BNMC's annual food as medicine symposium, 'Transformative Practices for Health' at UB's Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences

Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus announced the upcoming food as medicine symposium, "Transformative Practices for Health," will take place Sept. 27-28 at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo, 955 Main St.

A press release stated, “This two-day event aims to bring together national and local speakers to facilitate discussions and workshops centered around value-based practices. This year's symposium will focus on the food industry, food equity, and lifestyle medicine. Additionally, the event will highlight partners' food and nutrition practices rooted in integrity, accountability and transparency, which are contributing to meaningful and sustainable change in clinical and population health outcomes.”

The agenda for the 2023 symposium includes a range of activities designed both for community members and health care professionals.

On day 1, participants will have the option to choose between two workshops. The first, led by Registered Dietitian Rachel Laster and Rhonda Wilson of Buffalo Black Nurses, will offer a cooking demonstration for the general public, showcasing how to incorporate food as medicine in daily life. The second workshop, facilitated by Dr. Ted Barnett of the Rochester Lifestyle Medicine Institute, is tailored for clinicians and members of the health care team, focusing on integrating food as medicine, and whole-food plant-based nutrition, into their practice.

Day 2 of the symposium will feature a morning keynote address on food equity by Dr. Angela Odoms Young from Cornell University's College of Human Ecology. This will be followed by a panel discussion on food equity, exploring how stakeholders outside the food system can advance health and food equity through food as medicine programs. The afternoon keynote, by chef Dr. Robert Graham of Fresh Medicine NYC, will delve into the field of lifestyle medicine, followed by a panel discussion highlighting best practice models for lifestyle medicine and culinary medicine programs.

The symposium will conclude with a panel discussion featuring representatives from the private food sector, examining their contributions to health outcomes, sustainability, and profit within the complex landscape of nutrition and health.

Accreditation for continuing medical education (CME) will be provided by the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB.

To learn more or register, visit: https://bnmc.org/health-and-wellbeing/.

BNMC is offering discounted tickets for nonprofits with code FAMNP2023 nonprofit, and free tickets for students with code FAMSTU2023.

This year’s symposium is sponsored by the Jacobs School and the School of Public Health and Public Health Professions at UB.