By Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Elizabeth Cooney
Published on 2024-01-22 09:30:27
Preventive cardiologist Stephen Devries is leading a mission to integrate nutrition into clinical medicine. During a weeklong course at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, he enlisted two dozen students in this initiative with the aim of changing the way medicine is taught and health care is delivered. Devries emphasized the underutilization of nutrition in medical practice, noting that many diseases could have been prevented or lessened in severity with more attention to nutrition and lifestyle.
In the classroom, Devries highlighted success stories, such as hospital teaching kitchens, which customize meals to patients’ health needs and access to healthy food. He also discussed the Diabetes Prevention Program, which combines a healthy diet and exercise to show the effectiveness of these interventions.
This innovative approach to integrating nutrition into clinical medicine is aimed at transforming the delivery of health care. For Devries, it is essential to emphasize the role of nutrition in preventing and managing diseases, especially in the context of limited time available for patient-doctor conversations during medical appointments.
He stressed the importance of incorporating nutrition into medical practice to prevent and reduce the severity of diseases, drawing from his experience as a cardiologist. Furthermore, by teaching this approach to future healthcare professionals, Devries aims to bring about a significant shift in the way medicine is practiced and how patients are cared for.
By promoting the integration of nutrition into clinical medicine, Devries and his students are working to ensure that more attention is paid to nutrition and lifestyle, ultimately preventing or lessening the impact of diseases that could have been avoided with a greater focus on healthy eating habits. This approach has the potential to transform the healthcare system and improve the overall health and well-being of patients.
Read the original article on Africa Health News
