Can Food Act as Medicine? All You Need to Know
- Dietitian.Lauren Hmede
- Aug 9, 2019
- 3 min read
Introduction:
What you choose to eat has profound effects on your overall health.
Research shows that dietary habits influence disease risk. While certain foods may trigger chronic health conditions, others offer strong medicinal and protective qualities.
Thus, many people argue that food is medicine.
Yet, diet alone cannot and should not replace medicine in all circumstances. Although many illnesses can be prevented, treated, or even cured by dietary and lifestyle changes, many others cannot.
This article explains the medicinal effects of food, including which foods should and shouldn’t be used for healing.
How food nourishes and protects your body
Many nutrients in food promote health and protect your body from disease.
Eating whole, nutritious foods is important because their unique substances work synergistically to create an effect that can’t be replicated by taking a supplement.
Whole, nutritious foods boast vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, protein, and fat, all of which promote health and are key to optimal bodily function.
A healthy diet can decrease disease risk
Notably, nutritious foods may decrease your risk of disease — while the opposite is true for highly processed foods.
Unhealthy food choices can increase disease risk
Unhealthy diets high in sugary drinks, fast food, and refined grains are a main contributor to conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and obesity.
These processed foods harm your gut bacteria and promote insulin resistance, chronic inflammation and overall disease risk.
Nutritious diets protect against disease
On the other hand, research indicates that diets abundant in plant foods and low in processed products strengthen your health.
Following a healthy diet can increase longevity, protect against disease, and improve your overall quality of life.
Can food treat disease?
While some dietary choices can either prevent or increase your disease risk, not all diseases can be prevented or treated through diet alone.
Many other factors affect your health and disease risk
Disease risk is quite complex. Although a poor diet can cause or contribute to illnesses, many other factors need to be considered.
Genetics, stress, pollution, age, infections, occupational hazards, and lifestyle choices — such as lack of exercise, smoking, and alcohol use also have an effect.
Food cannot compensate for poor lifestyle choices, genetic disposition, or other factors related to disease development.
Food should not be used as a replacement for medicine
Although many foods have strong disease-fighting benefits, diet should not be considered a replacement for conventional medicine.
Foods with powerful medicinal properties
Transitioning to a diet based on whole foods can improve your health in countless ways. Foods that offer particularly powerful benefits include:
Berries. Numerous studies have found that nutrients and plant compounds in berries combat disease. In fact, diets rich in berries may protect against chronic conditions, including certain cancers.
Cruciferous vegetables. Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and kale contain a wide array of antioxidants. High intake of these vegetables may decrease your risk of heart disease and promote longevity.
Fatty fish: Salmon, sardines, and other fatty fish fight inflammation due to their high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which also protect against heart disease.
Mushrooms. Compoundsmin mushrooms, types of which include maitake and reishi, have been shown to boost your immune system, heart, and brain.
Spices. Turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, and other spices are packed with beneficial plant compounds. For example, studies note that turmeric helps treat arthritis and metabolic syndrome.
Herbs. Herbs like parsley, oregano, rosemary, and sage not only provide natural flavor to dishes but also boast many health-promoting compounds.
Green tea. Green tea has been thoroughly researched for its impressive benefits, which may include reduced inflammation and lower disease risk.
Nuts, seeds, avocados, olive oil, honey, seaweed, and fermented foods are just a few of the many other foods studied for their medicinal properties.
Simply transitioning to a diet rich in whole foods like fruits and vegetables is the simplest way to reap the medicinal benefits of food.
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