San Diego Non-Profit Sees Importance of Healthy and Ecologically Sustainable Food Systems

Jackie ONeal June 18, 2009

The American Medical Association (AMA) has approved a new policy resolution in support of practices and policies within health care systems that promote and model a healthy and ecologically sustainable food system, according to a press release.

"As our country wrestles with health care reform, the role of health care providers and facilities in providing education and leadership to help the population understand the link between the way we produce food and individual health is significant and cannot be overstated," said Jamie Harvie, director of the Health Care Without Harm Sustainable Food Work Group, in a press release.

Marv Lyons, founder of EarthTHRIVE Initiative, a San Diego-based non-profit with global concern for worldwide health and well-being, said he commended the American Medical Association's Sustainable Food policy for taking a leading position in educating the health care community and the public about the importance of healthy and ecologically sustainable food systems.

"It's vitally important to help the public understand and take a strong position in speaking out for real, live, nourishing foods. While it is true that food is the best medicine, it only works when the food itself is live and healthy. Unfortunately, food in America has become a giant industry, more focused on profits than quality for a healthy population. Packaging labels notwithstanding, the bulk of easily accessible and heavily marketed products that predominate on the shelves of most markets have minimal nutritional value and contribute to the general obesity," he said.

"The measures the AMA proposes to educate the health care community and the public about the importance of healthy and ecologically sustainable food systems are important to help the public understand the relationship between healthy slow food grown nearby by growers committed to quality and personal health and well-being, " Lyons went on to say.

To learn more, visit: http://www.ama-assn.org/ama1/pub/upload/mm/475/refcomd.pdf

and http://www.earththrive.org