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You can get help eating healthier from the Green Wellness Program: Plants-2-Plate, a 6-month program led by Wellness 360 at UT Health San Antonio.
Plant-based food is the heart of the program.
“The mission of the UT Health San Antonio Green Wellness Program: Plants-2-Plate is to make lives better by promoting lifestyle change, including a plant-predominant eating pattern to achieve optimal health,” according to the program webpage.
Get information on how to join!
Can a Plant-Based Diet Work for You?
The future of humanity depends on building healthier, plant-based food systems.
A plant-based diet focuses on food that comes primarily from plants including fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, oils, whole grains, and legumes.
Some people experience different benefits from a plant-based diet, such as:
- Weight loss
- Increased energy
- Decreased cravings for food with empty calories
- Overall feeling of improved wellness
Switching to a plant-based diet also can benefit people living with chronic conditions like diabetes type 2, heart disease, hypertension.
About the Green Wellness Program: Plants-2-Plate
Green Wellness Program: Plants2Plate incorporates individual and shared medical appointments with help from nurse practitioner Dr. Paula Christianson-Silva, registered nurse/health coach Heidi L. Benavides, and registered dietitian Dr. Christiane Meireles of UT Health San Antonio.
The team works with the participant to support and measure individual goals.
“In-person group classes will help the client build support systems with their group, incorporate a solid foundation of plant-based nutrition and lifestyle changes to promote better sleep, social connections, physical activity, and stress reduction,” according to the program website.
The program works with participants’ insurance to cover the cost of participation and will bill their insurance. Most major insurance plans are accepted.
Those interested in a customized consultation on a plant-based diet can schedule a meeting with your primary care provider and request a program referral.
Patients can also request information by filling out a form. A shared medical consent form can be found here.
Latinos and Access to Healthy Food
Achieving a healthy diet isn’t easy for many people.
Latinos, for example, often suffer from a lack of reliable access to affordable, nutritious food.
Nearly 1 in 5 Latinos do not have access to enough healthy food. This deeply impacts the San Antonio community, with 65.7% of the San Antonio population is of Hispanic/Latino origin.
A Salud America! research review noted that fast food restaurants and corner stores outnumber supermarkets and farmers’ markets in many Latino neighborhoods.
What food issues are you experiencing in your community?
Explore the Food Equity Opportunity Map to see healthy food access issues in your area and where improving access would make the greatest impact.
Looking for more data on your area?
Download the Salud America! Health Equity Report Card.
Find information on food deserts, food access, and how much of the area receives SNAP food benefits. Then you can compare it to your state and to the country.
Email your Health Equity Report Card to community leaders, share it on social media, and use it to make the case to address food insecurity!
GET YOUR HEALTH EQUITY REPORT CARD!
Explore More:
Healthy FoodBy The Numbers
1
Supermarket
for every Latino neighborhood, compared to 3 for every non-Latino neighborhood
