WVU medical student makes nutrition accessible and fun to future patients through healthy lifestyles blog
Growing up in an Italian household, West Virginia University medical student Mia Antinone remembers cooking with her mother and grandparents in the kitchen before sharing good conversation with her family over large plates of pasta on Sunday afternoons.
“For many people, myself included, food is about more than what you’re consuming at the table, it’s incorporated into our culture,” Antinone, a fourth-year student in the School of Medicine’s Culinary and Lifestyle Medicine Track, said.
The Culinary and Lifestyle Medicine Track unites faculty from the School of Medicine and the Davis College of Agriculture to help students develop skills in nutrition, food science and preparation and lifestyle management in order to educate patients in those behaviors to lessen the risk of chronic diseases.
As she worked through the curriculum, Antinone began thinking about how she could meet patients where they are mentally and logistically to provide ideas and inspiration for incorporating nutrition and healthy behaviors in an easy to read and access format.
She started her blog when entering WVU’s M.D. program to document her journey for family, friends and herself, and it turned into a vital tool for her to balance her passions and studies.
Antinone decided to expand her existing blog, Mia Gabriele, to include this information as well as her thoughts and experiences balancing life, travel, faith, exercise and food with a busy medical school schedule. Once she becomes a physician, she hopes to use the blog as a resource for patients.
“One of my big goals in medical school was to not skip out on life,” Antinone said. “Studying is important, and I value that, but it is also important for me to stay true to all the other things I value as well.”
Antinone is using her blog to promote the skills she’s learned as a medical student and through the CLMT program to help educate her readers on how to make simple changes that can lead to healthier habits.
“Through the program, I’ve learned how to cook for people with different dietary needs,” Antinone said. “There are ways to tweak recipes with similar ingredients to accommodate different needs and lifestyles, all while enhancing the nutritional value of the recipe.”
She notes that the holidays are a time where people often make cherished family recipes passed down through generations.
“Tweaking a recipe to include more nutrient-rich ingredients doesn’t have to be difficult and the food can still be delicious,” she said.
When converting recipes to make them healthier, she suggests simplifying the ingredients or finding ways to include more fruits and vegetables.
“Start with small, attainable changes and you might be surprised at how tasty your dish turns out,” she said. “The most important ingredient for a successful recipe is to enjoy yourself.”
Antinone believes that preparing food is part of enjoying the food. Preparing food with friends and family, especially around the holidays, makes a meal even more special.
When Antinone is not studying or maintaining her blog, she enjoys spending her time baking and cooking for friends. She also serves as the president for WVU’s chapter of Walk with a Future Doc, a student-run organization that brings together medical students and community members for twice-monthly walks that promote healthy lifestyles.
For more information on the WVU School of Medicine, visit medicine.wvu.edu.
Healthful Holiday Baking
Follow along with Antinone and WVU President E. Gordon Gee as they prepare a tasty and healthy holiday granola!
“I love that you know every ingredient going into this granola and you can easily customize it to what you like,” Antinone said. “It’s a perfect example of how healthful eating doesn’t have to be hard or bland.”
One of Antinone’s favorite dishes to prepare in a recopied she adapted from “The Well Plated Cookbook” by Erin Clarke.
“During the holidays, I look for simplified recipes that are easy, delicious and nutritious that the whole family can enjoy,” Antinone said.
Recipe (adapted from “The Well Plated Cookbook” by Erin Clarke):
- 3 Tbs. molasses
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 3 Tbs. coconut oil (melted)
- 2 tsp. cinnamon
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- ¼ cup chia seeds
- 1 egg white
- 2 ½ cups old fashioned oats
- 1 cup raw pecans
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
- In a large bowl, whisk one egg white.
- Add molasses, maple syrup, vanilla and coconut oil to bowl and whisk to incorporate.
- Add cinnamon, salt, shredded coconut, chia seeds to bowl and whisk to incorporate.
- Add oats and pecans to bowl and incorporate.
- Spread mixture onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake in oven for 20 minutes, stir granola on baking sheet and bake for another 20 minutes.
- Let granola cool for 1 hour on the pan.
- Use a spatula or spoon to crumble the granola.
- Add optional toppings like dried fruits or nuts before serving.
To learn more about the WVU School of Medicine’s Culinary and Lifestyle Medicine Track visit medicine.wvu.edu/culinary.