Food Isn’t Medicine

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However, the role of diet and food in disease prevention and management compared to conventional medicine has been questioned. These include a variety of herbs and spices, legumes, nuts and seeds, whole grains, and fruits and vegetables. Whilst there is so much to criticise in the wellness and 'nutrition' spaces, the author avoids actually taking on these claims and explaining where they are faulty and instead chooses to advance endless sociabollocks. Vegetables ‘have such a powerful effect from a health perspective, yet there is such a common perception that they’re unaffordable’, says Dr Kelly Lambert. We celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories, traditions and living cultures; and we pay our respects to Elders past and present.

It is not to suggest one can eat themselves out of terminal illness but food can have a powerful effect on health and some disease. Philanthropic organisations such as the Rockefeller Foundation are putting money into addressing this too. Insulin injections are vital in the management of type 1 diabetes, whereas dietary choices can only do so much. We all have unique genetic predispositions—some people are simply born more at risk for certain conditions, like heart disease, than others. Late last year, Whole Foods CEO John Mackey went live on the Freakonomics podcast and claimed that Americans don’t need better access to health care.

By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. After becoming a doctor, Joshua shares that he decided to use Instagram - initially - as a platform to help him lose weight. What if such a diet could be prescribed in the same way as medication, as a prescriptive intervention, subsidised by government, readily available and with plenty of support and information, to help prevent or treat disease?

While Collins isn’t opposed to the idea of food prescriptions, she says it doesn’t go far enough in addressing the systemic barriers that make it difficult for people to eat a healthy diet.As well as prevention – such as switching from processed carbohydrates to wholegrains to avoid pre-diabetes developing into the full-blown disease – some studies suggest food prescriptions be used for people already affected by a disease.