Food, Nutrition & the Effects of Substances on Health
Fall 2023
Have you ever read a food label and thought what does it really mean? Or wondered why nutrition guidelines or recommendations seem to change year to year? How do soaring temperatures, little rain, and extreme weather conditions around the world impact food production, and what effect do patterns of human consumption have on the environment? “Food, Nutrition & the Effects of Substances on Health” explores these questions and more, diving into the connections between food and nutrition as well as the health of our planet. This series also delves into understanding different substances ingested– including cannabis, alcohol, psychedelics, and opioids– and their effects on mental and physical health.
Questions
- How can I maintain a healthy and balanced diet when faced with food allergies?
- What is a food access area?
- How can I get the benefits of a Mediterranean diet without eating fish sourced from an at-risk population that is thousands of miles away?
- Have apps like Uber Eats, DoorDash, and InstaCart had a positive or negative impact on food access?
- Are insects a more sustainable protein?
- Is pasta part of the Mediterranean diet?
- What is considered farmed shrimp and fish?
- What is the benefit of adopting a truly plant-based diet?
- Additional questions answered
Speakers:
Moderator: Amy Taylor, MD, MPH
Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing
School of Nursing
Questions
- How do I get rid of my negative view of marijuana now that it's legal?
- What are the barriers to cannabis research?
- Are opioids still being used clinically as intended, or are prescribers shying away from their use?
- How have opioid prescriptions changed over time?
- Does drinking alcohol increase my risk for cancer?
- Can psilocybin be used to treat depression?
- What can be done to manage the opioid crisis?
- What's the recommendation for alcoholic drinks per day?
- Can I use mushroom therapy to end alcohol addiction?
- Why are we seeing higher and more dangerous trends in substance use disorder?
- How did the pandemic affect the opioid crisis?
- Additional questions answered
Speakers:
Moderator: Amy Taylor, MD, MPH
Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing
David M. Ferguson, PhD
College of Pharmacy
Laura Palombi, PharmD, MPH, MAT
College of Pharmacy, Duluth
Traci Toomey, PhD, MPH
School of Public Health
Speakers:
- How can I make lifestyle changes in the face of convenient and processed cheap foods vs. wholesome, slower to prepare foods?
- What's a first step in improving how I eat?
- Is processed food linked to disease?
- How does added sugar affect the body?
- How do I know produce is safe to eat?
- Are foods from farmers markets better for you?
- Is air frying food safe?
