Page 85 - Time Special Edition Alternative Medicine (January 2020)
P. 85
BLUEBERRIES
They contain antioxidants that
fight cancer. Studies show that
some compounds in blueberries
can interrupt tumors’ ability to
grow new blood vessels.
“It’s a major, major difference from where I started by the growing body of research that supports the
from,” he says. “It’s been a life-changing, lifesaving idea that when people eat well, they stay healthier
program for me.” and are more likely to control chronic diseases and
Geisinger’s program is one of a number of perhaps even avoid them altogether. “When you pri-
groundbreaking efforts that finally consider food a oritize food and teach people how to prepare healthy
critical part of a patient’s medical care—and treat meals, lo and behold, it can end up being more im-
food as medicine that can have as much power to pactful than medications themselves,” says Jaewon
heal as drugs. More studies are revealing that peo- Ryu, the president and CEO of Geisinger. “That’s
ple’s health is the sum of much more than the med- a big win.”
ications they take and the tests they get—health is The problem is that eating healthy isn’t as easy as
affected by how much people sleep and exercise, popping a pill. For some, healthy foods simply aren’t
how much stress they’re shouldering and, yes, what available. And if they are, they aren’t affordable. So
they are eating at every meal. Food is becoming a more hospitals and physicians are taking action to
particular focus of doctors, hospitals, insurers and break down these barriers to improve their patients’
even employers who are frustrated by the slow prog- health. In cities where fresh produce is harder to
ress of drug treatments in reducing food-related access, hospitals have worked with local grocers to
diseases like Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, hyper- provide discounts on fruits and vegetables when pa-
tension and even cancer. They’re also encouraged tients provide a “prescription” written by their doc-
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