Dr. Richard-Davis presented at the annual National Medical Association Meeting on July 31, 2022, in Atlanta, Georgia on “Culinary Medicine: Paving the Way to Health Through Your Fork” or “How to Not Die from Eating the Standard American Diet (SAD).” Learn how to eat for your health through nutrition.
News
Lunch and Learn
Dr. Richard-Davis and Alyssa Frisby presented “Food: The Best Medicine” on the Healthy Arkansas Lunch and Learn series.
Cancer Prevention Webinar and Workshop
Julie Lanford MPH, RD, CSO, LDN, is the Wellness Director for Cancer Services, a non-profit in Winston-Salem, NC. She is a registered dietitian, licensed nutritionist and board-certified specialist in oncology nutrition with 15 years experience working in oncology.
Lanford developed www.CancerDietitian.com, a healthy living web site for Cancer Services that translates evidence-based nutrition guidelines into consumer-friendly messages for everyday life. The site reaches thousands of people across the country who are interested in cancer nutrition and the most current topics on healthy lifestyle in our culture.
On September 11, 2021, Julie presented to participants of our cancer prevention and nutrition/culinary medicine via Zoom from North Carolina. This was followed by a fun experience of team cooking in the kitchen. The day ended with eating the delicious dishes that were made in a family style environment. The conversation flowed as we enjoyed an engaging, intellectual and educational discussion about cancer prevention quality in foods, like phytonutrients, and how we can improve overall quality of life with a plant slant (Mediterranean diet).
Watch the recording of the UAMS Cancer Prevention webinar
Sponsored by grant funding from the American Cancer Society & Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Well Fed Event in Little Rock
Well Fed, a 501c3 non-profit, has adapted their mobile unit to provide food to underserved communities in Little Rock, most recently at Buffington Towers. This is a HUD retirement home in the middle of a food desert in downtown Little Rock. Well Fed’s director, Joshua Harris, provided an array of fresh and canned fruits and vegetables, dairy products, bread and grains. Margaret Pauly, the Culinary Nutritionist from UAMS’ Culinary Medicine Program provided cooking demos and food tastings using the same ingredients the residents were receiving that day. It was very interactive where the residents called out suggestions and comments. They were surprised by the healthy items they could easily make by combining some of the items such as a vegetable soup with canned chicken added to it, a Mexican rice bowl with beans and chicken, easy stove top pizza and even stovetop roasted Brussel sprouts.
Handouts were available with information on diabetes and hypertension in both English and Spanish. The residents voiced approval of the recipes and want to participate in more demos.
Cooking Videos on the Patients Learn Website
It can be rewarding and fun to cook with your family. Here are some great ideas to bond with your loved ones through a shared cooking experience.
Black/African American Community Cooking
Cook with us as we explore a traditional, southern-style New Orleans Red Beans and Rice recipe with Dr. Richard-Davis.
Culinary Medicine Videos in Spanish
Enjoy three different culinary medicine recipes in Spanish! Join us as we learn about Hispanic culture through cooking.
Culinary Medicine Partners with Arkansas Minority Health Commission
On Thursday, February 16, the Culinary Medicine teaching kitchen was filled with all the aromas of a delicious heart-healthy meal. February was Heart Health month, so we made it a point to celebrate with some New Orleans Red Beans and Rice. We partnered with the Arkansas Minority Health Commission’s Southern Ain’t Fried Sundays (SAFS) program to present our first Facebook Live collaborative event. Our mission was to combine the nutritional education portion of culinary medicine with the ideology of SAFS.
“Southern Ain’t Fried Sundays has a unique approach to helping Arkansans eat healthier by educating people about how to make healthy swaps and prepare traditional, familiar meals in healthier ways. By starting with what is familiar, participants may feel more comfortable incorporating alternatives rather than feeling like they have to start something brand new,” said Alyssa Frisby, RD, and co-instructor of the Facebook Live series. “The partnership between Culinary Medicine and Southern Ain’t Fried Sundays allows us to present easy-to-understand nutrition information and practical culinary skills for the home kitchen to participants, while showing them how to revamp traditional meals into tasty variations that will contribute to better health.”
So why did we cook beans? Because they are familiar. Red Beans and Rice is a classic southern dish. That is what SAFS does. They take a traditional recipe and put a healthy spin on it. For example, cooking with beans and leaving out the meat can be a fantastic way to be kind to your heart. Beans are not only tasty, but they are also a nutritious source of protein and fiber.
While everything turned out delicious, that was not even the best part. One of the most rewarding aspects of the partnership was being able to hand out free meal kits to participating families. The first 20 families to sign up automatically received supplies. The kits consisted of all the necessary ingredients to cook along with us. Co-instructor Ronda Gilbert-Hines said “SAFS is a great program to help jump-start your healthy lifestyle change. Plus, it’s free!”
Don’t worry if you missed out. This was the first in a series of Southern Ain’t Fried Sundays and UAMS Culinary Medicine Facebook Live events. We look forward to doing it again on May 18, August 24, and November 16 (6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.). Mark your calendars and be sure to get in on this opportunity to kick-start your health goals.
UAMS Doctors Earn Certified Culinary Medicine Specialist Credentials
Gina Drobena, M.D., DipABLM, and Kathryn Neill, Pharm.D., FNAP, received Certified Culinary Medicine Specialist (CCMS) credentials in December 2022. This is outstanding news not only for the UAMS Culinary Medicine Program, but also for all Arkansans. Dr. Drobena and Dr. Neill are two out of only four individuals who have earned the CCMS accreditation in the state.
The CCMS course provides an in-depth culinary and nutrition foundation. This credential focuses on techniques that address real-world constraints including meal planning, budgeting, and combining nutrition counseling with pharmacological treatment. It is an advanced, intensive course meant to help instructors further the education of Culinary Medicine to students as well as to the public.
An Arkansas native, Dr. Drobena wears many hats on the UAMS Campus. In addition to being involved with the Culinary Medicine Program, she specializes in Transfusion Medicine, Biotherapeutics and Lifestyle Medicine. Dr. Drobena began her training at UAMS in 2000 and subsequently joined the faculty. She is currently the Division Director of Transfusion Medicine and an Associate Professor in the Department of Pathology. Dr. Drobena was drawn to the Culinary Medicine Program due to her personal interest and passion for how food can affect the mind and body.
“Teaching culinary medicine skills to our wide array of learners has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my career,” Dr. Drobena said. “I obtained certification to translate my passion into an easily recognizable credential that shows we at UAMS are working to move the health of Arkansans forward and are a premier educational institution for culinary medicine.”
Dr. Neill is an Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice at UAMS. She received a fellowship in Neuropharmacology and practiced as a Pulmonary and Critical Care Specialist for the UAMS Intensive Care Unit. Currently, Dr. Neill works in the Division of Academic Affairs where she holds the titles of Associate Provost for Academics and Director of Interprofessional Administrative and Curricular Affairs. The Culinary Medicine Program hosts a variety of Interprofessional Education classes, and Dr. Neill has guided the integration of Culinary Medicine as a longitudinal theme in the campus-wide UAMS IPE curriculum.
“As a pharmacist, diet and lifestyle recommendations have always been a key part of my practice. The growth and recognition of Culinary Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine as specialties highlights how essential these principles are to the health of all patients that we serve as well as being key to our personal wellness,” Dr. Neill said. “The Culinary Medicine Program at UAMS provides a foundation to empower students and providers with the knowledge and skills to address therapeutic nutrition planning across the spectrum. I obtained certification to improve my ability to help develop UAMS’ commitment to creating successful interprofessional education and collaboration with culinary medicine as a key component in patient care.”
The goal of the UAMS Culinary Medicine Program is to supply health care providers with knowledge on healthy food choices and culinary skills to enhance their ability to counsel patients on prevention and disease-specific management through food. There is a hope to provide education not only to students and patients, but also to expand outreach to the various communities in Arkansas. Because they received CCMS credentials, Dr. Drobena and Dr. Neill are now even better equipped to spread the message of using food as medicine.
Culinary Medicine Visits the Stocked and Reddie Pantry
CM Creates Fast and Frugal Recipe from Stocked and Reddie Supplies
There is a very unassuming building located on Monroe Street, just off the UAMS Little Rock campus. It’s an average run-of-the-mill brick and mortar. What goes on inside is not so average, however. Welcome to the Stocked and Reddie Pantry.
When you walk into the Stocked and Reddie pantry, you’re instantly greeted at the door. An employee asks for your UAMS or Arkansas Children’s Hospital badge, and then you’re all set to shop. The pantry is a neatly organized maze of all the essentials. The pantry has everything from shampoo and conditioner to fresh produce (when available). Stocked and Reddie is run by a handful of charming employees that will make you feel welcomed and comfortable. These employees are on a mission.
“We’re on a mission to provide nutritious food to ACH & UAMS employees, students, residents, and interns who sometimes find it difficult to access fresh produce and balanced meals for themselves and their families,” Jennifer Mondragon, the manager at the pantry, said.
She described several different frequent shoppers and their current circumstances.
“I was able to meet a man whose wife had passed, and he didn’t know how to cook. He was accessing the pantry and I was able to share some ideas and techniques with him along with some recipes for things we gave out for that day,” she said.
Jennifer explained that they try to choose daily items that go well together in a recipe.
Every shopper is allowed up to three wholesome meals per visit, and they can
visit twice per week. The shopping hours are Mondays and Thursdays from
12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
If you’re a student, resident, or employee of UAMS or ACH that could use a little extra help, please don’t hesitate to take advantage of the Stocked and Reddie Pantry. It’s here to make your life a little easier.
Budget-Friendly Bean And Pasta Soup
Need a frugal and fast recipe? We’ve got you covered for dinner tonight!
Prepares six servings
Ingredients
- 1 small onion, chopped small
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 1-15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed thoroughly
- 1-15 oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed thoroughly
- 1-15 oz can tomatoes
- 1-15 oz can corn
- 28 oz water
- 8 oz pasta
- Additional water (as needed)
- Cooked chicken strips (optional)
Instructions
- In a large soup pot with a lid, heat the oil over medium heat.
- Add in the chopped onion and cook until the onion becomes soft.
- Add in the corn, beans and the canned whole tomatoes (juice and all!). Stir to combine and to break up the tomatoes into smaller chunks.
- Add in the 28 oz water, plus an additional two cans full of water. Bring the broth to a boil. When the water is boiling, add in the pasta. Cook according to the package directions.
- Add cooked chicken strips, diced
- Serve immediately or let cool completely and refrigerate for two to three days or freeze for one to two months.
Enjoy!
Donations and Volunteers
Want to help? Donations and volunteers are appreciated. Please contact the pantry office, and they’ll be happy to receive whatever you can give.
Email Stocked and Reddie at StockedAndReddie@uams.edu.
Location and Contact
401 Monroe Street, rear of building
Phone: 501-412-9642
Email: StockedAndReddie@uams.edu