Hippocrates got it absolutely correct when he said that “Food is medicine.” It seems that our ideas about food for health have finally made it to the kitchen. As people gain awareness of how important choosing food for health is, the medical profession seems to also be taking notice.
One of the major things that people misunderstand about the medical community is the assumption that your doctor has nutritional knowledge. Most medical doctors, however, take minimal nutrition courses while in pursuit of their degrees.
Medical Schools Are Not Preparing Physicians to Approach Medicine From a Nutritional ‘Food for Health’ standpoint.
Nearly 67% of Americans are either overweight or obese, which causes many diseases that are otherwise easily preventable. But, interestingly enough, only one in eight patient visits with a doctor include any counseling or discussion about nutrition. Upwards of 75% of participating physicians also reported that their med-school training did not equip them to speak with patients about using food for health.
Despite This, People Are Incorporating a ‘Food for Health’ Attitude In Their Home Kitchens.
Some medical schools value nutrition education, knowing that food for health is a holistic way to heal patients. Universities such as the University of North Carolina and the University of Colorado are incorporating some of the most progressive programs in the county on food for health nutritional education. In 2012, Tulane University Medical School launched the first-ever culinary medical program.
Timothy Harlan is a medical doctor and a chef…and manages the Goldring Center for Culinary Medicine at Tulane University. The program offers hands-on culinary training with a food for health focus. A typical day may include biochemistry, physiology, and cooking classes.
It seems the trend is finally catching on in medicine– food is health and food for health is the best first plan of action. Nutrition affects our bodies from top to bottom, and we should treat ourselves with the best, holistic practices available.
