October 16 Forum to Address Nutrition and Stress

September 26, 2024

The MMA will present a virtual forum on “Supporting Well-being: Nutritional Strategies for Physicians Under Stress” from noon to 1 pm on Wednesday, October 16.

This session will review the physiology of the autonomic nervous system, how this impacts digestion and inflammation, and strategies for nourishing ourselves to promote greater resilience during times of stress. Not only what we eat, but how we eat impacts the body’s response to stress. Please plan to bring a small food item to the session in order to participate in a brief mindful eating practice.  

Learning Objectives:  

1. Understand the effects of chronic stress on the autonomic nervous system, gut microbiome and digestive system. 

2. Identify drivers of inflammation through the concept of the exposome 

3. Recognize tools for reducing inflammation through food and mindful eating.  

The session will be led by Kate Shafto, MD, FAAP, FACP, an internal medicine, pediatrics and integrative medicine physician with Hennepin Healthcare and the University of Minnesota's Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing. Shafto has been co-teaching an inter-professional culinary nutrition and food systems course called Food Matters for eight years, both at the graduate and continuing professional education levels.  

Click here to register.