Food Isn’t Medicine

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One study suggests that a modified Mediterranean diet can reduce pain, fatigue, and discomfort in persons with lipoedema, a condition where there is an abnormal accumulation of fat in the lower extremities. According to the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the core of a healthy diet is built on high intakes of a variety of nutrient-dense foods and beverages, including: The point here isn’t to totally discredit nutrition. Of course a nutritious diet can positively impact your health! The Dietary Guidelines for Americans state that a healthy dietary pattern is associated with a lower risk of certain chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, bone disease, breast cancer, and colorectal cancer. But they never claim that any dietary pattern alone, like Whole 30 or paleo, can prevent or cure disease. And they never mention superfoods, because these don’t exist—no one food has the power to make or break your health. “Food can be used to prevent onset of a disease up to a certain point,” Johnson says. But again, there are no guarantees because of all the factors at play.

As outlined in Food Isn’t Medicine by nutritionist Dr. Joshua Wolrich, the vilification of individual foods can lead to unhealthy eating behaviors. Drug-nutrient interactionsSocial media can be an effective source of health promotion among health professionals and organizations. Clare Collins, a nutrition and dietetics professor at the University of Newcastle, says she would like to see nutrition managed care plans – similar to the mental health treatment plans currently subsidised by Medicare – that give people access to dieticians and nutritionists who can help overcome at least some of the barriers to healthy eating. Dr Joshua Wolrich routinely does an incredible job of sorting fact from toxic fiction. A must-read for those wanting to unlearn the toxic ideologies and beliefs we have been taught about ourselves by the diet industry! Stephanie Yeboah (@stephanieyeboah) All of this disproves the notion that eating a certain way, or a certain food, can eliminate the need for health care and medicine. The fact that disease can (and almost certainly will) occur no matter what you do might be a tough pill to swallow. But Johnson explains that it can also bring relief in that you can stop blaming yourself for your health problems or micromanaging your eating habits in the name of disease prevention. Nutrition Is Just One Tool They’re a little bit further ahead than us in terms of using this food-as-medicine concept and providing healthy meals and groceries to particularly disadvantaged communities,” Lambert says. She would like to see these approaches aimed at Australians with health conditions such as type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, and those who are overweight or obese, “because those three big diseases drive the majority of chronic illness in Australia”.

It is worth noting that conventional, Western medicine does prescribe dietary and lifestyle changes as a first-line treatment for some conditions, notably polycystic ovary syndrome ( PCOS). Likewise, the American Heart Association recently made diet and lifestyle recommendations that included a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, low-fat dairy, and plant-based or lean animal protein to support cardiovascular health. Social and economic factors aren’t the only health determinants that are somewhat out of an individual’s control. We all have unique genetic predispositions—some people are simply born more at risk for certain conditions, like heart disease, than others. Environmental factors also play a role. Sunlight, dust, chemicals, metal, plants, animals, and other things we’re exposed to daily can contribute to the onset of pretty much every illness, from kidney disease to infertility to skin cancer. And of course, disease can be random. A 2017 report in Science found that about two-thirds of cell mutations that lead to cancer are caused by random DNA replication errors, while only a third are caused by inherited genes, environmental factors, or behavior. (Although yes, some cancers are more directly linked to behavior; for example, smoking is the primary cause of lung cancer.) Even diseases that are more strongly linked to lifestyle, like type 2 diabetes and heart disease, can occur in people with no known lifestyle risk factors. Since the UNSW study ended, Emma has been missing it – especially when something as simple as a lettuce became unaffordable. “I really miss those basic things – I miss broccoli, cauliflower, all of that,” she says. She has reverted to some of her old “stodgy” foods, because they are cheaper. If you have ever considered intermittent fasting, avoided artificial sweeteners, dairy or carbs for 'health' reasons, or struggled through diet after diet wondering why nothing seems to work, this book will be a powerful wake-up call.

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As is the case with disease prevention, food plays a supporting role in the management of certain diseases. Medical nutrition therapy (MNT) is “the evidenced-based approach to treating medical conditions with food,” says Clara Nosek, a dietitian based in Modesto, California. Dietitians are trained in MNT, and there are myriad applications for the approach. In some cases, short-term dietary changes can treat an acute (short-lasting and sudden) condition; Nosek gives the example of reducing sodium intake to help reverse edema, which is swelling caused by excess fluid trapped in your body’s tissues. In other cases, long-term dietary changes can help someone manage a chronic (long-term and often lifelong) condition. Johnson points out that those with celiac disease must completely avoid gluten to prevent long-term intestinal damage and other negative side effects. Similarly, someone with diabetes might use diet as part of their strategy to manage blood sugar. Some uses of MNT are even more clinical, like feeding someone through a tube or an IV if they’re unable to consume enough by mouth. For instance, an increase in dietary fiber supports lower blood sugar levels in persons with pre-diabetes or diabetes, reducing the occurrence of nerve and blood vessel damage associated with high blood sugar levels.

This book is exactly what we need right now. In a world where misinformation is spread easily online, it's brilliant to have a knowledgeable doctor like Josh cut through the scaremongering and diet culture that we see every day. It's definitely a must have! Lucy Bee (@lucybeecoconut) Today, he's a passionate advocate of health and every size and keen to bust the endless myths about what we consume and how we consume it, restrictive eating and ‘cure-all’ supplements or diets. Josh's desire to educate others stands upon a foundation of compassion that we might experience more freedom and take our opportunity to question the damaging messages we so easily absorb. Anna Mathur (@annamathur) At best, these claims blow small bits of evidence way out of proportion—sure, raisins contain nutrients that can contribute to healthy blood pressure, but eating them won’t magically cure hypertension. And at worst, the claims are pseudoscience. Yes, food contributes to health and plays a role in the prevention and management of certain diseases, but food isn’t medicine, and no diet can replace good health care. We Can’t Always Control Our Health

Thus, while “food as medicine” may support disease management by improving symptoms and slowing disease progression in some diseases, it must not be used as a stand-alone treatment, rather in conjunction with appropriate medical therapy. Fueled by misinformation