Director’s Messages

Assembling the Right Ingredients for Nutrition and Good Health

September 29, 2023

Traditionally, knowing how to procure and prepare safe, nutritious, and palatable food is learned at home. Unfortunately, this knowledge is becoming less and less passed down through the generations. Fast food, ready-made meals, and “takeout” have become so convenient—and families rely on them so much—that many children today, and even in previous generations, have grown up without learning how to cook. These factors are among the many fueling high rates of obesity and poor nutritional status in the United States, and associated chronic conditions linked to poor nutrition, like type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Read more

Article Spotlights an Often-Neglected Part of the Body

September 27, 2023

I was so pleased to speak recently with The New York Times reporter, Danielle Friedman, for her recent story on fascia, “The Tissue That Connects Our Muscles May Be a Key to Better Health.” The role of fascia in how our bodies function and the impact on our health is a topic that hasn’t gotten enough attention, but that is beginning to change, and it’s encouraging to have a thoughtful discussion on this subject.As Ms. Friedman explained, fascia is “the tough, flexible tissue that surrounds and connects muscles, bones, and organs like cling wrap.” I’m proud of the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health’s work to advance research on this significant yet understudied part of our bodies. Read more

Including Spirituality Into a Fuller Picture of Research on Whole Person Health

August 18, 2023

Does health have a spiritual dimension? Read more

Funding Opportunity for Research on Myofascial Pain Biomarkers

August 8, 2023

I’m writing today to flag an important funding opportunity related to research on myofascial tissues and their role in musculoskeletal pain. Read more