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Miriam Mutebi: Cooking can serve as a therapeutic activity, promoting mental wellness and reducing stress

Miriam Mutebi/LinkedIn

May 3, 2025, 09:07

Miriam Mutebi: Cooking can serve as a therapeutic activity, promoting mental wellness and reducing stress

Miriam Mutebi, Breast Surgical Oncologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at the Aga Khan University Hospital, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“Some time ago, a friend shared her first experience with therapy. Mid-conversation, she paused and asked,

“Miriam, as a cancer surgeon facing the highs and lows in the surgical room and clinic, do you ever go for therapy?

Or when you pull 24-hour shifts, day in, day out, with a gazillion meetings and work trips in between, and can’t quite catch a break because saving lives is a constant thing, how do you deal with burnout?”

I paused for a minute, trying to think about the last time I sat in a therapist’s office.

The truth? I find my therapy in the kitchen.:)

On the weekend, I whipped up a dish that was both nourishing and therapeutic: baked mango, sesame, and orange salmon paired with roasted butternut and peppers, complemented by a kumquat salsa with cucamelons and cilantro.

To round it off, red quinoa adorned with microgreens and edible flowers was plated next. Cooking, for me, is often more than just preparing meals. It’s a meditative process that allows me to completely decompress, focus, and find joy in creativity.

The act of chopping, sautéing, and plating becomes a form of mindfulness, grounding me after intense days in the OR and clinic.

If you’re doubtful, there’s evidence. Studies have shown that cooking can serve as a therapeutic activity, promoting mental well-being and reducing stress.

In fact, a pilot study on culinary medicine workshops, conducted between May and November 2022 at the Medical University of Graz in Austria, reported that 90% of patients with depression and eating disorders found cooking workshops to be a valuable addition to their treatment, noting significant mood enhancements post-session.

In addition, you often get to eat healthier as you frequently control what goes into your meals. So, while I may not always have the luxury of time, when I do, I find solace in the kitchen. It’s where I reconnect with myself, one dish at a time.

Happy New Month!”

Miriam Mutebi