Food as Medicine: The Growing Evidence Behind Nutrition Therapy

The phrase ‘food is medicine’ has been part of wellness culture for years, but the scientific evidence now underpinning it has grown to a point where mainstream medical institutions can no longer treat it as a metaphor. Research published in JAMA, the New England Journal of Medicine and other top-tier clinical journals has demonstrated that targeted dietary interventions can match or exceed pharmaceutical interventions for specific chronic conditions. The Dietary Interventions to Stop Hypertension (DASH) trial showed that dietary change reduced systolic blood pressure as effectively as first-line medications. The Lyon Diet Heart Study found that a Mediterranean diet reduced cardiac events by 73 percent compared to a prudent Western diet.

The ‘food as medicine’ movement in clinical practice has given rise to programs in which physicians prescribe produce vouchers, medically tailored meals are delivered to high-risk patients and healthcare systems fund dietitian services as primary care interventions. Research from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health has estimated that optimal dietary patterns could prevent 45 percent of all cardiometabolic deaths in the United States annually. These are not small effects — they represent a profound underutilization of nutrition as a treatment modality.

At NutriGreene, food as medicine has always been our operating philosophy. We offer evidence-based nutrition counseling covered by insurance — removing a major barrier to access — as well as advanced biomarker testing and meal delivery integration that allow us to function as a true clinical nutrition practice. If you are managing a chronic condition or working to prevent one, this spring is an excellent time to make nutrition therapy a central pillar of your healthcare.

Sources

• Appel LJ, et al. A clinical trial of the effects of dietary patterns on blood pressure. N Engl J Med. 1997;336(16):1117-1124.

• Kris-Etherton PM, et al. Nutrition and cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Circ Res. 2020;126(3):e31-e35.

Ready to take the next step in your nutrition journey? Schedule an appointment at NutriGreene today. www.nutrigreene.com | (203) 429-4211 | info@nutrigreene.com