Let Food Be Thy Medicine
develop diabetes in his or her lifetime. This problem is not going away— it is only getting bigger.
The reality is most deaths in the US are preventable and are related to lifestyle factors, especially diet. We need to recall the words of Hippocrates to“ let food be thy medicine.” There is more and more evidence that a whole food plant-based diet rich in anti-oxidants and phytonutrients can prevent, arrest and even reverse chronic disease without the dangerous side effects of prescription drugs. Drugs treat the symptoms of disease but do not change the long-term effect of the disease on the body, and recent statistics show that drug-related deaths are now the third most common in the US. Last year over 140,000 Americans died due to pharmaceutical drug effects.
The first change is to address the Standard American Diet( SAD). This current diet is not only sad but highly nutrient poor. A 2010 report from the National Cancer Institute showed that three out of every four Americans do not eat a single piece of fruit in a given day, and nine out of ten do not reach the minimum intake of vegetables. Even worse, 95 percent of Americans get a quarter of their calories from junk food in the form of sodas and processed foods high in sugar, salt and unhealthy fats. These poor-quality foods create disease.
High quality foods in the right proportions and amounts can prevent or reverse disease and sustain health. Such a diet is found in a whole food plantbased diet. This diet, composed mostly of fruits, vegetables, legumes and healthy grains, also allows for a modest amount of fish and lean meats. Healthy fats like avocados, olive oil and nuts are encouraged. Multiple studies demonstrate adopting such a diet reduces cardiovascular disease, lowers circulating blood glucose and insulin, reduces fat storage and contributes to an overall reduction in inflammation which is an emerging player in the development of chronic disease. n
The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.
ANN WIGMORE
98 PEACHYTHEMAGAZINE. COM