"Eibos Papyrus Roll" is one of the oldest medical literature in the world. It records methods for using plants to treat various diseases and provides more than 800 prescriptions. The "Hippocrates Corpus" that appeared later - compiled by Greek physician Hippocrates , and he is also regarded as the father of modern Western medicine. 40% of therapies in the corpus are related to 44 plants, 34 of which are also consumed as food. Including honey for insomnia and infected wounds, acid slurry used to improve vision and cure toothache, basil that softens the intestines and helps to reduce inflammation, and birth control with gum acacia .
In traditional medicine of China, Mediterranean and Ayurveda , and many other ancient literatures, it mentions how to use food to prolong life. Even today, food and nourishment is still a healthy trend. In some parts of the world, indigenous and tribal members continue to incorporate hundreds of edible plants as medicines into their diets.
However, modern medical systems believe that food plays a relatively small role in treating or preventing diseases. Instead, food is largely seen as the underlying cause of metabolic and cardiovascular disease caused by excessive and poor diet. But more and more people agree that a healthy diet is not only a way to avoid these health problems, it also has the effect of treating diseases.
ebes papyrus roll
How do we improve the diet of people around the world to prevent diseases? Will food be used as a medicine again?
plants themselves have the ability to produce certain compounds. It may be a coincidence that these compounds were first discovered in edible plants and used in the development of new drugs. However, they are widely present in these edible plants, allowing people to easily extract and use it for drug manufacturing. For example, the grassin in barley is used as a local anesthetic, dermatoglycoside in apples is used as a drug for treating diabetes , capsaicin and menthol for pain relief, and shikimate in star anise for cold medicine.
However, scientists are still exploring ways to change the course of disease through food, such as providing tailor-made medical meals for patients with chronic diseases, or prescribing specific food prescriptions for patients with diet-sensitive diseases such as diabetes, obesity or hypertension. This meal distribution method that matches patients' nutritional needs has been proven, reducing the number of patients in half and reducing their overall medical expenses by 16%. Researchers in the United States are experimenting with carefully selecting fresh foods for 2 diabetes and low-income mothers to help improve their health. Many hospital staff, including expert nutritionist , are to improve patients' recovery through better nutrition.
However, the concept of treating food as a medicine may also have a broader impact on human health.
It is estimated that half of the people who die from heart disease, stroke , and diabetes in the United States every year are caused by the 10 types of foods they often eat. Eat too much sodium, processed meat and sugary beverages, and consume too little seeds, nuts, seafood rich in omega-3s, vegetables, fruits and grains.
Historically, in most developed countries, health advice has focused on “bad” foods and restricted the intake of potentially harmful ingredients such as sugar and salt. But even in wealthy countries, most people don’t eat foods that can keep them healthy. Advocates of
diet therapy believe that a healthy diet can eliminate or slow down some chronic diseases while greatly reducing medical expenses. However, the hospital's existing related diet therapy programs focus only on relatively small populations and do not last long.In the United States, patients with heart failure may receive a six-week medically tailored meal, or children who need weight management will receive a voucher for fruits and vegetables that last three months. However, the benefits of dietary interventions can take years or decades to achieve, meaning patients must continue to change their lifestyle.
If we can provide a healthier diet for a child throughout his childhood, there will be huge benefits in the long term in the future. For example, diabetes may be avoided after 30 years, or the onset of obesity will be delayed by a decade.
Healthy foods are usually expensive, meaning only those with the ability and privilege can get them. The challenge is how to make healthier foods available to those who are less wealthy. “I think a diverse diet is the ultimate solution,” said World Food Award winner and founder of HarvestPlus. “But, it will take decades to start with dietary diversity, as people’s income must first be increased so they can afford a diverse diet.”
In Africa, many of the cereals and rhizome vegetables that make up staples are lacking in important vitamins and minerals. Currently, an estimated 19% of the population in Africa is undernourished. For example, in East African , 35% of women of childbearing age suffer from anemia, and iron deficiency in food is the main cause. Iron deficiency is even more serious in children.
Adding vitamins or minerals to foods such as milk or cereals is a common practice. However, the cost is relatively high and it exceeds the ability of those who need it the most. To strengthen crops using biofortification methods can make them contain higher amounts of vitamin A, iron or zinc.
The global nutrition crisis caused by poverty, inequality and the industrialization of our food will last for several generations. According to WHO data, in 2020, 22% of children under the age of five were hindered in development, 6.7% (45.4 million) were underweight, and 5.7% (38.9 million) were overweight.
Malnutrition affects the well-being and social participation of the entire generation, puts huge pressure on the healthcare system and increases the incidence of obesity, cancer and heart disease. But this is not an irreversible trend.
Nutritionists, scientists and innovators around the world are rethinking how we handle food. Whether it is plant breeding, genetic engineering , conveying the message of multiple diets to the public, or using food as a prevention tool for potential diseases, are being carried out step by step.
Some of these may just be the beginning, but it is obvious that food has great potential to drive our happiness and well-being.
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