I’ve talked frequently about having doctors bring wellness professionals into their practice to teach their patients how to truly live healthier lives. I strongly think that nutritionists and fitness trainers should be an integral part to health care and I believe we can wipe out the federal deficit without even breaking a sweat if we do this.
Whole Foods has decided not to wait for the American Medical Association to get their act together. They’ve essentially done what I’ve been talking about by opening Wellness Clubs inside their stores. The very first one is in Dedham, MA with more planned for New York, New Jersey, California, and Chicago.
They have even collaborated with the medical community, working with Drs. Matt Lederman and Alona Pulde to develop the program. Both doctors were featured in the movie “Forks over Knives” and advocate a “whole food, plant-based diet.”
The program isn’t free; it’s $199 to sign up and then $45 a month after that. Members get tons of classes on cooking, yoga/fitness, health and nutrition (they frequently have two or three classes a day), and they also get a 10% discount on foods that are advocated by the program. Honestly, the food discount alone could easily cover the costs of the program.
As Dr. Lederman pointed out, “Once they realize the value of this, it’s a fantastic value. And if I could offer all this in pill form for $45 a month, people would refill it in a second.”
Here’s a video of the facility. Let me know what you think …