Riverside Health System has launched the Food as Medicine program – a six-month pilot program intended to address high blood pressure among an underserved population and educate community members on how to live a healthier lifestyle. The Food as Medicine program is an expansion of the Brentwood Healthy Food Box program which launched in 2018 and has since successfully helped community members who face food insecurity manage high A1C levels.
The Food as Medicine program is focused on working with patients from Riverside Charlie W. and Golden Bethune Hill Community Clinic, and will equip participants and their families with tools and resources to change their relationship with food. Participants will follow the a heart healthy diet through the American Heart Association called DASH (dietary approaches to stop hypertension) which helps manage high blood pressure and encourages eating leafy green vegetables, fibrous fruit, whole grains, lean protein, and low-fat dairy.
“We are thankful for the opportunity to continue the work with our community partners to expand the Brentwood Healthy Food Box program and make the Food as Medicine program a reality,” said Toiya Sosa, chief diversity officer at Riverside Health System. “As a pillar for health care in the Newport News community, we want to continue to support patients and the community at large with access to educational programs and ways to overcome social determinants of health.”
To learn more visit, https://www.riversideonline.com/…/riverside-health….
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