Dr. Margaret Towolawi Discusses Healthier Living and Her Book, 'Ayomide and Seyi's Kitchen'
Photos by Susan Fried
Joining Trae Holiday on The Day With Trae is Dr. Margaret Towolawi, a physician and the founder and director of both the Nurture Well Center, a direct primary care practice, and SkinStatMD, a dermatology clinic where she specializes in lifestyle medicine. With a background in general practice and obstetrics, she now focuses on a newer approach to healthcare. Her work in lifestyle medicine focuses on six components: Plant-based nutrition, stress reduction, healthy sleep, exercise, reduction of substances such as alcohol and tobacco, and maintaining and building social connections to prevent, treat, and reverse disease.
"Patients are getting tired of being pushed pills. They want to know about other options. They want to know about the power of plant foods, not just foods we eat this way but also supplements," Towolawi said. "Evidence-based use of supplements is what I push. I'm really into things like wellness mushrooms and adaptogens like ashwagandha."
With the ever-growing popularity of supplements and lifestyle medicine, Towolawi wrote Ayomide and Seyi's Kitchen, a children's book named after her own. This guide helps young readers implement plant-based nutrition in their daily routines as early as possible.
"Seeing patients for years who have diabetes, pre-diabetes, high blood pressure, all the things," Towolawi. "If I can get people at a younger age to understand how our food has the power to really help us do our health in the right direction, then I would really help save people from seeing me as adults who have these chronic diseases."
While the book is aimed at children, it offers invaluable insights that parents can integrate into their and their families' lifestyles.
"I started off kind of slow like A is for Apple, then I started getting into things like fiber and glucose to help kids understand why it's important to eat this way," Towolawi. "It's not just like a basic book. It seems that way at first, but I really get into the nitty-gritty."
Beyond the medical information Ayomide and Seyi's Kitchen provides, it showcases representation in a field where that is often lacking.
"A lot of Black kids don't see themselves in books like this. And as a mama, a proud Black woman, and a doctor, I thought, let me show people that I can put kids in it, my own kids, and have them show you how to eat this way," Towolawi. "I've had parents come to me and say after reading the book, "My kid wanted to try ube for the first time or try quinoa for the first time or whats jollof, let's go try that out." So it's been really awesome to hear that."
After her book's publication, Towolawi appeared on the children's television show Look, Listen + Learn to promote healthy eating. Her book is now available in the Seattle Public Library, King County Public Library, and Sno-Isle. Lastly, her book was distributed to children around Seattle for free after the Northwest African American Museum purchased copies through the Knowledge is Power Book Giveaway Program.
"Dr. Margaret Towolawi is a true inspiration! She's an amazing example of how you can diversify your skills to create a greater benefit to the community," host Holiday said. "By providing medical care, supplemental care, and skin care- on top of writing a children's book that includes health and education, she's proving that you can do what you put your mind to and be a major part of the solutions that are needed in our communities today!"
To learn more about Dr. Towolawi and her practices, click here.
For more stories on health and wellness, tune into Trae every weekday at 11 am on all Converge Media platforms and The Day With Trae YouTube Channel.
