November evokes thoughts about food and nutrition. Here are topics to consider for  November, the end of year holidays, or anytime.

Culinary Medicine: Blending the Science of Medicine and the Art of Cooking

• Define culinary medicine and recite background on the movement to improve health using food
• Identify the evidence for cooking in ways that are appropriate for chronic disease prevention and treatment
• Detail the importance of personal health behaviors in the care of your patients
• Deploy tips to use in counseling patients in making culturally-tailored dietary behavior changes that are sensitive to time and budget considerations

Food as Medicine:   Broadening the definition of “Good Nutrition” to support the Mind and Body

• Evaluate the benefits of mind-body practices for personal wellbeing
• Integrate mind-body practices, including breathing and meditation, into patient counseling for preventive health, wellness and wellbeing
• Apply the benefits of nature therapy to emotional regulation and wellbeing of patients

Social Determinants of Health with Emphasis on Food Insecurity

• Identify and Screen for Food Insecurity and other SDOH
• Understand the Health Impacts of Food Insecurity and SDOH
• Provide informed referrals and resources to the patients

What’s New with Food Allergies? Prevalence, Prevention, and Treatments

• Utilize knowledge surrounding the public health impact of food allergies and disparities to better counsel patients with food allergies
• Practice identifying high and moderate-to-low risk infants to provide guideline-informed care for the prevention of food allergies
• Apply learnings from recent research to better adhere to prevention guidelines and explore treatment options to counsel families accordingly with accessible resources

Nutrition, Obesity and Bariatric Surgery

• Counsel overweight and obese patients in outpatient office setting through offering effective counseling along with options for medication and surgical options (if appropriate)
• Examine metabolic risk factors commonly seen in obese patients and appropriate monitoring of these comorbidities in the treatment of obesity
• Utilize established algorithms to optimize weight loss in combining diet, exercise, with medication and/or surgical options

Eat, Drink, Pray!  Food-Borne Infections and Food Safety in the 21st Century

• Review common food-borne infections as well as selected outbreaks, which will underscore the changing domestic and global epidemiology of food-borne disease (diseases discussed will include E coli 157, Salmonella, Campylobacter, Listeria, among others)
• Review common food-borne toxins (Staph food poisoning, Clostridium perfringens, botulism, ciguatera fish poisoning)
• Review safe handling of food in the home, federal tracking systems for food-borne illness, and the current regulatory framework, including jurisdictions and responsibilities of the USDA and the FDA
• Review the growing appetite for special foods (for example, raw milk products, shellfish, and so-called “exotic” foods ) and the risks they potentially pose to higher-risk, 21st-century hosts (for example, immunocompromised patients, patients taking H2 blockers, and patients with unsuspected liver disease)

The Power of Diet for Treating Mental Illness

• Identify key dietary exposures that can worsen mental health
• Understand the brain mechanisms behind dietary effects
• Share three simple tips for healthier eating with their patients
• Name the micronutrients with the greatest influence on mental health

Nutrition and Aging

• List three consequences of malnutrition
• Name three or more micronutrients that are commonly low in the aging population
• Employ three or more nutritional and supplemental strategies to combat sarcopenia

The Role of Nutrition in Cancer Prevention

• Identify the impact of nutritional parameters on cancer risk
• Analyze mechanisms of nutritional impact on cancer risk
• Compare the impact of nutritional factors on GYN cancers vs. other cancers

Intermittent Fasting

• Evaluate aging, health span, and the biological pathways linked to the development of chronic diseases
• Integrate diet, nutrition, and lifestyle in healthy aging
• Compare the impact of fasting and fasting-mimicking diet on longevity, cellular regeneration, autophagy, metabolic profile, and reversal of autoimmunity

Mediterranean Diet: Health Implications and Clinical Updates

• Define the Mediterranean Diet and Mediterranean Food Pyramid
• Describe the bioactive compounds in the Mediterranean Diet and how it is different from other food plans
• Review the potential health benefits associated with the Mediterranean Diet
• Implement the Mediterranean Diet for your patients

Cardiovascular Health: Benefits of Wine, Chocolate, etc.

• Review and understand the data regarding: health benefits of red wine consumption
• Recognize why dark chocolate is considered “Superfood” also explore the effects of chocolate on blood pressure
• Explain the health benefits of dark chocolate consumption in regard to cardiovascular health

Food for Thought: The Psychology & Physiology of Eating & Hunger

• Evaluate strategies that incorporate both biological and psychological principles—such as mindful eating, behavioral interventions, and nutritional education—to support sustainable and healthful eating behaviors
• Understand the Physiological Mechanisms Regulating Hunger and Satiety
• Describe the roles of key hormones (e.g., ghrelin, leptin, insulin) and neural pathways (e.g., hypothalamic regulation, gut-brain axis) in appetite control and energy balance
• Analyze Psychological and Environmental Influences on Eating Behavior
• Identify how emotions, stress, cognitive cues, and social context contribute to eating patterns, food preferences, and disordered eating behaviors
• Apply Integrated Knowledge to Promote Healthy Eating Habits
• Evaluate strategies that incorporate both biological and psychological principles—such as mindful eating, behavioral interventions, and nutritional education—to support sustainable and healthful eating behaviors