Feeding Recovery: The Missing Link in Addiction Treatment | Ginny Cooper | TEDxUniversityofDelaware

NOTE FROM TED: As the speaker states, please do not look to this talk for medical advice. This talk represents the speaker’s personal views and understanding of nutrition and substance abuse treatment. Several claims, including those around the relationship between nutrient deficiency and sexual dysfunction, warrant further scientific investigation. TEDx events are independently organized by volunteers. The guidelines we give TEDx organizers are described in more detail here: http://storage.ted.com/tedx/manuals/t...

How the power of food and compassion can help rebuild lives in addiction recovery. Nutrition isn’t just fuel—it’s a form of healing that restores both body and mind. Together, science and empathy can redefine what true recovery from substance abuse looks like. Ginny Cooper is a Senior majoring in Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Delaware, whose work bridges scientific research and lived experience. Diagnosed with epilepsy as a child, she first encountered the power of “food as medicine” through the ketogenic diet. That early experience sparked a passion for exploring nutrition’s role in healing — a passion she now applies to the current substance abuse epidemic. On campus, Ginny has been a teaching assistant in health and behavioral science courses for three semesters. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx