thechefdoc

05/30/2026

YOU might be setting up your cutting board WRONG ⚠️

Most people don’t think about this, but how your cutting board is positioned can actually affect your safety in the kitchen.

I see this often—people cutting from the side, at an angle, or with their body turned away from the board.

Here’s the correct setup 👇
Your cutting board should be placed straight in front of you—perpendicular to your body. Stand centered, with your body slightly leaning forward. This gives you stability, better control of the knife, and clearer visibility of what you’re cutting.

Avoid cutting like this ❌ (body turned)
Avoid cutting like this ❌ (awkward angle)

Because #1 priority is safety 🙌
You want full control of your movements so you don’t risk slipping or injuring yourself.

This small change can make your kitchen instantly safer ⚠️

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PUEDE que estés usando mal tu tabla de cortar ⚠️

Muchas personas no lo saben, pero la posición de la tabla de cortar afecta tu seguridad en la cocina.

Veo esto muy seguido—personas cortando desde un lado, en ángulo o con el cuerpo girado.

La forma correcta 👇
La tabla debe estar frente a ti, en posición perpendicular al cuerpo. Mantente centrado y ligeramente inclinado hacia adelante. Esto te da más estabilidad, control del cuchillo y mejor visibilidad.

Evita cortar así ❌ (cuerpo girado)
Evita cortar así ❌ (ángulo incómodo)

Porque lo más importante es la seguridad 🙌
Necesitas control total para evitar accidentes.

05/26/2026

There’s something deeply grounding about touching the soil where your food comes from. 🌱

Visiting the farm reminded me that food doesn’t simply appear in grocery stores or on our plates — it begins with the earth, the seasons, the farmers, and the care behind every harvest.

In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to feel disconnected from the source of our food. Experiences like this remind me to slow down, eat more mindfully, and value the process behind every fruit and vegetable we consume.

There’s so much beauty in reconnecting with the land and understanding the journey from soil to table.

Grateful for the farmers, the earth, and moments that bring us back to what truly nourishes us. 💚🌾

📍Tanaka Farms

05/23/2026

Living in a Blue Zone—specifically the Nicoya Peninsula—has completely shifted how I understand longevity.

It’s not about doing more. It’s about living differently.

Here, people move naturally every day, eat simple whole foods, stay deeply connected to family, and live with a strong sense of purpose. Nothing extreme. Nothing forced.

They’re not trying to live longer—
they just live well… and longevity follows.

It made me rethink everything:
Maybe health isn’t something we chase,
it’s something we build quietly through our daily habits.

What if living longer starts with living better? 🌿

—

Vivir en una Zona Azul—específicamente en la Península de Nicoya—ha cambiado por completo mi forma de entender la longevidad.

No se trata de hacer más. Se trata de vivir diferente.

Aquí, las personas se mueven de forma natural todos los días, comen alimentos simples y reales, mantienen una conexión profunda con la familia y viven con un fuerte sentido de propósito. Nada extremo. Nada forzado.

No están intentando vivir más años—
simplemente viven bien… y la longevidad llega como consecuencia.

Esto me hizo replantearlo todo:
tal vez la salud no es algo que perseguimos,
sino algo que construimos en silencio a través de nuestros hábitos diarios.

¿Y si vivir más tiempo empieza por vivir mejor? 🌿

05/22/2026

Ever feel extra hungry when switching to a plant-based diet? 🌱 You’re not doing it wrong.

For many people, the body needs time to adjust to a different balance of nutrients, especially after years of eating calorie-dense foods like cheese, meat, and heavily processed meals.

Whole plant foods are naturally lower in energy density but packed with fiber, water, and nutrients — meaning you may actually need to eat more volume, not less.

Here are a few things that may help during the transition:

• 🥣 Eat enough food — Bigger portions may be needed when meals are built around vegetables, beans, and whole grains.
• 🌾 Focus on fiber-rich foods — Beans, lentils, oats, fruits, and vegetables help support fullness naturally.
• 🥔 Don’t fear whole carbs — Potatoes, brown rice, quinoa, and legumes can help fuel and satisfy you.
• ⏳ Give your body time — Hunger and fullness cues may take a week or two to adjust.
• 🥗 Build balanced meals — Include whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables for satiety and nourishment.

The goal isn’t to eat less — it’s to eat smarter. Over time, fullness can come more naturally as your body adapts to fiber-rich, whole foods. Small changes add up, and consistency matters. 💚

05/18/2026

A simple, grounding day at Tanaka Farms 🌿

Went for their u-pick veggie tours with my mom—and it was such a nice reminder of where food really begins.

Walking through the fields, picking fresh vegetables straight from the soil, slowing down for a bit… it felt so refreshing.

There’s something special about seeing your food this close to its source—and even more special sharing it with my mom 💛

Grateful for these simple moments.

05/15/2026

I was deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Theresa “Terri” Stone, MD.

Terri was someone so respected in the lifestyle medicine community, but beyond that, she was incredibly kind, warm, and genuine.

She was also meant to be part of our cookbook project as one of the co-authors, which makes this loss feel even more personal. Her presence, wisdom, and heart would have added something truly special to this project, and we hope to honor her memory through this work moving forward.

I’m grateful our paths crossed, and grateful for the impact she made on so many lives through her work, leadership, compassion, and advocacy for health equity and lifestyle medicine.

Sending love and prayers to her family, loved ones, friends, colleagues, and everyone mourning this loss.

Rest in peace, Terri. You will be deeply missed. :🤍

05/14/2026

Zero waste doesn’t have to mean being perfect 🌱

It’s about making small, intentional choices that support both personal and planetary health.

The reality is: The average person in the U.S. generates nearly 5 pounds of waste every single day, and only a small percentage of plastic ever gets recycled. Much of it ends up in landfills, oceans, and the environment.

But small swaps really do add up.

Simple changes like:
♻️ Bringing a reusable tote bag
☕ Using your own coffee mug
🥤 Choosing reusable straws
🥜 Making homemade snacks or buying in bulk
🧺 Using cloth napkins instead of paper towels

These everyday habits can reduce waste while encouraging more mindful living.

You don’t have to change everything overnight. Start with ONE small swap this week and build from there 💚

👇 Which zero-waste swap are you willing to try first?

📢 Share this post with someone who wants to live more sustainably!

Vivir “zero waste” no significa ser perfecto 🌱

Se trata de hacer pequeños cambios intencionales que apoyen tanto nuestra salud como la del planeta.

La realidad es:
La persona promedio en Estados Unidos genera casi 5 libras de basura cada día, y solo un pequeño porcentaje del plástico realmente se recicla. Gran parte termina en vertederos, océanos y el medio ambiente.

Pero las pequeñas acciones sí hacen una gran diferencia.

Cambios simples como:
♻️ Llevar una bolsa reutilizable
☕ Usar tu propia taza de café
🥤 Elegir popotes/pajillas reutilizables
🥜 Preparar snacks caseros o comprar a granel
🧺 Usar servilletas de tela en lugar de papel

Estos hábitos diarios pueden ayudar a reducir residuos y fomentar una vida más consciente.

No tienes que cambiar todo de la noche a la mañana. Empieza con UN pequeño cambio esta semana y sigue avanzando 💚

👇 ¿Qué cambio zero waste te gustaría intentar primero?
📢 ¡Comparte esta publicación con alguien que quiera vivir de una manera más sostenible!

05/13/2026

We have a health problem—and it might start where you least expect it: in the kitchen.

Less cooking → more packaged food → more ultra-processed meals → more disease over time.

This isn’t about being a “perfect cook” or spending hours in the kitchen. It’s about a basic life skill we’ve slowly lost—preparing real food from real ingredients.

Because when we cook more, we don’t just eat better—we become more aware, more intentional, and more connected to what nourishes us. And those small daily choices compound into long-term health.

Health doesn’t start in a supplement bottle. It starts with what’s on your plate.

If this resonates, maybe it’s time to ask yourself: what’s stopping you from cooking more at home?

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Tenemos un problema de salud… y puede empezar en la cocina.

Menos cocina → más comida procesada → más alimentos ultraprocesados → más enfermedades con el tiempo.

No se trata de ser un “chef perfecto” ni de cocinar complicado. Se trata de una habilidad básica que hemos ido perdiendo: preparar comida real con ingredientes reales.

Porque cuando cocinamos más, no solo comemos mejor—también nos volvemos más conscientes, más intencionales y más conectados con lo que nutre nuestro cuerpo.

La salud no empieza en un suplemento. Empieza en lo que pones en tu plato.

Si esto te hace sentido, pregúntate: ¿qué te está impidiendo cocinar más en casa?

05/11/2026

Featured in a conversation on “protein-maxxing” + “fiber-maxxing” trends

A reminder: Health isn’t about chasing single nutrients or extremes—it’s about balance, variety, and overall dietary patterns centered around whole, minimally processed foods.

Grateful to contribute to this important conversation.

Tap the link to read the full article:

“Protein- and fiber-maxxing” are everywhere online—but is more always better? Explore the rise of maxxing wellness trends, what they get right, and why true nutrition goes beyond chasing extremes.