Food Isn’t Medicine

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A common example is grapefruit juice, which doctors often advise should be avoided when taking some medications, although some research shows that it may enhance the effect of cholesterol-lowering statins. It is focused on the increased consumption of a variety of whole, minimally-processed plant-based foods, and limited intakes of highly processed foods rich in added sugar, oil, and salt. Today, he's a passionate advocate of health and every size and keen to bust the endless myths about what we consume and how we consume it, restrictive eating and ‘cure-all’ supplements or diets. Using “food as medicine” could conceivably reduce healthcare costs by potentially reducing disease severity through better labwork, fewer medications, and fewer hospitalizations. However, it can also be a source of misinformation and sharing of unverifiable information, especially where “food as medicine” or alternative medicinal therapies are concerned.

Likewise, the American Heart Association recently made diet and lifestyle recommendations that included a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, low-fat dairy, and plant-based or lean animal protein to support cardiovascular health. The simplest approach would be to subsidise access to fresh vegetables. “[Vegetables] have such a powerful effect from a health perspective, yet there is such a common perception that they’re unaffordable – and these days they potentially are in some communities,” Lambert says.It is worth noting that conventional, Western medicine does prescribe dietary and lifestyle changes as a first-line treatment for some conditions, notably polycystic ovary syndrome ( PCOS). Wu wants to see food as medicine become an intrinsic part of healthcare, in prevention and treatment of disease. It is not to suggest one can eat themselves out of terminal illness but food can have a powerful effect on health and some disease. Social media can be an effective source of health promotion among health professionals and organizations.

Likewise, observational studies identified that a healthful diet during breast cancer treatment may reduce negative symptoms caused by cancer treatment, including nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite. Cost-effective

Maybe You’re Born with It

Thus, while “food as medicine” may support disease management by improving symptoms and slowing disease progression in some diseases, it must not be used as a stand-alone treatment, rather in conjunction with appropriate medical therapy. Fueled by misinformation Foods that proponents claim have medicinal properties, often due to supposed high levels of a particular micronutrient or biomolecule — sometimes referred to as functional foods — are of particular interest by people who consider food as medicine. If you have ever considered intermittent fasting, avoided artificial sweeteners, dairy or carbs for 'health' reasons, or struggled through diet after diet wondering why nothing seems to work, this book will be a powerful wake-up call. Social and economic factors aren’t the only health determinants that are somewhat out of an individual’s control. We all have unique genetic predispositions—some people are simply born more at risk for certain conditions, like heart disease, than others. Environmental factors also play a role. Sunlight, dust, chemicals, metal, plants, animals, and other things we’re exposed to daily can contribute to the onset of pretty much every illness, from kidney disease to infertility to skin cancer. And of course, disease can be random. A 2017 report in Science found that about two-thirds of cell mutations that lead to cancer are caused by random DNA replication errors, while only a third are caused by inherited genes, environmental factors, or behavior. (Although yes, some cancers are more directly linked to behavior; for example, smoking is the primary cause of lung cancer.) Even diseases that are more strongly linked to lifestyle, like type 2 diabetes and heart disease, can occur in people with no known lifestyle risk factors. The development of chronic diseases continues to be complex and may be attributed to non-diet-related causes, including genetic risk, exposure to environmental toxins, or autoimmune conditions.