“Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food.”

“Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food.”

Hippocrates, Ancient Greek physician and philosopher

Image from Unsplash by Annemarie Grudën

Hippocrates believed in using diet as a primary tool for health care.

This concept suggest that a well-balanced, nutrient-rich diet can act as preventive and therapeutic medicine, supporting both physical and mental health.

The idea underscores the importance of food in holistic healthcare promoting well-being and reducing the risk of disease.

Foods that can act as medicine include:

  • Berries are rich in antioxidants. They help protect against cell damage and disease.
  • Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and kale contain antioxidants that may reduce heart disease risk.
  • Fatty fish like salmon and sardines have omega-3 fatty acids that fight inflammation and protect against heart disease.
  • Nuts provide healthy fats, fiber, and vitamins, which can lower cholesterol and blood pressure.
  • Fermented foods including yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut and kimchi contain probiotics that support gut health.

EXERCISE:

How can and will you make healthier eating a more intentional habit in this new year?

Take the time to do some research and go on a food safari to your local grocery store to find some new and better choices that can make your effort a tasty one!

“Eat food, not too much, mostly plants.”

“Eat food, not too much, mostly plants.”

Michael Pollan

Image from Unsplash by Diana Polekhina

Did you do it again this year? Have you announced to the world or perhaps just spoken quietly to yourself that this is the year you will definitely lose weight and get in better shape? Physical distancing and working from home these past two years have made this goal extra challenging.

The quote above sounds so simple but as we all know it is far from easy. Countless external and internal factors can cause us to slip, slide, and fall off our health habits around mid-February only to promise ourselves to give it another go tomorrow, next week, after a vacation we deserve, or next January.

EXERCISE:

Check out Ju Young Kim’s impressive article entitled Optimal Diet Strategies for weight loss and weight lost maintenance. I will be happy to send you a copy if you email me at barry@dempcoaching.com. If time is limited, just post today’s quote on your fridge.