We need our clinicians to buy in to the concept that thy food is thy medicine, and thy medicine is thy food. Instead of arguing over what Hippocrates meant by this, exactly or whether he even said it why not encourage his medical descendants to take up this mantle?

Arguably, most doctors are more equipped to write a prescription or make a referral than to discuss nutrition and lifestyle interventions. Without question, pharmaceuticals have their place, but so does food as medicine, and our brilliant doctors in whom we trust must take greater steps towards preventative care and lifestyle interventions that will address the growing burden of type 2 diabetes, obesity and malnutrition in this country.

An estimated 60 per cent of adults and one in four children in Ireland are either overweight or obese. The direct and indirect costs to the exchequer which are associated with obesity are estimated to exceed 1 billion per annum.

The Healthy Ireland Framework 2013-2025 states that the health and wellbeing of everyone living in Ireland . . . is the most valuable asset that we possess as a nation. The report goes further to say that health in Ireland will be unsustainable in the future due to lifestyle diseases and ageing populations. It makes a strong argument for greater emphasis on illness prevention.

Therefore, I ask our politicians, the HSE and the Department of Health: if our health and wellbeing is such a prized asset, why isnt more being done to protect it?

Both hospitals and the food service sector are considered key areas for public policy interventions in this regard. Yet many doctors have no nutrition training. In the US, this has resulted in changes to curriculums whereby culinary medicine is being incorporated into doctor training in Harvard and Tulane universities, and even in some US hospitals. Nutrition knowledge and cookery education, like prescribed exercise, should become another tool in a clinicians toolkit. Ironically, the one place that we go to to get help when chronically unwell is a hospital. Yet doctors working there are ill-equipped to intervene or even get involved in this critical area.

In the UK, 50 million has been spent on failed bids to improve hospital food. Reports suggest 17 separate government initiatives since 2000 have resulted in no discernible improvement in the quality of meals served to patients. Albert Roux, James Martin and Loyd Grossman have all tried. Prue Leith has now taken up the baton.

But remaking hospital menus isnt easy.

Hospitals have to operate on strict budgets and food supply is frequently outsourced to companies that specialise in high volumes of food at a low cost often resulting in packaged and processed foods. Research shows us that 30-40 per cent of hospitalised patients are considered to be at risk of malnutrition. However, hospitals are a place where nutritionism rules.

Nutritionism is a term coined by the Australian sociologist Gyorgy Scrinis, and popularised by food writer Michael Pollan. It means reducing the value of a food to specific nutrients it contains. Its a little like the food pyramid which forms the basis of diet recommendations in Ireland.

A cereal advertisement I viewed recently is a perfect illustration of how nutritionism works. It talks about superfoods (health halo, anyone?) and we KNOW superfoods are healthy, right? By eating these cereal products, we get more zinc, more fibre and folic acid than . . . what? Not eating these processed cereals?

So how do we get zinc, iron, vitamin C, B6, fibre and folic acid if we dont eat the cereal?

Well, for starters we could eat meat, shellfish, legumes, nuts, dairy and eggs and even some dark chocolate for the zinc and iron. But the ad implies that eating more chocolatey cereal will serve you better than half a cup of black beans. As Marion Nestle, professor of nutrition at NYU, points out, such ads are not saying whether the iron from the fortified cereal is going to be absorbed as well as from the black beans, or what additional benefits youll get from eating the black beans and how much sugar is in the cereal versus the black beans. (For the record, 78 per cent of the cereal will turn to glucose once you eat it).

What we eat is central to human health, enabling the cells in our bodies to perform their functions via the nutrients, vitamins and energy consumed, but food also goes beyond calories and macronutrients. Anthropologists often declare You are what you eat, and certainly, by examining a persons diet, much can be gleaned about their background, financial status, religious beliefs and education level.

Since the 1970s, nutrition and public health experts have translated reductive principles Eat less fat! Eat less salt! Avoid processed foods! into dietary guidelines for the general public, telling us what to eat more of (fibre, vitamins, calcium, iron, Omega 3s, for example) and to avoid foods considered bad for health, such as saturated fats and refined foods high in sugar, salt and fat. Arguably, this abstract dietary advice is an oversimplification of something much more nuanced and complex. There are so many reasons as to why we eat the food that we do: for pleasure, convenience, and the cost of food, or due to food knowledge and our culture. Therefore, thinking about food in terms of calories-in and calories-out is reductive a mechanical approach [that] plays right into the hands of the food industry, as food writer Joanna Blythman says in her book What to Eat.

Food in hospitals is a budgetary nuisance. Improving the quality of hospital food service is complicated it has to deal with procurement, production, distribution/service, and safety/sanitation all of which are interrelated. Therefore, quality improvement strategies should be developed from a holistic point of view with engineering expertise: food service professionals in hospitals need to continuously research, plan and manage production processes to improve quality of products and efficiency of processes.

More chefs must be trained in culinary nutrition (thankfully happening out in IT Tallaght) and empowered as valued team members in hospital food service quality management who can communicate with patients.

If we could radically improve the food environment within hospitals, what impact would that have on both staff and patients?

Hospital food is often hardly recognisable as nourishing food, but rather as a source of safe calories. Food safety dominates our food production and is prioritised at all costs often at the expense of pleasure, culture and consumption. In addition, patients face a myriad of problems: inappropriate eating positions, food left out of reach, sounds, smells and cold temperatures that negatively affect food intake. Research shows that energy intake is improved among patients eating at a table rather than in bed ideally patients should eat communally unless they are completely bed-ridden, which would inevitably help with access, palatability and food waste. All of these principles should form part of a culinary medicine philosophy.

We should take the ounce of prevention approach. I think we can all agree that the rising cost of healthcare is unsustainable and that the economic burden of diet-related noncommunicable health risks and diseases is growing. Yet, while there is an obvious lack of healthy food procurement and promotion policies in institutions, worksites, schools and Government, it seems blindingly obvious to many of us that prevention is better than cure. For manypatients, nutritious food is medicine.

But what about detractors who say food is not medicine? That it doesnt matter if you get the iron and folate from cereals or whole foods whats important is just to get the nutrients. And this is where the arguments start to fall down: we know that iron is a mineral that serves several important functions such as carrying oxygen throughout your body and making red blood cells. However, although synthetic nutrients are almost chemically identical to those found in whole foods, the production process is very different to the ones found naturally in plants and animals. So despite the similar structures, your body may react differently to synthetic nutrients, especially when it comes to absorption.

When you eat whole foods, youre not consuming single synthetic nutrients, but rather a whole range of vitamins, minerals and enzymes that work synergistically to improve absorption: synthetic nutrients are unlikely to be used by the body in the same way. Take vitamin E, for example: studies show that natural vitamin E is absorbed twice as efficiently as synthetic vitamin E.

If clinicians better understood food and its importance to health and wellbeing, and made that understanding available to patients, families and healthcare systems for high-impact, low-cost, high-value care, then what effect would that have on the health of our nation?

And before you think I am suggesting that chewing parsley could replace a surgery, consider the following: is it wrong to think of food as medicine? Does it do a disservice to both food and medicine? Possibly because in reality, food is so much more than medicine: its social, its cultural and its a huge part of our lives. It is not just fuel and it is much more than nutrients but overemphasising the immediate impact of eating a superfood whilst ignoring long-term eating habits misses the mark. Eating junk food occasionally is very different to the impact on health when repeated regularly and combined with other unhealthy lifestyle habits (lack of sleep, insufficient exercise, smoking, drinking, stress).

Food is a significant human exposure and those of us fortunate enough to have food to eat every day can use it to impact our general health and wellness, including the prevention (or promotion) of chronic illness, and the management of virtually all diseases.

Food can definitely be medicine.

Too frequently though, the power of healthful eating is underrecognised or underapplied. Guidance related to food is not often part of a physicians armamentarium. This needs to change.

We need food education for our children and the best food environments for our hospitals.

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Is it wrong to think of food as medicine? - The Irish Times

AMD is a disease that can occur in phases, and it is often not until late AMD that vision loss becomes explicitly noticeable. For this reason, people will often live with earlier stages of the disease without knowing for some time.

According to the researchers, not all cases progress to late AMD. While early AMD is not necessarily noticeable in vision loss, it can be detected during eye examsall the more reason to make sure you schedule one annually.

"From a public health standpoint, we can tell people that if you have early AMD, it is likely in your best interest to limit your intake of processed meat, fried food, refined grains and high-fat dairy to preserve your vision over time."

If early AMD is detected during an eye exam, the findings of this study suggest that removing (or at least decreasing your consumption of) these foods could help slow or prevent disease progression.

Further explorations into the impact of overall diet as opposed to individual nutrients will potentially provide more context for preserving eye health. If you feel yours is beginning to wane, check out these natural remedies that may help.

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The Connection Between Diet & Vision Loss You Need To Know About - mindbodygreen.com

It's that time of year again. Whether you're planning a New Years trip to the beach, contemplating this year's resolutions, or still recovering from Thanksgiving leftovers, you might be contemplating a long list of diet options.

Though research on dieting seems to converge on the advice to exercise and eat high-quality foods in predictable, moderate portionsAmerican consumers have a long and complicated history with dieting and its latest trends.

According to Google Trends, the five most-searched and potentially most popular diets in 2019 were: "intermittent fasting," "Dr. Sebi," "Noom," "1,200 calories" and "GOLO." Here's what they're all about and whether they're any good.

Intermittent fasting diet

Intermittent fasting (IF) is the practice of confining meals to certain timeframes. Common methods involve fasting for 16 hours once per day or 24 hours twice per week, but less restrictive windowslike keeping meals between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.have also been associated with decreased appetite and blood pressure, according to Harvard Health Publishing.

Abstaining from food and snacks for longer periods of time allows insulin levels to go down, prompting fat cells to release their stored sugar for energy that, when not used, translates to fat.

Dr. Sebi diet

A vegan regimen, the Dr. Sebi diet asks participants to stick to a shortlist of vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts, seeds, oils, herbs and supplements, according to Healthline. These dieters are also supposed to drink a gallon of water each day and avoid alcohol, wheat products and microwaves.

According to the late Alfredo Bowman (also known as "Dr. Sebi"), the approach rids the body of toxic waste and strengthens it against disease, but these claims have been widely discredited.

Noom diet

The Noom approach is supposed to end "yo-yo," or inconsistent, dieting through changing food behaviors and impulses, according to its website. It relies on a mobile application that assigns users to a "coach" and holds them accountable to "red" and "yellow" foods, which are not dense in nutrients despite their calorie countas opposed to "green" foods, which are.

The membership will run users about $50 per month, but almost 80 percent of 35,921 Noom participants surveyed lost weight in one study published in Nature.com's Scientific Reports.

1,200 calories diet

This a restrictive diet that limits people's daily intake to 1,200 calories. Larger people, men, active individuals, breastfeeding or pregnant women, and those with certain medical conditions in particular need more than this amount, according to Medical News Today.

While some research suggests that lower-calorie diets can provide health benefits and weight lossthe body can't store as fat what it doesn't consumeother research shows that metabolic rates can slow when people eat less over time, thus making weight loss more difficult in the long run.

GOLO diet

GOLO takes a somewhat anti-diet approach to dieting, according to its website. Instead of restricting calories, this diet encourages the consumption of low-glycemic foods that supposedly increase users' metabolic rate. It also promotes a supplement made from plant extracts that help regulate blood sugar levels and cravings.

Metabolism, the internal process by which bodies burn calories for energy, is largely determined by a person's genes, according to countless studies on the subject. That said, a combination of high-intensity interval training, protein and weight training can manipulate metabolism to a degree, according to Harvard Health Publishing.

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The 5 Most-Searched Diets of 2019 - Newsweek

We need to learn a new language, said Kevin Camphuis, co-founder of Paris-based business accelerator Shakeup Factory.

Food choices, he explained, were once split between a Latin diet (characterised by an attitude of food meaning pleasure, taste and a social occasion) and the Anglo-Saxon diet (based on the philosophy that food equalled fuel and functionality).

However, there is a new culture of food which is more flexitarian and vegetarian, he said. The values the new generations have towards food is completely different to past generations. These eaters have a fast and casual approach to food, noted Camphuis. They seek food on demand that has health benefits. They are interested in plant-based foods, sustainability and novel ingredients.

"We've been growing, transforming, packaging, selling and eating the same food the same way for 60 years, said Camphuis. And it's over now. There's a new vocabulary that we have to learn that is very different from the previous one.

Whereas consumers traditionally sought two-to-three meals a day and made decisions based on trust, price and functionality, younger eaters demand as much as five-to-seven foods a day and value variety and immediacy.

Rick Miller from market research company Mintel agreed."The generation born after 1995 are questioning more and are less trustworthy of the bigger brands. That mean that smaller artisan brands seem to do better as they're leaner and they can change their business models to reflect consumers growing needs. What sits well with these consumers, he said, are brands that tell a story not just in terms of their product, but what they stand for as a company".

Miller cited the brand Tribe, which makes cereal bars aimed at runners, as an example of a company successfully 'telling a story' to connect with these consumers.

"Their whole business model and premise is based around fuelling from a clean and natural point of view but is also centred around ending modern slavery: its a powerful message and also niche. They're not talking about climate change or their carbon footprint: they're talking about this in particular and they've built and entire community around that."

The younger generation wants to know that brands care, and what they stand for, he continued. "It's not good enough now just to say 'we produce the best boiled sweets on the planet.'"

They also want snacks. "The snackifaction of our culture continues to escalate which may or may not be a good thing for the obesity crisis, noted Miller. We're also getting sportification and the merging of different sectors that were once very distinct. For example a few years ago you never would have seen an average consumer having creatine or Beta-Alanine or even protein supplements. Now you can go into any supermarket and buy a protein dink or a soft drink with cognitive enhancing ingredients, Nootropics and botanicals. The consumer wants more functionality, they want a merging of sectors together.

Interestingly, not all these food trends are being led by younger people. Populations are, after all, ageing dramatically in most developed countries. "We're living longer, but we're spending less years of our lives in good health," said Miller.

As such, consumers will increasingly demand food and beverage innovations offering solutions in areas such as mental alertness, physical resilience and skin reticence.

Meanwhile, Miller presented the tantalising question of what happens when two trends ageing populations and young people and the sustainability agenda meet? "The NHS [the UKs free healthcare system] produces nearly 6% of the UK's greenhouse emissions and wastes 100,000 meals a day in hospitals. Are we going to see the rise of the sustainable patient eventually?

Andres Montefeltro, CEO of Spain-based cultured meat company Cubiq Foods, added: "I think the opportunity here is that they need us to generate a new type of food. We used to say that processed food is bad. And now processed food can become more nutritional, and healthier than natural ones.

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Flexitarianism may save the planet -- but it's killed the traditional European diet - FoodNavigator.com

Include these 10 foods in your winter diet to keep your body healthy and warm  |  Photo Credit: Getty Images

New Delhi: Winters are here and thus dragging yourself out of the warmth of bed becomes the first challenge in the morning. Although it is the season when there is no harm in being a little more indulgent, the key to enjoying winter lies in a healthy diet, daily exercise and proper sleep. Remember that the immune system is our biggest defence, and keeping it strong is only possible when you eat a healthy diet.

Below are some healthy food items that must be a part of your diet plan during the winter season.

Dates are like capsules of nutrients and are beneficial for people who like to keep themselves fit. Low-fat content in dates keep your weight in check and at the same time, supplies your body with essential nutrients. Regular intake keeps your body warm which makes them the best option to say good morning to winters.

Rich in fat, protein and fibre, these human-friendly seeds are one of the best sources for Iron forour body. This gluten-free pseudo-grain is highly nutritious with a high content of phosphorus, the regular consumption of which rewards you with strong bones and thus keeps lethargy miles away from you.

Power-packed with tons of nutrients in a low-calorie package, dark leafy greens like spinach, collards, mustard greens and escarole spread their roots as well as leaves in the winter season when many other vegetables become a rarity. Rich in vitamins A, C, K and various other nutrients, these leaves not only enhance your bone health but also become a solution to your rough skin and hair problems commonly faced in the winter season.

Highly revered among the clan of dry fruits, almonds and walnuts not only keep your body warm but also ensure an active nervous system, a healthy heart and improved sensitivity to insulin. With their unique taste and crunchiness, they can reward you with many pleasant wintery days and evenings.

Who doesn't love these blessings from animal farms! Fishes and eggs, while being rich in protein and carbohydrates, are rich sources of Vitamin B12 which is essential for ensuring a healthy immune system. They also help in reducing fatigue and stress thus ensuring your physical as well as mental well-being.

Citrus Fruits are juiciest in winters and a single intake is capable of taking care of day-long Vitamin C requirement by a human body. Rich in flavonoids, they are best for maintaining a healthy proportion of Cholesterol in our body. One can have a good Vitamin D enriching sunbath and supply themselves with delicious Vitamin C at the same time, biting on these citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, grapes etc.

Porridge serves as a complete breakfast and with a slow release of energy keeps your body energised till lunch. One can add nuts and dry fruits to make them more delicious as well as healthy.

Turnips not only bless your cardiovascular system but also strengthen your bones as well as digestion with its rich fibre content. Winters these years come infected with a high quantity of pollutants in the air resulting in smog. Rich with starch, turnips act as excellent antioxidants and also help in minimizing the risks of cancer.

Sweet potatoes are a rich source of fibre, Vitamin A and potassium. Low on calorie and high on nutrients, they are beneficial for your stomach. Sweet potatoes help in curing constipation, improving digestion and reducing inflammation.

Ragi is super rich in calcium. While non-vegetarians have a plethora of options for their calcium intake, ragi comes for the rescue of vegetarians. A must-have for diabetes and anaemia patient, ragi also helps in battling conditions like anxiety, depression and insomnia.

Besides, one should also consume enough fluids (30ml of fluids per kg of body weight) for healthy functioning of the body. Remember there is no substitute for healthy eating. Incorporate these food items in your diet chart today and enjoy winters to the fullest

(Disclaimer: The author, Dr(Col) Manjinder Sandhu, Director- Cardiology & Artemis Cardiac Care, is a guest contributor. Views expressed are personal)

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Include these 10 foods in your winter diet to keep your body healthy and warm - Times Now

The age-old secret to a longer life really comes down to a healthy lifestyle including regular exercise, limiting alcohol intake, not smoking and eating a healthy balanced diet. Good nutrition is key to leading a healthy lifestyle. The foods a person eats gives the body information and materials they need to function properly. If a person eats too much food, or food that gives the body the wrong instructions, their risk of potentially life-threatening diseases increases and lifespan shortens. What is the best diet to help a person live a long, healthy life and reduce their risk of deadly diseases?

A study has been published in the JAMA Internal Medicine Journal and reignites debate around increasingly popular vegan diets amid conflicting medical advice and evidence over the impact of ones health.

The study found every three percent in calories form plant protein was found to reduce risk of death by 10 percent.

The figure rises to 12 percent for risk of dying from heart disease. By contrast, raising the share of animal protein in ones diet by 10 percent led to a two percent higher risk of death from all causes.

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Experts recommend eating more plant-based foods, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Lean protein and low-fat dairy products are also recommended.

Numerous research suggests eating at least seven portions of fresh fruits and vegetables per day may lower the risk of dying from cancer by up to 15 percent.

Dr Mingyang Song said: Overall, studies have supported the importance of the sources of dietary protein for long-term health outcomes.

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How to live longer: The diet proven to help you stave off cancer and boost life expectancy - Express