“We are what we eat.” You probably know eating well maintains your health on a day-to-day basis. Have you ever considered eating nutritious food to help you recover from illness (in other words, using food as medicine)?

Maintaining Health With Food

What we put into our bodies affects how our bodies feel and function. Every year, I compare how I feel after a full day of gluttony at the Minnesota State Fair versus how I feel when I eat three healthy meals. (Though I would argue the fried cheese curds, warm Sweet Martha’s cookies, and creamy Dairy Goodness malts are worth it once a year.)

While occasional splurging most likely won’t cause permanent damage to our health, a steady stream of unhealthy food can – and does.

According to health.gov, about half of American adults “have one or more preventable chronic diseases, many of which are related to poor quality eating patterns and physical inactivity. These include cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, and poor bone health.”

Diet-related diseases are now the leading cause of death in the U.S., surpassing tobacco use.

So, instead of reaching for processed and sugary foods and drinks, it’s a good idea to focus on drinking water and eating more whole foods (preferably organic and free-range) like:

• Fruits and veggies
• Fish and poultry
• Whole grains, including brown rice, oats and quinoa
• Beans and legumes
• Healthy fats, such as olive oil, avocados, nuts and seeds

Photo by K15 Photos on Unsplash

Regaining Health With Food

Eating nutritious food helps us feel better on a daily basis and prevent some chronic diseases. It also helps our bodies heal from illnesses and boosts our immune system to fight off other illnesses.

Cold and Flu

Why do we reach for chicken soup when we have a cold or the flu? It’s not just a tradition, it’s been proven to help our bodies recover.

Other foods also have been proven to help boost immunity and beat illnesses like the cold and flu:

• Yogurt and kefir
• Oats
• Salmon and shellfish
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Tea
• Fruits
• Vegetables

Photo by Natural Chef Carolyn Nicholas on Unsplash

Chronic Illnesses

Healthy food also can help us recover from and/or lesson the symptoms of chronic diseases. Recent studies have shown that meals tailored for specific illnesses decrease medical costs and improve health outcomes.

“Medically-tailored meals” are healthy meals approved by registered dietitians for the specific medical conditions, medications, side effects, allergies and other needs of a person living with severe or chronic illness.

Dr. Seth Berkowitz, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, led a study on the effect of medically-tailored meals for high healthcare users in Massachusetts. It found:

• Participants’ emergency room use decreased 70 percent
• Hospitalization rates dropped 50 percent
• Healthcare costs fell $220/month
• A net 16 percent reduction in health care costs after meal expenses

The New York Times reported about a Philadelphia study on the effect of medically-tailored meals on health insurance claims for 65 chronically ill Medicaid patients. The study found that medical expenses were $12,000/month less for those receiving the meals than for those who did not receive the meals.

The Food is Medicine Coalition website lists several additional studies.

In addition to reduced medical expenses, patients who eat healthy food:

• Feel better
• See improvements in their health
• Recognize the links between their health and what they eat

Alex, who had a heart attack at 45, is part of Minnesota’s Park Nicollet Heart and Vascular Center cardiac rehabilitation pilot program. He receives 12 healthy meals per week for three months. During the program, participants fill out weekly surveys and Park Nicollet measures their blood pressure, weight and cholesterol levels to see if they improve. Since starting the program, Alex has lost more than 40 pounds and reduced his cholesterol.

“I really believed I was eating healthy before. But I’ve realized my meals weren’t quite as healthy as I’d thought,” he says. “I used to snack a lot and eat out often. Now, most everything I eat is fruits and vegetables, nuts and lean protein. This program is teaching me and my family that we can make food that tastes good and is healthy.”

Photo by Open Arms of Minnesota

Assistance With Healthy Meals

It’s wonderful if you have family and friends to help cook nutritious food when you’re sick, but what if you have a major illness and don’t have the time, energy, knowledge or money to buy and prepare healthy meals?

Fortunately, there are nonprofits throughout the U.S. that prepare and deliver meals tailored for specific illnesses to patients facing serious health issues.

Open Arms Nourishes People With Illnesses

One organization providing delicious and nutritious meals to people living with illnesses is Open Arms of Minnesota.

The nonprofit grows, cooks and delivers free healthy meals to Twin Cities residents living with life-threatening illnesses and their dependents and caregivers – about 1,200 people each week. Remember Alex from above? Open Arms provides the meals for that pilot program.

Open Arms believes “eating delicious, nutritious meals helps make our clients’ medicines and treatments more effective so they are able to lead healthier, more independent lives.”

They also know that eating well can be especially challenging when managing a serious illness, so their goal is to make it easy and convenient for patients, caregivers and family members.

The meals are not only designed with nutrition and healing in mind, but also customized to fit the recipients’:

• Tastes and cultural preferences
• Food allergies/sensitivities
• Symptoms like nausea and difficulty swallowing

Open Arms also offers their clients nutrition counseling services. Participants receive the education and tools they need to make the dietary changes recommended by their doctors.

On Thursday evening, November 8, at Wedge Table in Minneapolis, Open Arms is hosting a panel discussion on food as medicine with local health professionals. The event is free and open to the public.

Learn More and Take Action

Health care and prescription costs are rising. Americans continue to struggle with health issues. It makes sense to gain a better understanding of additional ways we can help people gain and maintain health. Especially when the solution is delicious.

To learn more about food as medicine and get involved:

• Attend the free Food as Medicine Panel Thursday, November 8, 6-8pm, at Wedge Table, 2412 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404.
• Learn more about medically-tailored meals and their growing importance for healthcare in the U.S.
• If you or someone you know has a serious illness, research local organizations that provide medically-tailored meals. Some are listed on the Food Is Medicine Coalition website.
• Volunteer with or donate to Open Arms of Minnesota.

Healthy Food and Recipes

Finding science-based information on healthy food and recipes can be overwhelming with the amount of info online. Here are some reliable resources:

• Nutrition information and healthy recipes by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
• Healthy recipes by Food & Nutrition
• Healthy recipes and tips by Open Arms
• Healthy recipes by The Food Group of Minnesota
• Heart-healthy recipes by the American Heart Association
• Kidney-friendly recipes by DaVita Kidney Care
• Nutrition info for Cancer, MS, ALS and HIV/AIDS