Why Is Food Medicine?

Have you heard the saying, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”?  It was Hippocrates that coined that phrase many years ago. He is considered to this day, to be one of the most influential figures in the history of medicine & healing.

 

He was certainly ahead of his time when around 400 BC he advised people to prevent disease and increase healing by eating nutrient dense foods. Hippocrates and the Ancient Greeks weren’t the only ones to understand the healing properties of food, both Ayurvedic Medicine (from India) and Traditional Chinese Medicine— have taught for thousands of years that food is medicine and a healthy diet is a powerful tool for protecting one’s health.

 

One of my favourite recipes to use Food as Medicine is my Turmeric Tea Recipe– I have hand delivered a bottle of this healing elixir to many throughout the years.

 

Many today are starting to understand how a calorie is not just a calorie when it comes to what we eat. Of course food does provide us with calories, but it does so much more than that.

 

The foods you include in your diet also play a critical role in controlling inflammation levels, balancing blood sugar, regulating cardiovascular health, it also helps the digestive organs to process and eliminate waste, and much, much more.

 

Did you know that certain foods contain powerful active ingredients that help control how your genes are expressed?

 

Have you heard about the expanding field of Nutrigenomics (also called Nutritional Genomics) it is devoted to studying how food influences gene expression. Quite simply what this means is that even though you may have a family history of a particular disease –it’s possible to change the course of your family history by consuming specific foods. Each and every person is different in terms of how much their genes/health are impacted by their diet.

 

A term I often use is biochemical individuality – what works for one person doesn’t necessarily help another.

 

Nutrient deficiencies and toxicity from a poor diet are linked to nearly all modern health conditions. Plus, when someone is overly stressed or ill it only increase the body’s need for nutrients and very high-quality foods. You probably already know that diabetes and heart disease (currently the No. 1 killer in most industrialized nations) this is an illness that is highly influenced by one’s diet — and the same can be said for allergies, autoimmune disorders like arthritis, thyroid disorders and many more.

 

Some other ways that foods can protect you from developing a disease or accelerated aging are by decreasing and controlling inflammation. Inflammation is the root of most diseases and a major contributor to the effects of aging. Inflammation is a response from the immune system, and it can affect nearly every tissue, hormone and cell in the body.

 

Foods can also help balance hormones.

 

Hormones affect every part of health, from your energy and cognitive abilities to your body weight

 

Diabetes and weight gain are tied to poor insulin response and other hormonal changes. Poorly managed blood sugar levels by consuming high amounts of sugar and processed carbohydrates can lead to imbalanced blood sugar which can then can lead to heart disease.

 

We mustn’t forget how different foods help to alkalize the body. The human body keeps a tight grip on its internal pH level, working hard to keep it balanced Processed, low-quality foods make the body more acidic and allow diseases to thrive more easily. An alkaline diet (high in plant foods that are detoxifying) helps with cellular renewal and may help to promote longevity.

 

Improving Absorption of Nutrients

 

Many of today’s illnesses are due to nutritional deficiencies and high rates of free radical damage. The majority of processed convenience foods are stripped of their natural nutrients and packed with synthetic ingredients and preservatives resulting in very low amounts vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber and enzymes. Our bodies need these nutrients to be healthy and thrive.

 

 

Perhaps more than anything else in our lives, the foods we regularly eat help determine whether or not we will become ill, or remain healthy into older age.

 

>>Stayed tuned for my next Blog and Facebook live where we discuss what foods to avoid and why…<<