Using Food As Medicine

Food has long been the foundation for good health in many different cultures, even if the concept is still relatively new to the Western world. In contrast to conventional medicine, the significance of nutrition and food in illness prevention and management has been contested. This Honest Nutrition article discusses the advantages and restrictions of using food as medication in healthcare.

Healthcare professionals throughout the world are aware of how eating may affect a person's health. A person's immune system is more likely to be robust, pregnancy and delivery are safer, they have a decreased chance of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and they live longer.

The causes of this are numerous, complicated, and yet little understood. A diet high in added sweets, saturated and trans fats, and too much salt has been linked to chronic inflammation, according to some studies. Trusted Source – a risk factor for the onset of chronic illnesses including type 2 diabetes, gastrointestinal health issues, and heart disease.

A diet high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, low-fat dairy, and plant-based or lean animal protein, as well as other dietary and lifestyle recommendations, have recently been made by the American Heart AssociationTrusted Source to promote cardiovascular health.

 According to experts, this diet promotes excellent health since it has the ability to lower negative cardiovascular disease risk factors like inflammation, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and poor sleep.

 Food as medicine Understanding that diet and nutrition play important roles in the management and prevention of disease is the underlying idea behind Trusted Source.

The emphasis is on consuming more whole, minimally processed plant-based meals and consuming fewer highly processed foods that are heavy in added sugar, oil, and salt.

Chronic illness development continues to be complicated, and it may be linked to factors other than nutrition, such as genetic susceptibilityTrusted Source, exposure to chemicals in the environmentTrusted Source, or autoimmuneTrusted Source disorders.

 Therefore, "food as medicine" should not be used as a stand-alone treatment, but rather in conjunction with proper medical care. "Food as medicine" may improve illness management by reducing symptoms and decreasing disease development in specific disorders.

 Functional foods are foods that proponents believe have medical capabilities, frequently because they are said to contain high quantities of a certain micronutrient or biomolecule.

Although the idea of "food as medicine" is still relatively new to the Western world, many other societies have long understood the connection between nutrition and health. 

Lean protein, low-fat dairy, and a variety of nutritious diets rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, as well as dairy products may lower the risk of developing chronic illnesses including heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Food as medicine should be used in conjunction with the right medical care because it is not a universal cure.