FOOD IS OUR MEDICINE
Food as Medicine is a movement that recognizes the fundamental role nutrition plays in health outcomes; advocates are working to change the policies and practices of health care providers and professionals, insurance companies, and local food systems. As a result of this movement, health care workers are offering health interventions like fruit/veggie prescriptions and medically-tailored meals. These interventions provide patients a solution for 2 challenges 1) chronic illness and 2) food/nutrition insecurity. We’re really glad that we’ve been able to participate in pilot programs like Mas Fresco and begin partnerships with healthcare organizations.
Here in California, Medi-Cal went through a transformation to began offering “community supports”; these are services provided by managed care plans to address patients’ health-related social needs. Services include housing support, respite services, and medically-supportive food! These are covered benefits that Medi-Cal recipients can currently access however, many people (including healthcare professionals) don’t know about it. There is a lack of infrastructure and education to support widespread usage of a program that could
change lives. This is why we’ve piloted a fruit/veggie prescription program through UCSD’s Center for Community Health; we recognize the massive impact this policy can have on eaters and our farmers.
Over the last two years, Mas Fresco recipients have received bi-weekly deliveries of 8 item fruit and veggie bags. Each bag has the same high quality, regeneratively-grown produce that our other customers receive. As our drivers have made the rounds to over 400 recipients each month, they’ve heard back about how consistent produce has changed eating habits and reconnected people the food they consume. This is our dream for local eaters; to know the transformational power of local climate-smart produce and actually have access to it.
If you are a Medi-Cal user, you can advocate for a fruit/veggie prescription or medically-tailored meal right now! Take advantage of this benefit so that it gains more steam. Our hope is to continue advocating for local regenerative farms to take the spotlight as the natural partners of healthcare workers.
