Health Problems
The concept of using food to treat ill health is thousands of years old. As far back as 400 BC Hippocrates said "Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food" but it is only in recent years that modern science has enabled us to start to discover and understand the thousands of disease-fighting chemicals in our food. It is now recognized that nutrition has a vital role to play in the prevention and treatment of some of the most prevalent diseases in our society.
In the early part of the twentieth century, interest in nutritional science was heightened by the discovery of the first vitamin and its ability to cure a specific disease. Other discoveries followed and common disorders such as scurvy and pellagra were cured by including vitamin rich foods in people's diets.
In the Western world today, severe vitamin and mineral deficiency diseases such as these are rare. In fact, many of the most common diseases in our society are caused by consuming too much of some foods and not enough of others. Diets overloaded with fat, protein, sugar and salt combined with long-term marginal intake of some essential nutrients increase the risk of developing many diseases. Nutrition can also powerfully affect mood, intelligence and mental health.
New scientific discoveries are constantly enhancing our understanding of the role that diet plays in health and disease and there is now good evidence that high intake of certain vitamins and minerals prevents and treats some diseases. However, new findings lead to new questions and it is likely that in the future, nutritional science will expand into areas that can presently only be imagined.
It is important to remember that diet is only one of the factors influencing susceptibility to disease. The information given in this site is not intended to replace appropriate medical investigation and treatment. Foods or supplements should not be substituted for medication without a doctor’s approval. This information is not intended as medical advice and individual questions are best answered by a qualified medical practitioner.
Health problems:
- Acne
- Alzheimer's Disease
- Anemia
- Arthritis- Osteoarthritis
- Arthritis-Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Asthma
- Cancer
- Cardiovascular Disease
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Cataracts
- Cervical Dysplasia
- Dermatitis
- Diabetes
- Eczema
- Fibrocystic Breast Disease
- Headaches
- HIV/AIDS
- Hypertension
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease
- Insomnia
- Kidney Stones
- Macular Degeneration
- Migraines
- Mood Disorders - Depression
- Osteoporosis
- Periodontal Disease
- Premenstrual Syndrome
- Psoriasis
- Skin Disorders
- The Common Cold