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Dr. John La Puma MD is the leading physician voice for culinary medicine and nature as essential parts of your health, and an internationally recognized expert in nutrition, well-being and wellness. Dr La Puma is a board-certified specialist in internal medicine, a professionally trained chef and an urban organic regenerative farmer. He is also a New York Times best-selling author, has lectured on culinary medicine at TEDMED and TEDx, and on nature-based medicine and culinary medicine at the University of Chicago and Harvard University,
Dr. John believes that both food and nature are information for the body and the brain. The right foods, beverages, outdoor activities and nature-based solutions can help you reboot your brain and your health. Both food and nature are regenerative, powerful, underutilized therapeutic tools in medicine.
If you weren’t watching the Kansas City Chiefs win on Sunday, you might have caught up on watching Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf beat John McEnroe and Maria Sharapova in pickleball…on ESPN for $1 million to charity. It’s the fastest growing sport in the U.S., with 48.3 million pickleball players
Dave and Debbie played pickleball together last week for the first time. They are edging into their 60s and are battling old back and knee injury pain. Both started this sport as a fun way to get some exercise and make new friends while releasing some competitive energy. In between
Cooler weather and the changing seasons can have a huge impact on your mental health, especially if have seasonal depression. But could cold weather cause more than just the winter blues? Let’s explore how your brain changes as the weather grows colder. Your Brain and Cold Weather As the weather
The results are in: spending time outside improves your mood, allows you to live longer and healthier, and can help you make (and remember) better decisions. But what exactly should you do outside? Figuring out what to do outside is a common problem for my patients when I prescribe a
Can walking transform your life and well-being? If the current body of research has anything to say about it, it might be time to take a hike! As part of the “Your Brain on Nature” series, we examined how nature walks can reduce anxiety and improve your physical health. Check
From the buzz around the Fantastic Fungi documentary to the portobello mushroom burger craze, mushrooms have been a popular topic of discussion. And the morel of the story is that no matter what mushroom you try, you will experience some benefits, particularly for your gut health. With that being said,
Dr. John is the author or co-author of seven books. Several are used as textbooks at great academic institutions worldwide, and three have been New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestsellers. Most recently, he writes and speaks about how the power to opt outside can improve your medical health and mental state, and how to use medically tailored meals and food as medicine.
While Dr. John did not invent food as medicine, he pioneered and popularized Culinary Medicine, now taught in at least 2/3 of U.S. medical schools and worldwide. As co-host of national cable and network Lifetime TV ‘s Health Corner for nearly 5 years and 120 episodes on as ChefMD®, he loves getting to know people, their food and their gardens. His invited presentations often include cooking demos and tips, and sometimes herbs from his regenerative farm.
Dr. John is board-certified in internal medicine. He writes both recipes and pharmaceuticals on prescription slips. He also advocates for related causes, including food security, pollinator protection, soil health and animal adoption and welfare.
