Jasmine Cho
Baker, art therapist, creative ninja and founder of Yummyholic
Known as the stress hormone, cortisol in the body at chronic elevated levels can wreak all sorts of havoc — from anxiety and depression to headaches and heart disease. It’s even associated with higher risk of cancer. Particularly susceptible are those who have endured some type of physical or emotional trauma.
Jasmine Cho knows a way to reduce cortisol levels: through baking. And she has the data to prove it.
The newly minted 35year-old Carlow University summa cum laude graduate — with a 3.99 GPA and a degree in art therapy — has already completed a pilot study in partnership with the Center for Victims on the South Side and plans to expand her programs later this year. Part of her research has included measuring cortisol levels through saliva before and after baking.
“Their saliva results corroborated with our anxiety survey results,” Ms. Cho explained. “Both of our results showed a significant decrease in anxiety and stress from the survey and cortisol levels in the saliva. It’s very exciting.”
“Baking, because it’s such a sensory experience — all five of your senses are engaged — could take the visual art experience to another level, especially to help treat populations that face trauma . ... Trauma healing is all about rewiring and restructuring the brain. I think the best way to do that is through tactile healing type of experiences.” The Southern California native and Squirrel Hill resident is a dynamic polymath. A self-taught baker and taekwondo expert who dubs herself a “creative ninja,” she is the founder of Yummyholic, an online bakery that she’s used to elevate awareness on social justice issues.
Her work has been featured on “CBS This Morning,” NPR and Huffington Post. She hosted a TED Talk in Pittsburgh last year about using baking to tell stories of Asian American history. In November, she won $10,000 on the Food Network’s “Christmas Cookie Challenge.”
She’ll likely pursue a master’s degree in art therapy and creativity development from the Pratt Institute in New York City through a “low residency program.” That will allow her to stay in Pittsburgh where she can continue her research with the Center for Victims and with a new project with UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, while endeavoring to create an entirely new discipline — bake therapy.
“I’m hoping this field of study can help me to build out a real research-based bake therapy program,” she said.
“I’m being very ambitious. I’m really trying to pioneer something. My big picture vision is to make baking something that counselors and helping professionals can utilize.”