The Role of Medically Tailored Meals in Chronic Disease Management

Chronic health conditions affect millions of people each year. Adults over the age of 55 have an increased risk of being diagnosed with one or more chronic diseases. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Women in all age groups are more likely than men to have one or more, two or more, or three or more chronic conditions.” LifeSpring Home Nutrition fills in the gaps in healthcare by offering home-delivered medically tailored meals (MTMs), nutritional education, and information about community-based resources. Home-delivered meals support chronic disease management, allowing people to live healthier and more fulfilling lives.

The Health Benefits of Chronic Disease Management

Unmanaged chronic diseases may cause people to develop additional physical or mental health issues and affect longevity. The symptoms and side effects of these diseases may also lower quality of life by affecting cognition or mobility.

People with chronic health issues must learn to manage their condition and maintain healthy lifestyle changes. Individuals often feel more positive about themselves and their condition if they can access essential support resources. Meal delivery services allow people to maintain independence while receiving help managing any chronic conditions. A few benefits of chronic disease management include:

• Fewer or less severe systems
• Decreased risk of developing future preventable health conditions
• Reduced stress and anxiety
• Improved functionality and quality of life

Managing chronic diseases often involves a team of health care professionals providing different levels of support. For example, doctors or nutritionists may collaborate to help clients develop healthy diets to address chronic conditions.

Medically Tailored Meals

In some cases, doctors and medical professionals prescribe MTMs to individuals with chronic conditions. According to the Administration for Community Living (ACL), “Medically tailored meals help to meet the needs of program participants with health conditions that require specific diets such as heart disease, diabetes, and HIV.”

Everyone has different dietary needs. LifeSpring Home Nutrition works with health care providers and community programs to provide tailored home-delivered meals to vulnerable populations, including individuals with chronic conditions. The prepared meals help people manage and stabilize symptoms of chronic conditions by ensuring their minds and bodies have the necessary nutrients to function.

MTMs do the following:

• Facilitate sustained dietary changes
• Help people achieve realistic long-term health goals
• Provide convenient access to nutritious meals
• Help people achieve weight management
• Support adherence to medication and nutritional guidelines
• Provide better health outcomes for many individuals

MTMs promote overall health and wellness by effectively addressing dietary factors related to chronic health issues. Often, MTMs change over time to reflect people’s needs as they reach different stages in their disease management.

Common Chronic Health Conditions

Individuals may experience a range of recurring or chronic health issues. Some of the most common chronic conditions include:

• Arthritis
• Asthma
• Cancer
• Cardiovascular disease
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Diabetes

Treatment for these conditions often involves addressing dietary concerns. A lack of a structured diet can interfere with disease management for some people. LifeSpring Home Nutrition addresses this by providing consistent, nutritious, and tailored weekly meal deliveries. With the support of MTMs and other services, individuals can establish and maintain a healthier relationship with food.

Preventing Future Chronic Conditions

Anyone can develop chronic diseases. However, some people have an increased risk. Individuals who have current unmanaged chronic health issues may be at a higher risk of developing additional conditions. A healthy diet, physical activity, quality sleep, and regular self-care all provide people with a solid foundation for preventing future health problems.

Home-delivered meals are convenient and assist people in creating healthier lifestyles by making it easier to access nutritional foods. A tailored diet can improve sleep, reduce physical discomfort during exercise, and support positive mental health.

Preventative measures, including dietary changes, help people manage current health issues and keep them from experiencing additional health issues as they age. Individuals who take advantage of community-based programs, including home-delivered meals, often report better outcomes and reduced healthcare costs over time.

LifeSpring Home Nutrition Facilitates Chronic Disease Management

Home-delivered meals support chronic disease management by doing the following:

• Addressing specific health issues impacting people’s daily lives
• Tailoring meals to accommodate dietary restrictions, allergies, food sensitivities, or medical dietary guidelines
• Encouraging people to follow prescribed diets
• Making it easier to monitor health changes caused by diet
• Reducing stress related to meal preparation or clean-up

Chronic diseases often create fatigue, a lack of focus, discomfort, and mental distress. Home-delivered meals address many of these issues by consistently introducing essential vitamins and minerals into a person’s daily routine. Healthier individuals report fewer side effects and symptoms of chronic conditions.

Disease self-management is a long-term responsibility. LifeSpring Home Nutrition empowers and uplifts individuals in the community by ensuring they have access to essential support services. The meal preparation team facilitates chronic disease management through nutritional education and individualized meals.

Chronic disease management often requires you to make lifestyle changes that reduce the symptoms and side effects of your condition. Dietary changes may at times be necessary to improve your overall health. Home-delivered, medically tailored meals (MTMs) can provide an excellent source of dietary support and nourishment. You can rely on each weekly meal delivery to provide a balance of micronutrients tailored to address your health needs. LifeSpring Home Nutrition offers MTMs and other delivery options to those living with chronic conditions. Anyone in the community can rely on home-delivered meals to fill in gaps in healthcare and receive essential nutritional support. To learn more about our services and how to receive home-delivered meals, please call (800) 798-5767.