07/22/2025
Back in the mid 90s, I worked in the cafeteria of a Seventh-Day Advenist hospital. What stands out to me most was the emphasis on fresh food, vegetables, beans. The entire model was based on vegetarianism. Food was seen as foundational medicine and a part of their healing philosophy.
Today, while visiting a local hospital, there was a pizza bar. And a Chick-Fil-A rack. One of those fancy soda machines where you could select 1001 different combinations of sugar and dye.
This isn't to say there weren't healthier options. Or that my old hospital didn't serve junk. We did. But what is highlighted matters.
Why is it that in spaces dedicated to healing, food so often feels like an afterthought? Or worse, why does it continue to contribute to the very conditions we're treating: diabetes, heart disease, inflammation?
As a healthcare provider, I have to ask: If we’re truly committed to prevention and whole-person care, shouldn’t that conversation begin with what we serve - on the tray, in the vending machine, in the break room?
Because if food is medicine, then every bite should reflect the mission.