#NutritionAsPrescription

Health experts from Vail Health have framed nutrition as a prescription, essential for preventing chronic illnesses. In a panel on April 3, they discussed how a balanced diet helps ward off cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, and dementia.

A family medicine physician from Colorado Mountain Medical emphasized nutrition’s preventive power. “If society valued nutrition as highly as medication, we would see fewer chronic diseases,” she said. Nutrition should be treated as a proactive shield, not just a treatment after illness.

Doctors and health experts from Vail Health recently advocated for considering nutrition as one would a prescription medication, underscoring its vital role in preventing chronic diseases. During a panel held on April 3, experts shared insights into how a balanced diet can fend off conditions such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, and dementia.

Dr. Susie Vickerman, a family medicine physician at Colorado Mountain Medical, highlighted the often-overlooked preventive power of nutrition. “If society as a whole placed the importance on nutrition the same way they do on medication, we would have a whole lot less chronic disease,” she explained. The discussion emphasized nutrition not just as part of treatment, but as a preventative measure against disease development.