Posted 1:45 am Sunday, June 24, 2012
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Hippocrates Had Right Idea: Food As Medicine
Hippocrates, the father of medicine said, "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food." Born in 460 B.C., he knew then what we know now: we are what we eat. Ahead of his time, Hippocrates understood the healing and protective properties of food.
Most of the ills we face today are a reflection of what we feed our bodies. Heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and even certain cancers are linked to poor diet. Diets laden with saturated fats, sugar, salt and chemicals don't allow us to receive true nourishment.
Foods such as berries, broccoli, cold-water fish, garlic, nuts, green tea and spinach have super health powers. They include lowering blood pressure, protecting cells from cancer, relieving depression and reducing cholesterol.
More physicians today are rallying around more natural treatments of disease and some are even prescribing a good diet instead of or with reduced medication.
There's no miracle drug -- or even a single miracle food -- that will wipe out illness. A good quality life is available to us naturally from a combination of sources. It comes from food growing on plants, trees and vines. Sure, manufactured food has vitamins and minerals added to it in an attempt to mirror the health benefits of real food, but it isn't the same.
Hippocrates also knew that the body was not meant to be idle when he said, "Walking is man's best medicine."
Times have changed since Hippocrates developed his medical theories. In today's world, it's not so simple to adhere to the concept of good clean food and free exercise, as Americans grapple with busy lives, financial strains, unsafe neighborhoods and other issues. But it's a simple solution, nonetheless.
