Dr. Lauren Powell knows the healing power of food. As “The Culinary Doctor”, Dr. Powell teaches us how to prevent disease and heal our bodies from the inside out through what we eat. The board-certified physician makes healthy eating a priority and it is her goal to end generational health issues in the African American community. Dr. Lauren makes cooking fun through with her cookbook, Food Essentials for the Busy Professional, as well as her Cooking Queens Recipe Monthly Subscription which educates women on how to use food as medicine through virtual cooking classes. By using nature’s bounty, Dr. Lauren seeks to change the way we think about food and its relationship to our overall health.
FWM: Dr. Powell, it is an honor to feature you in this issue. Please tell us about yourself
Dr. LP: I am Dr. Lauren W. Powell, MD, a board-certified, family medicine physician. I’m a Metro-Detroit native who graduated cum laude from the undergraduate program at the University of Detroit Mercy, followed by receiving my Doctor of Medicine degree from the Wayne State University School of Medicine. Due to health issues of my father, I began to focus on culinary medicine. I now travel the US speaking and teaching about disease prevention and the healing properties in food.
FWM: Do you feel that there is a direct connection between our eating habits and more severe health issues such as stroke, heart attack and diabetes?
Dr. LP: The studies are conclusive, that there is a direct connection between the food that we put in our body and certain disease states which include, hypertension, diabetes, elevated cholesterol, obesity, some cancers, and others. The problem is that the connection has become very confusing. When we think about cigarette smoking, we very clearly understand its direct connection to lung cancer. That same connection between food and disease is not there. We don’t know what food is good or bad for us, we don’t know if we should be eating meat or not, we are confused about carbs, it’s all just so confusing. And that’s because of the overabundance of information that is out there. My goal is to make the connection between food and disease very clear.
FWM: Explain to us the effects of Culinary Medicine.
Dr. LP: Culinary medicine is aimed at educating people about food with respect to health and specific disease states.
FWM: Tell us more about your non-profit organization, Young Lady Watching
Dr. LP: Young Lady Watching is a nonprofit organization that was started by myself and my sister, bestie, and colleague Dr. Kristamarie Collman. The mission is to assist minority women who are interested in pursuing a degree in healthcare. We understand that there are many challenges that minority women may face in their pursuit of higher education in the health space, we support these women in the form of scholarship, board prep, mentorship, community, and social professional events.
FWM: How can our readers connect with you outside of this interview?
Dr. LP: You can connect with me @drlaurenpowell and @theculinarydoctor on Instagram. You can also find me at my website www.DrLaurenPowell.com. Please stop by for your free cookbook at www.dinnerwithdrlauren.com. If you are interested in becoming a Cooking Queen, please join the wait list at www.DrLaurensWaitList.com.
Photos courtesy of Erica Simmons
