Welcome to the November edition of Whole Health Digest — featuring the latest research and practical tools for advancing Whole Health, provided by the nonprofit Ardmore Institute of Health (AIH).
In this newsletter, you will discover:
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A new Milken Institute policy brief on strengthening US produce production to support health
- Outcomes of a Community Health Worker-led study, which assessed the effectiveness of an adapted Full Plate Living intervention
- The executive summary from the AAFP Scaling Whole Health Strategies in Primary Care Convening that took place last week
- And more
News and Journal Highlights
This article, authored by Full Plate Living Program Director and AJLM Culinary Medicine columnist, Amy Hanus, advocates for deeper integration of Culinary Medicine into primary care to better address poor nutrition and chronic disease. The piece suggests that merging the clinic and kitchen shifts healthcare toward prevention and connection. “The integration of Lifestyle Medicine and Culinary Medicine reflects the heart of Whole Person Care. Healing is not purely biological—it is behavioral, relational, and personal.” (Source: American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine)
The Alliance of Community Health Plans has launched a national initiative, with grant support from AIH, to revolutionize obesity care by focusing on evidence-based, whole-person approaches. This effort will “bring health plan leaders, clinicians, policymakers and patients together to design practical, sustainable solutions to address the ongoing national obesity crisis.” (Source: Alliance of Community Health Plans)
This Milken Institute policy brief highlights the critical link between resilient US produce production and improved public health and the intersection of food systems and Food Is Medicine. To strengthen this link, the brief identifies four priority policy areas for action, including promoting healthy soils, enhancing risk protection, developing a modern agricultural workforce, and formally integrating fruits and vegetables into health interventions. (Source: Milken Institute)
Grants
Loma Linda University: Supporting Healthy Weight in Times of Crisis
AIH is delighted to feature the outcomes of a Community Health Worker (CHW)-led study, which assessed the effectiveness of an adapted Full Plate Living intervention for low-income, overweight or obese Latinas in Southern California.
This project, facilitated by Loma Linda University with grant support from AIH, was successfully implemented during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the immense challenges associated with the pandemic, participants in the program showed significant improvement in weight and waist circumference over the one-year follow-up period.
AAFP Convening Executive Summary: Scaling Whole Health Strategies in Primary Care
With grant support from AIH and Healing Works Foundation, AAFP hosted the Scaling Whole Health Strategies in Primary Care Convening in Alexandria, VA last week. Thought leaders gathered to identify ways payment and workforce training can best facilitate broader implementation of whole health strategies across a range of primary care settings. “The energy in the room was unmistakable: Whole Person Care is no longer a concept—it’s becoming the new standard,” says convening participant, Dr. Padmaja Patel.
Ardmore Institute of Health Announces Fall 2025 Grant Recipients
Through grant-making, AIH partners with mission-aligned organizations by funding innovative projects that support AIH's strategic objectives. This fall, AIH awarded $1,894,818 across 17 projects that will help advance the AIH vision. Click the link below to learn more about each project.
Since 2014, AIH has granted over $21 million to Whole Health projects and initiatives. To learn more about AIH's granting work, click here.
Resources
Full Plate Living Shared Medical Appointment (SMA) Program
Shared Medical Appointments (SMAs) offer a scientifically proven, time-efficient method for promoting patient self-care and improving health outcomes. The free Full Plate Living SMA Program includes a scripted slide presentation, presenter notes, and patient handouts, making it easy to share Full Plate Living principles with your patients and bill insurance for your time. The program is available in 1, 4, and 8-session lengths (in English and Spanish).
Click here to watch a short video on implementing the Full Plate Living SMA Program.
See also: Implementing Shared Medical Appointments Utilizing Full Plate Living CME
Lifestyle Medicine and the Primary Care Provider: A Practical Guide to Enabling Whole Person Care
Lifestyle Medicine and the Primary Care Provider is designed to empower clinicians with the tools to overcome barriers and confidently deliver lifestyle infused Whole Person Care to improve patient health outcomes.
If you are attending ACLM's Lifestyle Medicine Conference next week, stop by the Full Plate Living booth to be entered for a chance to win a complimentary copy.
Recording Available: The Gratitude Prescription
In this workshop, counselor and chaplain Elliot Smith shares the evidence behind how gratitude can transform physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Participants will discover practical strategies for cultivating a healthier, more grateful life.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Ardmore Institute of Health Welcomes Dr. MaryEllen Eller to its Board of Trustees
AIH is proud to welcome Dr. MaryEllen Eller to its Board of Trustees. Dr. Eller is a board-certified psychiatrist who integrates the biological, psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions of well-being to help clients optimize their performance and live purpose-driven, meaningful lives.
“Dr. Eller’s expertise in behavioral health and commitment to Whole Person Care will be invaluable in helping us change the way people are cared for in America,” says Dr. Ron Stout, President and CEO of AIH.
Events
Lifestyle Medicine Conference 2025
Are you attending ACLM’s Lifestyle Medicine Conference in Grapevine, TX next week? Stop by the Full Plate Living booth to learn more about free, research-backed nutrition resources available for physicians and patients.
On Monday, November 17th, Full Plate Living will host a free education session on Shared Medical Appointments (7:00am), and Dr. Stout and fellow editors and authors of Lifestyle Medicine and the Primary Care Provider will host a book signing (9:15am).
American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine Webinars
The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine is hosting a webinar series (free for ACOEM members) on Lifestyle Medicine, workplace violence in healthcare settings, and the clinical role of Food as Medicine. Click the links below to learn more and register.
November 21, 2025: Lifestyle Medicine
December 3, 2025: From Policy to Practice: Tackling Workplace Violence in Healthcare Settings
March 3, 2026: From Prescription to Plate: The Clinical Role of Food as Medicine (hosted by AIH staff members, Dr. Ron Stout, Dr. Jon Bonnet, and Amy Hanus)
Florida Academy of Family Physicians 2025 Winter Summit
Join AIH at the Florida Academy of Family Physicians 2025 Winter Summit in Amelia Island, FL, where attendees can earn up to 18 live CME credits. Full Plate Living will exhibit and share more about free, research-backed nutrition resources available for physicians and patients.
Teaching Kitchen Symposium
Join AIH at the 2025 Teaching Kitchen Symposium, hosted by the Teaching Kitchen Collaborative, in Scotts Valley, CA. The Symposium will unite a passionate community committed to advancing food and lifestyle as medicine in both clinical and community settings.
Free Workshop: Navigating Men’s Health in the Middle Years
This workshop, led by Dr. Aaron George, focuses on the unique health challenges men face during the midlife years (ages 40 to 65). Dr. George will explore common symptoms and conditions, key lab tests, and clinical insights to help men take control of their health. Register to join below or share the workshop details with your patients, employees, or community members.
We hope you found today's newsletter informative and inspiring. We'll be back next month with another edition of Whole Health Digest.
Sincerely,
The AIH Team
P.S. This newsletter is offered by Ardmore Institute of Health (AIH), a nonprofit dedicated to improving people's health through the power of Whole Health. If it was forwarded to you by a friend or colleague, and you'd like to receive it regularly, subscribe here.
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