Food as Medicine

This is a topic that has filled books!! Many people now appreciate the role diet plays in determining health.

Hippocrates famously said: "Let food be thy medicine and let medicine be thy food."

I know this statement to be true from personal experience. At 42 I had painful and debiltating arthritis in my knee, to the point we were going to sell our house because the stairs were so painful to manage.

Strong immune suppressant drugs were offered; however not willing to go on drugs, I did some research and went on "The Diet for the Desperate" - by Dr John McDougall. It was not easy but so worth it!!

No sugar, gluten, dairy, meat, processed foods and nightshade foods, and after two weeks, I had NO pain, swelling or redness in my joints and was able to run up the stairs again

Avoiding inflammatory foods and eating from nature was the best medicine I could have given my body, as it allowed the inflammation in my gut to heal.

Psalm 104:14 says that "God gave herbs for the service of man" and "the leaves of the trees for the healing of the nations" Revelation 22:2

The foods you choose changes how your DNA expresses.

Food can be seen as information. The macronutrients of: carbohydrates, protein and fats; and micronutrients of: vitamins and minerals direct:

- cell activity

- the function of every body system, i.e. immune, respiratory, cardiovascular, reproductive, etc

- growth and repair

- energy

The human body is amazing. It is continually renewing and repairing cells, so depending on the information you are providing through your food, your cells will renew with health or disease. The body needs the proper building blocks for energy, maintenance and repair, so choose your food wisely.

Eating the colours of the rainbow offers a powerful array of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients (plant nutrients) and antioxidants to support the immune system, detoxify the body, protect the body from chronic disease and improve wellbeing.

A phytonutrient found in RED food is quercetin - a natural anti-histamine to support immune and respiratory health.

ORANGE foods contain beta-carotene which converts to vitamin A, for skin, eye and mucous membrane health.

YELLOW food compounds are anti-inflammatory and protect cells. They include lemon, banana, pineapple, ginger root, yellow capsicum and organic corn.

The GREEN food phytonutrients include chlorophyll, folate and sulphoraphane to boost the immune system, and support the liver to get rid of toxins. Found in brocolli, sprouts, cabbage, bok choy, celery, herbs, zucchini etc.

A phytonutrient found in PURPLE foods is resveratrol which prevents inflammation, oxidative stress and helps the body fight disease. Found in delicious blueberries, boysenberries, blackberries, purple cabbage, grapes, plums etc.

Phytonutrients are powerful defenders of health. (Phyto = plant). To optimise your health eat the rainbow of colours, aiming for 9+ colour foods every day.

Metabolic, cardiovascular, colon and other dieases are highly associated with diets that are low in plants.

Traditional Chinese, Asian and Mediterranean diets show overall good health outcomes, while the Western diet, high in junk food, processed and chemically sprayed foods show a sharp rise in obesity, and chronic and degenerative diseases.

The body has an amazing ability to heal itself given the right inputs. Real food from nature heals. This fact is supported by research.

Many diseases are caused by nutrient deficiencies.

Inflammation happens naturally in the body as the first line of defence when we are injured, or to fight infection or toxins. The body produces inflammatory cytokines to heal and repair “wounds”.

However if the problem isn’t quickly resolved, inflammation can become chronic and cause damage.

Factors like stress, a junk food diet, lack of water, pollution, smoking and toxins can cause damage to the body and brain, e.g. arthritis, ulcerative colitis, periodontitis, tendonitis. “Itis” is the medical term for inflammation.

Inflammation also plays a key role in diseases like allergies, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, cancer, depression, Alzheimers, etc.

There are foods that harm and foods that heal.

TOP WORST INFLAMMATORY FOODS:

1. Sugar - in both food and drinks can create excess glucose in the bloodstream which increases inflammation.

2. Dairy - is a common allergen. Some people have trouble digesting lactose and casein proteins.

3. Gluten - found in wheat, barley and rye, and includes refined grains like white bread, crackers, cookies, etc. Hybridised grains are more difficult to digest and are sprayed with glyphosate, a toxin that can trigger inflammation in the gut.

4. Refined vegetable oils like corn, soybean, canola, etc are highly processed and can cause an imbalance of omega 6 fatty acids.

5. Fried foods - heated oils oxidise causing oxidative stress and inflammation.

6. Artificial chemicals, preservatives and additives - are foreign triggering the immune system to mount an inflammatory response. Preservatives
are designed to stop damage from bacteria, so can stop gut bacteria from breaking down the food you eat.

7. Processed meat products.

8. GMO foods can disrupt the gut microbiome contributing to inflammation.

FOODS THAT FIGHT INFLAMMATION:

Turmeric, dark green leafy vegetables, ginger, pineapple, blueberries, melons, hemp and chia seeds, avocado, raw nuts, mushrooms, colourful fruit and vegetables. These foods are often referred to as “superfoods”. This esteemed title is well deserved due to their nutrition, vitamin, mineral, antioxidant and phytonutrient content. It is important to recognise no one food is the “cure all”; but by adopting a balanced, colourful, anti-inflammatory approach, we empower ourselves to vibrant wellbeing.

Tame the flame. The power of your plate is that you can heal your body one bite at a time.

Dietary fibre is essential for health and wellbeing including: a daily smooth move (a bowel motion), regulating blood sugar, insulin and cholesterol levels, and promoting satiety (feelings of fullness).

Fibre is also fuel for your mind and mood. In the intestines fibre feeds the good gut microbes, increasing the abundance of beneficial bacteria, e.g. lactobacillus and bifidobacterium. A number of studies have linked a greater fibre intake with less anxiety and depression symptoms. Serotonin is produced in the gut, so improved microbial balance and gut health can improve mental health.

Fibre is only found in plant foods, so to eat more fibre, eat plenty of plant foods - fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds.

Nature’s farmacy offers potent medicine to bring ease to disease without the adverse effects of Pharmacy.

Some examples of food as medicine are:

• “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”.
  The nutritional highlights of apples are: they are high in vitamin C, potassium, antioxidants, flavonoids (especially quercetin), pectin and fibre.
  A Finnish study of over 5000 people for 20 years showed those who ate the most apples and other flavonoid rich foods had a 20% lower risk of heart disease than those who ate the smallest amounts of these foods.

• Brocolli and other cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, kale, bok choy and radish contain sulforaphane - an anti-cancer compound, particularly helping lower risk of colon, prostate, lung and breast cancer. Highest levels are found in raw or steamed vegetables.

• Turmeric is a key component of Chinese and Indian medicine. Curcumin, the active ingredient has amazing anti-inflammatory properties, comparable to drugs, however without the significant toxic effects. Clinical studies substantiate curcumin’s antioxidant properties, protecting from free radical damage and cancer.

• Lemons are an excellent source of vitamin C, A, B1, B6, potassium, flavonoids and phytonutrient limonene. Lemons are known to improve digestive health, can help reduce cholesterol, may help prevent kidney stones and gallstones.

I do hope this information inspires you to make healthier food choices. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “The first wealth is health”.

Designing a healthy diet takes time and knowledge. If you would like support to design a diet to address your health concerns or prevent health issues, please contact me for a consultation.

May you live vitally with abundant wellbeing, passion and joy.