“Food Is Medicine.” We hear it all the time, but what does that actually mean?
Did you know that you can use food to prevent and treat many common illnesses and diseases. And, of course, eating certain foods can be poisonous to your body.
Learning to use our nutrition to help us heal is one of the most critical parts of a healthy lifestyle.
Food: Is It Your Medicine Or Your Poison?
Food. It’s what we need to fuel our bodies and make us feel good. But is it really doing us any good? Or are we just fueling disease by eating the wrong things? In this blog post, we’ll explore the link between food and health and discuss which foods are best for keeping your body healthy.
Food as Medicine
Food is the most basic form of medicine. It has been used for thousands of years to treat disease and promote health. Food can be used to treat many conditions, such as colds and headaches.
It can also help prevent them from occurring in the first place by providing nutrients that boost your immune system’s ability to fight infection and disease.
When you think about it, your body is a living chemistry lab. It needs certain nutrients to function properly, just like any other organ or machine.
The problem is that most people don’t eat the right foods in the right amounts to keep their bodies healthy. They often rely on processed and packaged foods.
Processed food tends to be high in fat and sugar but low in vitamins and minerals. This causes an imbalance of nutrients in your diet, which leads us to our next point…
Food as Poison
Food is powerful medicine. It can heal, nourish and energize your body. But it can also be your worst enemy.
The human body was designed to eat whole foods — meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, and fruit — not processed junk food laden with sugar and chemicals.
In fact, most people in the world live on a diet of whole foods and don’t suffer from chronic diseases as we do here in the West. The standard American diet is full of processed foods and sugars.
So what happens when we fill our bodies with artificial food additives like high fructose corn syrup, trans fats, artificial sweeteners, and other chemicals?
The answer is simple: We get sick! Certain foods can cause many health problems, including obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
Obesity is one of the most common diseases in the world today. It’s estimated that over 30% of adults in the United States are obese. Overweight people have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
What Not To Eat
You may be surprised at some of the foods on this list — but they’re all widely considered unhealthy and should be avoided as much as possible, if not eliminated from your diet entirely.
All Processed Food
Processed food means any food that has been altered from its natural state. This includes packaged foods, fast food, and anything else that comes in a box or bag. Processed foods contain chemicals, preservatives, and other additives that can cause inflammation in the body, which can lead to disease over time.
High Fructose Corn Syrup
High fructose corn syrup is a sweetener that can be found in many processed foods, including soda and candy. Not only does it contain empty calories, but it’s also been linked to obesity and even cancer.
Trans Fat
Trans fat is a type of unsaturated fat that can be found in some processed foods. It’s often used to extend the shelf life of food products. However, trans fat has been shown to increase your risk for heart disease and stroke by increasing your bad cholesterol levels.
Preservatives
Food preservatives can be found in everything from cereal to canned foods. They’re often used to extend the shelf life of products. But preservatives are linked to health problems like obesity and cancer.
Artificial Sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners are a popular alternative to sugar. They’re often used in diet soda, gum, and other types of low-calorie foods. But artificial sweeteners have been linked to weight gain and may even increase your risk for diabetes.
Standard American Diet
The standard American diet is high in processed meat, refined grains, and sugars but low in fruits and vegetables. This diet is linked to health problems like obesity and heart disease. It’s also associated with a higher likelihood of weight gain and obesity.
Food For Your Health
The food you eat today can determine the quality of your life tomorrow. A diet high in processed foods, sugar, and refined carbohydrates will take its toll on your body and mind.
Food is one of the most powerful tools you have in your healing arsenal. It’s where you get your nutrients and antioxidants from, so it can hugely impact how well your body is functioning.
Use Food To Heal The Gut
Food can be powerful medicine for healing the gut. It contains many nutrients that promote healthy digestion and support good gut bacteria. Here are some food choices that will help heal your gut:
Prebiotics
Prebiotics are soluble fiber compounds that encourage the growth of good bacteria in the gut. They are found in foods such as artichokes, asparagus, garlic, and bananas.
Probiotics
Probiotics are live bacteria that help support digestion and boost immunity by increasing good bacteria in the gut. They can be found in foods such as kefir and kombucha.
Fermented Food
Fermented foods contain probiotics and prebiotics, which are easy for our bodies to digest because fermentation processes have already broken them down. These food items include sauerkraut, kimchi, pickled vegetables, and miso.
Food For Immunity and Inflammation
A healthy diet can help keep your immune system in tip-top shape. In fact, certain foods are packed with nutrients that support a healthy immune response, while others may be harmful to your health. Here are some of the most effective foods for boosting immunity and reducing inflammation:
Omega 3 fatty acids
Omega 3 fatty acids are found in cold water fish like salmon, tuna, and mackerel. These omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory effects that can help reduce joint pain or swelling. Omega 3 fatty acids are also good for brain health and may help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Fruits and Vegetables
The antioxidants in fruits and vegetables reduce inflammation by keeping cells from getting damaged when they come into contact with free radicals.
Antioxidants also help boost your immune system by supporting its ability to recognize invaders before they cause damage to your body’s tissue or organs.
Moreover, fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants such as beta-carotene and lycopene. These nutrients also help protect your body from premature aging and other chronic diseases.
Spices
Did you know that a cup of turmeric tea can help reduce inflammation? Or that ginger can help with nausea? It’s true! Spices have amazing health benefits.
Spices are great because they contain anti-inflammatory compounds, antioxidants, and other nutrients that support your immune system and digestive health.
Food And Energy
Food is fuel. It’s a source of energy that can help us get through the day or slow us down and cause us to feel tired and sluggish. When we eat food, it’s digested into glucose, which is used to fuel our cells and power our activities.
Food also contains other nutrients, such as fats and proteins, that are important for growth and repair. When we eat too much food or the wrong types of food, our bodies can’t use all of it for energy or growth and repair.
The more food we eat, the more cells we fuel and the more energy we have. But if we don’t balance our intake of carbohydrates and protein with healthy fats, it can lead to weight gain.
Food Detox Connection
Our biology is designed to process waste and toxins through our intricate detoxification system. Getting rid of toxins is an important part of our body.
Unfortunately, modern life tends to make this process much harder than it should be. How we eat affects our ability to detoxify properly and makes us more susceptible to disease.
But, we can do something about it. By eating a diet rich in whole foods, we can help our bodies detoxify properly and keep us healthy.
The best way to detoxify is by eating a diet rich in whole foods. This means focusing on fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, and fish. We should also consume healthy fats like avocado and olive oil. Whole grains such as brown rice and quinoa are also good choices.
When we’re eating a diet rich in whole foods, we’re able to ensure that our bodies are getting all of the nutrients needed to function properly. This means that our detoxification systems can work more efficiently.
Bottom Line
In the end, food is our medicine or our poison. The question is whether or not we will learn to see it as such and make a conscious effort to eat better.
We are what we eat. The quality of our diet can significantly impact our overall health and longevity. When we make an effort to eat real, whole foods from nature, we can ensure that our bodies get all the nutrients they need to function properly.
If you want to be the game changer in your life, it’s time to stop eating processed junk and start making good choices. We can help to make that happen by providing you with the tools and information you need to get started. Book an appointment with us here.
