Food as Medicine

Food as medicine is an approach to dietary interventions designed to address gaps in community healthcare. According to the Aspen Institute, “Over half of American adults [suffer] from at least one chronic, diet-related disease . . . Food and nutrition interventions can aid in prevention and management, and even reverse chronic disease.” LifeSpring Home Nutrition firmly believes food is medicine. All meals are created with specific health benefits in mind. A registered dietician (RD) collaborates with clients to develop tailored meal plans, ensuring people can access the foods they need to live healthier lives.

The Role of Food as Preventative Medicine

Preventative medicine saves individuals and communities billions of dollars annually in healthcare costs. Balanced, nutritional meals are essential to preventative medicine and help people reduce their risk of severe or chronic health issues. According to the BMJ, “Referring patients to food is medicine interventions can change their ability to follow dietary recommendations, tackling several barriers to healthy eating, including the inability to afford or access recommended foods.” In addition, “Some food is medicine interventions model appropriate portion size and ingredient selection, enabling recipients to maintain more healthful diets past the intervention duration.” Diet is a highly adaptable tool for increasing a person’s overall well-being.

Food has always played an essential role in medicine. For thousands of years, cultures around the world have recognized the importance of diet in managing health conditions. A few of the ways food contributes to a person’s health include:

Proper nutrients energize the body and help it heal from disease, illness, or physical injury
Balanced meals with essential vitamins and minerals protect the body from preventable diseases
Healthy foods boost the immune system and ensure all body systems function as intended

Food as medicine interventions have become more common in recent years, with many healthcare practitioners embracing the role of food in their client’s medical care. However, not every healthcare facility, program, or service has the resources to directly provide or support essential dietary changes. LifeSpring Home Nutrition fills those gaps and provides the nutrient-rich foods people need to improve their diet.

The Science Behind Medically Tailored Meals

Medically tailored meals (MTMs) are dietary changes and meal plans prescribed by healthcare professionals to address severe health issues, including HIV, diabetes, and heart disease. MTMs are known to provide multiple mental and physical health benefits. According to Medical Care, in one research study, “MTMs were linked to lower all-cause mortality in all groups and a lower risk of being hospitalized for heart failure in those with pre-existing heart failure.” MTMs provide people with foods they may not otherwise be able to prepare or purchase for themselves. People often report better health outcomes if they have access to meals specifically created to address deficiencies in their diet.

How Do Healthy Ingredients Contribute to Overall Wellness?

Healthy ingredients enrich meals with essential vitamins and minerals. Some examples of healthy foods used by LifeSpring Home Nutrition to improve the nutrition of meals include:

Fruits and Vegetables: Reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, some cancers, high blood pressure, and stroke
Salmon and Other Fish: An important source of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin B2
Dairy: A good source of calcium, protein, magnesium, potassium, zinc and phosphorus
Chicken: An excellent source of protein

LifeSpring Home Nutrition provides weekly deliveries of delicious meals designed to boost the body’s natural healing abilities. Every meal is made with the freshest ingredients and flash-frozen to retain nutrients. In some cases, MTMs may also be enriched with nutraceuticals.

Nutritional Foods Promote a Healthy Lifestyle

According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), “Each year, millions of people in the U.S. die from diet-related chronic health conditions, get sick from foodborne illnesses, or go hungry.” Food as medicine interventions improve health outcomes for individuals in the community. MTMs promote a more health-conscious mindset, helping people develop healthier lifestyles. People live longer and feel better when they practice a healthy lifestyle, including eating nutritious meals, exercising regularly, staying hydrated, and getting quality sleep each night. LifeSpring Home Nutrition partners with healthcare providers to ensure people can access life-changing MTMs and other services.

How LifeSpring Home Nutrition Uses Food as Medicine

LifeSpring Home Nutrition reduces gaps in healthcare by providing MTMs to vulnerable or disadvantaged members of the local community. People rely on home meal delivery services to ensure they have access to nutrient-rich foods developed to meet their unique needs and preferences. The high-quality products, ethical policies, and genuine care for every member of the community set LifeSpring Home Nutrition apart from other meal delivery companies.

The company promotes the concept of food as medicine by doing the following:

Educating clients about the impact of healthy foods on overall health
Providing one-on-one sessions with an RD to personalize meal plans
Offering MTMs and meals designed to address specific mental or physical health issues, including heart-friendly, culturally-sensitive, and immune-boosting meals

People who might otherwise struggle to accommodate special dietary needs trust LifeSpring Home Nutrition to provide nutritious meals made to accommodate their needs. Clients collaborate with an RD to ensure their cultural, medical, and personal preferences are considered during meal planning.

Food as medicine is a nationwide initiative meant to address gaps in healthcare. Medical professionals prescribe dietary changes to help people manage health issues, including heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. LifeSpring Home Nutrition offers medically tailored meals to individuals impacted by a range of medical conditions. To learn more about our meal delivery services, call us today at (800) 798-5767.

Lifespring Homenutrition

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Hannah HK

05:05 30 Apr 24

I cannot enough express my gratitude for your help and the fact that you respected my selective religious food choices, you delivered frozen clean simple disposable boxes of mostly ready to go meals , sealed, sanitary, cold in big insulated bags. Thank you truly !

S Maw

23:51 05 Apr 24

I had a catastrophic event requiring a long hospital stay and at discharge my HMO offered Lifespring meal services. Initially, I was offered a puree diet and then as I improved a regular diet. Staff were kind, patient, and their supervisor, Christina was extremely accommodating. This is an amazing company who goes the extra mile to ensure patients receive their meals promptly. The food is delicious with a variety of meals. I would highly recommend Lifespring.

J Grant

19:39 24 Mar 24

Lora “LaLa” Bender

00:09 08 Apr 23

My food.

M Maithalouni

16:57 23 Mar 23

Balanced meals excellent customer service. Thank you

Carol Worth (CarolNikkie)

23:27 18 Jan 21

I've been receiving Lifespring meals for the past several years. I find them to be fresh, convenient, and delicious! The meals are both balanced and nutritious, and, because they are prepared fresh, and then flash frozen; all one needs is a microwave! Delivery is prompt and courteous, and if ever you want to make a change, the friendly office staff is available by phone. Thank you, Lifespring! 🤗😘

Garth Ship

03:04 04 Dec 20

Christina totally went above and beyond for me with excellent service.
Delivered right on time to my door by the friendly driver. The meals are delicious and have definitely lifted my spirits through these troubled times. Thank you Lifespring for great service and the delicious meals you provide.