mother's Milk: A Purposeful Contribution to the Development of the Infant Microbiota and Immunity. Front Immunol. 2018 Feb 28;9:361.

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Only bacteria make Vitamin B12! (our bacteria aren’t so good at it!)

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Only bacteria make Vitamin B12! (our bacteria aren’t so good at it!)

Interpretation of vitamin B12 levels is complicated and does not always effectively rule out B12 deficiency

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Braised Greens

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½ cup serving: Yellow peppers have more vitamin C than oranges!

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Take a break!

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Social and Structural Determinants of Nutritional Health

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SNAP = Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

SNAP can be used towards purchasing fruits and vegetables at any local farmers market.

Households no longer have to pass as savings/resource test in order to get SNAP benefits.

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marketing of unhealthy foods, disproportionately targeted at minority communities

corporate lobbying

Colonization disrupted the food systems for many Indigenous peoples, forcibly removing them from their traditional homelands to often unfamiliar and barren reservation lands.

gentrification

Breastfeeding equity

Access to SNAP/EBT

Food deserts

Racism

Medical training

Community gardens

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How do you give cost-conscious nutrition advice?

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Eat two 12-ounce bags of frozen leafy green per week: Two frozen bags often cost <$5, last much longer than fresh greens and taste better than canned vegetables. Frozen greens require little prep time — not washing is required — and can be added in the final stage of cooking for meals you already regularly prepare, such as a can of soup, to boost nutritional value.

Eat a 16-ounce bag of frozen berries each week: $3 for a 16-ounce bag, (cheaper than fresh berries)

Eat 1/3 cup of nuts or seeds five days a week: Source of protein, omega 3 FA. $8 for 2 week supply. Nut butters when on sale.

Eat one can of beans per week: Each can of beans contains three servings and may cost as little as 70 cents. Start with one can a week and add one serving to meals every other day→ transitioning to two cups a week. Include beans, lentils, split peas.

Introduce intact, whole grains to your diet: quinoa, wild rice, pearled barley, old fashioned oats (<$3 for 1 serving x 1 month).

Don’t forget the prebiotics: whole grains, onions, garlic, artichokes, soy beans.

Fermented foods: yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, pickles, miso, kimchi, kombucha

American College of Lifestyle Medicine

Tips to provide cost-conscious nutrition Rx

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PRE TEST

Please complete the POST-TEST

  • Anonymous
  • Use same unique identifier

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Change Your Plate! Thank you!

Danielle Medina www.fitnplaymama.com

Krishna Desai, MD, FAAFP NYP/CUMC

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