Izzuddin Aris, PhD

​When we think about what influences our health, we often focus on individual-level factors such as diet, exercise, and genetics. Nearly two decades ago, the World Health Organization launched its Commission on the Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) to catalyze global action around the social and structural factors that shape health outcomes across populations. These include five key areas:

1. Health care access and quality
2. Economic stability
3. Neighborhood and built environment
4. Social and community context
5. Education access and quality

Among these, neighborhoods play a particularly powerful role. They encompass both physical and social attributes that can either support or hinder optimal health. For example, in disadvantaged neighborhoods, it’s often easy to find alcohol, fast foods, and tobacco which may lead to residents’ increased consumption of these products and, in turn, may increase their risks of developing obesity, hypertension, and heart disease.

Hannah Cole, AB 

​Can your lunch help your skin health? Many content creators seem to think so! If you’ve never heard the phrase “eat your skincare,” it refers to the idea that what you eat can influence your skin health – a popular subject in certain corners of the internet. While you might scroll past these kinds of posts, people dealing with acne may be taking them to heart, making dietary changes based on what shows up in their feeds. That’s why it’s worth taking a closer look at what these posts are actually claiming, how they stack up against scientific literature, and how this content might be shaping patients’ choices.

As stifling heat cloaks the country in the summer months, many city dwellers dream of countryside or ocean views, with lush greenery and open air. For those who cannot escape their concrete jungle, community gardens offer a welcome refuge for urbanites. Not only do leafy plants offer some shade in the summer heat, but community gardens are designed to nurture both mental and physical well-being, with proven benefits that go far beyond just a break from the heat.
​

                                                                 Anthony Zhong, MA 



​ 

The human costs of poor nutrition are staggering in the United States. Unhealthy diets are responsible for over 350,000 deaths each year. Annual healthcare spending attributable to dietary risks is estimated to be $143.6 billion. Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) involves behavioral counselling and nutrition education, often under the guidance of a registered dietitian. It has been shown to be effective in the prevention and management of many diet-related diseases, including obesity, high cholesterol, diabetes, kidney diseases, and cardiovascular diseases.

Allison Nolan, MPH

​Ever wonder what would happen if your doctor could prescribe groceries instead of pills? What if a nourishing meal was seen as necessary to your recovery—not just a nice bonus? For those with chronic illness or pregnant individuals, nutritious meals are essential. This is the foundation of Food is Medicine (FIM), the concept that access to nutritious foods, when built directly into healthcare, can improve health outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.