My Reflection on Food: Healing Beyond the Bedside

This piece was conceived during my lunch break at work. I saw a colleague enjoying a chicken salad that looked both delicious and nourishing. Meanwhile, another colleague ordered from McDonald's, yes, that famous McDonald's. 

Reflecting on my experiences as a clinician over the past 10 years, I’m struck by the immense challenges that have shaped not only my career but also my worldview. The hospital floors I’ve walked are microcosms of larger societal issues: health inequities, the quiet epidemic of poor nutrition, and the limits of a healthcare system burdened by bureaucracy and burnout. Yet, as 2025 approaches, I hold on to hope, hope that change is possible, not just in how we care for patients but also in how we care for ourselves and one another. Can we have a dietary reset already?  

I’ve had shifts where I managed seven to ten patients, each with pressing needs and unique stories of pain. Some were drug-seekers battling relentless addictions. Others were elderly patients on the brink of hospice care. Many were burdened by chronic illnesses fueled by years of poor dietary choices and systemic neglect. I often wondered: What role does the food on their plates—or the lack thereof—play in the trajectory of their health?

The answer wasn’t far-fetched. I saw patients struggling with obesity, diabetes, and heart disease—a triad of conditions often linked to ultra-processed foods and sugary drinks. These products, stripped of their natural nutrients and loaded with preservatives, sugar, and salt, seemed like silent co-conspirators in their suffering. Some of these chemicals added in the foods make it impossible to lose weight when you want to and make you crave these foods when you don't want to eat them. 

The Trouble with Ultra-Processed Foods: The Hidden Enemy. It’s easy to blame poor health on personal failings, but the more I learned about ultra-processed foods, the clearer it became that the issue isn’t just individual, it’s systemic. Nationally, it’s a pandemic I observe firsthand every day. Ultra-processed products dominate American diets, accounting for over half of the average person’s daily calories. Juices, granola bars, and even plant-based meat replacements are marketed as “healthy,” but they’re designed for profit, not nourishment. Hello, Big Food—how are your profits?

Even in hospital break rooms, pastries, donuts, and other ultra-processed treats are staples, offered as gestures of goodwill. These foods are everywhere, making them hard to resist. Find someone who doesn’t eat pizza, donuts, or oatmeal cookies, you’d be hard-pressed, buddy.  

Studies show these foods disrupt our natural cycles, suppressing appetite-regulating hormones like GLP-1—the very hormone targeted by drugs like Ozempic. No wonder these medications are selling like hotcakes worldwide. Patients who unknowingly consume ultra-processed foods daily are far more likely to end up in my care, battling preventable conditions that could have been mitigated with better education and access to whole, nutrient-dense options.  

The healthcare system often feels reactive, focused on treating crises rather than preventing them. This assessment isn’t hyperbole; ask anyone in medicine, and they’ll confirm, provided they’re honest. Yet my work has taught me that small interventions can create ripple effects. I’ve started incorporating discussions about nutrition into patient care. For instance, when a patient asked why their blood sugar spiked after drinking “healthy” orange juice, I explained that it lacked the fiber found in whole fruits and was overloaded with sugar. Moments like these remind me that education is as crucial as any treatment.  

Still, many patients resist these conversations. Hearing the truth about diet often triggers guilt or defensiveness. Like most humans, we are resistant to change. One of the best decisions I ever made was to stop drinking sodas entirely about twelve years ago. I still have a long way to go with my diet, but I’m working on it. Paying attention to what we eat and staying active can make a big difference.  

I’m optimistic about the upcoming 2025 dietary guidelines, which promise a closer look at the chemicals in ultra-processed foods. If these guidelines lead to even small changes—like swapping one ultra-processed item for a healthier alternative per day, they could revolutionize public health. RFK Jr. has championed these issues for years, and as the incoming head of Health and Human Services under President-elect Trump, he might finally have the platform to effect change. Let’s hope Big Food and Big Pharma don’t derail his efforts.  

Personal Resolutions for 2025  

As I prepare to turn the calendar, I’m setting my own goals, both as a healthcare professional and as an individual. I’m committing to:  

First, advocating for Patients: Encouraging hospitals to provide better food options in cafeterias and for patient meals.  

Second, educating myself and others: Staying informed about nutrition research and sharing it with patients, colleagues, and the community at large.  

Third, focusing on prevention: Highlighting the connections between diet and health during patient interactions.  

Above all, I remain hopeful, hopeful that with new knowledge, we can address the root causes of many chronic illnesses; that Americans will demand more from food companies and policymakers; and that 2025 will be the year we finally take control of our health, not just in hospitals but in homes, schools, and communities.  

If the struggles of 2024 have taught me anything, it’s that healing doesn’t stop at the bedside. It extends to the choices we make at grocery stores, the policies we vote for, and the lives we touch along the way. Together, we can build a healthier future, one mindful meal, one informed choice, and one empowered patient at a time.  

Yours pal in dietary matters,  

Ronnie Law

PS

PS: In case you were wondering, I’m qualified to write about this subject because I actually completed an entire semester-long course in nutrition in college. This education deepened my understanding and passion for the subject, making it an issue close to my heart.

Stay tuned for more.

Pal Ronnie: lawronald05@aol.com