Food As Medicine; Just Another Tool?
The revolution in health care has always been a treacherous road however medical treatment now may turn bumpy back roads into super highways. Today’s modern physicians are on the threshold of the most important discovery in medical treatment in over 2,000 years. It is, without a doubt, an incredible twist in the treatment formulas that are presently prescribed. These new guidelines are not necessarily recommending medications or surgical interventions; they now have alternative initiatives that can not only treat an illness but now they can not only prevent but also reverse the disease. The aspects of prevention and/or reversing a disease process should be a driving force for every health care provider.
Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, is quoted as saying, “Food is Medicine, Medicine is Food”. Even tho it has taken about 2,500 years, extensive scientific evidence within the past few decades has proven this statement to be true beyond all doubt. The aspect of logic, reason and scientific factual proof is truism; it is ‘what it is’, food is medicine . And physicians are accepting this proverb as a truism today. Well, not all physicians are on board but the tide is turning.
Physicians have been exposed to the laws of science and scientific facts; however some physicians will have strong belief systems that may override the evidence. A belief system comes from the person’s point of view; it may or may not be consistent with scientific fact. A scientist must be logical and be able to command reason in evaluating any evidence. This is conventional wisdom that has withstood the test of time. Hippocrates quote has now been scientifically proven and yet most physicians are not promoting these guidelines that would prevent and cure illnesses. Physicians have the huge opportunity to alter medical treatment as we know it.
Presently physicians treat a disease process but the treatment may be for the patients entire life. Examples here would be diabetes and heart disease. The new guidelines could improve the health of our entire health care system by the simple mechanism of incorporating just a few, basic guidelines. They are finding treatments that not only treat the illness but actually reverse the disease process! And in the same process they have uncovered the real truth; our behavior is the key to turn on or off chronic disease! This is the important medical discovery lacks acceptance more than any other medical discovery. The new guidelines are actually similar to football teams that have a terrible loss; the coach will have the going back to basics on Monday’s practice. Blocking, tackling, running, passing, offense and defense; these are the basics in football that are gone over and over again. The learned behaviors will become habits that will be routine. The question about Health is; can learned behaviors be changed into new habits?
Of course habits can be changed however changing a lifestyle that is totally ingrained in the culture and families is difficult. The three primary drivers are health, animal rights, and global crisis. And yet immediate pleasure appears to be the overwhelming driver that drives us to our destruction. So what are these guideline that are so difficult to overcome.
The primary guidelines are related to food, movement, and fear. The American Academy of Lifestyle Medicine promotes nutrition, exercise, stress reduction, sleep, and socialization; this group is one of the primary leaders in organized medicine trying to reestablish our natural way of living. The concept of lifestyle behaviors and it’s relationship to disease has become the ‘new kid on the block’. The primary behaviors that relate to health are nutrition, exercise, sleep, social, and substances. The medical neighborhood has come up with some really powerful leaders; Pritikin, LaLane, Campbell, Barnard, Ornish, Klaper, Esselstyn, Robins, and many others. The list is growing at a rather dramatic rate throughout the world yet they are far from a majority. These new guidelines present a shift from present day thinking; changing the way we think and operate on a day to day basis is difficult. Changing the direction and way you go to work involves a degree of stress; any change will increase demands and there will be resistance.
The evidence and revelation has been the greatest medical discovery in the past 2000 years. It is proven, beyond all doubt, that a ‘whole foods, plant based and no oil’ diet is the healthiest diet on our planet. This has become a major tool for physicians to use to treat disease….and yet most do not. Many have not been trained with this knowledge; the door to medical education is locked.
Here we have a new tool in our medical doctor kits yet it appears this tool remains a bit to sharp to pick up. Enjoy life and eat healthy, Vegan Doc
