Art & Health

Science Hits The Pan in Washington D.C.

I just finished the two-day workshop, “Cooking for the Heart and Soul”, collaborating with John Bagnulo in Washington D.C..  The entire event was filled with good company and conversation, as well as wonderful, healthy, nutritious food.

John Bagnulo emphasized the value of a whole foods diet, offering science-based nutritional reasoning and practical ways to incorporate healthful cooking practices into our busy lives.

While I whipped up a delicious snack of smashed white bean and pea dip served with slow-roasted yams, John discussed the implications of our culture’s departure from the traditional Paleolithic diet.  He explained how our bodies are not genetically designed to digest the kinds of processed foods that the modern world offers.

For optimal health and vitality, John suggests returning to a diet that emphasizes the kinds of foods that human bodies are genetically adapted to eat:

♦ fruit

♦ vegetables

♦ nuts

♦ seeds

John stressed how these four food groups should represent the majority of nutrition in the human diet.  The diet should be supplemented by limited amounts of:

♦ fish

♦ seafood

♦ poultry

♦ whole grains (such as quinoa, amaranth, and millet)

As a good example of the perfect breakfast, I cooked a combination of four whole grains (quinoa, millet, amaranth and oats) and added kale which was sautéed in grapeseed oil - all topped off with a poached egg.  With the addition of fresh apple slices, almonds, walnuts, and cinnamon, we all enjoyed a phenomenal breakfast that was delicious as it was nutritious!

Following our morning meal, we discussed the influences that diet and nutrition have on chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. John explained the difference between alkaline and acid-loading foods, noting the importance of maintaining an alkaline pH for the body’s optimal health.

For lunch, we indulged in a warm butternut squash soup, followed by a salad of whole grains (leftover from our breakfast), cooked lentils, salad greens and avocado.  It was a brief, but very fun-filled weekend of learning, eating, and making new friends.  All along expressions of appreciation and gratitude for our food helped create the perfect environment for both connecting with others and learning more about the food we eat.

After saying our ‘good-byes’, I ran down the streets of Georgetown on a sun-filled day.  My destination:  the Phillips Collection.

Duncan Phillips collected art and used words like “enchantment”, “joy-giving,” and “life-enhancing” when he wrote about the experience of seeing art.  And so, it seemed perfect that the first piece I breathed in was Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s “Luncheon of the Boating Party” - a picture of a jolly, leisurely time of relaxing and enjoying wine.

Just looking at the painting made me take a deep sigh and breathe.

What an inspiring resonance of this life we seek ~

Simple and meaningful pleasures around the table.

John Bagnulo, MPH, PhD