“ Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” –Hippocrates
The Facts
According to a New York Times article, “our food is killing too many of us.” Dr. Mozaffarian, dean of the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, and Mr. Glickman, former secretary of agriculture, say that improving American nutrition would make a big impact on healthcare because eating better would reduce the number of sick Americans. They claim, “poor diet is the leading cause of mortality in the United States.”
I found this surprising; I would have thought it would’ve been some kind of disease. However, poor diet isn’t far off–poor diet can cause illnesses or accelerate the progression of certain diseases.
Therefore, improving our diets would better our overall health, as individuals and as a country. Let’s discuss what steps you can take to do so.
How You Can Use Food as Medicine
The American Board of Physician Specialists (ABPS) say that: “While there is no one ideal diet for all, cutting down on or eliminating processed foods can be highly beneficial regardless of a person’s age or health status. The term “processed food” can be used to describe any item of food that has been altered from its original state. Though not all processed foods are unhealthy, per se, many contain artificially elevated amounts of salt, sugar, and fat – substances that are widely believed to be responsible for America’s high rates of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.”
So which processed foods are okay and which should you avoid?
According to eatright.org, there is a range of processed foods:
- Minimally processed foods
- Foods processed at their peak
- Foods with ingredients added for flavor and texture
- Ready-to-eat foods
- The most heavily processed foods often are pre-made meals
The lower on the list you go, the more processed and unhealthy the food tends to be.
Minimally processed foods can be things like bagged/boxed greens and nuts. Foods are usually processed at their peak in order to retain their nutrition and freshness such as canned meats and fruits. Foods with added ingredients include pasta sauce, salad dressing, yogurt, and cake mixes. Ready-to-eat foods can be crackers, chips, granola, and deli meats. Pre-made meals are things like frozen pizza and microwavable dinners.
Some of these processed foods actually don’t do your body much harm if at all, but the more heavily processed foods don’t do anything for you other than being convenient. In addition, you may have heard that too much of anything is bad. There is some truth to that, especially in the case of processed foods.
Now that we know what to avoid, let’s go over what foods you should add to your diet. Most of them are just as convenient as many processed foods, so no excuses!
Healthline provides 50 or more foods that are super healthy and “surprisingly delicious.” They are:
- Apples, avocados, blueberries, oranges, strawberries, oranges, cherries, grapes, kiwi, lemons, mango, melons, olives, etc.
- Eggs
- Lean beef, chicken breasts, lamb
- Almonds, chia seeds, coconuts, macadamia nuts, walnuts
- Asparagus, bell peppers, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, cucumber, garlic, kale, onions, tomatoes, celery, artichokes, Brussel sprouts, squash, etc.
- Salmon, sardines, shellfish, shrimp, trout, tuna
- Brown rice, oats, quinoa
- Ezekiel bread, home-made low carb breads
- Green beans, kidney beans, lentils, peanuts
- Cheese, whole milk, yogurt
- Butter (from grass-fed cows), coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil
- Potatoes and sweet potatoes
- Apple cider vinegar
- Dark chocolate
That’s a lot to choose from if you ask me. Most of these foods work well together too, coming together to make larger dishes.
What it’s all about
Using food as medicine is all about improving your diet in order to improve your health. You can improve your diet either by avoiding certain foods, by consuming healthy foods, or by doing both. At the least, a good, healthy diet can improve your quality of life and can increase your chances of living longer.
Sources:
https://www.abpsus.org/power-food-medicine
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/50-super-healthy-foods#chocolate