Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food.
- Hippocrates (460-377 BC)
You need only to view the movie Super Size Me to understand how foods impact the body. In the movie, the director Morgan Spurlock chronicles the adverse health outcomes he experienced from eating nothing but fast food for several weeks. He not only gained weight, he experienced alarming metabolic changes that put him at risk for heart disease [1], diabetes [2], and hypertension.
Spurlock was eating foods that gave his body the wrong messages. For instance, in just a few weeks, the excessive amounts of saturated and trans-fatty acids in the fast food diet led to inflammation and higher blood cholesterol. In addition, the fast food diet failed to provide the information necessary for normal metabolic function, which also contributed to the health changes.
Morgan Spurlock is an
example of what happens when food is broken down into nutrients, which
then impact the metabolic programming of cells and the homeostasis
(balance) in the body. There is a growing realization that the effects
of nutrition [3] on health and disease cannot be understood without a
profound understanding of how nutrients act at this molecular level (Nature Reviews Genetics, 2003).
This section looks at how food influences the maintenance of health and the prevention, alleviation, or cure of disease. Which, by the way, is the definition of medicine. With knowledge, we can allow food to be our medicine and medicine to be our food, as Hippocrates recommended so long ago.
After a quick consideration of the role of genes, we look at the role of some categories of foods:
One
of the breakthrough concepts from the Human Genome Project is that
"genes in and of themselves do not create disease. Only when they are
plunged into a harmful environment unique to the individual do they
create the outcome of disease." 
An advancing area of study called Nutrigenomics looks at how different foods may interact with specific genes to modify the risk of common chronic diseases such as Type II diabetes [2], obesity, heart disease [1], stroke and certain cancers [8].
Nutrigenomics also seeks to identify the molecules in the diet that affect health by altering the expression of genes. (For example, by triggering the genes that start the onset of Type II diabetes [2].)
For example, one study showed that participants who consumed a diet of whole rye (low-insulin-response) experienced changes in their gene expression that reduced their risk of developing diabetes [2]. Participants who consumed an oat-wheat-potato (high insulin response) diet experienced the opposite-a change in their gene expression that increased their risk.
As an editorial published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2007) noted in response to this study-we are spending millions to find drugs that can impact our production of hormones such as insulin, when there might already be a simple dietary strategy. The editorial concludes, "The results of the present study emphasize the age old wisdom to use food as medicine.
We cannot change our genes, but we can change the environment which impacts how our genes manifest. One important component of this environment is food.
While the health-related benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is known to most, the scientific literature in the last nine to ten years has increasingly pointed out the influence of these food groups on a variety of diseases. For example, several studies, such as one recently published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, show that the higher the consumption of fruit and vegetables, the lower the incidence of cardiovascular disease [1], including stroke.
The following is a list of resources that fruits and vegetables provide to the body:
Vitamins and minerals
(including antioxidants, such as vitamin A, C, E and selium). Vitamins
and minerals are found in all foods, but fruits and vegetables are a
particularly good source for some vitamins and minerals. (See below for
"What vitamins and minerals do.")Apples contain a rich source of a variety of phytonutrients. Epidemiological studies have linked the consumption of apples with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease [1], asthma, diabetes [2], and some cancers [8]. Apples have been found to have very strong anti-oxidant activity, inhibit cancer cell proliferation, and decrease lipid oxidation and lower cholesterol (Nutrition Journal, 2004).
Vitamins and minerals are found in most foods, but fruits and vegetables are particularly good sources of many of these valuable compounds.Vitamins and minerals play a vital role in most metabolic processes. Complex interactions make it essential that the status of all vitamins and minerals be kept at optimal levels. Below are examples of the role vitamins and minerals play in your body:
Vitamin C helps:
Sources of vitamin C: citrus fruits, tomatoes, green leafy vegetables, parsley, cabbage, asparagus, avocados, cantaloupe, currants, mangos, kiwi, papaya, peppers, pineapple, and strawberries.
Vitamin A helps:
Sources of Vitamin A: carrots, apricots, sweet potatoes, yellow squash, pumpkin, watercress, Swiss chard, greens, eggs, fish liver oil, milk, and cheese.
Folic acid, Vitamin B-6 and Vitamin B-12 (three of the B-vitamins) are:
Sources of B-vitamins: meat, fish, chicken, seafood, dark green leafy vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.
For more information, go to the Linus Pauling Institute [9], which gives scientific information regarding the role of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients and phytonutrients.
In addition to vitamins and minerals, plants contain compounds called phytonutrients (sometimes referred to as phytochemicals). Essentially, these compounds are the plants' protection. A plant cannot fight or flee, so it is equipped with "phyto" or plant nutrients that defend against disease, blight, radiation, weather, insects and anything else that may threaten the plant's survival.
When we eat the plants, we not only benefit from the vitamin and mineral content of the plant, but from the protection these phytonutreints provide. Phytonutrients are considered anti-inflammatory and have been shown to possess anti-cancer [8] properties, repair DNA damage, aid detoxification, enhance immunity, and influence insulin glucose balance.
Hundreds of phytonutrients have been discovered thus far. Because fruits and vegetables contain different amounts of these beneficial compounds, it is best to eat a variety of plants. Phytonutreint content is categorized by color (dark green, light green, red, orange, and purple.) If you get at least one from each of these color groups daily, you will not only be getting a variety of beneficial phytonutrients, but meeting the recommended minimum of 5 to 13 servings of fruits or vegetables a day. (Note: while color indicates the predominant phytonutrient content, most fruits and vegetables contain multiple phytonutrients.)
The bottom line is: include from 5 to 13 servings of a variety of fruits and vegetables daily. A serving is one piece of fruit, ½ cup of vegetable, 1 cup of salad greens, or ½ c of juice (choose juices without added sugar or corn syrup).
Return to Categories of Food [10]
Whole
grains have long been recognized as containing beneficial nutrients
vital to a healthy diet. Whole grains include vitamins and minerals,
which are stripped out during food processing and may or may not be
replaced by manufacturers supplementing the final product. Whole grains
also include fiber, which is not replaced when refined, and which offer
many essential benefits. Whole grains provide information and materials
to help the body do the following:
The relationship between changes in intake of dietary fiber and whole grain and changes in weight among middle-aged women was documented in a study published in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2003). Researchers found women who consumed more whole grains consistently weighed less than did women who consumed less whole grains. Women who had the highest intake of dietary fiber had a 49 percent lower risk of weight gain. Unlike the advice to limit carbohydrates by some popular diets, this data indicates the importance of whole grain products to aid weight control.
Results from the Physicians Health Study I published in the Archives of Internal Medicine (2007), showed that whole grain intake (but not refined grain intake) was associated with lower risk for heart failure [1]. While additional studies are warranted to determine specific nutrients responsible for such protection, researchers postulate that is related to the phytonutrients in the whole grain that influences physiological function.
Increase whole grains and limit refined grain products. When choosing grain products, be sure it says "whole grain" on the ingredients list. If it doesn't, it isn't whole grain.
Return to Categories of Food [10]
Meats,
fish, and beans are key sources of protein in our diet. Less is known
about protein and its relationship to health and disease than fats or
carbohydrates. It is known that protein is abundant in the body and
regulates multiple messengers that keep us functioning. Protein
provides the body with amino acids, which we need daily because the
body does not store them. Proteins provide information to help the body
do the following:
Soy has been found to have anti-inflammatory activity in the body. It is believed that part of this activity is due to a component of soy called genistein. A study published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry (2007) looked at genistein (derived from soy) for its potential to reduce pro-inflammatory molecules in human cartilage cells. Results indicated genistein was able to suppress COX2, which are pro-inflammatory molecules, but did not affect COX1, which is necessary for cellular housekeeping functions. In other words, it suppressed the bad messenger molecules, but left the good ones. These findings may impact the use of soy and its relationship to the development and treatment of inflammatory conditions such as osteoarthritis.
Return to Categories of Food [10]
The
prevalence of low-fat diets in our culture leads many of us to assume
that eating any fat is bad, but our bodies require some fat to be
healthy. As scientific and public opinion of fats is slowly shifting,
the emerging consensus is that eating the right kind of fats is
important to health and the prevention of disease. Fats provide
information to help the body do the following:
A study in the Journal of Nutrition (2003) found the type, rather than the amount, of fat consumed to be the most important factor impacting the cholesterol levels of women.
Researchers found total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol were lower and the LDL/HDL ratio more favorable in women who consumed a high poly- and monosaturated fatty acid diet (with olive, canola, and fish oils), as compared to two other diets (a high saturated fat and a low-fat diet). These results indicate that changing the quality of the dietary fatty acids may be more important than restricting the percentage of total or saturated fat energy.
Another study looked at the impact of cod liver oil, which contains omega 3 fatty acids, on people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. People with this chronic autoimmune inflammatory joint disease often use NSAIDS, such as ibuprofen, to reduce inflammation and control pain, but gastrointestinal and cardiovascular side-effects limit their use. A study published in the journal Rheumatology (2008) found that cod-liver oil supplements allowed patients to gradually reduce and in some case stop their NSAID medications because the cod liver oil had anti-inflammatory effects similar to the NSAIDs.
In Eat Drink and be Healthy, Walter Willett discusses issues of contamination in certain fish. He says that farm-raised fish are less likely to be contaminated by mercury and other toxins, but they may not be as high in omega 3 fatty acids, depending on what they have been fed. "If the fish are fed other fish or algae they will have a higher content of omega 3 fatty acids, but if they are fed wheat and corn they won't contain much." Willett recommends monitoring farm fishing by requiring a label that gives omega-3 content of farm-raised fish. To help choose a fish with lower mercury content, go to the US Environmental Protection Agency fish advisory [11].
Enjoy beneficial fats. Get the majority of your fats from plants and fish and minimize saturated animal fats.
Return to Categories of Food [10]
The Linus Pauling Institute [9] website gives scientific information regarding the role of vitamins, mineral, other nutrients and phytonutrients.
Boyer J, Liu RH. (2004). Apple phytochemicals and their health benefits. Nutrition Journal.
Galarraga, B. et al. (2008). Cod liver oil 9n-3fattyacids as a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug sparing agent in rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatology.
Hooshmand, S. et al. (2007). Genistein reduces the production of proinflammtory molecules in human chondrocytes. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistr: 18(9) 609-614.
Liu, S., et al. (2003). Relationship between changes in intakes of dietary fiber and grain products and changes in weight and developments of obesity among middle-aged women. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 78(5), 920-927.
Mueller M, Kersten S. (2003). Nutrigenomics: goals and strategies. Nature Reviews Genetics. 4:315-322.
Muller H, Lindman AS, Brantsaeter AL, Pederson, J. (2003). The serum LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio is influenced more favorably by exchanging saturated with unsaturated fat than by reducing saturated fat in the diet of woman. Journal of Nutrition. 133(1) 78-83.
Padayatty SJ, Levine M. (2008) Fruits and vegetables: think variety, go ahead, eat. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 78 (1): 5-7.
Petteri, K, et al. (2007). "Dietary carbohydrate modification induces alterations in gene expression in abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue in persons with the metabolic syndrome: the FUNGENUT Study." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 85 (5): 1417-1427.
Salsberg SL, Ludwig DS. (2007). Putting your genes on a diet: the molecular effects of carbohydrate. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 85 (5): 1169-1170.
Wang L, et al. (2007) Breakfast cereals and risk of heart failure in the Physicians health Study I. Archives of Internal Medicine, 167 (19) 472-479.
Willett W. (2001) Eat Drink and be Healthy. Simon & Schuster. New York.
Links:
[1] http://takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/conditions/heart-disease
[2] http://takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/conditions/diabetes
[3] http://takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/glossary/3#term29
[4] http://takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/explore-healing-practices/food-medicine/what-do-specific-foods-do#fruits
[5] http://takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/explore-healing-practices/food-medicine/what-do-specific-foods-do#grains
[6] http://takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/explore-healing-practices/food-medicine/what-do-specific-foods-do#protein
[7] http://takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/explore-healing-practices/food-medicine/what-do-specific-foods-do#fats_oils
[8] http://takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/conditions/cancer
[9] http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/
[10] http://takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/explore-healing-practices/food-medicine/what-do-specific-foods-do#categories
[11] http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/fish/advice/
[12] http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/home.shtml
[13] http://takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/our-experts/carolyn-denton-ln
[14] http://takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/our-experts/karen-lawson-md
[15] http://takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/create-healthy-lifestyle/diet-nutrition/how-does-diet-impact-health
[16] http://takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/mediterranean-diet
[17] http://takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/interviews/interview-mimi-guarneri
[18] http://takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/promo-tiles/csh-senior-fellow-joins-blue-zones-team-greece
[19] http://takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/activities/sample-mediterranean-menu
[20] http://takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/activities/how-eat-mindfully
[21] http://takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/activities/healthy-foods-have-hand-quick-easy-meals