"Health Is Not a Quick Fix" — Robert Graham on Food, Medicine, and the Future of Healthcare
American physician Robert Graham was ahead of his time when he introduced healthy food into the New York hospital where he worked. Later, he trained as a chef and went on to teach thousands of doctors and dietitians how to cook. Visiting the Netherlands, he felt like he had stepped into a “Walhalla” of fresh produce. “Growers,” he says, “are my favorite suppliers of prevention.”
Text: Wilma van den Oever
Photography: Astrid Grootscholten
Graham strongly believes in the power of food as medicine — echoing Hippocrates, the father of medicine: “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” Together with his wife Julie, Graham strives to turn medicine into real healthcare. “Health begins with what we eat. Given the abundance of fresh, locally grown food in the Netherlands,
producers could take the lead in shifting toward an eating pattern of 80% plant-based and 20% animal-based.” Currently, that responsibility lies with the healthcare system — one now championed by movements like Caring Doctors.
A Shift in Perspective
Raised in the Jackson Heights neighborhood of New York City, Graham grew up with contrasting health philosophies. His father believed in “a pill for every ill,” while his mother asked, “Are you hungry?” and cooked fresh, healthy meals. When Graham began practicing medicine in 2000, he realized that nutrition was completely absent from his medical training.
Two moments shifted his perspective. One was meeting Erica Frank, a preventive care doctor who told him that physicians who practice healthy behavior themselves are best equipped to advise patients.
The second was watching his father-in-law be served soda and hamburgers while hospitalized. “I remember thinking, this has to change,” recalls Julie Graham. To make matters worse, there were no healthy options available for visitors either.
Rooftop Garden as a Symbol
Graham studied culinary arts at the Natural Gourmet Institute in New York — a school whose motto, “Better food, a better world,” perfectly matched their philosophy. He began teaching cooking classes to physicians and dietitians, so they could pass that knowledge on to their patients.
In 2013, the Grahams created a rooftop garden on the hospital — a symbolic oasis in a city with very little green space. It became a popular break spot for doctors and nurses, breaking down hierarchy and building community. It also served as a learning space where students were invited to engage, take home herbs, and be inspired to cook.
“In the Netherlands, we see that dream becoming reality,” says Graham. “Producers here have the key to a healthier future. Make fresh, nutritious food the norm and lead the movement.”
No Quick Fix
According to Graham, the four most common chronic diseases — diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and chronic respiratory disease — are all connected to poor diet. Quoting American writer Wendell Berry, he says: “People are fed by a food industry that pays no attention to health and are treated by a healthcare system that pays no attention to food.”
In 2016, Robert and Julie Graham co-founded Fresh Medicine, a medical practice that integrates conventional care with evidence-based complementary therapies, whole foods, and health coaching. The connection to horticulture is clear: integrated growing methods lead to healthy plants, which produce healthy products, which in turn nourish healthy people and a healthy planet.
In their practice, Robert (as physician and chef) and Julie (as lifestyle coach and yoga teacher) offer holistic guidance. Their philosophy: medicine when necessary, lifestyle when possible — and always preventive. Graham prescribes five “FRESH” ingredients to his patients:
Food, Relaxation, Exercise, Sleep, and Happiness.
“This isn’t a quick fix,” he explains. “People are used to a pill that solves everything. But working on your health through food, rest, and movement takes time.”
A Wake-Up Call
Fresh Medicine developed a five-year plan to reform hospital food systems. The program gained traction when Graham met Eric Adams, then Borough President of Brooklyn. After being diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, Adams experienced his own wake-up call when he suddenly lost vision in one eye. He switched to a plant-based diet and regained his health.
“When health becomes personal, people are willing to change,” says Graham. Adams helped introduce plant-based meals to eleven public hospitals in New York City. The results? Patient satisfaction soared from 3% to 95%, meal costs dropped by 60 cents, and food waste — once as high as 70% — decreased dramatically.
We grow health
As hospital stays in the U.S. become shorter (from five to just two days), it’s more important than ever to support patients’ recovery at home. That’s why Graham designed menus tailored to medical needs, paired with education on ingredients and cooking skills. Some American insurers now reimburse these medically tailored meals for 30 to 90 days — and in half of the cases, hospital readmissions are
significantly reduced. The healthcare savings are substantial.
It’s time for the horticultural sector to embrace a new narrative: We don’t just grow tomatoes, peppers, or cucumbers. We grow health.
Robert Graham meeting Caring Doctors
During a three-day visit hosted by EatThis., Robert and Julie Graham were immersed in Dutch greenhouse horticulture. EatThis., a movement of companies who believe that healthy food is the foundation for healthy people and a healthy planet, uses these visits to build bridges between agriculture and other sectors.
One of the highlights was their meeting with Caring Doctors, an organization advocating for a plant-forward food transition in healthcare. Both sides found inspiration in the exchange. Patrick Deckers of Caring Doctors noted:
“It’s powerful to see how, for Robert, healthy food and lifestyle are the foundation of care. And that eleven hospitals in New York now serve meals based on the 80/20 principle — 80% plant-based, 20% animal-based. You still offer people a choice, but the impact is huge.”
Robert Graham expressed admiration for the pioneering work of Caring Doctors. “We were able to share that it’s not just about patient health — it’s also about sustainability and financial viability. And honestly, we’re a bit jealous of the availability of fresh produce here, often grown just around the corner from every hospital.”