Welcome to Dr and the Chef: the aperitivo series
Get the resources, support and inspiration to cook your way to a happier and healthier mood
If brain fog, fatigue, stress and burnout are keeping you from living your full life, then come join me in the kitchen to learn the power of food as medicine
Series starts April 21, 2022 | 5-7 PM Pacific
Is it possible to build a stronger more resilient brain by changing how you eat?
In this introductory series, I’ll teach you how to eat in way that nourishes your mental wellbeing. You’ll learn how to feed a healthy brain, eat for gut health and power up your kitchen with anti inflammatory delicious foods
The Dr and the Chef series will help you
Feed a healthier
gut
Learn the techniques to improve your gut health, so you can reduce inflammation and say goodbye to bloating and indigestion
Become a better cook
Right along with connection and education, we’ll cook together! Each week will feature a live demo of a new recipe to ground theory into practice.
Create a stronger mind
Learn the brain healthy diet to fight depression and anxiety and use food as medicine
Improve your mood with food
If you’re looking for a different way to care for your mental health, welcome.
I think something incredible happens when we head to the kitchen. It has the potential to be a place of creativity, restoration, healing and agency. It doesn’t have to be fancy or fussy.
But, health food has gotten a bad rap. Either boring and gross. Or that it doesn’t matter or make a difference.
Oh what a failure of our imagination.
Healthy food can be delicious and it can heal.
Dr and the Chef was born 8 years ago from my fundamental belief that we are all eaters and that how and what we eat can change our health and the world.
Practically, it brings together clinical nutrition and functional medicine with cooking techniques and recipes.
But, at it’s core it’s always been about celebrating the table. Celebrating connection and nourishment.
I can’t wait to cook with you.
Dr and the Chef series: gut and mood
An “aperitivo” series to introduce you to the basics and get a taste for good mood food.
The Dr and the Chef aperitivo series is a 3-week group program that will help you understand the connection between the gut, food and mood and the tools to use food as medicine to foster healing.
Here’s what it looks like:
Week 1: A root cause approach to mood
One of the primary ways by which diet can influence mood is through inflammation. In this first week, you’ll learn why inflammation matters, what you can do about it and how to cook anti inflammatory foods.
Week 2: The mood all stars
We’re a nation that is overfed and undernourished. How do we change this formula and focus in on the foods that are nutritionally dense and most healthy? In week 2, we’ll highlight the mood all stars: the nutrients and foods that really shine for supporting a good mood.
And, most importantly, we’ll translate the science to building a brain healthy plate and feature these foods as actual recipes.
Week 3: Eating for the gut
The gut is often referred to as the second brain. It modulates inflammation and is linked to mood through the gut-brain axis. In this 3rd week, you’ll learn the elements of a healthy microbiome and what to do to cultivate a healthy microbial balance. We’ll cover prebiotics and probiotics and explore ways to eat these foods.
Hi, I’m Dr. Antonella Aguilera-Ruiz, ND.
I believe that when we feel well in mind and body, we have the freedom to pursue our heart’s desire.
For years, when I was in college, I battled with my own health demons. I had stubborn insomnia, panic attacks and a constant gnawing pain in my stomach.
I felt like I was drowning instead of thriving in what was supposed to be a new and exciting time in my life.
I was young and appeared vital to the outside observer. But, I knew that simply getting out of bed took all my effort and the roller coaster of fatigue and overwhelm left me feeling disoriented and hopeless.
Maybe you’ve felt like this before. Wondering how long you can handle feeling this terrible? Or if there may come a point when it’d just be too much to handle and you might crash? Or if this was a “normal” part of aging whether you’re 20, 30, 50 or 60?
I finally got to the point where I had to make a change.
Under the recommendation of a holistic practitioner, I changed my diet. I realized constipation, stomach aches and weird bouts of diarrhea were not normal. I started herbs and supplements and was nudged to look under the hood at my relentless perfectionism.
She teased out that I had been sleeping an average of about 6 hours since high school. Wind down time in the evening became a priority.
Over time, all these changes mixed together synergistically to get me well and healthy and back to school and put me on the path to become a practitioner myself.
That’s why I’m so passionate about this holistic way of healing and I’m so thrilled to be sharing the action steps to build a stronger foundation for your mental well-being.
What You Get:
3 weekly lessons via Zoom
Each week includes:
Group share, lecture and slides on that week’s topic, cooking demo, closing circle
Weekly recipe
Cost: $199
Enrollment will be capped at 15 students per session
Get started:
Welcome to food + community
Often we think about physical health and mental health. However, there’s a third leg to the stool: social health.
This series is built with inspiration from the Italian tradition of coming together for aperitivo. A convivial gathering to enjoy a drink and nibble to whet the appetite before dinner. While cocktails may not be front and center, community is. Too often we think we should be able to figure it out alone, but we need one another. Just as much as food is medicine, connection is medicine.
What people are saying they most enjoyed
“EVERYTHING! The food, the time with people even though it was through zoom, the energy, the shopping and discovering new “old” foods.”
— JC
“I enjoyed the combination of information and practical application. Watching you cook was inspirational and it lit a spark.”
— Jennifer W.
FAQs
What if I can’t make every session?
We’ll miss you, but there will be recordings of the lecture and cooking demo, so you can always review the material at your own convenience.
Can two or more people join from the same household?
Yes! Each person will need to pay for a spot, but please use code FAMILY for 15% off if enrolling multiple people from the same household. I suggest just two people max join from the same Zoom account as it can make it hard to have more people from one single camera.
What kitchen equipment do I need?
I’m a fan of simple cooking, so we won’t be too gadget heavy. However, I’ll assume you have a chef’s knife and cutting board, a set of bowls and simple tools like a grater or vegetable peeler. We may occasionally use a blender and/or food processor.
What if I’m a total newbie?
Good! We all start somewhere. My goal is to get you more comfortable in the kitchen and set the foundation of culinary skills. Also, we’re taking this on as a group so we can learn more one another regardless of proficiency levels.
Where are the classes held?
This Dr and the Chef series will be done virtually. I’ll stream live from my own kitchen. You’re welcome to join in from your own kitchen, cook along or use the video as reference in the future.
Is the diet you recommend vegetarian or vegan?
The Mediterranean diet is not vegan nor vegetarian. If this is your preference, you’ll need to make those adjustments as many recipes will include eggs, butter, fish, chicken and or meat.
Can I get a refund?
Nope! This is a live an interactive experience and no refunds will be given.
Will we only cook appetizers?
Nope, but I can see why you might ask! The aperitivo aspect refers to this experience being an introductory series. Imagine it as a light first course to holistic health and food as medicine.
The Dr and the Chef aperitivo: gut and mood
Included in this one-time payment:
3 weekly classes that include lecture and cooking demo
Meetings will be April 21- May 5 @ 5-7 PM
Weekly recipe + prep list
Community connection and education with other like minded individuals
Cost: $199
Enrollment will be capped at 15 students per session