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An online course you can take on your computer, tablet, or smartphone — whenever it’s convenient for you. Learn anytime, anywhere! You can access your Food Is Medicine: Eating for better health and healing course whenever it’s convenient for you! Use your smartphone, laptop, tablet, or desktop computer. Easy login and simple-to-navigate screens make this online course perfect for adults of all ages. Dear Reader, Food doesn’t just taste good and satisfy your hunger — it can be incredibly nutritious and provide powerful fuel for your body. What you eat plays a major role in preventing and managing many diseases. That’s why the doctors and editors of Harvard Health Publishing created Food Is Medicine: Eating for better health and healing, an interactive online course designed to help you understand how the foods you eat can lead to better health outcomes. If you want clear, practical guidance — not fads or hype — Harvard’s online course Food Is Medicine is for you. In easy-to-understand terms, you’ll learn which foods truly support wellness, which may be working against you, and how to put it all together into an eating pattern that fits your life. Plus, throughout the course, you’ll find practical tools you can use right away: simple eating strategies and healthy swaps examples of daily and weekly meal patterns guidance on when “going organic” matters most tips to build a grocery list full of health supporting foods Our videos, illustrations, and short quizzes help you remember what you learn and put it into practice at home, at the grocery store, and when dining out. ENROLL NOW & START LEARNING Harvard’s interactive courses make learning easy and efficient! How this Harvard Health online course works This is not a live class, and you don’t need any special software. Learn at your own pace. Log in anytime, day or night. Start, stop, and return to where you left off. Use any device. Take the course on your computer, tablet, or smartphone with an internet connection. Discover how simple online courses are. Large, easy-to-read screens and step-by-step lessons make it comfortable for adults of all ages. Hundreds of illustrations make retention easier and more intuitive. It’s yours to keep. Once you enroll, you can come back to the lessons any time you want a refresher. Get a certificate of completion. Finish the course and receive a Harvard Health Publishing certificate you can share with your doctor or family. If you’re new to online courses, we’ve made this one as friendly as possible. If you can read email and click a link, you can take this course. Just log in with your email address, follow the simple onscreen prompts, and move through each lesson at a comfortable pace. If you stop partway, the course will remember where you left off so you can easily continue next time. ENROLL NOW & START LEARNING Our online course was created to keep your interest and promote retention. Inside the interactive course Food Is Medicine, you’ll discover the secrets behind healthy eating. Understand how food influences your risk for chronic conditions — including heart disease, diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, kidney disease, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and more. Identify foods that heal and foods that harm — learn which fruits, vegetables, whole grains, proteins, and fats lower inflammation … and which common choices may trigger inflammation or aggravate certain conditions. Separate nutrition facts from myths — get evidence-based answers on popular topics such as coconut oil and animal fats, alcohol and cancer risk, dairy and bone health, and choosing seafood safely. Healthy food choices can play a powerful role in long-term health — helping lower blood pressure, support mental health, and reduce the risk of conditions like dementia and some cancers. Let Food Is Medicine set the record straight on common food misconceptions! ENROLL NOW & START LEARNING Week in Review Your weekly check-in for better living HEALTH FACT OF THE WEEK It can take around 15–20 minutes for your brain to register that your stomach is full—eating slowly helps prevent overeating. THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHT Tips to leverage neuroplasticity for cognitive fitness as you age As we grow older, staying mentally sharp becomes more important-and more possible-thanks to neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to adapt, learn, and rewire itself throughout life. With the right habits, you can maintain or even enhance cognitive fitness. What Is Neuroplasticity? Neuroplasticity allows the brain to change its structure and function in response to learning, experiences, and environmental shifts. Dr. Andrew E. Budson of Harvard Medical School explains, "Neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to learn, remember, and change when it is appropriate for the circumstances." Cognitive fitness-your ability to think, learn, and remember-relies heavily on this adaptability. READ MORE → Get your copy of A Guide to Cognitive Fitness In this Special Health Report, A Guide to Cognitive Fitness, Harvard Medical School doctors share a seven-step program that can yield important and lasting results. Together these lifestyle changes can strengthen your intellectual prowess, promote your powers of recall, and protect the brain-based skills that are essential for full, rewarding, and independent living. From simple and specific changes in eating to ways to challenge your brain, this is guidance that will pay dividends for you and your future. READ MORE → EXPLORE MORE CONTENT The Power of Forgiveness Holding a grudge can hurt your health, while forgiveness can help you heal. Studies show that letting go of resentment reduces anxiety and depression, eases stress, and even supports better sleep and heart health. Read more with our exclusive HHO+ subscription. READ MORE → Easy ways to add tofu to your diet If you’re trying to follow a heart-healthy diet, experts recommend prioritizing plant-based protein — think legumes (beans, lentils, soybeans, and peas), whole grains, and nuts. But for people who’ve long relied on meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy for their protein, it’s not always an easy transition. READ MORE → Get your copy of Plant-Based Eating For a variety of reasons, many people are interested in cutting back on animal foods such as meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, and eggs. Some of them are motivated by the health benefits of eating more plants. Another main motivator for eating a plant-based diet is its environmental benefits. In addition, many people are interested in decreasing animal food intake because of concerns about animal welfare or for other moral or religious reasons. The bottom line: more and more people are lightening their intake of animal foods in pursuit of a more sustainable, plant-based lifestyle. Learn more with our downloadable online guide, Plant-Based Eating. READ MORE → Stretching it out Flexibility can be the key that unlocks a safer and more active lifestyle. Proper flexibility means you can bend, reach, twist, stretch, and sit and stand with a greater range of motion and less effort. Unfortunately, flexibility usually declines with age. Over time, muscles shrink, and tendons lose their water content, which makes your body feel stiffer. Add to this a sedentary lifestyle, and flexibility decreases even more. READ MORE → MUST READ Stretching Stretching: The basics Why should you stretch? Types of stretches When to check with a doctor Six tips for safe stretches Click here to learn more » Harvard Medical School offers over 60 special reports, 20 online guides, and 36 online courses on various health topics. Visit our main website at http://www.health.harvard.edu to find reports of interest to you and your family, or check out more courses on http://www.harvardhealthonlinelearning.com/catalog. Visit our website at: www.health.harvard.edu Email us at: healthbeat@health.harvard.edu FOLLOW US ON:  Facebook Twitter Copyright © 2026 by Harvard University. Harvard Health Publishing, Gordon Hall, Suite 013, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA