Four Ways Healthcare Facilities Can Promote Healthy Food
Healthcare systems globally are seeing an era of unprecedented change. The healthcare crisis we find ourselves in will alter our life in the long term and lead us to reanalyze our priorities.
Living a healthy life is now more critical than ever, as people focus on boosting overall wellness. Preventative measures help us control the spread, but they don’t promote our health the same way essential modifications to our lifestyle do. A healthy lifestyle is imperative if we want to ensure that we can protect ourselves from not just COVID-19 but other infections too. While individuals can take personal measures to promote a healthy lifestyle, healthcare facilities play a huge role in promoting the proper steps we need to take.
Nutrition is a vital part of living a healthy life. Healthcare facilities can instruct people on how to eat to boost their immunity and overall wellness. The healthcare industry can help people realize that clean eating isn’t just about nutritional value, but our survival depends on it. The various ways that healthcare facilities can implement better nutrition are discussed below.
Adopt cleaner eating within premises
The best way to promote healthier eating is by starting within hospital premises and educating staff and patients on eating better. Although most hospitals don’t allow cigarettes and other such harmful items within the premises, fast food and junk food are commonly available in hospitals globally. The availability of these items casts a shadow on any educational programs healthcare practitioners try to implement because they show insincerity on the management’s part. Thus the first step is to provide clean food within your institution. This can include banning unhealthy junk food items and curating a better menu for patients, visitors, and staff. Furthermore, this can consist of removing any sugary, unhealthy beverages from the facilities.
A degree in healthcare administration can give you the leadership skills and the progression vision necessary to bring about such a change within the hospital. You can work with the best in the field to develop a menu that accommodates the needs of everyone within the facility. It can include adding inclusive meals to the regimen, including plant-based diets, kosher meat, and natural, organic, and clean food. An online masters in health administration allows individuals to skill up and apply the knowledge they gain as they work. With the newfound knowledge, healthcare administrators can implement new food policies and practices to promote more hygienic standards and improved patient care and awareness for healthy eating.
Support community initiatives
Promoting healthy food isn’t just about booting fatty, greasy diets from your menu but helping others do the same. Suppose an entire community takes up an initiative to eat cleaner. In that case, hospitals can see a significantly lower percentage of patients in the system. Obesity and its related diseases put a tremendous strain on healthcare systems globally and impair the quality of life for millions worldwide. Medical spending for obese individuals is $1400 higher than that of a person with average weight. This figure is only expected to increase further.
However, supporting community initiatives for cleaner eating can help reduce the burden on the system by assisting entire communities to live better. Healthcare facilities can partner with local food suppliers and fund them to provide a more nutritionally valuable selection of food items that the whole community can benefit from. Furthermore, you can organize discounts or other such programs that encourage people to shop for cleaner groceries instead of unhealthy ones. It won’t just promote healthier eating within your community but can help bolster the local economy.
Mobile food delivery programs
Many people may wish to eat cleaner but don’t have access to healthy produce. People living in remote and underdeveloped locations or those without the necessary transport need to make do with what they have, instead of eating according to their dietary requirements. Mobile food delivery systems can be a godsend for these people. They can allow them to eat cleaner despite their travel restrictions. Again, you can partner with local food suppliers to establish a food delivery system for people living in food deserts.
While this system will undoubtedly benefit people living in far-off areas, it can also be exceptionally beneficial for patients suffering from chronic illnesses. Many of these individuals can be homebound and unable to go out to shop for nutritious food. By providing healthy food at their doorsteps, you allow disabled patients or those that are too weak to make the journey the opportunity to have a better lifestyle.
Host a farmer’s market
Farmer’s markets are becoming increasingly popular and are integral to boosting the economy and promoting local products. Farming is vital to promoting healthy eating, and farmer’s markets help the next generation take up this time-honored profession. By hosting a farmer’s market close to hospital premises, the management has the opportunity to promote clean, organic produce to a large target audience.
When you host a farmer’s market on hospital grounds, you can encourage patients and staff members to adopt better eating practices. Furthermore, it can help make access to healthy food much more accessible for patients, staff members, and the general community.
Conclusion
Healthy eating is a small lifestyle change that can significantly improve your life quality. Diet is a leading factor that can impact your health positively or negatively, and making minor adjustments can help you look and feel much better. Healthcare facilities can play a vital role in educating people about the importance of clean eating and helping them have better access to nutritious food.
