Dr and the Chef: the dinner party series
A gathering to help women feel deeply nourished, connected and inspired
Are you tired of feeling like your mood has the final word? And instead long to feel connected, energized, clear headed, and content?
Keep reading!
Live well in body, mind and spirit
If you’re looking for a different way to care for your mental health, welcome. This dinner party series will give you the tools, knowledge and inspiration for transformation.
Learning about mental health through a root cause lens will open up your eyes to how interconnected mind and body really are. From inflammation to nutrition, to the role of stress and sleep, we'll take you through everything you need to do know to build a healthy brain and body from the inside out.
The Dr and the Chef dinner party series will…
Teach you the brain healthy diet to fight depression and anxiety and use food as medicine
Give you practical cooking knowledge with real time recipe prep each week
Teach you strategies to build greater resilience to stress
Introduce you to root cause medicine
Connect you to other women who want to live deeply nourished lives
Help you understand the role of hormones on your mood
Dr and the Chef was born 8 years ago from my fundamental belief that we are all eaters and that how and what we eat can change our health and the world.
Practically, it brings together clinical nutrition and functional medicine with cooking techniques and recipes.
But, at it’s core it’s always been about celebrating the table. Celebrating connection and nourishment.
I can’t wait to cook with you.
Dr and the Chef: program details
A deep dive into food and mood through the lens of hormones, detoxification, thyroid, stress, sleep
This series is a 5-week group women’s health program that will help you understand a whole body approach to mood and the tools to use food as medicine to foster healing.
Here’s what you’ll learn:
Week 1: Mood and hormones
You’ll learn about your hormonal physiology and we’ll also discuss appropriate testing and the connection between hormones and mood at the many stages of a woman’s life.
Week 2: Mood and thyroid
One of the great pretenders, low thyroid function can often hide as a mental health diagnosis. Thyroid disease affects millions of women and many are not getting proper testing or evaluation. We’ll talk about all the ins and outs and how to care for your thyroid naturally.
Week 3: Mood and stress
In this week, we’ll discuss adrenal health and the role of stress on mood and overall health. More importantly, we’ll also explore food and lifestyle strategies to build resilience.
Week 4: Mood and detoxification
Environmental toxins can contribute to inflammation and also affect gut flora. Two factors that are key to look at in the context of mental health. While looking at detoxification can be overwhelming, we’ll focus on small steps that have impact and how to use food to support the body’s natural elimination process.
Week 5: Mood and sleep
Poor sleep can be an independent risk factor for mood concerns or a symptom of depression or anxiety. We’ll explore ways to prepare during the day for better sleep and strategies to make rest and recharge a priority.
Each week we’ll also be cooking together. Here’s a peek at the type of recipes you can expect:
Hi, I’m Dr. Antonella Aguilera-Ruiz, ND.
I believe that when we feel well in mind and body, we have the freedom to pursue our heart’s desire.
For years, when I was in college, I battled with my own health demons. I had stubborn insomnia, panic attacks and a constant gnawing pain in my stomach.
I felt like I was drowning instead of thriving in what was supposed to be a new and exciting time in my life.
I was young and appeared vital to the outside observer. But, I knew that simply getting out of bed took all my effort and the roller coaster of fatigue and overwhelm left me feeling disoriented and hopeless.
Maybe you’ve felt like this before. Wondering how long you can handle feeling this terrible? Or if there may come a point when it’d just be too much to handle and you might crash? Or if this was a “normal” part of aging whether you’re 20, 30, 50 or 60?
I finally got to the point where I had to make a change.
Under the recommendation of a holistic practitioner, I changed my diet. I realized constipation, stomach aches and weird bouts of diarrhea were not normal. I started herbs and supplements and was nudged to look under the hood at my relentless perfectionism.
She teased out that I had been sleeping an average of about 6 hours since high school. Wind down time in the evening became a priority.
Over time, all these changes mixed together synergistically to get me well and healthy and back to school and put me on the path to become a practitioner myself.
That’s why I’m so passionate about this holistic way of healing and I’m so thrilled to be sharing the action steps to build a stronger foundation for your mental well-being.
What You Get:
5 weekly lessons via Zoom: Wednesdays from 5-7 PM | April 21-May 19
Each week includes:
Group share, lecture and slides on that week’s topic, cooking demo, closing circle
Weekly recipe
Cost: $369
Enrollment will be capped at 15 students
Welcome to food + community
Often we think about physical health and mental health. However, there’s a third leg to the stool: social health.
The Dr and the Chef series is built on the belief that gathering around the table is a healing act and community and connection are indispensable ingredients in caring for mood and body. The seasoning, if you will, that facilitates, inspires and encourages living your healthiest life.
We believe that education empowers you to advocate for your best health and connection with other women cultivates an unshakeable courage to go after the actions that will bring that health to life.
What people most enjoyed about Dr and the Chef
“EVERYTHING! The food, the time with people even though it was through zoom, the energy, the shopping and discovering new “old” foods.”
“I enjoyed the combination of information and practical application. Watching you cook was inspirational and it lit a spark.”
FAQs
What if I can’t make every session?
We’ll miss you, but there will be recordings of the lecture and cooking demo, so you can always review the material at your own convenience.
Can two or more people join from the same household?
Yes! Each person will need to pay for a spot, but please use code FAMILY for 15% off if enrolling multiple people from the same household. I suggest just two people max join from the same Zoom account as it can make it hard to have more people from one single camera.
What kitchen equipment do I need?
I’m a fan of simple cooking, so we won’t be too gadget heavy. However, I’ll assume you have a chef’s knife and cutting board, a set of bowls and simple tools like a grater or vegetable peeler. We may occasionally use a blender and/or food processor.
What if I’m a total newbie?
Good! We all start somewhere. My goal is to get you more comfortable in the kitchen and set the foundation of culinary skills. Also, we’re taking this on as a group so we can learn from one another regardless of proficiency levels.
Where are the classes held?
This Dr and the Chef series will be done virtually. I’ll stream live from my own kitchen. You’re welcome to join in from your own kitchen and cook along or use the video as reference in the future.
Is the diet you recommend vegetarian or vegan?
The Mediterranean diet is not vegan nor vegetarian. If this is your preference, you’ll need to make those adjustments as many recipes will include eggs, butter, fish, chicken and/or meat.
What if I haven’t taken the aperitivo series?
No problem! While this series does build on the aperitivo series in that we’re going a bit deeper into topics and spending longer together, each course can be taken out of order and still be beneficial.
Can I get a refund?
Nope! This is a live an interactive experience and no refunds will be given.
The Dr and the Chef dinner party series
Included in this one-time payment:
5 weekly classes that include lecture and cooking demo
Sessions will be April 21-May 19
Wednesdays from 5-7 PM Pacific
Weekly recipe + prep list
Community connection and education with other like minded individuals
Enrollment will be capped at 15 students