NYC docs to get free plant-based nutrition training

On December 16, plantbasednews.org reported that New York City had just launched a $44-million lifestyle medicine program that will include free plant-based nutrition training, and help unburden the US healthcare system.

Photo credit: 1217 Chokniti Khongchum

Excerpts from the story:

“The initiative is a collaboration between city mayor Eric Adams and the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM). All NYC-practicing healthcare professionals are eligible for the training to incorporate preventative lifestyle medicine into their care programs.

“Training will include access to more than five hours of self-paced online education. The course features modules dedicated to plant-based eating as both a preventative but also prescriptive tool. This will allow professionals to, where appropriate, suggest a switch to animal-free foods for potential health gains for their clients. The program is thought to be the largest of its kind in the world. It actively promotes lifestyle medicine as a meaningful way to reduce the burden on the healthcare system. This is while also improving the lives of millions of patients.

“The program will initially see training offered at 20 NYC hospitals and treatment centers. However, up to 200,000 healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, and others, will be provided with an introduction to lifestyle medicine.

“More than half (60%) of adults in the United States are diagnosed with one chronic condition. These include diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. In 2019, it was estimated that treating chronic diseases cost the States upwards of $3.8 trillion a year. The figure is expected to double in years to come. Lifestyle medicine could therefore be a potential route to lessening the burden and driving down costs. As a practice, lifestyle medicine prioritizes plant-based eating, exercise, adequate sleep, stress management, and the avoidance of harmful substances. The latter includes not smoking or taking recreational drugs, and limiting alcohol intake.” (Amy Buxton, plantbasednews.org)

Read the full story here: https://plantbasednews.org/lifestyle/health/nyc-doctors-lifestyle-medicine-training/