Friday, April 28, 2023

Integrating Nutrition into Healthcare in the Midwest

"Can you imagine a day when healthcare is mostly proactive as opposed to reactive? Imagine if everyone has access to the vital conditions for health and wellbeing: the factors that people depend on to reach their full potential. What does that future look like?

One way we’ll know that we’ve achieved this future is that everyone will experience nutrition security – meaning they have consistent and equitable access to healthy, safe, and affordable foods that promote optimal health and well-being – and diet-related illnesses will no longer be the leading cause of death in the United States, especially for people of color who are historically at greatest risk.

That was the focus of our discussions in late March at the second regional Come to the Table summit on nutrition security and healthcare at Trinity Health in Ypsilanti, Michigan, hosted by ProMedica and The Root Cause Coalition.  . Alonzo Lewis, president of Trinity Health Ann Arbor, set the tone by encouraging the 150 stakeholders in attendance to build on the momentum of the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health by strengthening the intersections between nutrition and healthcare.

In addition to panel discussions comprised of experts in various fields, there was a lively town hall which provided everyone an opportunity to add their voice and experience to the conversation on hunger as a health issue. All in the room acknowledged that as a country, we have work to do. But as USDA Secretary Vilsack said in his recorded remarks, “Together, there is no challenge we can’t overcome.”.."
Nutrition and Security 

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