Healing Hands School of Holistic Health, (Healing Hands), commends the efforts of California State Senator, Ben Allen and Assembly members, Richard Bloom and Blanca Rubio”, said Paula Curtiss, Founding Director. “On Friday, May 4, they initiated a pilot Program named: “Food is Medicine” to deliver free meals to Medi-Cal recipients in need of a specific diet to manage their medical condition. As a school of the Holistic Healing Arts, we’re extremely pleased that California Doctors are now recognizing and prescribing food as Medicine”, she continued.
The Food is Medicine initiative was based off recent research published by MANNA, a non-profit organization that delivers nourishing food to chronically ill people in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The study revealed that customized meals reduced the number of patient trips to the hospital and the need for long term care after a hospital stay, by 23%. These meals not only enhanced patient quality of life, they facilitated a major reduction in hospital costs as well.
Customized meals are being distributed by the Food is Medicine Coalition, comprised of dozens of nutrition service providers, like MANNA. These providers are dedicated to providing nutritional services to individuals with serious and/or chronic illnesses within their communities. The Coalition also promotes nutrition education, research on health outcomes, and research on cost of care for individuals receiving medically customized meals.
Medically customized meals are designed by a Registered dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) and reflect proven nutritional guidelines for specific medical conditions. Factors taken into consideration during meal creation include the patient’s illness, medications, allergies and tolerances. Patients with cancer for example, are instructed to eat high-calorie meals. Patients with Diabetes, on the other hand, need meals low in sugar and processed carbs. Individuals suffering from cardiovascular disease require low cholesterol & low sodium diets. Though requirements may differ, one thing’s for sure, what a patient eats has a major impact on their mood, and health outcomes.
The Faculty at Healing Hands believes that while customized nutrition may be key to improving outcomes for those struggling with disease, holistic nutrition is key to preventing it in the first place! Accordingly, the school offers an exceptionally popular course, ‘Holistic Nutrition’, taught by Herbal Medicine and Nutrition Educator, Shana Lipner-Grover. Holistic Nutrition starts August 24th at the Escondido campus (Register by Aug. 10th). In Shana’s class, students examine the basic nutrients in food and how they affect the mind and body. Students are introduced to healthy recipes and develop a customized nutrition plan. What students learn in ‘Holistic Nutrition’ helps them build a strong foundation for their own and their clients’ long-term health.
A trail-blazer for Massage and Holistic Health education in SoCal, Healing Hands has prepared more than 7,000 Graduates for success as Professional Massage Therapist and Holistic Health Practitioners. Boasting more than 80 Massage and Holistic Health classes, you can learn everything you need to know about the Holistic Healing Arts at Healing Hands. Check us out online at www.HealingHandsSchool.com or call us at (949) 305-2722 in Laguna Hills, (760) 946-9364 in Escondido, or (858) 505-1100 in San Diego. Healing Hands School of Holistic Health is “Touching Lives, Touching Hearts”, since 1992.