A health crisis prompted Sherri Cuffe, MPH ’23, to study the impact of nutrition and exercise on quality of life.
May 19, 2023 — Sherri Cuffe never worried much about her health until about ten years ago, when she suddenly became very ill. She remained bedridden and in pain for months while doctors worked to figure out what was wrong. When he was eventually diagnosed with several autoimmune diseases, including celiac disease, Cuffe began learning how to improve his quality of life through food And exercise– and then used his knowledge to launch two health-focused businesses. Today, a graduate of the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, she focuses on exploring ways that lifestyle changes can help people reduce their risks of age-related diseases.
The seeds of his interest in age healthily were planted early in his career. Cuffe was a medical technician at an assisted living facility while she was a student at UCLA. There, she worked with several residents over the age of 80 and observed the positive effects of social interactions and good food choices on their health and cognitive abilities.
When Cuffe began experiencing her own significant health issues several years later, she dove deep into the healing potential of lifestyle changes. Her main action: changing what she ate.
An entrepreneur is born
Cuffe grew up in Los Angeles, in a large Persian family with rich culinary roots. Cooking was an important part of her life, but the traditional foods she grew up with tended to be high in less healthy foods such as Red meat. To improve her health, she focused on incorporating more nutritious foods like vegetables And whole grains, while eliminating processed ingredients and those that could worsen autoimmune diseases. Not wanting to give up her love of baking, she turned to gluten-free recipes, recommended for people with celiac disease. These proved to be a hit with her friends and family, who encouraged her to start a business.
It had been about a year since her diagnosis, and Cuffe finally felt like she was recovering and regaining her strength. The time had come to take on a new challenge. “I was determined to find a way to impact the quality of life of others,” she said.
Cuffe launched Cookie Collective in Los Angeles in 2015 and offered products free of the top eight food allergens, including wheat, peanuts and dairy. She handled all aspects of the business, including commercially certifying her own kitchen, developing the recipes, preparing all the baked goods and making deliveries. She also raised awareness among the retailers she worked with about food allergies and the importance of offering healthy alternatives. “It was hard work,” she said, “but the opportunity to help people with allergies and autoimmune diseases like me was worth it.”
After three years, she decided to close her business and start a new business focused on Pilates-based physical therapy, a practice she said had helped her manage her chronic pain. Through this work, she became interested in not only relieving symptoms through nutrition and exercise, but also preventing chronic diseases in the first place. When the COVID-19 When the pandemic hit and Cuffe was forced to close her business, she decided to take advantage of the opportunity to continue her education in nutrition.
A holistic view of longevity
Cuffe chose the Harvard Chan School for the opportunity to gain formal research training from accomplished faculty and study with students from diverse backgrounds and experiences from around the world. She earned her Master of Public Health (MPH) in Health Sciences, with a concentration in Maternal and Child Health and Global Health.
For her MPH internship, Cuffe worked as a research associate at the Oxford Institute of Population Aging. There, she led an analysis of the integrated care system for older people in the UK and identified gaps in research into aging and lifestyle factors, including nutrition. Her project also explored the impact of intergenerational relationships on quality of life.
Cuffe also worked as a research assistant and exercise instructor at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute while earning her degree. Next to Christina Dieli-Conwrightassociate professor at Department of Nutritionshe examined how personalized exercise interventions improve cancer results. “This incredible experience led me to refocus on longevity from a holistic perspective,” Cuffe said.
“Sherri exemplifies one of the most inspiring qualities of MPH students: she brings together experiences and knowledge from many different fields, such as her business and research backgrounds, and then combines them with new ideas to advance the interventions,” said his advisor. Erica Kenney, assistant professor of public health nutrition. “I’ve learned a lot from her about nutrition and longevity and can’t wait to see what creative applications she puts to use in her career.” I am convinced that it will have an impact on improving the longevity and quality of life of older people who move. Before.”
After finishing her classes this winter, Cuffe moved to Singapore. The country’s life expectancy is among the highest in the world and the government has taken steps to improve care for the elderly. “It’s an exciting place to do longevity research,” Cuffe said. She is currently exploring options from several biotechnology companies working in this area.
“In the long term, I hope to become a leader in the longevity field,” she said. “I want to help people around the world improve and prolong their quality of life through nutrition and lifestyle interventions.”
Photo: Courtesy of Sherri Cuffe
