A very wise man once said “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” His name was Hippocrates, and he’s considered the father of medicine.
Is food really medicine though? If you ask the FDA, it isn’t. Also the TGA.
There are a very limited set of claims people can make about food or food products. According to the FDA’s website, an example of an approved health claim is “Three grams of soluble fiber from oatmeal daily in a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease. This cereal has 2 grams per serving.” (1)
The part they don’t tell you is how eating all these processed GMO pesticide-laden cereals will make you diabetic, at risk for heart disease, fatter than you’d like and how it’s going to destroy your cholesterol ratios…
In reality, food IS medicine. For example, eating avocados has been shown to (2):
– Reduce total cholesterol levels significantly.
– Reduce blood triglycerides by up to 20%.
– Lower LDL cholesterol by up to 22%.
– Increase HDL (the “good”) cholesterol by up to 11%.
These results are more impressive than most expensive drugs, minus the side effects. But no. Claiming that avocados lower cholesterol is still illegal. Go figure.
Now you understand why I advocate NOT buying anything that has a food label, or at least not believing what’s on those food labels. Most of what you hear is inaccurate or in the end, a blatant lie.
I’m not a doctor, this is not medical advice, and this is just my opinion, for entertainment purposes only.
Now that this legal mumbo-jumbo is out of the way — here’s the truth:
You CAN and SHOULD view food as medicine.
For example — if you take any prescription meds, it makes a TON of sense to get informed and learn which vitamins and minerals these meds deplete out of your body.
(I personally learned a ton in the “Depleted By Drugs” guide that comes with Kelley Herring’s The Food Cure.)
Then, get informed about which foods are packed with these nutrients — and eat more of them.
In a way, the foods you’ll be eating then are going to counteract the side effects from your meds — without interfering with the beneficial effects. The best of both worlds.
(Of course, an even better approach is to ward off your meds using the help of your doctor, once you find and eliminate the root cause of your illness — to the best of your ability, that is.)
Conclusion: Sticking to a whole foods diet is a start, not the finish line. Once you get there, it’s time to tweak the small variables that make a HUGE difference in your energy levels, wellness and longevity — and heal your body with every bite.
To supercharge your education, I recommend one series of guides that really impressed me — The Food Cure. In it, you’ll find how to:
– Avoid nutrient deficiencies by taking in more nutrients that might be depleted by meds or other factors
– Use the right healthy cookware which doesn’t create toxic fumes inside your kitchen and increase your toxic load (see The Food Cure – Your Kitchen Makeover)
– Learn how to pick the most nutrient-dense foods to get more bang for your buck with every bite
– Focus on the most powerful sources of antioxidants (as you’ll learn in the “Antioxidant Superfoods” component, spices are a way better source than any fruit or veggie)
All that and much more, in a series of straightforward and super informative guides. This is next-level stuff, explained in simple terms, with the science to back it up. Kelley’s work is really worth it if you want to take your diet to the next level!
Sources:
1.https://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocuments
RegulatoryInformation/LabelingNutrition/ucm064908.htm#health
2. https://authoritynutrition.com/12-proven-benefits-of-avocado/
Speak Your Mind