4 Ways Congress Can Support Americans Being Healthy

WASHINGTON, June 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Health Coach Week is underway in Washington, D.C., with health coaches trained by the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) meeting with Members of Congress to share how Americans, including veterans, are turning to health coaches to improve, and in some cases, reverse chronic disease and support health transformations. Health coaching and those focused on preventing disease are the fastest growing professions in the United States, with 35,000 people active in the profession and the Department of Labor estimating 20 percent growth in coming years.

"Our nation's health and wellness is not suffering because we don't know what to do; it's that we need allies and advocates in the form of health coaches to assist and hold us accountable along the way. The work of health coaches has been quietly improving health and wellness. It is time to recognize their efforts and empower their growth, our nation's health depends on it," said Lynda Cloud, CEO of IIN.

Health Coach Week, which is sponsored by IIN, includes a bipartisan workout with Congressman Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) on Wednesday morning. Congressman Mullin will also receive the Health Coach Award from IIN for his leadership and commitment to supporting his peers as they work to achieve their health goals. Members of Congress and staff will also be briefed by the Veterans Administration on its Whole Health Program, which utilizes health coaching to help veterans manage their chronic conditions.

While Americans are continuing to seek out health coaches in their own communities, there are a range of ways that Congress can support health coaches and their clients:

1. Acknowledge that health coaching and peer support is an effective way for Americans working toward a health transformation and/or trying to manage a chronic condition by passing the Health and Wellness Coach Resolution (H. Res. 117) in the U.S. House of Representatives.
2. Support programs, like those at the Veterans Administration, that connect people with health coaches.
3. Continue to support prevention programs, like those designed by health coaches, since they are one of the best ways to reduce costs and improve the health of all Americans.
4. Expand access to health coaching programs by adding them to the list of approved purchase eligible for Flexible Spending Account reimbursement.

IIN was founded in 1992. Once a small classroom of passionate students in New York City, it is now the largest nutrition school in the world. Through its innovative online learning platform, Integrative Nutrition has provided a global learning experience for ~100,000 students and graduates in over 150 countries worldwide.

SOURCE Institute for Integrative Nutrition