5 Easy Ways to Take Control of Your Diet and Start Feeling Better Now
The saying “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” has been attributed to the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, who is considered the father of modern medicine. Essentially, this saying is based on the understanding that the foods we eat can have a profound impact on our health.
In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the use of food as medicine. This is likely due to the increasing awareness of the connection between diet and disease.
In fact, studies have shown that eating a healthy diet can help to prevent or manage a variety of chronic health conditions, including heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and obesity.
For further information on this research, follow the links at the end of this post.
5 Ways to Use food as Medicine and Start Feeling Better Now.
In thinking of food as Medicine, think PROACTIVE NOT REACTIVE.
Bump up your fiber. Only 5 % of the US population gets enough fiber. Fiber is ONLY found in PLANT- FOODS. Fiber feeds a healthy gut, controls blood sugar, lowers cholesterol, and keeps you satisfied and full longer.
Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that are essential for good health. Aim to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day.
Choose whole grains over refined grains. Whole grains are a good source of fiber, which can help to regulate digestion and blood sugar levels.
Include healthy fats in your diet. Healthy fats, such as those found in avocados, nuts, and seeds, can help to improve heart health and cognitive function.
Limit processed foods and read labels carefully. Processed foods are often high in unhealthy fats, sugar, and salt. They can also be low in nutrients.
Drink plenty of water. Water is essential for good health and can help to flush toxins out of the body.
Cook more meals at home. This will give you more control over the ingredients in your food.
Make gradual changes to your diet. This will make it easier to stick to your new eating habits.
Find a support system.
By eating a healthy diet, you can take steps to improve your health and prevent disease.
If you are experiencing considering using food as medicine, be sure to talk to your doctor first. They can help you create a diet that is right for you and your individual health needs.
Further Reading + The Science
Lee Y, Mozaffarian D, Sy S, et al. Cost-effectiveness of financial incentives for improving diet and health through Medicare and Medicaid: A microsimulation study. PLoS Med2019;16:e1002761. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1002761 pmid:30889188CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
Preventive food pantry. Boston Medical Center. https://www.bmc.org/nourishing-our-community/preventive-food-pantry.
Wolfson JA, Ramsing R, Richardson CR, Palmer A. Barriers to healthy food access: Associations with household income and cooking behavior. Prev Med Rep2019;13:298-305. doi:10.1016/j.pmedr.2019.01.023. pmid:30792944CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
Berkowitz SA, Basu S, Meigs JB, Seligman HK. Food insecurity and healthcare expenditures in the United States, 2011-2013. Health Serv Res2018;53:1600-20doi:10.1111/1475-6773.12730.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Crowley J, Ball L, Hiddink GJ. Nutrition in medical education: a systematic review. Lancet Planet Health2019;3:e379-89. doi:10.1016/S2542-5196(19)30171-8 pmid:31538623CrossRefPubMedGoogle Scholar
Ramachandran D, Kite J, Vassallo AJ, et al. Food trends and popular nutrition advice online—implications for public health. Online J Public Health Inform2018;10:e213.Google Scholar
Mozaffarian D, Forouhi NG. Dietary guidelines and health-is nutrition science up to the task?BMJ2018;360:k822. doi:10.1136/bmj.k822 pmid:29549076FREE Full TextGoogle Scholar
Vetter ML, Herring SJ, Sood M, Shah NR, Kalet AL. What do resident physicians know about nutrition? An evaluation of attitudes, self-perceived proficiency and knowledge. J Am Coll Nutr2008;27:287-98. doi:10.1080/07315724.2008.10719702 pmid:18689561CrossRefPubMedWeb of ScienceGoogle Scholar