Nourish To Flourish

Beyond satisfying our taste buds, food possesses the incredible ability to transform our health. Each bite we take offers an opportunity to nourish and protect, to prevent illnesses and to act as a buffer against diseases.

Hippocrates, an ancient Greek physician, taught that all forms of illness had a natural cause. Although he practiced medicine, he is also credited with the saying, ‘let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food’.

Yet in the modern translations of the oath, the central importance of diet is often hidden. English Wikipedia for example turns it into: “I will use treatment to help the sick according to my ability and judgment, but never with a view to injury and wrong-doing.” (Dr.GoodFood.org)

It's evident that modern healthcare has transitioned from a focus on food to a reliance on pharmaceuticals. Doctors are increasingly comfortable prescribing drugs with potent side effects that can wreak havoc on how the body operates.

Our bodies maintain an intricate balance of chemicals that regulate various functions. When medications are used to treat illnesses, they can interfere with these interconnected processes. For example, a pain medication might relieve pain but also disrupt mood regulation, leading to anxiety or depression. (WingsForLife.com)

Unlike medications, healthy food provides a broad spectrum of nutrients that naturally align with the body's intricate chemical processes. By addressing multiple health concerns simultaneously, healthy food can prevent and mitigate diseases without causing the unintended side effects often associated with drugs. Essentially, healthy food offers a holistic approach to wellness, providing the body with what it needs to thrive.

Food Is Natural Medicine

Food is a natural medicine because it acts as an illness and disease preventative, leading to good long-term health. The American Institute for Cancer Research labels this concept as “misinformation, while their own institute exists entirely due to disease propagation and research. As such, their narrative should be soundly dismissed.

Hyper-processed foods, on the other hand, are killing us. In the US, according to a Lancet report, our diet is both the number-one cause of death and the number-one cause of disability in the United States. Globally, one in five deaths are linked to diet. The 2019 Lancet report concluded, “

Among all forms of malnutrition, poor dietary habits, particularly low intake of healthy foods, is the leading risk factor for mortality.”

A poor diet, characterized by nutrient deficiencies and toxic substances, is a significant contributing factor to most modern health problems. According to John Hopkins University, approximately 80% of cancer patients are believed to be malnourished, and cancer treatments like chemotherapy can further deplete the body's nutrient reserves. Additionally, diabetes and heart disease, allergies, autoimmune disorders, and thyroid issues are all strongly influenced by dietary choices.

Healthy food on the other hand plays a critical role in controlling inflammation levels, balancing blood sugar, regulating cardiovascular health (including blood pressure and cholesterol levels), helping the digestive organs to process and eliminate waste, and much more. In fact, certain foods even contain powerful ingredients that help control how your genes are expressed, having a major influence on health, from disease prevention to performance, vitality and the overall quality of life. (DrAxe.com)

A 2019 Time Magazine article stated:

“More studies are revealing that people’s health is the sum of much more than the medications they take and the tests they get—health is affected by how much people sleep and exercise, how much stress they’re shouldering and, yes, what they are eating at every meal. When people eat well, they stay healthier and are more likely to control chronic diseases and perhaps even avoid them altogether.”

By prioritizing whole, nutritious foods, you can achieve far superior health results than relying on harmful medications. Avoid the overreliance on pharmaceuticals—a major blind spot in modern medicine—and eat healthy. You’ll nourish the body and flourish.

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