Tulsa program treats some health conditions with natural foods

TULSA, Okla. — A north Tulsa program is treating some health conditions with natural foods.

At FreshRx Oklahoma, they believe sometimes the best medicine isn’t medicine at all.

FOX23 learned how the program works and why they want to treat food like a prescription, hopefully soon covered by insurance.

Doctors at FreshRx Oklahoma are prescribing patients with type two diabetes locally grown food and teaching them how to cook healthy meals.

“One of the biggest reasons why people do not age well is because they don't have access to healthy food, said Erin Martin, FreshRx Oklaoma Director. “Food is the biggest ripple effect when it comes to healthy living and aging.”

Martin said they've already seen big results from people being in the program.

“We actually had a woman this year lose 107 pounds in this program and fully reverse her type two diabetes,” she said.

All the food they buy comes from local farmers.

“Not only are we producing these incredible health outcomes, but we're stimulating local economy by supporting these local growers,” Martin said.

Right now, they’re completely grant funded, so no one who joins the program pays a dime. However, Martin said they have big future goals.

“Our big goal is getting insurance to cover it like in other areas of the country,” she said.

Oklahoma U.S. Senator JamesLankford stopped by the food giveaway and cooking class on Wednesday.

FOX23 asked his opinion on getting the program covered by insurance.

“We want to be able to have the opportunity for breakthrough medications, but also understand some diseases can be managed with better food management,” he said.

Lankford said a program like this could be life changing for some people in Oklahoma who struggle with bad eating habits and type two diabetes.

“We have a lot of obesity in the state, we have a lot of unhealthy eating habits in the state,” he said. “Some of it’s our culture, but to break that cycle we need to eat better foods, try better foods, then determine what's better for our health long-term.”

Martin recently testified before a U.S. Senate Committee about the benefits of allowed Medicare to cover some of the cost of natural foods could bring to older Americans living with diabetes.

A change in law has not occurred yet, but what she testified to is being considered as part of a future change in the law.