June, Gently
Notes from San Diego, the garden, and the quiet places in between
Welcome to the Michelle Seguin MD newsletter! I’m Dr. Michelle, and I’m so glad you’re here. Our community has just passed the 1,000-reader mark (we did it!), and I’m feeling especially grateful for the thoughtful, nourishing space we’re building together. In this week’s note, I’m sharing highlights from a recent conference in San Diego, a new podcast episode on food as medicine in the garden, and a special announcement for our June cookbook club pick.
Hello friends,
I’m arriving a little later than planned with this note. Between getting our garden in the ground and a cross-country trip to San Diego for the IFM Annual International Conference, my hands have been in both big ideas and literal soil. It’s that time of year when everything wants to grow at once: plants, projects, possibilities!
This will be a shorter note as I ease into the month ahead. Today, I’m excited to share a few conference highlights, the release of my latest podcast interview, and a peek at this month’s Savor the Seasons cookbook club pick.
And one more thing worth celebrating. This newsletter community has officially reached 1,000 readers!!! Thank you for reading, for sharing, for engaging, and for growing with me. I’m so grateful you’re here!
With gratitude,
Dr. Michelle
Podcast Feature: Food as Medicine in the Garden
Our practice recently launched a new podcast called Get to the Root, and I had the joy of joining Root Functional Medicine founder Dr. Erica Armstrong for an episode on a topic that’s near and dear to my heart. While many of you know how much I love the kitchen, this conversation reflects how my food-as-medicine journey has expanded beyond the cutting board and into the soil.
We talked about how gardening has shaped my path as a physician and why I believe growing food, even just a small patch of herbs or greens, can be a deeply healing act. From supporting gut health and dietary diversity to reducing stress and reconnecting with the rhythms of nature, gardening has become one of my most powerful tools for well-being.
This episode sparked some thoughtful conversations within our Root online community, where we explore functional and food-as-medicine approaches together. It’s a space that offers seasonal recipe guides from our doctor and dietitian team (the Root Farmacy guides—I just love that name), online courses, and live office hours with our team for additional support. Our next community challenge, the Start of Summer Smoothie Challenge, runs June 16 through 22.
If you're looking for a supportive way to deepen your own food-as-medicine journey, our membership might be a good place to begin. We like to think of it as a space where “we root for each other”.
You can learn more here.
And you can listen to the episode here:
Reflections from the IFM Annual International Conference
I spent much of last week in San Diego for the Institute for Functional Medicine’s Annual International Conference. These gatherings always leave me feeling both restored and inspired. They offer new ideas, meaningful conversations, and a return to the deeper purpose behind this work.
There were so many moments that stood out. Here are just a few…
I was deeply moved to see my mentor and friend Dr. Deanna Minich honored with the Linus and Ava Pauling Award. Her work has shaped so much of my own food-as-medicine philosophy (hello, eat the rainbow), and it was beautiful to see her recognized in such a heartfelt way. I also loved hearing from another mentor, Dr. Patrick Hanaway, whose talk on the art of listening was one of the most honest and inspiring sessions of the weekend.
And then came something I didn’t expect: a conversation on regenerative agriculture and planetary health featuring Joel Salatin. For a doctor-gardener, it was significant to see soil health and food systems brought into the center of a medical conference. I sat in the audience thinking…Yes. This matters. It’s all connected!
Outside of the lecture halls, I made time for daily walks along the waterfront Embarcadero and visited the Little Italy Farmer’s Market (one of my favorite things to do when I travel). I picked up flowers, admired the produce, and soaked in the rhythm of the season in a new place. I was pleased to see that many of the heirloom varieties grown there in Southern California are often found at peak season back home. After all, Michigan is the second most agriculturally diverse state in the U.S. (California is the first).
The trip also came with an unexpected gift. Cookbook author
surprised me with a homemade, hand-delivered chocolate cake from her forthcoming book In Good Health. Allergen-friendly, refined sugar free, and absolutely delicious! We’ll be featuring her book in the Savor the Seasons cookbook club this October, and I’m so excited to share it with you. Food people really are the best people!
Lastly, one session that’s stayed with me since returning home was about healthcare innovation and the Whole Health initiative at the VA. Dr. Tracy Gaudet encouraged us to reimagine how we begin a visit, not with test results or checklists, but with two simple, powerful questions:
What matters most to you?
What do you want your health for?
I’ve been carrying those questions with me ever since and look forward to the conversations they’ll spark with my patients.
If you feel called to share, I’d love to hear your answers in the comments.
This month’s cookbook club pick is The Brain Health Kitchen by
, a beautiful guide to protecting brain health through food that’s both practical and truly delicious. With vibrant, seasonal recipes rooted in the science of cognitive health, this book is full of dishes that support memory, focus, and longevity without sacrificing flavor. It’s a perfect companion for early summer: colorful, approachable, and inspired by Blue Zones principles and the traditional cuisines that support them. I’m also thrilled to share that Dr. Annie will be our first special guest on this month’s Kitchen Conversation.New to the Cookbook Club? Check out this welcome post and download this month’s guide to get started. I hope you’ll join us!
As we move through June, I hope you find time to notice what’s gently unfolding around you. Whether in your garden, your kitchen, or your own inner rhythm, there is so much to be found in the simple act of listening. I'm grateful to share this unfolding with you.
With love and care,
Dr. Michelle
P.S. If this note spoke to you, I’d love it if you gave it a like or passed it along to a friend. This space is growing into a community rooted in seasonal rhythms, good food, and thoughtful connection. I’m truly grateful you’re here.
Here are my most recent Substack sharings:
Looking forward to our cookbook club. Congrats on 1K subscribers--exciting to see the growth.
I’m excited to find out more about the smoothie challenge! Summer is smoothie season for us, such a wonderful way to get in fiber and nutrients from rotating local greens, herbs, and fruits.