Food as Medicine
Written by Debra Kirchhof-Glazier
Hippocrates said in 324 BC, “Let your food be your medicine and medicine be your food.” A great deal has changed in over 2300 years but that ancient wisdom endures. In fact, it has the potential to revolutionize the overall health status of our country.
Good nutrition can seriously reduce the risk of contracting some of our top diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, stroke, and type II diabetes. The World Health Organization claims that 65% of all diseases are preventable through good nutrition.
For many reasons Americans are deficient in important nutrients. Two that are critical for good health and which are rampantly inadequate are vitamins E and D. It has been estimated that 92% of men and 98% of women are deficient in vitamin E, and 90% of those aged 51-70 and 98% over 70 are deficient in vitamin D. This situation can have serious consequences for several reasons, including increasing the risk of contracting cancer and osteoporosis. There are also widespread deficiencies in omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, magnesium, iodine, selenium, and chromium. It is no surprise that chronic disease is a fact of life in our country.
Foods and supplements can help prevent many chronic diseases by providing the body with essential ingredients it needs to stay healthy. One of the best ways to do this is to base the diet around whole foods, which are foods in their natural state. A focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and non-red meats is a good general guideline. Fruits and vegetables contain not only vitamins and minerals but phytochemicals, important molecules that confer health benefits (ex. antioxidants). The best way to ensure that you get a wide range of phytochemicals is to eat a colorful plateful of fruits and vegetables. It is also important to get plenty of fiber and to drink enough water. Fiber not only helps keep bowel movements regular, it can also lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Water works with the fiber to promote regular bowel movements, an essential aspect of detoxifying the body. It is also important to eat foods that do not cause a rapid spike in your blood sugar, which then crashes and leaves you feeling tired and irritable. These types of foods are said to have a low glycemic load and include fruits, vegetables, and course grains that have a dense and chewy consistency. Fatty fish like salmon and sardines can be an important source of omega-3 fatty acids. In terms of supplements, it has been estimated that regular intake of vitamin D can lower the risk of multiple sclerosis by 40%.
Foods and supplements can also prevent or minimize side effects of medications. For example, people taking diuretics become deficient in vitamin B1, which can be corrected through supplementation. Also supplementation with coenzyme Q10 for people taking statins or red yeast rice to lower cholesterol is an important consideration, since these medications interfere with the enzyme that makes both cholesterol and coenzyme Q10, a critical vitamin-like substance for producing energy in our cells.
Even fasting can be important in disease treatment. A study came out a few weeks ago suggesting that fasting before chemotherapy can help protect normal cells from damage, while leaving the cancer cells vulnerable.
Food and supplements can also treat certain diseases. For example, a vegan diet, which consists of plant foods only, has been shown to lower blood sugar significantly better than the diet prescribed by the American Diabetes Association and to reduce body weight, triglycerides, and LDL (bad) cholesterol. Coenzyme Q10 supplementation produced significant improvement in heart function in patients with heart failure, regardless of the cause of the condition, and supplementing children that have ADHD with zinc and DHA, a type of omega-3 fatty acid, has been shown to help decrease their symptoms.
Good nutrition is not only important in preventing and treating disease, it is a major factor in promoting wellness. Wellness goes beyond the absence of disease and is characterized by a feeling of energy and vitality that makes life worth living. Eating a hearty, whole foods breakfast is one of the habits of people who enjoy optimal health. It is not only a great way to start the day but also contributes to a healthy weight. Avoiding toxins by purchasing organic food is another good idea. Since organic foods are expensive, it helps to target your purchases to the top 12 most pesticide-laden fruits and vegetables, which are peaches, pears, apples, celery, bell peppers, cherries, grapes, nectarines, red raspberries, spinach, potatoes, and strawberries. Also drinking most of your water between meals rather than with meals prevents dilution of your digestive juices.
Two excellent websites to learn more about food as medicine, complete with recipes, can be found at http://www.nutritionmd.org/index.html and http://www.whfoods.com/. Especially helpful books on the subject are The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods by Michael Murray, Joseph Pizzorno, and Lara Pizzorno, Dr. Neal Barnard’s Program for Reversing Diabetes by Neal D. Barnard, and One Bite At A Time: Nourishing Recipes for People with Cancer, Survivors, and Their Caregivers by Rebecca Katz.
Good nutrition is not a “one size fits all” proposition. There is an emerging branch of study known as nutrigenomics, which involves tailoring the diet to an individual’s genetics. Since it is not currently feasible to know what to eat for our specific genes, it is prudent to follow the basic principles of a balanced, whole food diet with supplements as appropriate. It is also important to consult with your physician about your situation to avoid harmful interactions of food or supplements with your medications.
Health and illness are our greatest messengers and teachers. May you eat and live consciously and live long and well!
The Huntingdon Health and Wellness Association makes no medical claims or recommendations. Check with your doctor about your specific health care needs.