In the developed world, Illnesses that threaten health and longevity such as heart disease and cancer have their roots in poor dietary habits. Whereas illness in underdeveloped countries are due to scarcity and the inability to get proper nourishment, in the US, we get sick because we eat to much and we eat foods that are often so refined that they not only lack nutrition, but can strip the body of vitamins and minerals necessary for cellular repair and optimal health. If nourished and cared for properly, our bodies have the ability to ward off and manage disease.
In Chinese Medicine, food is considered medicine and medicine is food. Meaning there is no distinction between the way you eat and they way you care for your body. Think about that for a second. To heal and prevent disease, they look at how they nourish themselves and restore their bodies through proper nutrition.
That is diametrically opposed to how we do things here in the States, where we basically eat what we want and then in turn pump ourselves full of medications and other substances in an effort to restore balance and feel well. Problem is, with our approach, we are not feeling well. We are getting sicker every year, and with it, we are taking more and more medication while our bodies labor under the burden of poor health.
The human body is always striving for health, balance and vitality. This balance is called homeostasis and it is always working towards your survival. Even in a diseased body, this system will borrow what vitamins or minerals are available in the host (your body) to restore balance. Basically it will rob from Peter to pay Paul, eventually creating weakness in other areas. So imagine what would happen in a body where optimal nutrition is achieved, vitamins and minerals are available for the proper functioning of your cardiac system, lymphatic system and liver. Imagine you were eating so well that all your homeostatic system would need to do is pursue greater health. Rather than scavenging for the few nutrients available to keep you alive, it was instead going around and actively promoting health through cellular repair and proper detoxification. This is the potential of a properly nourished body.
Disease is not a by-product of old age or something to be expected due to family genes. It is absolutely something that can be prevented, managed and controlled. Diabetes, cholesterol levels, hypertension, and other cardiac risk factors can be prevented and/or managed using therapeutic nutrition. Cancer has a very hard time finding a home in an optimally nourished body. Therapeutic nutrition has the potential to keep you healthy.
Even those that have been diagnosed with a chronic illness and are already on medication can optimize their sense of wellbeing and overall health, get the most out of their medications and in fact may, in some cases see a reduction in the dose of medication, with the help of therapeutic nutrition. It is an essential ingredient to your health, longevity and quality of life.