You’ve probably heard us talking about our Swedish food revolution #sjukmat, and our wish to contribute to better food in hospitals, preschools, schools and elderly care. In order to focus on the solution and not the problem, we have recently changed the hashtag to #friskmat, which translates as “healthy food” in English.

In our part of the world, lifestyle-related diseases are quickly becoming a major public health concern. There’s been an alarming increase in cancer, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and preventing these diseases will require changes in behaviors related to physical activity and diet.

Luckily, people are starting to pay more and more attention to the relationship between food and health. And the availability of healthy foods is one of several factors that can contribute to better eating habits and positive health outcomes. We’re very lucky to live in a country like Sweden, however, the food served in our hospitals, preschools, schools and elderly care is loaded with sugars and empty calories. We believe that the Swedish Government should lead by example and ensure that the food we serve to patients, kids and elderly is both healthy and nutritious.

If you follow us on Instagram, you may have seen us talking about taking our food revolution to Almedalen, also known as Politician’s Week in Sweden. The event, which kicked off three days ago in the medieval city of Visby on the island of Gotland, is an annual event with speeches, seminars and other political activities. Almedalen translates as “elm valley” in English, and it’s the name of the park in Visby where Sweden’s party leaders hold their speeches each night.

The Almedalen Week is one of the most important forums in Swedish politics. It’s a great opportunity to share ideas, discuss politics, socialize, and meet representatives from Swedish and international organizations, as well as the major political parties in Sweden.

This year, Almedalen Week celebrates its 50th anniversary. It started in 1968, when former Swedish Social Democratic Prime Minister Olof Palme spoke from the back of a lorry. He and his family used to spend their summers on Gotland. Now, 50 years later, the event has grown much larger and during Almedalen, Visby is packed with hordes of journalists, lobbyists, politicians and organizations.

Thanks to contributions from private individuals as well as large corporations, Food Pharmacy is able to visit Almedalen this year to spread the word about #friskmat. If you’re here, come visit us tomorrow: Mellangatan 15, Visby.

Thank you for supporting #friskmat. Thank you for your generous donations, and for helping us spread the word. Together we can make a change for the better. Let’s build a healthy and sustainable future for us and our future generations.

This is a guest post. The opinions expressed are the writer’s own.