Monday, July 30, 2012

Your Nutrition Prescription


As we get older, it seems the amount of prescribed medication goes up exponentially from year to year.  You start taking one medication, and because of the array of side effects from that medication, you are prescribed three more to help, and so it goes on.  As we get older, it is also more and more important to make sure we are eating a balanced and nutritious diet as well.  Wouldn't it be great if we could just get our doctors to write a nutrition prescription for us?  Well, guess what, now they do!

Doctors at select clinics accross the country are writing some obese patients "prescriptions" for fruits and vegetables.  The Fruit and Vegetable Prescription Program provides daily $1.00 subsidies to buy produce at local farmers markets.  The Program, also called FVRx, is funded through Wholesome Waves, a non-profit organization which operates from private donations.  Each member of a family gets the $1.00 prescription so, for example, a family of five would end up getting $35.00 per week to spend on fruits and vegetables.

So, how does this program work?  Can anyone just deem themselves unhealthy and ask for this FVRx prescription?  No.

First, a primary care provider needs to meet with you and enroll you based on your BMI, existing health conditions, and chronic disease risk factors.  Once enrolled, your primary care provider along with a nutritionist or Registered Dietitian meet with you and your family each month to reinforce the importance of healthy eating.  The primary care provider distributes the FVRx prescriptions during the visit and assess your fruit and vegetable consumption over the prior month, weight, height, blood pressure, and BMI.  A prescription represents one serving of produce per day for each participant and each family member, equal to $1.00 per day, as stated above.  The prescriptions can be redeemed weekly for fresh fruits and vegetables at participating farmers markets throughtout the 4 to 6 months program.  Participants return to their primary care provider and nutritionist or Registered Dietitian monthly to refill their FVRx prescription, set new self-management goals for healthy eating and have their health metrics recorded (these include fruit and vegetable consumption, weight, height, blood pressure, and BMI).

So, say you get enrolled in the FVRx program, will your family get the benefits too, even if they aren't technically qualified?  Or are you the only one with the monthly prescription?

Organizers say that a family-oriented approach is the best way to get this program to work.  Even if the whole family isn't considered obese, its not as beneficial if just one family member is eating fruits and vegetables from the farmer's market and the rest of the family is eating food that isn't as healthy.  That being said, if one member of the family is qualified and enrolled in the program, the entire family will get a prescription.  This also helps with the social support that is essential when trying to change a big thing like diet and lifestyle.

The program exists at twelve different sites in seven states and the District of Columbia.  It started in 2010 and has already helped over 1000 people buy healthier food.  The program targets areas where fresh produce may not be readily available or is too expensive for impoverished families. 

Organizers also believe this program ultimately produces a savings for the health care system because if people are more likely and have more opportunity to eat a more healthy diet, they are less likely to suffer from chronic conditions. Healthy food costs less in the long run than the medicine and treatment they would require in the future with a chronic condition.

So, if  you are one of the people who believe that all doctors want to do these days is prescribe yet another medication for your ailment, this might not be a bad option.  And the negative side effects are nonexistant!

If you would like more information on the FVRx program, visit their website at http://wholesomewave.org/fvrx/

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