Food as Medicine: Integrating Nutrition into Healthcare
Dr. Melissa Mondala discusses the importance of food as medicine and the integration of lifestyle medicine in healthcare. She shares her journey of combining family medicine, lifestyle medicine, and integrative psychiatry and how they complement each other. Dr. Mondala emphasizes the need for a holistic approach to patient care and addresses the gaps in addressing anxiety and depression. She also highlights the importance of nutrition and the challenges faced in medical education. Dr. Mondala provides practical tips for incorporating nutrition and lifestyle changes into daily habits.
Takeaways
Food can be used as medicine to prevent and treat chronic diseases.
Lifestyle medicine complements traditional medicine and addresses the root causes of diseases.
There is a need for a holistic approach to patient care, considering physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
Medical education should include comprehensive training in nutrition and lifestyle management.
Small steps and personalized plans can help patients make sustainable changes in their lifestyle and diet.
Learn more about Dr Melissa Mondala
Dr. Melissa Mondala is a double board-certified physician in Family and Lifestyle Medicine, with additional specialization in Integrative Psychiatry. She is the President of Dr. Lifestyle Clinic in Newport Beach—the first Lifestyle & Integrative Direct Primary Care and Rheumatology clinic recognized as a Public Health Site of Excellence by UC Irvine—and also serves as Lifestyle Medicine Director at Rheumission. A fellowship candidate in Integrative Medicine, she holds dual master’s degrees and completed training at Loma Linda University, where she’s now core faculty. A national speaker and award-winning physician, Dr. Mondala is passionate about empowering others through evidence-based lifestyle medicine, plant-based nutrition, and holistic care for chronic, mental health, and autoimmune conditions.
