Since ancient times, sages and healers have viewed food as one of the most powerful healing tools available. Today, research into the bioactive components of food, especially vegetables and fruits, allows modern nutrition therapists use food to help you heal in increasingly sophisticated ways. Food therapy is not a replacement for conventional medical therapies. See your doctor if you have any questions.
Theory
Good nutrition supports your body's self-repair processes before a problem can begin, according to Sally Cronin, nutritional therapist and author of "Size Matters," writing on her website Just Food for Health. Cronin notes that a good food therapy program focuses on natural, unprocessed food and specific supplements. They are used in concert with other complementary or alternative therapies to bring your digestion, circulation, hormones and immune system into a state of balance.
Traditional Forms
Tradtional forms of food therapy, like Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine, or TCM, focus on the energetic qualities carried by different kinds of food. TCM categorizes food according to a complex system of flavors and qualities, according to Steven K. H. Aung, clinical professor at New York University, and William P. D. Chen, professor of surgery at the University of California, Irvine, authors of "Clinical Introduction to Medical Acupuncture." If you suffer from fever or infection, for example, you might benefit from cooling foods such as watermelon or tofu, while you should probably avoid pepper, ginger and cinnamon, which might make the fever worse.
Modern Features
Modern nutrition research has led to an incredibly sophisticated catalogue of foods according to their macro- and micronutrients. Macronutrients include fat, carbohydrates and proteins. Micronutrients include vitamins, minerals, and organic acids. For example, the humble beet contains betacyanin, an anticancer agent, as well as a type of fiber that might increase your levels of antioxidant enzymes, according to Liliana Stadler Mitrea, naturopathic doctor practicing in Brantford, Ontario, and author of "Food Therapy," a comprehensive guide to the medicinal value of different foods. A naturopath might prescribe beets if you're particularly concerned about cancer prevention, or if you're recovering from cancer.
Holistic Nutrition Counseling
As of 2010, nutrition training programs offer advanced knowledge beyond basic nutrition science and patient counseling, according to the website of The Center for Mind-Body Medicine in Washington, D.C. In addition to advising clients about what to eat, a holistic nutritionist might also teach you how to eat mindfully, how to purchase food that comes from farmers who practice sustainable and organic agriculture, and how to eat for optimal health.
Considerations
Your body is dynamically changing on a constant basis. What works for someone else at a given time might not work for you. Adjust your deitary choices according to the therapeutic needs of the moment. Although raw foodists and traditional Chinese chefs might view Indian food as overcooked, it is just what the doctor ordered if you're having trouble keeping food down or digesting your meals, notes Ingrid Naiman, Ayurveda practitioner in Santa Fe, New Mexico, writing on her website Dosha Balance. Because Indian chefs use a lot of heat and spices in food preparation, the food is predigested, and therefore ideal for those who are suffering from a lack of appetite.
References
- Just Food for Health: What Is Nutritional Therapy
- "Clinical Introduction to Medical Acupuncture"; Steven K. H. Aung and William Pai-Dei Chan; 2007
- "Food Therapy"; Liliana Stadler Mitrea; 2008
- The Center for Mind-Body Medicine: A Look at the Center for Mind-Body Medicine
- Dosha Balance: Digestive Fire
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