CNN — In this season of the podcast Chasing Life With Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN’s chief medical correspondent delves into the topic of weight: what it truly reveals about your health, why losing it is so challenging, how new diet drugs function, and its connection to menopause. (You can listen to the episodes here).
Your choice of nourishment can greatly impact how you feel, not just physically, but also emotionally and mentally.
Dr. Linda Shiue, an internal medicine physician and trained chef, shared her experience with Gupta on the podcast, recalling a babysitter who constantly dieted and felt unhappy consuming colorless, tasteless food.
Shiue’s approach is different. As the first director of culinary medicine at Kaiser Permanente San Francisco, she established Thrive Kitchen, a teaching kitchen for patients, aiming to teach them to prepare healthy food that tastes delicious.
Similar to her cookbook, Shiue’s classes demonstrate how to use spices and herbs to enhance seasonal dishes while maintaining a health-supportive eating pattern.
“As a food lover since birth and a physician who has witnessed the negative effects of chronic dieting, I encourage people to redefine their relationship with food as a source of pleasure, cultural connection, and well-being, regardless of weight,” Shiue explained.
Breaking free from the diet mindset and truly enjoying food can be challenging, but Shiue offers five tips:
- Avoid labeling food as good or bad.
- Avoid going on restrictive diets.
- Listen to your body’s hunger cues and eat mindfully.
- Embrace your food heritage and celebrate diverse cultural cuisines.
- Remember that food is more than just sustenance; it’s a source of pleasure, connection, and love.
By following these tips, you can savor your meals without guilt. Listen to the full episode here, and stay tuned for a special episode next week featuring CNN Chief Climate Correspondent Bill Weir discussing his optimism about the Earth’s future.
