Because we all have to eat.

When I saw the brochure for the Harvard Medical School Lifestyle Medicine conference, I was intrigued, and determined to attend. Why? Because how we live can either spur on or help prevent some of the biggest threats to health like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease.

The conference started with Culinary Health Education Fundamentals coaching. Its purpose is to teach providers like me how to teach patients about nutrition, and to help us identify and address barriers to eating healthy. Dr. Rani Polak, the Director of the Culinary Health Education Fundamentals (CHEF) Coaching Program at the Institute of Lifestyle Medicine, led these sessions.

Dr. Polak is a physician and trained chef. He reviewed extensive research showing that home cooking is key to a healthy lifestyle. For example, studies show that the more meals people prepare at home, the more fruits and veggies they eat. But since the 1960s, people have been preparing food at home less often, and relying on fast food a lot more.

Many people know they need to eat more healthfully, but dont know where to start. They lack confidence and skills, and dont think they have the time to prepare meals at home. If these are barriers to eating well, then doctors should be able to inform, motivate, and help patients make reasonable and practical goals for better eating. We need to help patients plan, shop for, and prepare healthy meals and understand that they can do this. It takes more than handing them a list of healthy foods and recipes.

Doctors as well as their patients can benefit from Dr. Polaks tips and tricks, for example:

For anyone (including doctors) who is intimidated by the kitchen, or beginning home cooks, Dr. Polak offers some advice as well as two beautiful recipes.

There are endless possibilities for healthy homemade soup. To keep it easy and convenient:

Try Dr. Polaks recipe for this simple and delicious Zucchini and Mint Soup.

Pamper your kitchen with a grill pan, which is a basically a frying pan with elevated ridges that duplicate the effect you get on your outdoor grill. This is an amazing tool that can help you prepare quick and impressive food. Grilled veggies are super-healthy and tasty! To keep it easy and convenient:

Try Dr. PolaksGrilled Vegetable recipe as an appetizer or side dish. I used yellow and red beets, zucchini, and summer squash, but the list of possibilities is nearly endless (eggplant, peppers, Brussels sprouts, you name it).

Rani Polak, MD, is Founding Director of the Culinary Health Education Fundamentals (CHEF) Coaching Program at the Institute of Lifestyle Medicine at the Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Boston, am. He is also a ResearchAssociate,Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School. Follow Dr. Polak on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn:

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The best place to launch a healthy lifestyle? Your kitchen - Harvard Health (blog)