“For good health’s sake, run, jump, and shake.” - Unknown

Tuesday. Toys R Us is planning a comeback with 24 new brick-and-mortar stores, plus locations in airports and on cruise ships. Makes sense. What else are you supposed to do on a cruise or while waiting for your once-again-delayed flight? Toys R Us — what a blast from the past. Speaking of blasts from the past, do you remember the saying: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Can food actually serve as medicine? What does the research suggest? Let’s dive in.

Can Food Be Medicine?

“Food as medicine” makes sense. Imagine a world where doctors didn’t just prescribe drugs but also had their patients make dietary and lifestyle changes to treat disease. That’s a no-brainer. We should be doing that now.

However, a recent paper by the American Heart Association argues that we still need further research into “food as medicine” programs. Some experts say that despite the concept intuitively making sense, it is largely underexplored. There just isn’t any significant research investigating the integration of food right into the medical treatment ecosystem.

Okay, but seriously — do we really need more research to understand how beneficial it would be for a doctor to prescribe balanced, high protein, high veggie meals, and regular exercise? Imagine if people would leave the doctor’s office with a basic grocery shopping guide, a rough idea of how much protein and fiber they need each day, and a sample exercise program tailored to their current fitness level. I am not saying that food would replace their diabetes, cholesterol, or blood pressure medication. But just imagine if they left the doctor with their drug prescription AND some actionable tools and resources to change their diet and lifestyle. Imagine if health insurance covered both their medication costs and a weekly stipend for fresh produce at the grocery store as part of their treatment to reverse chronic disease.

Do we really need long-term studies to prove how beneficial that would be?

A “food as medicine” approach could involve produce prescriptions, where physicians don’t just advise but actually prescribe a list of fruits and vegetables for you to consume. According to the American Heart Association, an overwhelming 90% of the $4.3 trillion annual cost of healthcare in the United States is spent on chronic diseases, with unhealthy, processed food intake being a primary risk factor that is making so many Americans sick. Doesn’t it make sense, then, to attack the problem at its source.

Apparently, the approach lacks a solid body of research to back it up. Common sense isn’t enough. Research in this area has been limited, primarily because long-term studies involving food and health outcomes are expensive. And since most of the funding for this type of research comes from special interests that DON’T necessarily want Americans getting off their meds or eating less processed foods, we are left with nothing but common sense to support these “food as medicine” initiatives.

In the United States, 42% of adults live with obesity, an alarming statistic correlating with an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Half a million deaths annually are attributed to poor diet in this country.

For Americans, food has become paradoxically both a luxury and a burden. The cost of diet-related diseases in the country is roughly equal to the amount we spend on food itself — $1.1 trillion. Yet, somehow, nutrition has largely been sidelined in our healthcare system. With “food as medicine” programs like medically tailored meals and produce prescriptions, we finally have a chance to change that dynamic.

Empowering doctors to provide food and lifestyle recommendations instead of just tearing another page off their prescription pad could significantly reduce national healthcare costs while improving public health. Literally everyone wins (except for Big Pharma and Big Food).

The key takeaway? We already know that good food is the cornerstone of good health. Do we need additional research to also know that “food as medicine” is not just a catchphrase, but a reimbursable, scalable intervention that could change the face of healthcare as we know it? Some “experts” seem to think so, but I disagree. I think the only people who want “more research” before we act on this are the special interests with something to lose.

The simple, foundational value of good nutrition has to be a more significant part of modern medicine. It’s the only way to get out of the hole we’ve dug ourselves into.

Tonic Shots

1. The Easiest, High-Protein Snack You Will Find

This chicken salad is packed with protein and flavor! And the kicker? Greek yogurt instead of mayo. You have to give it a try!

2. Easy Protein For The Entire Family

All you need is a slow cooker and you can have protein for the entire family and a couple days of leftovers! Give this slow cooker pot roast recipe a shot!

3. Eggplant Caponata

A delicious way to make eggplant the entire family will love. Enjoy!

Keep Reading

Love The Daily Tonic? Here’s another newsletter you may love too: