Griffin Health in Oxford to host women's health month cooking demos

OXFORD – In recognition of Women’s Health Month, the Griffin Center for Healthy Living at Quarry Walk, 300 Oxford Road is hosting a series of free cooking demonstrations to help women meet their unique nutritional needs across their lifespan this May.

Held every Tuesday in May from 5-6:15 p.m. at the Center’s Teaching Kitchen, these cooking classes will focus on hormone balance, heart health, bone strength, and overall well-being for women. 

Participants will learn how to prepare balanced, nutrient-dense meals that support energy, longevity, and disease prevention using practical, approachable cooking techniques.

Nourishing Hormone Health, which discusses the role of protein, healthy fats, and fiber in hormone regulation, and features a demonstration of Pesto Salmon and Quinoa and Asparagus Salad, will be May 5.

Heart Health for Women, which features Griffin Faculty Physicians General Surgeon Dr. Deepali Jain discussing heart disease risk in women and prevention strategies, and a demonstration of Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Herbed Farro & Mozzarella, will be May 12.

Bone Health & Strength, which features Griffin Faculty Physicians OB-GYN Dr. Rachel Bernstein discussing bone health across life stages and the importance of calcium, vitamin D, and magnesium, and a demonstration of Sesame Tofu Stir Fry, will be May 19.

Gut Health & Inflammation, which discusses the connection between gut health, immunity, and inflammation, and features a demonstration of Raspberry Chia Pudding and House-Made Basic Granola, will be May 26.

These events are free, but seating is limited and reservations are required. 

Visit 

www.griffinhealth.org/teaching-kitchen or contact the Griffin Center for Healthy Living Coordinator at 203-732-1369 to sign up.

Opened in 2020, the Griffin Center for Healthy Living is a unique facility in which Griffin Health partners with the community in wellness – offering education, guidance and assistance in preventing and managing chronic disease, and promoting overall well-being. 

The Center is part of Griffin’s mission to empower individuals to make choices that change their lifestyles for the better, and embodies Griffin’s goal to not only care for individuals when they are not well, but to build a meaningful relationship, guide, and coach them to maximize their quality of life. Visit griffinhealthyliving.org for more information about the Center's features and upcoming community events.

This is a press release from Griffin Health.

Griffin Center in Oxford to host cooking demo on stress-relieving herbs

OXFORD - In recognition of Women’s Health Month, the Griffin Center for Healthy Living Teaching Kitchen will host a free cooking demonstration about the nutritional and stress-relieving benefits of common garden herbs.

Garden Calm & Herbal Stress Relief will be May 21 at 5 p.m. at The Griffin Center for Healthy Living at Quarry Walk, 300 Oxford Road.

Former Executive Director of Massaro Farm and sustainable nutrition expert Caty Poole will discuss spring herbs and how they can be combined into teas and tinctures that can lower blood pressure, detox the liver, help control blood sugar, and contribute to overall stress relief and a person’s level of calm. 

Poole will demonstrate how to make a simple tea blend, and all participants will receive an herbal tincture that can help relieve stress and promote calm.

Space is limited for this event, so registration is required. 

Visit www.griffinhealth.org/garden-calm or call The Griffin Center for Healthy Living coordinator at 203-732-1369 to sign up.

The Griffin Center for Healthy Living Teaching Kitchen is part of Griffin’s commitment to the Planetree person-centered care model, which promotes greater well-being in communities through access to health information and assistance in helping individuals address the social determinants of health such as access to fresh nutritious foods and how to prepare them.

This is a press release from Griffin Health.

Griffin Health cooking demo in Oxford to feature adaptive equipment uses

OXFORD - The Griffin Center for Healthy Living, Quarry Walk, 300 Oxford Road will host a cooking demonstration for individuals who have difficulty cooking due to health conditions such as arthritis and various auto-immune diseases.

Griffin Health Occupational Therapist Jenna Reno and Executive Chef Todd Concilio will lead Adaptive Equipment Uses in the Kitchen April 28 from 5-6:15 p.m. 

This interactive cooking workshop will guide participants through making a fresh and delicious pasta salad while demonstrating adaptive equipment and practical techniques that make cooking safer, easier, and more enjoyable.

Participants will learn how to use tools such as jar openers, rocker knives, non-slip cutting boards, easy-grip utensils, and other adaptive kitchen devices that help reduce strain on the hands, wrists, and shoulders. 

The demonstration will help attendees build confidence and independence in the kitchen by breaking down each step of the recipe into manageable tasks.

This event is ideal for older adults experiencing arthritis, decreased strength, limited mobility, or coordination challenges, as well as anyone interested in learning new strategies for safer meal preparation. 

Additionally, there will be valuable tips on energy conservation, joint protection, and kitchen setup to support everyday cooking at home.

This event is free, but seating is limited and reservations are required. 

Visit www.griffinhealth.org/adaptive-equipment or contact the Griffin Center for Healthy Living Coordinator at 203-732-1369 to sign up.

Opened in 2020, the Griffin Center for Healthy Living is a unique facility in which Griffin Health partners with the community in wellness – offering education, guidance and assistance in preventing and managing chronic disease, and promoting overall well-being. 

The Center is part of Griffin’s mission to empower individuals to make choices that change their lifestyles for the better, and embodies Griffin’s goal to not only care for individuals when they are not well, but to build a meaningful relationship, guide, and coach them to maximize their quality of life. 

Visit griffinhealthyliving.org for more information about the Center's features and upcoming community events.

This is a press release from Griffin Health.

Griffin Health Center for Healthy Living in Oxford to hold cooking demos

OXFORD - In recognition of Earth Month, the Griffin Center for Healthy Living at Quarry Walk, 300 Oxford Road is hosting a series of free cooking demonstrations to help individuals prepare flavorful and nutrient-dense meals using environmentally sustainable ingredients this April.

Held on the first three Tuesdays in April from 5-6:15 p.m. at the Center’s Teaching Kitchen, these cooking classes will feature practical strategies to incorporate plant-based, local, and seasonal ingredients into meals, reduce food waste, and highlight sustainable proteins that support personal health goals and care for the planet.

Cooking with Seasonal Produce, which discusses phytonutrients and the importance of "eating the rainbow" and features a demonstration of Baby Kale Salad with Apples, Goat Cheese, Radish & Honey Mustard Dressing with Grilled Marinated Chicken, will be April 7.

Plants as the Center of the Plate, which discusses the benefits of plant protein for heart health and the importance of fiber intake for digestive health, and features a demonstration of White Bean & Sweet Potato Burger with Cucumber & Tomato Salad, will be April 14.

Reducing Food Waste & Sustainable Kitchen Habits, which discusses issues with food waste and food storage techniques and features a demonstration of Broccoli & Chickpea Power Salad with Roasted Beets, will be April 21.

These events are free, but seating is limited and reservations are required. 

Visit 

www.griffinhealth.org/teaching-kitchen or contact the Griffin Center for Healthy Living Coordinator at 203-732-1369 to sign up.

Opened in 2020, the Griffin Center for Healthy Living is a unique facility in which Griffin Health partners with the community in wellness – offering education, guidance and assistance in preventing and managing chronic disease, and promoting overall well-being. 

The Center is part of Griffin’s mission to empower individuals to make choices that change their lifestyles for the better, and embodies Griffin’s goal to not only care for individuals when they are not well, but to build a meaningful relationship, guide, and coach them to maximize their quality of life. 

Visit griffinhealthyliving.org for more information about the Center's features and upcoming community events. 

This is a press release from Griffin Health.

Annual pasta dinner at Brookside Inn in Oxford to benefit Seymour Pink

 

Griffin Center for Healthy Living in Oxford to host The Pantry Challenge

OXFORD – The Griffin Center for Healthy Living is helping individuals clean out their pantries with a free “spicy” cooking demonstration.

The Pantry Challenge will be March 19 from 5-6:15 p.m. at the Griffin Center for Healthy Living Teaching Kitchen, Quarry Walk, 300 Oxford Road 

 Former Executive Director of Massaro Farm and sustainable nutrition expert Caty Poole will discuss random items people tend to have in their pantries that they struggle to figure out how to use. Poole will highlight healthy ways to incorporate these ingredients into delicious options that are cost effective while also preparing homemade chili that can be a great way to use up pantry staples.

Participants are encouraged to bring two-to-three ingredients that they don't know what to do with, or bring a list of items in their pantry that they struggle to use.

This event is free, but seating is limited and reservations are required. 

Visit www.griffinhealth.org/pantry-challenge or contact the Griffin Center for Healthy Living Coordinator at 203-732-1369 to sign up.

Opened in 2020, the Griffin Center for Healthy Living is a unique facility in which Griffin Health partners with the community in wellness – offering education, guidance and assistance in preventing and managing chronic disease, and promoting overall well-being. 

The Center is part of Griffin’s mission to empower individuals to make choices that change their lifestyles for the better, and embodies Griffin’s goal to not only care for individuals when they are not well, but to build a meaningful relationship, guide, and coach them to maximize their quality of life. 

Visit griffinhealthyliving.org for more information about the Center's features and upcoming community events.

This is a press release from Griffin Hospital. 

Griffin Health in Oxford to offer gut-healthy cooking demonstrations

OXFORD – In recognition of Colorectal Cancer Awareness and National Nutrition months, the Griffin Center for Healthy Living at Quarry Walk, 300 Oxford Road is hosting a series of free series of cooking demonstrations to help individuals improve their well-being and care for their digestive systems this March.

Held every Tuesday in March from 5-6:15 p.m. at the Center’s Teaching Kitchen, these cooking classes will explore how to make meals that fuel the body, support healthy digestion, build strength, and bring people together. 

Each class features ways to make informed food choices, rooted in evidence-based patterns like the Mediterranean Diet, that can improve health, energy, and overall well-being while honoring culture, community, and enjoyment.

Food as Fuel, featuring teriyaki chicken stir-fry over brown rice, will be March 3. Food as Medicine, featuring roasted tofu, root vegetables and chickpeas with a creamy Greek yogurt sauce, will be March 10. Food for Strength, featuring lemon-herb quinoa bowl with chicken, will be March 17. Food that Connects Us, featuring veggie-packed fried rice, will be March 24, and The Mediterranean Diet, featuring Greek chicken bowl with couscous, will be March 31.

These events are free, but seating is limited and reservations are required. 

Visit www.griffinhealth.org/teaching-kitchen or contact the Griffin Center for Healthy Living Coordinator at 203-732-1369 to sign up.

Opened in 2020, the Griffin Center for Healthy Living is a unique facility in which Griffin Health partners with the community in wellness – offering education, guidance and assistance in preventing and managing chronic disease, and promoting overall well-being. The Center is part of Griffin’s mission to empower individuals to make choices that change their lifestyles for the better, and embodies Griffin’s goal to not only care for individuals when they are not well, but to build a meaningful relationship, guide, and coach them to maximize their quality of life.  Visit griffinhealthyliving.org for more information about the Center's features and upcoming community events.

This is a press release from Griffin Health.

Griffin Center for Healthy Living in Oxford to host olive oil tasting, presentation

OXFORD - In recognition of American Heart Month, the Griffin Center for Healthy Living is hosting a free olive oil tasting and presentation about its heart health benefits. 

Olive it Up! Will be held Feb.19 from 5-6 p.m. at the Griffin Center for Healthy Living Teaching Kitchen, Quarry Walk, 300 Oxford Road.

Dr. Tassos Kyriakides, assistant professor at Yale School of Public Health and certified olive oil sommelier, will guide attendees through the versatile flavors of extra virgin olive oils, highlighting their impact on human and planetary health and the important role it plays in the Mediterranean diet. 

Dr. Kyriakides, a native of Cyprus, earned a degree in biochemistry as a Fulbright Scholar at UCLA and received his Ph.D. in epidemiology of infectious diseases at the Yale School of Public Health. As an assistant professor, he helps design, guide and collaborates on numerous clinical research projects involving nutrition.

Opened in 2020, the Griffin Center for Healthy Living is a unique facility in which Griffin Health partners with the community in wellness – offering education, guidance and assistance in preventing and managing chronic disease, and promoting overall well-being. 

The Center is part of Griffin’s mission to empower individuals to make choices that change their lifestyles for the better, and embodies Griffin’s goal to not only care for individuals when they are not well, but to build a meaningful relationship, guide, and coach them to maximize their quality of life. 

Visit griffinhealthyliving.org for more information about the Center's features and upcoming community events.

This event is free, but seating is limited and reservations are required. 

Visit www.griffinhealth.org/olive-it-up or contact the Griffin Center for Healthy Living Coordinator at 203-732-1369 to sign up.

This is a press release from Griffin Health.

Griffin Center for Healthy Living in Oxford cooking demo to highlight eating clean

Start Eating Clean with Healthy Chicken Chili

OXFORD - The Griffin Center for Healthy Living is helping individuals start the new year off with better nutrition with Eating Clean for the New Year, a free cooking demonstration Jan. 22 from 5-6:15 p.m. at the Griffin Center for Healthy Living Teaching Kitchen, Quarry Walk, 300 Oxford Road.

This free culinary workshop will discuss how to make conscious dietary changes to improve one’s health in 2026 and will feature a demonstration of a healthy and hearty chicken chili with a secret, unexpected ingredient to boost its nutritional value by Griffin Executive Chef Mike Rizzio.

This event is free, but seating is limited and reservations are required. Visit www.griffinhealth.org/eating-clean or contact the Griffin Center for Healthy Living Coordinator at 203-732-1369 to sign up.

Griffin Center for Healthy Living in Oxford to host class on baking with sourdough

OXFORD - The Griffin Center for Healthy Living Teaching Kitchen is inviting individuals to learn a new healthy baking technique to start 2026 with a free cooking demonstration about making sourdough and the nutritional benefits of fermentation.

The Yeast You Can Do will be presented Jan. 15 at 5 p.m. at The Griffin Center for Healthy Living at Quarry Walk, 300 Oxford Road.

Former Executive Director of Massaro Farm and sustainable nutrition expert Caty Poole will discuss clean eating, weight management and overall healthy lifestyle decisions, including the gut health benefits of probiotics in fermented foods. 

Poole will demonstrate how to make and maintain a sourdough bread starter, discuss different flours, methods of baking and troubleshoot various issues that arise. Participants will receive a 1/2 cup sourdough starter.
Sourdough is often considered a healthier bread option due to its long fermentation, which improves digestibility, has a lower glycemic index, boosts gut health by breaking down fructans and creates prebiotics and probiotics. 

This sourdough process also makes minerals like iron, zinc, and magnesium more available for absorption and reduces gluten content (though sourdough bread is not gluten-free).

Space is limited for this event; registration is required.

Visit www.griffinhealth.org/yeast-you-can-do or call The Griffin Center for Healthy Living coordinator at 203-732-1369 to sign up.

The Griffin Center for Healthy Living Teaching Kitchen is part of Griffin’s commitment to the Planetree person-centered care model, which promotes greater well-being in communities through access to health information and assistance in helping individuals address the social determinants of health such as access to fresh nutritious foods and how to prepare them.

This is a press release from Griffin Health.

Griffin Health in Oxford to offer free weight-loss workshops

OXFORD - The Griffin Center for Healthy Living will offer free workshops in January to help individuals lose weight through lifestyle change.

Weight-Loss Toolkit – A Well-Being Program is a free, evidence-based healthy eating and active living course for adults based on Eating Smart, Being Active©. 

This six-week program provides tools and tips for sustained weight loss, such as creating individualized meal plans and proven weight-loss exercises.

There will two sessions held on Wednesdays Jan. 21 and 28, and Feb. 4, 11, 18, and 25 at The Griffin Center for Healthy Living, Quarry Walk, 300 Oxford Road. One session will be from 1:30-3 p.m. and the other session will be from 4-5:30 p.m.

Based on the latest research findings from the American Dietary Guidelines and written by educators at Colorado State University, Weight-Loss Toolkit educates and empowers participants to lead a healthy life through concepts for physical activity, food preparation, cooking and shopping skill development, and food safety. 

Nutrition education for chronic disease management is integrated into every class.

To register or for more information, visit griffinhealth.org/weight-loss-toolkit or contact The Griffin Center for Healthy Living Coordinator at 203-732-1369.

This is a press release from Griffin Health.

Griffin in Oxford to offer free diabetes prevention program

OXFORD - The Griffin Center for Healthy Living will host a session of Living Healthy to Prevent Diabetes, its free diabetes prevention program this January to help empower individuals to lower their risk for the chronic health condition.

This six-week program helps individuals develop a structured lifestyle change program that can cut the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58%, and, with sustained behavior, continues to lower risk for years to follow. At weekly meetings, Diabetes Care & Education Specialist Mary Swansiger, RN, CDCES, will guide participants in learning about healthy eating, weight management, physical activity, coping skills, healthy lifestyle goal setting and stress management.

There will be a session on Tuesdays Jan. 27, Feb. 3, 10, and 24, and March 3 and 10 from 10-11:30 a.m. at the Griffin Health Center for Healthy Living, Quarry Rock, 300 Oxford Road.

This free wellness program is part of Griffin’s commitment to improve community wellness through free education, guidance and assistance in preventing and managing chronic disease. Griffin’s mission is to empower individuals to make choices that change their lifestyles for the better, and to go beyond caring for individuals when they are not well by building a meaningful relationship, guiding, and coaching them to maximize their quality of life.

Register at www.griffinhealth.org/living-healthy-to-prevent-diabetes or contact The Griffin Center for Healthy Living coordinator at 203-732-1369 to sign up or for more information.

This is a press release from Griffin Health.

 

Griffin in Oxford to host 6-week diabetes self-management program

OXFORD - Living Healthy with Diabetes is a free, six-week diabetes self-management program that engages participants in learning and discussing clinical and lifestyle self-management behaviors to improve their health, blood sugars, emotional wellness, and quality of life. 

The program integrates trusted information from the National Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes and The Association of Diabetes Care & Education Curriculum to empower individuals diagnosed with type 1 or type 2 diabetes to manage their health and well-being.

There will be a session on Tuesdays Jan. 27, Feb. 3, 10, and 24, and March 3 and 10 from 10-11:30 a.m. at the Griffin Health Center for Healthy Living, Quarry Rock, 300 Oxford Road.

At weekly meetings, Diabetes Care & Education Specialist Mary Swansiger, RN, CDCES, will guide participants to manage their well-being with insightful education on healthy eating, weight management, physical activity, medication, glucose technology, health-related risk management, and coping with a chronic condition.

This free wellness program is part of Griffin’s commitment to improve community wellness through free education, guidance and assistance in preventing and managing chronic disease.

Griffin’s mission is to empower individuals to make choices that change their lifestyles for the better, and to go beyond caring for individuals when they are not well by building a meaningful relationship, guiding, and coaching them to maximize their quality of life.

Register at griffinhealth.org/living-healthy-with-diabetes or contact The Griffin Center for Healthy Living coordinator at 203-732-1369 to sign up or for more information. 

Shared from a press release from Griffin Health.