Food Pharmacies and Heart Disease Prevention in Rural Communities

About this episode

This UVA Speaks podcast features Kelley Anderson, Associate Professor of Nursing at the School of Nursing at the University of Virginia. Anderson explains that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, causing more deaths than all cancers combined. She shares how lifestyle and food choices can significantly reduce the risk and progression of heart disease, as recommended by the American Heart Association's Life's Essential Eight. A collaborative, grant-funded initiative between the University of Virginia, Blue Ridge Medical Center, and the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank offers crucial heart disease prevention services to rural communities in Central Virginia. Through a food pharmacy, clients receive fresh fruits and vegetables and sessions with nutritionists who educate them on sustainable lifestyle changes to prevent and manage heart disease. Transcripts of the audio broadcast can be found here. https://www.rev.com/transcript-editor/shared/f605CPAuJqp6KTDQh_bmteSZ0xsKzZR0mu_gSgNox3DwCOdjLjhc0gNqy6-mdkhtvNz9PXRRrqrAw4OhDvrf5sScqKw?loadFrom=SharedLink Kelley Anderson is an Associate Professor at the University of Virginia's School of Nursing. As a nu