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A cooking class is provided at the kitchen in University Commons.

Integrative Health & Wellness

Nutrition matters. Food is medicine. Eat healthy and enjoy every bite. Our goal is healthy, unapologetically delicious food.

About Our Program

Gulf Coast cuisine combines a world of flavors, but it’s not always good to the last bite, considering several states in the region rank among the highest for chronic disease in the country. Unhealthy eating habits are a major contributor to a variety of conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

The Integrative Health and Wellness Program at USA Health combines evidence-based nutrition and culinary medicine with personal wellness programs that support positive changes in diet, exercise and mental health. Even small changes can have a significant impact on most of the major causes of illness and death in our community. Our approach uses research, teaching and community education to share this life-altering practice.

Follow our Facebook page for the latest updates about the program.

About our kitchens

Multiple studies have corroborated that food can be a positive factor in health, but no one wants to eat something that doesn’t taste good. Culinary medicine strives to join the science of nutrition with the art of food preparation to make dishes that are not only good for us but also unapologetically delicious.

Our kitchens are available for hands-on experiences, which include preparation and tasting dishes for $30, and cooking demonstrations, which involve observing how a meal is made and sampling it for $15. The kitchen at University Commons in Mobile can accommodate 12 students for hands-on classes and 20 for demonstrations. The kitchen at the Mapp Family Campus in Fairhope can hold 22 students for hands-on classes and 40 for demos. A third kitchen will be incorporated into the new medical school building under construction on USA's campus.

USA Health is a proud member of the Teaching Kitchen Collaborative, a network of thought-leading organizations that use teaching kitchens as catalysts of enhanced personal and public health.

Discounts for USA employees

We want our employees to eat well and feel healthy, so the Integrative Health and Wellness Program is offering discounted rates for USA employees and their dependents on the USA Choice, Select or Consumer health insurance plans. A package of four hands-on classes costs $10, and cooking demonstrations are $5 each.

Sign Up    Pay for Hands-On Classes       Pay for Demos

Upcoming Cooking Classes

View upcoming classes

Email IHWP@health.southalabama.edu or call 251-660-6441 for more info.

Mapp Family Campus - Fairhope

  • Feb. 28, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
  • March 12, 5:30-7 p.m.
    Hands on cooking class with Dr. Kilgo, USA Health Neurology, discussing multiple sclerosis and symptom improvement with diet
  • March 14, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
  • March 18, 5:30-7 p.m. 
  • March 19, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
  • March 28, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
     

University Commons - Mobile

  • Feb. 24, 2-3:30 p.m. 
  • Feb. 26, Noon-1 p.m.
    Demonstration with Dr. Malozzi, USA Health Cardiology, discussing heart health
  • March 10, 5:30-7 p.m. 
  • March 18, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
  • March 20, 5:30-7 p.m. 
  • March 24, 5:30-7 p.m.

Register for a Class

 
Request a private class

Interested in a class for your group or organization?

Book the Teaching Kitchen 

 
How'd we do?

We'd love to hear your feedback!

Rate the Kitchen

Thanksgiving

Healthy and delicious recipes to try

These meals may be healthy, but they're sure to knock your socks off:
 

Wellness mindfulness1

Visit the USA Health Wellness blog

Looking for additional tips from the leaders of the Integrative Health & Wellness Program? Visit the USA Health Wellness blog for articles that focus on exercise, nutrition, mental health and overall wellness.
Visit USA Health Wellness

Nutrition Tips

What should I eat?

  • There is ample evidence that food can be both good for you and delicious at that same time. Some of the tastiest cuisines in the world, from places like Greece, Italy, France, Japan, China, Mexico, Morocco, West Indies, Africa, and the American South, are healthy and tasty. Food can be good for you and delicious at the same time. We focus less on deprivation and more on what you can eat and how to prepare it. Yes, we did list Southern cooking as healthy! A healthy lifestyle involves eating healthy, nutritious food. Changing from a typical American diet that is high in sugar and processed foods has the potential to reduce your risk of cancer, diabetes, heart attack, stroke, and dementia by up to 30%.

What your "gut" says about you

  • Remember your gut and nurture your microbiome. Your microbiome is all the different microorganisms that live in and on your body. They outnumber your own cells, and they play an important role in your health. More and more evidence indicates that a healthy gut microbiome influences your energy equilibrium, immune function, and all manner of other health parameters.
  • A plant-forward, high-fiber diet has been shown to foster good microbiome growth. The opposite is also true that a poorer quality diet fosters a less healthy microbiome. Your microbiome thrives on fiber, particularly a variety of sources of dietary fiber. Eating a wide variety of fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains nurtures a diverse and healthy group of microbes in your gut. This has a whole group of specific positive effects on your health, from brain health to immune competence, cancer prevention, and weight loss, among others. On the other hand, “bad” microbial growth occurs with junk foods, preservatives, highly processed, and sugary foods. All of these add up to a higher rate of unhealthy outcomes.

Understanding food labels

  • Again, our emphasis is less on “don’t do this,” and more on “do this,” but we recommend you read and understand food labels. That is the only way to know what you are eating. Look at the ingredients and understand they are listed by weight. Watch out for added sugar, look for fiber, and compare them to similar foods. If there is an ingredient listed that you don’t recognize, it probably isn’t food, but a food-like chemical. Understanding food labels will aid in making informed decisions toward choosing good nutrition and healthier choices.

What are added sugars?

  • These are sugars and syrups added to food when they are processed. These include brown and cane sugar, corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, and others. These add calories but no essential food value. They also increase your hunger and increase your risk for diabetes and other diseases. In the 1900s the average person was eating about 2 pounds of sugar per year. In 2017, the estimated average was over 120 pounds per person, per year!

Get Moving

Movement

  • Just move! There are many kinds of exercise, and they all offer amazing health benefits. You don’t have to have a gym membership or pay for a monthly app subscription. Any activity that gets you up and moving is part of an active lifestyle. Walking counts, and it’s a low-impact, accessible and effective form of exercise. You also can try Pilates, yoga, swimming, or bicycling.
  • Most research suggests 30 minutes of daily, moderate exercise for maximum benefits, or at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a week. Set goals for yourself! You don’t have to start with 30 minutes daily. Begin with 10-15 minutes, and build up gradually. Being physically active can improve your brain health, help manage weight, reduce the risk of disease, strengthen bones and muscles, and improve your ability to do everyday activities. Research suggests that adults who sit less and do any amount of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity gain some health benefits!

Mindfulness

  • Being fully healthy means requires focusing on your mental well-being as well. Developing awareness – or being mindful – holds many benefits for your health, and research backs it up. Practicing mindfulness, or the ability to live life in the present, may help with managing stress, coping with serious illness, and reducing anxiety and depression. Studies indicate that people who pursue this ancient practice are better able to relax, have greater enthusiasm for life, and have higher self-esteem.
  • Tuning in to your stress level and its impact on your sleep, anxiety, and overall well-being is also beneficial. When you notice yourself struggling to balance life’s responsibilities, seek out and learn effective ways to reduce stress through mindful meditation, exercise, museum visits, reading, music, and spiritual pursuits. Many resources are available that can help you find your inner peace:

    Class Calendar

    Classes are being scheduled at our teaching kitchens located at University Commons in Mobile and the Mapp Family Campus in Fairhope. To register, click the Class Calendar link. Email IHWP@health.southalabama.edu or call 251-660-6441 if you have any questions.

    • USA Health Mapp Family Campus 
      • Jan. 14, 5:45-7:15 p.m. – Healthy Carbs
      • Jan. 24 – 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. – Healthy Proteins
      • Jan. 28 – 5:45-7:15 p.m. – Healthy Breakfast
      • Feb. 4 – 5:45-7:15 p.m. – Intro to Plant-Forward Diet
      • Feb. 12 – 10-11:30 a.m. – Healthy Carbs
      • Feb. 18 – 5:45-7:15 p.m. – Healthy Proteins
      • Feb. 28 – 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. – Healthy Breakfast
      • Mar. 12 – 5:30-7 p.m. – Managing MS Symptoms with Diet with Neurologist Dr. William Kilgo
      • Mar. 14 – 11a.m.-12:30 p.m. – Intro to Plant-Forward Diet
      • Mar. 18 – 5:30-7 p.m. – Healthy Carbs
      • Mar. 19 – 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. – Healthy Proteins
      • Mar. 28 – 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. – Healthy Breakfast
    • USA Health University Commons
      • Jan. 13, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. – Healthy Carbs
      • Jan. 17, noon-1 p.m. – Joint Health and Chinese Cooking Techniques with Rheumatologist Dr. Yanming Xing
      • Jan. 22 – 5:30-7 p.m. – Healthy Proteins
      • Jan. 28 – 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. – Healthy Breakfast
      • Feb. 4 – 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. – Intro to Plant-Forward Diet
      • Feb. 11 – 5:30-7 p.m. – Healthy Carbs
      • Feb. 18 – 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. – Healthy Proteins
      • Feb. 24 – 2-3:30 p.m. – Healthy Breakfast
      • Mar. 10 – 5:30-7 p.m. – Intro to Plant-Forward Diet
      • Mar. 18 – 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. – Healthy Carbs
      • Mar. 20 – 5:30-7 p.m. – Healthy Proteins
      • Mar. 24 – 5:30-7 p.m. – Healthy Breakfast

    Register for a Class

     

    Request a Class

    Interested in a cooking class for your group or organization? Please fill out the form below.

    Book the Teaching Kitchen

     

    How'd we do?

    If you've taken one of our classes, we'd love to hear your feedback!

    Rate the Kitchen

    Volunteer With Us

    Would you like to be part of making a healthy difference in our community? We have volunteer opportunities through our Integrative Health and Wellness Program. Please email us at IHWP@health.southalabama.edu to learn more.  

     

    In the News

    Program Leadership

    Robert Israel, M.D., F.A.C.P.

    Program Director; Internal Medicine Physician

    Jennifer Young Pierce, M.D., M.P.H.

    Leader of Cancer Control and Prevention; Professor of Interdisciplinary Clinical Oncology

    Benjamin P. Schrubbe, M.D.

    Family Medicine Physician

    David S. Weber, Ph.D.

    Professor of Physiology and Cell Biology

    Rebecca Graves, Ph.D., NP-C

    Director of Special Projects and Evaluation; Associate Professor, Office of Research, Development, and Evaluation

    Margaret Murray Sullivan

    Vice President, Development & Alumni Relations

    Kelly McCarron

    Associate Vice President for Medical Affairs, USA Health Development

    Margaret Kappel

    Program Manager; Manager of Practice Operations - HCA

    Support the impact

    With your support, we can make an even greater impact! When you make a gift to the Integrative Health and Wellness Program Endowment Fund, you join in our commitment to improve the health of our community. Thank you for helping us make a difference!

    Donate Now

    Recent News

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    Upcoming Events

    Mar252025

    An educational program for oncology patients, caregivers, and the community. Meetings are located in the second-floor multipurpose room at the Mitchell Cancer Institute.

    Mar292025

    On March 29, USA Health Mobile Unit is coming to you! This event will provide free PSA screenings for qualified groups.

    Apr222025

    An educational program for oncology patients, caregivers, and the community. Meetings are located in the second-floor multipurpose room at the Mitchell Cancer Institute.

    May42025

    Local Goodness, presented by the USA Foundation, is a farm-to-table event that pays tribute to local cuisine and music while raising awareness and support for USA Health Children’s & Women’s Hospital.

    Dec312025

    Our calendar lists special events and regularly scheduled classes separately. To display a list of upcoming classes, select the "Classes" option above or visit Events, Classes and Support Groups at USA Health.

    View All Events
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