Women who participated in a 12-week program known as “Food is Medicine: Healing Together” say the cooking courses and diet seminars helped flip their well being round.

“In the class, I learned how to use the different spices to balance out my blood pressure and I noticed my blood pressure went down,” stated Katrina Gatson.

Gatson, 32, and a mother of 4 boys, has struggled with hypertension for years.

“It came on real early, during my second pregnancy,” Gatson stated.

That’s what certified her to enroll within the research via the UIC College of Nursing, led by Assistant Professor Saria Lofton.

“This is specifically for black women with hypertension and obesity,” Lofton stated.

The Food is Medicine: Healing Together research is a community-based partnership between the College of Nursing on the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), UI Health Mile Square Health Centers, 40 Acres Fresh Market and Good Food is Good Medicine.

The 20 ladies enrolled met weekly within the Bryn Mawr Community Church kitchen for cooking courses. They additionally obtained recent produce and provides to deliver house to their households.

“I found out I love herbs. Now I learned how to use thyme, rosemary. It’s awesome,” Silvia Robinson stated.

Robinson, 63, not solely misplaced 14 kilos in 12 weeks, she additionally lowered her blood strain and has extra power to maintain up together with her family members.

‘I was able to run and play with my grandson. He’s 7 years previous and that was one of the best feeling ever,” Robinson stated.

The inaugural program began within the South Shore neighborhood, however organizers are already seeking to develop to different communities in Chicago.

“This is a program that we want to continue to build out and for that to happen the more that we can have funding to support that, beyond these 20 women to 40 women, multiply that by 100. We want to go all over the city,” Lofton stated.

“We share our pictures and experiences with the class. It’s wonderful. l I made dishes I didn’t even think I could make. We made a honey-glazed salmon. Delicious. And it was healthy,” Gatson stated.

Some of their very own recipes went into their commencement reward, a recipe guide, together with new cooking utensils and tools.

Empowerment to create their very own wholesome meals could also be one of the best reward of all.

“How they cook they also bring that back to their families, so it’s a multi-generational support system that we provide as well,” stated Amena Karim, a well being fairness advocate and founding father of Feeding Chicago Families and Feeding South Shore, who contributed to the research.

Additional Food is Medicine: Heal Together cooking courses are being deliberate for Fall 2023. For extra data on the initiative, ship inquiries to Professor Saria Lofton at slofto4@uic.edu.