‘Food Is My Medicine’ Program Makes Meaningful Impact

Many physicians who advocate whole-person care recognize the need to go into the community to make a meaningful impact. That’s how family medicine doctor Rachelle Dulan Hood at Kettering Health in Ohio, United States, started in 2020.

“I realized a lot of my patients were taking multiple medications for chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension, which often can be managed through lifestyle modifications,” Dulan Hood said. “But I only had 15 minutes with them during clinic appointments. I couldn’t go into depth about diet, nutrition, or exercise.”

Like many people in Dayton, Ohio, United States, her patients didn’t have convenient access to fresh food or knowledge about preparing healthy meals. So Dulan Hood developed a four-week, video-based program called “Food Is My Medicine,” with seed funding from the American Academy of Family Physicians. Each video includes a presentation by a resident physician or dietitian. Topics include plant-based eating, shopping on a budget, healthy versions of traditional recipes, and how to read nutrition labels, among others.

The program also includes a cooking demonstration by a local chef and a segment featuring a local artist’s work. Participants received a pot, pan, baking sheet, and cookbook. Each week, they watched the videos on YouTube and picked up free groceries at Gem City Market in Dayton to make featured recipes.

Measurable Success

To qualify for the program, participants had to be overweight or obese with more than one chronic disease. The first time Dulan Hood offered Food Is My Medicine, in 2021, about 50 of her patients signed up. Out of those, 100 percent reported eating produce and drinking more water more frequently after completing the program and 100 percent said the program benefitted them. Also, 100 percent said they would recommend the program, and 89 percent saw an improvement in their health.

Support from an Ardmore Foundation grant allowed Dulan Hood to expand to 100 participants when she offered the program again in March 2024. Added features included home exercise instructional videos and phone support for participants. Miami Valley Meals, a nonprofit organization addressing food insecurity, provided free prepared meals and custom salt-free spice blends.

Family medicine residents from Kettering Health Dayton who see patients at the Kettering Health Cassano Health Center created a research component to assess the program’s effectiveness. Dulan Hood hasn’t seen the data yet, but anecdotal evidence indicates the program was a success.

“Many participants lost weight during the four-week session and lowered their blood pressure,” she said.

An Eye Toward New Partnerships

Dulan Hood hopes to make Food Is My Medicine sustainable by involving more resident physicians next time. Meanwhile, she is working with Homefull, a Dayton nonprofit organization that serves people dealing with housing instability. Homefull is building a grocery store, and Dulan Hood plans to open a satellite clinic in the same building. She also hosts teaching kitchens for Kettering Health Medical Group at Gem City Market.

“I’ve learned so much through this process, and what I would say to my colleagues is this: If there’s something you’re passionate about and you see an opportunity, don’t be shy about it, even if your solution may seem wild or innovative,” she said. “I’m not a YouTube personality or video producer, but thanks to many people jumping in to help, we brought our ideas to life. It’s been such a fulfilling experience.”

The original version of this story was posted on the Kettering Health news site.