” May the food be the medicine, and the medicine be the food “

This old phrase written by Hippocrates, father of modern medicine was left aside here in the West for a long time. Fortunately things are changing and more and more we are discovering the true potential of food for our health.

The therapeutic properties of food have always been very controversial. Since 2004, with the end of the Human Genome Project and the decoding of our DNA, many things have started to become clear in this field. Although we have a considerably small number of genes (25,000 in each cell) compared to other species, scientists have recently discovered ways to control this modest number that we have, which they called epigenetics. This science explains how we can change the activity of genes without changing the genetic sequence.

One of the ways we can influence genes without changing their basic structure is through the foods we eat. The impact of nutrition on our genes is called nutrigenomics. We can say that our genes carry the gun and our lifestyle pulls the trigger. Food talks to our genes and sends messages of health and illness.

Let's look at it a different way: Our fork is so powerful that it can not only transport food to our mouth, it can also be used as a genetic on/off switch to change our weight, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, cancer growth, and even our chances of healthy aging.

Until now, most studies in nutrigenomics have been carried out with a plant-based, ie, vegan, and low-fat diet, the so-called Ornish diet. The results of these studies are really amazing:

1. A plant-based diet can turn off prostate cancer genes.

2. A plant-based diet slows aging.²

3. A plant-based diet improves inflammation, weight and vascular health.³

When Hippocrates wrote 2,400 years ago “May Food Be the Medicine,” I imagine he had no idea that scientific experiments would one day prove his ideas. Food is not just a source of calories containing proteins, carbohydrates and fats, it is much more than that. It is a great source of phytonutrients, chemical molecules from plants that are not proteins, carbohydrates, or any other macro or micronutrient, and that interact with their biology. Food is information.

“You are what you eat” such an old popular saying has never made more sense. So be aware that the foods you are eating are of good quality, organic, fresh and natural, as they will become your cells, your skin, your hair, you.

How are you controlling your genes? Are your foods sending good or bad messages?

Your health is in your hands and you have the power to control it.

I hope this post helps you make good decisions about your health!

Did you like it? Share!!

1- D. Ornish, MJ Magbanua, et al. Changes in prostate gene expression in men in an intensive nutrition and lifestyle intervention. Proc Natl Acad Sci US A. 2008 Jun 17;105(24):8369-74. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0803080105. Epub 2008 Jun 16.

2- D. Ornish, J. Lin, et al. Effect of comprehensive lifestyle changes on telomerase activity and telomere length in men with biopsy-proven low-risk prostate cancer: 5-year follow-up of a descriptive pilot study. The Lancet Oncology. 2013 Oct;14(11):1112-20. doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(13)70366-8. Epub 2013 Sep 17.

3- DL Ellsworth, DT Croft, et al. Intensive cardiovascular risk reduction induces sustainable changes in expression of genes and pathways important to vascular function. Circulation. Cardiovascular Genetics. 2014 Apr;7(2):151-60. doi: 10.1161/CIRCGENETICS.113.000121. Epub 2014 Feb 21.