Take Care

There are connections between what we eat and how we feel, and the growing field of culinary medicine looks to capitalize on that link by joining the foundations of nutrition science with teaching people how to cook healthy, tasteful meals. One North Country doctor’s office is taking it to the next level by offering patients cooking tips and techniques from a teaching kitchen that’s part of their clinic. Joe Wetterhahn, a family practice physician and his wife Gina, a physician’s assistant, ditch their stethoscopes one night a month for a set of knives and cutting boards, teaching patients how to make tasty, healthy food. The genesis of this whole thing? "Gina one day in frustration saying 'nobody is getting better. We’re spending time with people, doing the best we can, but the weight is going up, the blood sugars are going up, blood pressure is going up'," Wetterhahn said. "It’s not just us, it’s obviously happening across the country. But the way to really impact that is at the