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Sally Duplantier is a gerontologist and Healthspan educator. She is the founder of Zing, with a mission to help older adults live their best life longer. Her research is focused on increasing Healthspan—the number of years in which we are free of chronic disease and disability. Sally frequently speaks on topics related to health and is part of the guest faculty for Stanford’s Healthy Living Program. She also hosts a free webinar series called Wellness Wednesdays. Sally has a certificate in nutrition science from Stanford, a master of science in gerontology from USC, and is currently completing a certificate in qualitative research at Indiana University. Sally is a new dog mom, and loves any activity with her Havanese puppy, Bella, and Bella’s many friends. She also enjoys hiking, cardio dance, ballet bar, yoga, and meditation. ​ Contact Information: www.myzinglife.com Facebook: MyZingLifeSally Check out Wellness Wednesdays! ​ At the salon; Sally discussed lifestyle choices that affect cellular aging. She shared good news in that there are things you can do now to improve the way you age at a cellular level. Sally translated the latest scientific research on three biomarkers of cellular aging (chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and telomere shortening) into practical advice related to lifestyle choices. You will walk away with actionable ways to improve the way you age moving forward, no matter how old you are today. Click here to see the powerpoint presentation from the salon. Click here to see the salon handout. Click here to watch the salon video. ​

Do you ever contemplate what it means to live a long, healthy and joy-filled life? It's safe to say that it probably means something different for each of us, and it certainly doesn't mean we're living the "perfect" life. In his biography, Theodore Roosevelt made famous the wisdom, "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are" (first penned by Squire Bill Widener). It's a call for us to live life to the fullest, but it beautifully implies that we're at peace with our constraints and whatever season of life in which we find ourselves. Our SOUL Food Salon leader, Jeanne Rosner, MD, paid me the compliment of requesting my thoughts on this topic, certainly not because I'm an expert on it, but perhaps because I've been grappling my way through building a company alongside a family with three young children, and the wheels haven't come off yet. I hope you find this perspective thought-provoking and helpful in your own journey. How is your heart? It may help set the stage. Do you have a grateful heart? I find it a challenging question, and when I ask that to myself, it changes my whole attitude and outlook. People can be looking at the same thing, but what they see may be very, very different. A grateful heart protects us from poisonous attitudes like regret, arrogance, comparing ourselves to others and glass-is-half-empty thinking. I'll admit it doesn't come naturally to me, so I have to keep reminding myself. I'm always amazed at how it helps me hold on to joy and also make better decisions. How about having a heart for helping people? This question isn't asking whether we're contributing to a charitable cause, though that's great also. The focus here is on the people we see every day, whether they be our family, co-workers or acquaintances. It's really easy for me to think about my daily checklist and how it helps ME, but I've realized that looking at that checklist and seeing who it will help, or rewriting it so that it helps others, always leads to better priorities. Ultimately, our true value to the world is how much we help people, individual by individual. It's so easy to forget, but it's so simple: If I help someone, then I've done something valuable. It's another reminder I keep chanting to myself! Five keys for health span – and adding the brain's perspective. When discussing health span, I naturally gravitate toward brain and cognitive aging since that is my specialty. It's a unique perspective since most people don't realize that the brain ages just like our skin, our joints, our vision and everything else about us. The difference is that our brain defines who we are—it carries our unique personality and emotions. It's how we take in information, process it, react and make decisions. It's how we learn, create, enjoy and love. So, it's immensely important to living a long and healthy life. We absolutely must have a healthy brain. 1. Relationships. When we boil everything down, relationships are what give us meaning and purpose in life. This means getting to know others, learning about their hopes and dreams, helping them out and accepting help from them. Talking, sharing, joking and social interactions are essential to keep our brains cognitively active. In "Blue Zones" where people live the longest, like Ikaria (Greece), Sardinia (Italy) and the Nicoya Peninsula (Costa Rica), the "oldest" people still play an important role in the community, educating and helping raise children, maintaining traditions and volunteering. With that come strong relationships and the healthiest brains on earth! So, make it a priority to reach out to your family and friends and spend time with them. Unsurprisingly, you need relationships and the purpose they bring to have a long and healthy life. 2. Diet. Everyone knows that a well-balanced diet is healthy for the body, and groundbreaking research over the past decade shows that diet and nutrition are also crucial for long-term brain health. Some of the best evidence for brain benefits comes from the Mediterranean and MIND diets (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay), originally developed at Rush University Medical Center. SOULFUL Insights has covered them here and here, and the big message is this: the MIND diet is significantly linked to a greater than 50% reduction in risk of Alzheimer's disease and performing eight years younger cognitively (don't you love the idea of maintaining a youthful brain with the wisdom of the ancients?). These diets focus on consuming leafy green vegetables, berries, olive oil, fish, nuts, legumes, seeds, whole grains, poultry and wine (in moderation). Just as significantly, they limit the consumption of red meat, sweets, saturated fats and processed foods. Also, it's worth noting that the Blue Zones, which have the lowest rates of dementia, follow very similar diets. 3. Exercise. Believe it or not, physical exercise is not just beneficial for our heart and muscles, but it's also very healthy for the brain. When a person exercises, muscle contractions release chemical signals for the brain to grow new nerve cells. It's a strange but beautiful linkage. Also, the increased blood flow that exercise brings helps to nourish the brain. So, now we have yet another and perhaps most important reason to stay physically fit: keep our brains healthy and cognitively intact. 4. Sleep. Sleep is often the first casualty of our busy lives since it's so easy to cut out an hour here or there and make up for it with coffee or an energy drink, but brain health gives us a reason to make it a priority again. Most obviously, if you're sleep-deprived, you'll notice it's harder to concentrate and learn. Also, sleep plays a critical maintenance role: it's when waste products are flushed out of the brain. Chronic lack of sleep deprives the brain of this opportunity to "take out the trash," and waste and toxicants accumulate. And importantly, sleep is when memories are "locked in" or consolidated for long-term storage. So, prioritizing sleep will help you learn, keep your brain clean and help retain precious memories. It's a win-win-win. 5. Learning. Part of joy is seeing the world around us with fresh eyes and curiosity. That leads to new pursuits and understanding. It also creates new connections in the brain and builds our "cognitive reserve," which helps us resist the process of brain aging. So, keep learning, whether it be a new hobby or language, a new musical instrument, playing games, doing crossword puzzles or reading avidly. Don't take for granted the ability to learn. It takes practice; the more practice, the stronger the brain and your ability to enjoy life. A parting thought on relationships. Deep relationships are the fountain from which happiness, joy and meaning flow. Some relationships bring joy, some bring intellectual stimulation, and even tough relationships bring meaning. The bigger picture is that as much as we'd like to avoid the thought, we will all physically die at some point. So, what is true longevity? It's our legacy: the people we affect while we live and how they remember us, speak about us and teach others what we've taught them long after we're gone. We become "immortal" through those whom we help. As I mentioned earlier about the Blue Zones, relationships are a fundamental reason why people in those regions live longer than everyone else in the world. Their communities and customs motivate social interaction and relationship building, both within generations and across generations, connecting the young with the old. Somewhere in that framework, you may discover your own personal plan for a long, healthy and joyful life. Resources Buettner D. The Blue Zones: 9 Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who've Lived the Longest. National Geographic, Washington, D.C. (2012). Liu PZ and Nusslock R. Exercise-Mediated Neurogenesis in the Hippocampus via BDNF. Front. Neurosci., 12:52 (2018). Morris MC, et al. MIND diet associated with reduced incidence of Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's and Dementia, 11(9), 1007–1014 (2015). Stern Y. Cognitive reserve in ageing and Alzheimer's disease. Lancet Neurology, 11:11 (2012). Walker MP. Cognitive consequences of sleep and sleep loss. Sleep Medicine, 9:1 (2008). Edward Park, PhD Edward Park is the founder of NeuroReserve, a preventive health and nutrition company focused on healthy brain aging. Ed's background spans over 15 years in the fields of nutritional therapeutics, biopharmaceuticals and medical devices, where he directed R&D, testing and regulatory approval of products to treat people malnourished by cystic fibrosis, pancreatic cancer and preterm birth. Ed's family history of neurodegenerative disease (his father) led him toward brain health, where he realized the powerful role nutrition and dietary patterns can play in reducing the risk of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and other neurodegenerative conditions. This inspired him to develop a new generation of nutritional products to strengthen long-term brain health and cognition: expert-designed, data analytics-driven and built on the best dietary evidence—leading to the founding of NeuroReserve. Ed holds a PhD in chemical and biomolecular engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he was a National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellow. He also holds an MS and MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Email: epark@neuroreserve.com Learn more about NeuroReserve here: neuroreserve.com Instagram @neuroreserve Facebook @neuroreserve The code SOULFOODSALON can be used on the Neuroreserve website for a 15% discount on RELEVATE (applied to the first order and all future orders).

This recipe Broiled feta with garlicky cherry tomatoes inspired by @onceuponachef really hit the spot! Seasonal tomatoes with garlic, capers, olives and chili flakes for the perfect spice! A delicious appetizer or topping for pasta. Ingredients: 1 (8 ounce) block feta cheese, or 5-6 small mozzarella pearls 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped 10 ounces cherry tomatoes, preferably different colors, halved Scant ¼ teaspoon salt ⅛ teaspoon pepper 1½ tablespoons capers, drained 6 black olives, sliced 6 green olives, sliced Red chili flakes Directions: •Preheat the broiler and set the oven rack in the top position. •Place the feta or mozzarella pearls in a small (1-quart) baking dish and set aside. •Heat the oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper; cook, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes are softened and starting to burst, 4-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the capers and olives. •Scatter the tomatoes around the feta and broil until the feta is softened and browned on top, 3 to 4 minutes (but keep an eye on it as broilers vary greatly.) •Sprinkle red chili flakes to taste •Serve warm with bread.

Over ripe bananas in the most delicious muffins around! I added dark chocolate chips to this wonderfully brain healthy muffin. Ingredients: 1½ cups whole wheat flour ½ cup almond flour ¼ cup plus 1 TB hemp hearts or ground flaxseeds 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon kosher salt 1 cup very ripe bananas mashed (from about 2 large or 3 small bananas) ⅔ cup coconut palm sugar ½ cup extra virgin olive oil plus more for greasing the pan 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2 large eggs 2 cups blueberries fresh or frozen (but not defrosted) Directions: •Preheat your oven to 350ºF. Line muffin tins with paper liners and rub a few drops of olive oil on the surface of the pan. (This helps prevent sticking.) •In a large bowl, whisk together the whole-wheat flour, almond flour, ¼ cup of the hemp hearts, baking powder, and salt; set aside. •In another large bowl, whisk together the bananas, sugar, olive oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk in the eggs one at a time. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ones until just combined. •Gently fold 1⅓ cups of the blueberries into the muffin batter. Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups. •Divide the remaining ⅔ cup blueberries evenly over the tops of the muffins and gently press them into the batter. Sprinkle evenly with the additional tablespoon of hemp hearts. •Bake for 30 to 40 minutes for standard muffins, or until a cake tester or small wooden skewer inserted into muffins comes out clean. •These muffins are best the day they are made. Warm day-old muffins in the oven at 300ºF for 10 minutes. To freeze, wrap in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. Note: Baking times vary depending on how fast your oven runs and how many feet above sea level you live. It's a good idea to check on the muffins for doneness starting at 25 minutes.

Nothing screams summer like peaches! This peach crumble takes advantage of the natural sweetness of the fruit. Yet it is on the healthier side with coconut palm sugar (has a lower glycemic index as compared to sugar and brown sugar but still has a wonderful sweetness). Peach mixture: Peaches x 2, sliced in 1/8s 1 TB coconut palm sugar ½ TB cornstarch Sprinkle of Lemon juice Crumble layer: 2 TB melted unsalted butter ½ cup rolled oats ½ cup almond flour 2 TB maple syrup ¼ tsp baking powder Pinch of salt 1 tsp cinnamon ¼ cup pecans chopped Directions: •Preheat oven to Bake 350 •Prepare two 4” ramekins •Mix together peaches, sugar, cornstarch & lemon juice, set aside. •Mix together all ingredients for the crumble. Place ⅔ of crumble to bottoms of ramekins. Bake for 8-10 minutes. This will set the crust. •Pour peach mixture over the crusts. Sprinkle remaining crumble to the top. •Bake 12-15 minutes until golden brown. •Cool for 10 minutes.

This dish is beyond delicious! Thank you Yasmin Fahr for the inspiration! There are colorful and yummy seasonal vegetables, farro, pesto and spice. Definitely make this today! Ingredients: Kosher salt and black pepper 1 cup farro, rinsed 2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes 1 small red onion, peeled, quartered and cut into 1-inch wedges 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the farro ½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes ¼ cup store-bought or homemade pesto, plus more to taste 1 lemon, zested (about 1 tablespoon) and juiced (about 2 tablespoons) 2 packed cups baby spinach 1(4-ounce) ball fresh mozzarella, torn into chunks, or ½ cup ricotta salata, crumbled (optional) ¼ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley or basil leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped Directions: • Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Bring a large covered pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the farro and adjust the heat to maintain a medium boil. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom, until tender and not too chewy, about 30 minutes. • Meanwhile, on a sheet pan, combine the tomatoes and onion wedges with the oil, making sure everything is well coated and glistening, then season with salt, pepper and the red-pepper flakes. Roast until the tomatoes blister and slightly deflate, 25 to 30 minutes. • When the farro is done, drain, then pour into a serving bowl or back into the pot. Toss with some olive oil, then mix in the pesto. Add the lemon zest and juice, then stir in the spinach. Set aside to cool slightly. • Scrape the onions, tomatoes and their juices into the farro; season with salt and pepper as needed. Add the cheese, if using, then garnish with herbs and serve. Modifications I made: • I added a jar of canned chickpeas to the tomatoes and onions and roasted them all together. • I eliminated the mozzarella cheese.

This dish is super delicious, seasonal and easy! Full of flavorful tomatoes and a bit of spice!

This colorful delicious, seasonal, crunchy, tasty coleslaw is wonderful to bring to your next BBQ! DRESSING 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger 1 medium garlic clove, minced 2 tablespoons well-stirred tahini 2 tablespoons white miso 1 tablespoon honey ¼ cup rice vinegar 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil 2 tablespoons olive or a neutral oil Salt and Sriracha to taste 4 cups thinly sliced mixed carrots, cucumber, celery, bell peppers, sugar snaps 2 cups thinly sliced red, green, savoy, or Napa cabbage 1 cup chopped salted peanuts 1 cup thinly sliced scallion (white and green parts) Handful chopped fresh cilantro, if you wish About 1 cup Miso-Sesame Dressing (above) 1 pound grilled chicken thighs, thinly sliced (optional) Instructions: • Make the dressing: Combine all dressing ingredients in a blender and run until smooth, scraping down sides once. You can also hand-whisk the ingredients in a bowl, but be vigorous so the chunky ingredients smooth out. Taste and adjust ingredients to your preference. • Assemble the salad: Holding back a little of the peanuts, scallion, and herbs for garnish, add all ingredients to a large bowl and toss with half of the dressing, adding some or all of the remaining dressing to taste. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. Sprinkle with reserved peanuts, scallions, and herbs for extra prettiness. Eat right away or bring it somewhere wonderful in a cooler and eat it in a few hours. • Do ahead: The dressing and chopped vegetables (except the cilantro, which might wilt faster), stored separately, will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge.

This is one of my favorite dishes from True Foods Kitchen, their roasted cauliflower with harissa, tahini, dates, pistachios, mint and dill. We order it at every visit! It’s a wonderful combination of sweet, salty and savory. Ingredients: 1 small head of cauliflower, cut into florets 2 cloves garlic, pressed and separated 2 Tbsp. olive oil ⅓ cup tahini Juice of half a lemon 1 to 2 Tbsp. harissa, depending on spice preference 4 Tbsp. vegetable broth, plus 2 to 3 Tbsp. as needed ½ tsp. salt 3 dates, diced ¼ cup toasted pistachios 2 Tbsp. mint, roughly chopped 2 Tbsp. dill Directions: •Oven at 450 •In a medium bowl, toss together the cauliflower florets, 1 clove of garlic and the olive oil. Spread the cauliflower evenly onto the prepared baking sheet and roast for 25 to 30 minutes. • While the cauliflower roasts, make the tahini-harissa dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining garlic, tahini, lemon juice, harissa, 4 tablespoons vegetable broth and salt. If the dressing is a bit thick and does not easily drizzle off the whisk, add more vegetable broth, 1 tablespoon at a time. • When the cauliflower is lightly browned and tender, remove it from the oven. Allow it to cool about 5 minutes then transfer to a medium bowl. • Toss the cauliflower with half of the tahini-harissa dressing then lightly fold in the dates and pistachios. Top with chopped mint and dill and serve immediately.

Oh my! This crunchy, almondy, chocolately biscuit is a delicious treat morning, noon or night! This was a treat that my mom made and always had in our house growing up. I've tweaked her recipe to make it a bit healthier yet the deliciousness is still there! Ingredients: 1 cup almond flour 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt 1 tsp cinnamon 2 large eggs ½ cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon almond extract ½ cup olive oil About 1 cup chopped almonds & chopped semi-sweet chocolate chips ¼ cup sugar mixed with 1-2 teaspoons cinnamon for finishing Directions: •In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; stir well to mix. •In another bowl, whisk eggs by hand until well mixed. Add sugar and whisk until smooth. Add oil and extracts. Mix thoroughly. •Fold flour mixture into egg mixture until all flour is absorbed. Add nuts and chocolate chips. •Place a cover on the bowl with the dough and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. •Preheat oven to 350 degrees. •On a lightly floured surface, press dough together. Divide dough in half and roll each half into a log the length of your pan (14 to 18 inches). Place each log on pan and flatten slightly. Bake until well-risen and firm, about 25-30 minutes. Cool the logs on the pans and racks. •Mix sugar and 1-2 tsp cinnamon for the final sprinkling. •Using a sharp knife slice baked logs about every 1/2 inch. Turn the cut cookies on their sides. Sprinkle the sugar cinnamon mixture on top of bread. •Return biscotti to the oven, cut side down, and bake until dry and crisp, up to 20 minutes longer. •Store in an airtight container.

Our family struck gold 10 years ago when our rescue dog Lucy—a Chihuahua-terrier mix—came into our lives. Instantly, she was a wonderful addition to our family. She also came to us with many unknown health issues. In her first year in our home, Lucy was in and out of the vet continuously with high fevers and extreme lethargy. Even when she was down and out, she still expressed love, often giving kisses with her hot fevered tongue. After many hospitalizations, she underwent surgery and was found to have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The diagnosis meant that she had to be on a special diet and take multiple medications. She’s been my little resilient patient ever since—and she’s been thriving on this regimen for the past nine years. If you were to meet her, you would have no idea that she has suffered so much. As I sit down to write this post, Lucy is happily cuddling beside me. While reflecting on the past 10 years with her, I realize she has taught me so many lessons. I’d like to share those lessons with you. Perhaps we can all learn something from my favorite furry friend! First and foremost, Lucy gives love unconditionally—and lots of it—to anyone and everyone. Whether she is greeting me at the door or when I come into a room, she shares an abundance of kisses and a wagging tail. Everyone is her friend. Loving unconditionally is her trademark. Make no mistake, she also loves receiving love, and she asks for it. A lot. She often stops me in my tracks, demanding I sit down and cuddle with her. This encourages me to pause and just be with her in the present moment with love. Experiencing love and sharing love have been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, lower blood pressure and may even improve our cardiovascular health. She is such a wise soul. Lucy is always open to new possibilities. She has a proper “can-do” attitude and is game for anything. Even when she seems to be comfortably resting or asleep, all it takes is hearing “Let’s go take a walk” or “Follow me” for her ears to perk up and her body to signal that she welcomes the opportunity. When we are open to new possibilities, we allow things to unfold as they are, organically, rather than forcing them to happen. This space of open possibility lends itself to a world rich in creativity and curiosity. She reminds me of this daily, and she creates this space effortlessly. Being outside in nature is one of Lucy’s favorite pastimes. She stops to smell the roses, the grasses and the markings left by other neighborhood dogs. Her olfactory fact-finding missions often last forever, but I love that she gives me an opportunity to pause. I notice all the beauty around me and feel appreciative and grateful for it all. If it weren’t for her, I’d likely miss this chance to be genuinely in the present moment. She provides constant reminders that being mindful and present helps us to live happier and more meaningful lives. Plus, she gets me outside. Studies have shown that spending time in nature is stress-relieving, helps reduce rates of depression and promotes creativity. In a recent study, researchers showed that exposure to green space may support cognitive health. Clearly, Lucy is on to something big! Lucy is the mistress of chill. Often, when I am chopping away in the kitchen, she will find a sunny patch outside where she can still see me and bask in the sunlight without a care in the world. As we all know, giving yourself time to rest and relax is an essential element of self-care. It helps improve mood, decreases blood pressure and reduces stress—to list just a few of the many benefits. She is really, really good at rest! Every day, without fail, Lucy does a variety of stretches. We often do Downward Dog together. Stretching is helpful for our joints, flexibility and balance. It also helps improve our ability to perform daily activities and decreases the risk of injury. And as we age, it’s even more important to incorporate stretching into our daily routine. Lucy extends into a full body stretch whenever she can—it’s a friendly reminder of how nourishing it can be for all of us to move in this way. At the end of every day, Lucy is tired and spent. She is ready for bed every single day by 8 pm and, once she falls asleep, she is out cold. She is a sleep master, cuddling up to any warm human to rest whenever possible. Sleep is one of the most important activities we can do to benefit our health in so many ways, ranging from memory to immune support. Practicing good sleep hygiene with a regular waking and bedtime schedule is best. This sweet dog has taught me so much—she clearly knows a thing or two about healthy living! We may have “rescued” her, but she has rewarded us with so much more. Her simple but wise ways serve as a daily reminder to connect with what’s important—like your relationships—and to live a healthy life filled with happiness and meaning. It is a joy to be reminded of these important lessons from my favorite furry friend, Lucy. Resources Jimenez MP, et al. Residential green space and cognitive function in a large cohort of middle-aged women. JAMA Network Open. 2022;5(4):e229306. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.9306. The Power of Pets: Health Benefits of Human-Animal Interactions. National Institutes of Health. Accessed May 31, 2023. The Power of Pets: Health Benefits of Human-Animal Interactions. National Institutes of Health. Accessed May 31, 2023 Jeanne Rosner, MD Jeanne Rosner is a board-certified anesthesiologist who practiced pediatric anesthesia at Stanford Medical Center for nearly 20 years. In 2011, she began teaching nutrition classes in her son's 5th-grade science class. It was an "aha" moment for her. She realized that learning and teaching about nutrition, health and wellness in her community was her destiny. Since retiring from anesthesia, she has been a nutrition educator at local middle and high schools throughout the Bay Area. She teaches students about the importance of eating food closest to the source, making good food choices and eating in a balanced and moderate way. Jeanne started SOUL (seasonal, organic, unprocessed, local) Food Salon in 2014. SOUL Food Salon's mission is to educate and empower people to be healthier. She holds events (salons) at which experts in the health and wellness community share their knowledge on how to lead a healthier life. www.soulfoodsalon.com jeanne@soulfoodsalon.com Instagram: @soulfoodsalon

For the past several years, US News and World Report has named the Mediterranean diet the “best diet overall,” and, as a registered dietitian, I admit that I have often recommended this pattern of eating as the gold standard. After all, it is evidence-based and backed by science. But as a South Asian who uses Indian cooking methods and foods, I am starting to think that maybe we need to consider the connotations of “best” and what designating one diet as superior means for all the other foodways around the world. If we use the lens of diversity, equity and inclusion, we may understand why it’s important to reconsider naming or even thinking of the Mediterranean dietary pattern and foodway as the best, default option. What are foodways? Foodways are the cultural, social and economic practices relating to the production and consumption of food. Foodways refer to the intersection of food in culture, traditions and history. The Mediterranean dietary pattern—one type of foodway—has held a vaunted position in many of our minds. By placing it on a pedestal, we may unintentionally communicate that other cultures are less than, inferior and/or aren’t as healthy. And this is not true. Don’t get me wrong—the Mediterranean diet has been (and continues to be) well-researched, and it offers a lot of evidence-based health benefits. I am not against the Mediterranean diet, but rather, I’m encouraging us to include other cultural foodways into our conversations and communication strategies: foodways that may not have had the privilege of being researched yet but which may also have health and well-being benefits. Many traditional or cultural dietary patterns worldwide are more similar than different, and many foodways include plant foods as the base for every meal. Food access and social determinants of health Access to “healthy food,” or food security, is one of the social determinants of health. Expanding on that, cultural food security is a social determinant of health for many communities and individuals. Wright et al. (2020) write, “Cultural food security exists when there is the availability, access, utilization (i.e., food preparation, sharing, and consumption; foodways), and stability of cultural food.” Without these identity components (and being disconnected from one’s culture and identity), feelings of social isolation may develop (another social determinant of health), leading to sadness, depression, anxiety and loneliness. These may negatively impact well-being and health. Food connects us to our childhood, family and cultural traditions. Wright and his colleagues studied the impact of cultural food security on identity and well-being among second-generation American minority college students. They developed a conceptual framework to illustrate the relationship between cultural food security, foodways, identity and well-being. “Cultural food security creates an environment where participants can carry out foodways. Foodways act as a form of cultural transmission and expression that bind cultural members together and accentuate cultural identity.” And, for some communities/individuals, cultural identity is deeply connected to physical, mental and emotional well-being. In other words, food (especially cultural foods) may be more than nourishment for the body; it can provide nourishment for the soul and bring joy and/or a social connection and belonging. So, whether you feel your best on a Mediterranean dietary pattern, a different cultural foodway or a combination of foodways, embrace the plant-based commonality between these traditional dietary patterns. Enjoy more ways to include plant foods, including veggies, fruits, whole grains and plant-based proteins (lentils, beans, soy, tofu, tempeh, nuts, seeds, etc.). Here are some tips for how to include more plant foods into your foodway: Add a handful of seeds/nuts to the salad you already enjoy. If you like chips and salsa, try adding black beans to your favorite salsa. Quinoa cooks the same as basmati (or white) rice, so the next time you make basmati (or white) rice, try using ¾ rice and ¼ quinoa. Sprinkle some nutritional yeast (a good source of fiber and protein) on popcorn, dal or soup. Add some kidney beans or beluga lentils to your pasta sauce. Add a handful of baby spinach into your subji, tikka masala, dal, stir fry, eggs, soups, sandwiches, salads or pasta sauces (in fact, add it to pretty much anything!). If you like a classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich, throw in some chia seeds. If you’re looking for resources and recipes based on shared cultural food traditions, please check out Oldways. Resources Oldways website Social Determinants of Health. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion What's The Mediterranean Diet? US News & World Report Wright, K.E., Lucero, J.E., Ferguson, J.K. et al. The impact that cultural food security has on identity and well-being in the second-generation U.S. American minority college students. Food Sec. 13, 701–715 (2021). doi.org/10.1007/s12571-020-01140-w Anjali Patel, MPH, RD Anjali Patel is a registered dietitian (RD) specializing in public health, research and community nutrition. Born and raised in Ottawa, Canada, Anjali moved to a small town in Kumamoto, Japan, after graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Life Sciences. There, she taught English and spent her free time on grassroots internationalization projects centered on food and culture. This work fueled her passion for community nutrition. She returned to school to pursue her RD and Master of Public Health. On the side, she worked in nutrition research, nutrition communications and public health programs and strategy. In 2011, Anjali moved to the US and worked with the restaurant industry on environmental change and consumer behavior change research funded by the Center for Disease Control and the National Institute of Health. Anjali is a food and nutrition educator who creates programs and strategies that aim to foster a positive relationship with food, cultural foodways and social health. She believes that food holds power beyond nourishment for the body. It is identity, belonging and what connects us. Anjali Patel, MPH, RD Co-Founder, VENN Food + Nutrition Direct: 619.846.4801 anjali@vennfoodnutrition.com vennfoodnutrition.com linkedin.com/in/anjalipatelmphrd/