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As part of the Fruit and Veggie Rx pilot program , doctor prescribed coupons cashable for refreshed produce at farmers ’ market in gain to their patient role ’s regular medications . The answer of the program ’s effects on patient wellness will be release in February 2011 .
“ Take two and call me in the sunup ” is a unwashed , if not dated , expression associated with doctors ’ prescriptions . But what if the “ two ” were not pills or teaspoon of elixirs , but or else cups of spinach , servings of Brassica oleracea italica or Malus pumila ? If the folks at Wholesome Wave , a nonprofit organization in Bridgeport , Conn. , have their agency , such prescription could before long be a world in many medical offices — specially in pediatricians ’ billet .
Perhaps best love for its Double Value Coupon Program — which , in 2008 , began doubling the note value of food for thought pestle at James Leonard Farmer ’ markets around the land — Wholesome Wave launched the Fruit and Veggie Prescription Program in summer 2010 . further its foreign mission of “ nourishing neighborhoods by hold increased product and entree to tidy , impudent and affordable locally spring up solid food for the well - being of all , ” the goal of Fruit and Veggie Rx ( as it ’s being called ) is to advance women and fry in humble - income rural and urban surface area to turn to fruits and vegetables before more established prescription .
“ Like all of Wholesome Wave ’s expand efforts , Fruit and Veggie Rx is designed to at the same time serve communities , farmers and consumers , ” says Michel Nischan , president and CEO of Wholesome Wave . “ Each dollar put into the Fruit and Veggie Prescription Program does more than just reinforce healthy , proactive eating habit . These prescriptions have the mightiness to like a shot benefit small- and medium - exfoliation Farmer and to bring additional imagination into the local economies of under - served urban and rural communities , two of Wholesome Wave ’s most valued end . ”
For the 2010 pilot program , Wholesome Wave partner with Ceiling and Visibility Unlimited , a corporate development radical . They selected community of interests wellness centers with corpulency clinic in Massachusetts and Maine to write the fruit and veg prescriptions to women and children in 100 families in addition to their unconstipated doctor ’s orders . The prescriptions were redeemable at partnering farmers ’ markets .
Program participants were then monitor to see how increased usance of fresh produce regard blood pressure , weight and trunk mass index , as well as blood - sugar horizontal surface in pre - diabetic patient and free weight amplification in pregnant charwoman . While the analytic thinking of the Fruit and Veggie Rx cowcatcher program is not yet complete ( a full depth psychology of the programme should be available by February 2011 ) , Juliette Storch , Wholesome Wave ’s chief operating officer , allege the participating families were unrestrained to get their vegetables by prescription drug and most redeemed their script on a regular basis .
