SC Connecticut News

Nate Wood, MD, is focusing on the use of diet to prevent, manage, and treat diseases. As an instructor of medicine (general medicine) and the inaugural director of culinary medicine at Yale School of Medicine and the Irving and Alice Brown Teaching Kitchen at Yale New Haven Health, Wood employs hands-on cooking to educate patients, medical trainees, and healthcare professionals about foods that promote wellness. His research centers on developing and testing curricula to effectively teach nutrition and culinary skills using various media.

In his role as director, Wood plans to conduct patient outcomes research and develop a comprehensive clinic that will allow patients to receive culinary medicine education, nutrition therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, physical therapy, and a produce or groceries prescription—along with medical treatment—in a single visit. He also intends to give cooking demonstrations and distribute evidence-based literature at community centers, schools, and events in the local area to encourage healthy cooking and eating.

In a conversation, Wood discusses the plant-forward diet, foods that prevent and treat common conditions, and common misconceptions about healthy eating.

"How does diet impact disease? A healthy diet can decrease your risk of developing disease, and an unhealthy diet can increase that risk. Plant-forward diets, or diets composed largely of whole or minimally processed plants with a smattering of other things, can help prevent a majority of diet-sensitive chronic diseases such as obesity, heart disease, strokes, diabetes, dementia, and certain types of cancer."

"If you develop one of these chronic diseases," he continues," switching to a plant-forward diet can help manage it. In some cases it can even reverse it. For instance we know that some people who go from eating the standard American diet to a plant-forward diet can put their type 2 diabetes into remission."

"What are examples of foods that help prevent or treat common health conditions? The best foods to eat are minimally processed plants that are dense in nutrients. Sweet potatoes are one example. Leafy greens like kale collards spinach chard are packed full of nutrients—calcium iron antioxidants. They also have fiber low in sugar."

"Nuts seeds have healthy fats good for cardiovascular health cognition. Walnuts amazing source omega-3s."

"In areas world called blue zones where residents live hundred unusually high rates people eat lot legumes—things like beans lentils tofu edamame tempeh. Legumes cheaper healthier than meat cook faster buy dried canned make delicious addition most any dinner."

"It’s important eat variety whole minimally processed fruits vegetables whole grains nuts seeds legumes not necessarily worry about loading up one particular food treat specific condition."

"What are three things you've learned about healthy eating you wish everyone knew? One thing is don’t have buy fresh local organic produce be healthy Sometimes frozen produce tastes better can even be healthier because fruits vegetables picked when they’re season peak ripeness Canned goods also be healthy if buy low no-sodium version rinse off extra sodium I cook with canned beans all time."

"Another substitutes not necessarily better than original product Sometimes difficult distinguish relative healthiness whole animal products versus processed plant products such as plant-based patties Is Beyond Burger Impossible Burger better than beef burger It’s complicated If really want healthier alternative try soy mushroom lentil burger made whole ingredients."

"Lastly knowing about nutrition should not cause shame When sit down eat something healthy embrace complex flavors textures enjoy eating because know good body Other times enjoy eating something despite knowing not necessarily good body Some unhealthy foods like birthday cake example help build positive social connections celebrate enjoy life engage cultures Eating occasional unhealthy food should not make feel shame Food not just medicine but also culture love community We deserve enjoy it."

The Department of Internal Medicine at Yale School of Medicine is among the nation's premier departments bringing together an elite cadre clinicians investigators educators staff one world's top medical schools To learn more visit Internal Medicine.