Our hospital is committed to the philosophy that a healthful diet is essential to well-being and that a community hospital should take the lead by setting an example to those it serves.  The hospital has an opportunity and a duty to assist the staff and public on the most fundamental and important therapy for health:  the food we eat.

Nutrition-related chronic diseases have become a fact of life in our country, where the industrial food system produces highly refined, preservative laden, calorie-dense foods rather than fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and other high-fiber foods.

Florida Hospital Memorial Medical Center Food and Nutrition experts promote a whole foods, plant-focused diet, while minimizing the consumption of refined foods, sugar, animal products, salt and fats.  This way of eating will provide a high fiber intake which will fill you up, have less calorie density, provide more vitamin/mineral/phytochemical concentration, offer enjoyable food choices, and be easy on the pocket.

When you eat in this fashion, there is not a need to count calories.  This diet is rich in complex carbohydrate - the body’s premium fuel, adequate in protein and low in fats.

Consuming whole plant-based foods (whole grains, vegetables, fruits, beans and nuts) has the following associated benefits.

• Significantly lower risk of heart attack and stroke.
• Prevention of cancers of the stomach, esophagus, lung, oral cavity and pharynx, endometrium, pancreas and colon.
• Doctor’s estimate that 30-40% of all cancers could have been prevented by lifestyle and dietary measures alone.
• Reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and improved control of type 1 diabetes.
• The rise of diabetes in America is due to the modern American diet creating an epidemic of obesity.
• Reduced restrictive breathing, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and asthma through weight loss and a higher intake of phytochemicals with anti-inflammatory properties.
• Substantial benefit in terms of severity of sleep-disordered breathing and sleep dynamics with moderate weight loss of 10%.
• Fiber is a stool regulator and a stool normalizer.
• Positive impact to relieve heartburn, joint pain, fatigue, and inflammatory bowel disease.

For brief nutrition-related questions, please send us an email to Nutrition@fhmmc.org with your question. A Registered Dietitian will return information to you within 48 business hours.