122: Healing Through Service: Dr. Meagan L. Grega’s Journey from the Navy to Lifestyle Medicine

Episode Summary: In this episode of the Health Science Podcast, brought to you by the National Health Association, Dr. Frank Sabatino sits down with Dr. Meagan L. Grega, a board-certified physician in Family and Lifestyle Medicine and the Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of the Kellyn Foundation. Together, they discuss the power of community-driven health initiatives, the importance of making the healthy choice the easy choice, and how the Kellyn Foundation is working to transform neighborhoods with lifestyle medicine programs.

Dr. Grega shares insights on the evolution of her career, from her early passion for service to her realization that true healing comes from prevention and community support. She explains how the Kellyn Foundation integrates school-based education, gardening programs, mobile markets, and hands-on cooking classes to create sustainable change in the Lehigh Valley. If you’re looking to learn how lifestyle medicine can be a powerful force for improving health outcomes, this episode is a must-listen!

About Our Guest: Meagan L. Grega, MD, FACLM, DipABLM, DipABFM
Dr. Meagan L. Grega is a leader in Lifestyle Medicine and the Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of the Kellyn Foundation (www.kellyn.org), a non-profit dedicated to making the healthy choice the easy choice through community-based health initiatives. The foundation’s “Healthy Neighborhood Immersion Strategy” integrates school-based wellness education, hands-on cooking classes, and a mobile market providing access to fresh, nutrient-dense food.

Dr. Grega graduated summa cum laude from Bucknell University with a B.S. in Biochemistry/Cell Biology and earned her MD from the University of Pennsylvania Medical School. She served as a medical officer in the United States Navy and currently manages the Llantrisant Retreat and Wellness Center (www.llantrisantretreat.com). She is actively involved in medical education, serving as faculty for St. Luke’s University Health Network and Temple University’s Lewis Katz School of Medicine, and is the current Conference Chair for the American College of Lifestyle Medicine Annual Meeting. She also serves on the governing boards of both the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine and the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.

Key Topics Discussed in This Episode:

• Dr. Grega’s journey from aspiring shaman to board-certified physician

• How lifestyle medicine addresses the root causes of disease

• The role of social nudges and choice architecture in shaping healthy behaviors

• The Kellyn Foundation’s programs, including school-based education, gardening initiatives, and the Eat Real Food Mobile Market

• Challenges in implementing lifestyle medicine in schools and how to overcome them

• The importance of medically tailored meals and expanding access to nutrition-focused healthcare

• How future physicians are being trained in lifestyle medicine

Resources & Links:

• Kellyn Foundation: www.kellyn.org

• Llantrisant Retreat and Wellness Center: www.llantrisantretreat.com

Connect with Us:

• Subscribe and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform!

• Read more at: https://www.healthscience.org/podcast/episode-122-meagan-grega/