Comment: Although there have been many recommendations regarding the importance of healthy eating, access to food is not equal and depends upon location and finances as well as knowledge. This article from the Harvard Medical School discusses how in America some doctors are assisting to bring foods to underserved communities.
Eating a plant-based diet — meaning a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, and whole grains — can lower inflammation, as well as the risk of many chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, strokes, and cancer. Simply put, food is medicine. Some doctors are providing this information to patients as part of their regular medical care.
But many people do not have easy access to healthy plant foods. Especially now, they may be suffering from significant financial limitations, unemployment, and unstable housing. Or they may live in a “food desert,” where grocery options are severely limited, or worse, a “food swamp,” an area where fast food and junk food are more available than anything else. Living in a food swamp puts people at a higher risk of becoming overweight or obese.