From Fueling Races to Fueling Lives

At Primary Health Solutions, we believe that food plays a powerful role in overall health—and for our dietitians, that belief is personal.

For Lily Hughes, RD, LD, CLC, that journey started early.

“I first became interested in nutrition as a high school cross-country runner,” she shares. “I learned that properly fueling with food before and after races could improve my performance. Now I know that nutrition doesn’t just impact performance—it affects every aspect of life.”

Today, that passion translates into meaningful impact for patients and families across our community.

“What I love most about my role at Primary Health Solutions is seeing how a parent’s growth in nutrition knowledge can positively impact their children’s development—and their entire family’s well-being.”

Food is Medicine in Action

For Lily, the idea that “food is medicine” is about more than what’s on the plate—it’s about empowering patients with tools they can use every day.

“Food has the ability to prevent, manage and even improve many chronic conditions,” she explains. “But it doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive to make a difference.”

Lily works with patients to meet them where they are, focusing on realistic, culturally relevant choices that fit their lifestyle, budget and health goals. Whether it’s managing diabetes, improving heart health or supporting a growing child, small changes in nutrition can lead to meaningful, lasting outcomes.

Turning Knowledge Into Everyday Habits

Nutrition advice can sometimes feel overwhelming, but Lily’s approach is rooted in simplicity and sustainability. “One of the most important things I tell patients is to start small,” she explains. “Making slow, manageable changes leads to lasting results.”

A common first step? Cutting back on sugary drinks. “If eliminating them completely feels like too much, try diluting juice or sports drinks with water. It’s a simple change that can make a big difference—and even save money.”

Real-Life Nutrition That Works

Healthy eating doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, some of the best options are simple and flexible. “My go-to snack is homemade trail mix,” Lily says. “I like to combine unsalted nuts, dried fruit and dark chocolate chips. It’s balanced, customizable and easy to take on the go.” By focusing on practical, everyday choices, Lily helps patients build habits that support long-term health—one step at a time.

Looking for a simple way to put these ideas into practice? Here’s one of Lily’s go-to recipes for a healthy, satisfying meal.

Healthy Chicken Salad

This chicken salad uses non-fat Greek yogurt for the creamy base, instead of traditional mayonnaise. This results in a lower fat and sodium content, while adding more protein, which can be beneficial in promoting heart health, and managing Cardiovascular disease. This is a great base to start with, and you can build up the ingredients list by making swaps (i.e., grapes for dried cranberries or pecans for walnuts).