The idea of food being medicine was an idea supposedly proffered by Hippocrates, a chap who lived around 400BC. And while I love me some ancient wisdom, and do agree with part of the sentiment behind this quote, it’s become one of those token mantras of the ‘health’ food industry and, in some instances, has been misappropriated as a slogan and used simply to make them dollar.  

Food certainly has a role in treating and preventing disease, but food and health is so much more than simply choosing what we put on our plate. Food, for example, has a significant social aspect. It is culture, community and comfort. It is enjoyment. It is also deeply psychological and therefore cannot be removed from the behavioural and physiological elements that lead to, or at the very least compound, the way our diet looks.  

And while I agree that eating healthy foods is important, this type of language around it moralises food and incites shame and blame for making the ‘wrong’ food choices. It also undermines the bio-individuality of each and every one of us and how this manifests in what we can or cannot eat. But more than that, the less we enjoy our food, the less we are satiated. 

The language of shame, restriction and guilt

 Generally, the language around food and diets is beyond unhelpful. Despite the significant amount of information on food out there and despite the significant number of ‘diets’ that claim to help you become healthier or lose weight (by no means synonymous concepts, by the way), we know that there has been a significant increase in disordered eating and eating disorders. This includes a scarily steep climb in obesity and the health concerns that can come with this. 

 So why are these unhelpful conversations ongoing in the face of expanding (pun intended) evidence that they are unhelpful? Why is the language around food constantly turning on restriction and shame? And this happens everywhere: on social media, at the doctor’s office, between friends, at gyms, on social media (yup, said it twice for emphasis) and many other areas. Unless you have a good understanding of these matters and/or are confident enough to tell such things to bugger off, you will likely be extremely malleable to this language. I certainly was.

Restriction and shame are the antithesis of being able to make changes and find what health looks like for you. Additionally, restriction can be jarring to the nervous system (the saying ‘I didn’t know I wanted it until I couldn’t have it’ is true for a reason). In fact, science shows that feelings of shame impact the autonomic nervous system (ANS) by activating the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). This means that, when we feel shame, our body is flung into its fight, flight or freeze response. Shame around food, lifestyle and anything else, therefore, incites feelings of fear in the body, massively impacting the way we think, the choices we make and the way we behave; shame literally impacts the information shared between the body and the brain in a very visceral way. Utterly unhelpful for those trying to change their behaviour and habits. (More on the science of shame in a later blog.)

Anything that incites shame is, therefore, likely to have an extremely negative impact on our health, particularly our mental health, given the impact on some neurotransmitters. Ironic considering the claim that food is medicinal.

How to make the changes you want to see

 It is important, and can be helpful, to pay attention to the way certain foods make you feel and the psychological link between your food choices (particularly cravings). But this approach is completely removed from the claims that there are distinct categories of good or bad food. 

 Any consequent changes to your diet are better coming from a perspective of what can be added into your diet, rather than what needs to be taken away, burnt at the stake and sent to hell for all it stands for. 

How can you add more colour? How can you add more fat? How can you add more protein? Can you drink more water? Pick one thing at a time to add and go from there.

If you’ve selected a gorgeously glutenous pizza for dinner, think about perhaps adding a side salad to it, or some spinach on the top, for example. Things can always be added to improve the nutritional value of meals and you may find that adding more fruits and veggies to your normal and favourite meals helps you to stay more satiated and generally more well. Adding, not removing, is far more helpful.

To conclude, food isn’t the only thing that helps prevent or treat chronic illness. Wellness can be found in our choices around career, friendships, relationships, family, money, community, culture, movement and so much more. More importantly, wellness is happiness and I certainly have never been happy righteously breaking each and every ingredient of my meals down into the good, the bad and the ugly. 

Hippocrates also thought that it was imbalances that let to illness and disease, so finding a balanced mindset when it comes to food and wellbeing is the real medicine. Do whatever makes you happy, and makes you feel well. Basque in your bio-individuality and freedom of choice when it comes to food. And stop listening to those who make you feel guilty or shameful for these choices. 

I think the saying should be: ‘joy and happiness are medicine.’