World’s Leading Experts on Nutrition in Medicine to Present on Trending Health Topics at Conference in Washington, D.C., Aug. 15-17

WASHINGTON, D.C.—On Aug. 15-17, U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff and Richard Horton, editor-in-chief and publisher of The Lancet, will kick off the 12th annual International Conference on Nutrition in Medicine, which will bring together more than 25 of the world’s leading nutrition experts to present the latest on trending nutrition topics including Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, Indigenous health, breast cancer, gut health, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and improving the healthfulness of hospital food.

Physicians, advanced practice clinicians, dietitians, nutrition educators, and others will learn from more than two dozen experts about the latest research on nutrition and how to use it in their everyday practice. The conference at the Grand Hyatt Washington, 1000 H St., NW, Washington, D.C., is jointly provided by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a nonprofit health advocacy organization of more than 17,000 physician members, and the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

Highlights from the three-day agenda include:

• Dr. Dean Ornish will discuss his groundbreaking new research showing that a healthy plant-based diet, along with other lifestyle changes, improves signs of brain function in individuals in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.
• In addition to Dr. Ornish’s presentation, others focusing on brain health include Dr. John Duda covering new findings on foods and Parkinson’s disease, Dr. Kirk Erickson presenting the role of physical activity on neurocognitive function, Dr. Amani Meaidi covering the latest evidence on hormone replacement therapy and dementia, and Dr. Paul Schulz answering the question of whether vaccines might reduce dementia risk.
• Dr. Vanita Rahman and Chef Dustin Harder will join Dr. Neal Barnard to present breakthrough techniques for weight control.
• Dr. Alan Desmond will share the latest on gut health: IBS, SIBO, BAM, and beyond.
• Dr. Kristi Funk will share the top 18 superfoods for breast health.
• Dr. John Abramson will present on how big pharma broke American health care and how we can repair it.

A Friday night dinner program on food sovereignty as an approach to Indigenous health equity will feature a four-course meal inspired by Indigenous foods and a keynote presentation by Indian Health Service Director Roselyn Tso; Former President and First Lady of the Navajo Nation, Jonathan and Phefelia Nez; and the Center for Indigenous Health Research and Policy’s Valarie Blue Bird Jernigan, DrPH, MPH.

The conference will also feature the inaugural Healthy Hospital Chef Challenge to celebrate the best in health care food service. Hosted by Physicians Committee Culinary Specialist Chef Dustin Harder in partnership with the Institute of Culinary Education, the high-energy plant-based cooking competition will feature three chefs showcasing hospital food at its finest.

The conference menu will feature recipes from the Physicians Committee’s Universal Meals program, an innovative plant-based food program designed to fit virtually all dietary restrictions, as well as some of the most popular plant-based items being served at hospitals around the country.

“Nutrition can play a powerful role in preventing and healing many of the chronic diseases plaguing the world today,” says Physicians Committee President Neal Barnard, MD, FACC. “The International Conference on Nutrition in Medicine empowers health care providers with the lifesaving knowledge and tools they need to help their patients and the public.”

The conference will provide physicians, dietitians, pharmacists, health coaches, and nurses with 20 continuing education credits for attending.

Learn more about the International Conference on Nutrition in Medicine and register at PCRM.org/ICNM.