MScN alumna Kira Freed ’20 spreads her love for healthy food, kitchen empowerment, and a diverse approach to nutrition.

Kira Freed, an alumna of the National University of Natural Medicine (NUNM), worked in higher education for over a decade before pursuing a career in nutrition.  

Freed had always loved cooking and learned to incorporate whole foods, seasonal and local ingredients and preserve foods at their peak from a very young age. After a cancer diagnosis happened in her family, she said she was inspired to further examine how food and nutrition can truly impact health and well-being. 

After Freed earned her Master of Science in Nutrition from NUNM in 2020, she continued on as an adjunct faculty member to support programming and work as the Nutrition Department Coordinator.  

Now she manages NUNM’s teaching kitchen, coordinating nutrition internships, and supporting the Food as Medicine Institute as a Food as Medicine Everyday (FAME) Educator.  

Freed spoke about her experience as an instructor for FAME and how using food as medicine to support nutrition can be a life-changing experience: 

NUNM: What makes Food as Medicine Everyday (FAME) a unique program? 

Freed: The guiding principles of the program are what make it special and provide a foundation for our overall philosophy and approach. Food as Medicine Everyday (FAME) really emphasizes incorporating a diversity of whole, plant foods in one’s diet, while also respecting each individual’s unique food needs, values around food and its sources, and the biological, social, and cultural variables inherent to their experience. These clear and inclusive principles allow us to serve a wide range of individuals and communities.  

Who can benefit from FAME? 

The program is for anyone interested in learning more about nutrition or how to incorporate more whole foods into their life! FAME offers helpful and practical tips on how to improve your health at a variety of ages and life stages. So many health goals can be supported as you learn more about the science of nutrition, explore new foods and recipes, and practice different cooking techniques in the kitchen. Many participants say they’ve added more diversity to their meals with vegetables and plant foods after having had a chance to cook with them and taste them, and consistently enjoy the community built among folks in class. 

How is the program structured?  

FAME gives you an opportunity to experience new foods and cooking methods in a hands-on setting, alongside a supportive community. Each class includes a short nutrition lesson in which we share practical, approachable tips on how to use nutrition to improve overall health. The series begins with an overview on macronutrients (carbohydrates, fats, protein), and builds upon that foundation with workshops that teach you how to read food labels, understand sweeteners, balance blood sugar, build strategies for heathy digestion, and more.  

What have you gained as a FAME instructor?  

What I love most about teaching FAME is seeing participants get as excited about food as I do. I also value the inclusive and accessible approach to nutrition we provide and love helping people build skills and confidence. It feels empowering to be able to quiet the noise prevalent in modern media, where so much disinformation and oftentimes confusing messages exist around food and nutrition. It’s also fun to share ideas and tips among participants and gain inspiration by learning new things from one another.  

Learn more and register for an upcoming Food as Medicine Everyday (FAME) series.