FOOD AS MEDICINE

What you need to know:

I will:

• be able to explain why certain eating practices are associated with the prevention and management of particular health conditions

• have the ability to plan and prepare a food item or items to meet the nutritional needs of people with a specific illness or disease

• understand how and why herbs/botanicals can be used to treat specific health conditions.

• understand how and why specific diets can be used as treatment for health conditions.

What is the difference between a herb and a spice?

Herbal/Botanical Medicine

• What is a herb?

• A herb is the green leafy portion of a plant i.e. basil, mint

• What is a spice?

• A spice comes from any other part of a plant and is usually in powder form i.e. cinnamon (bark), pepper (fruit)

• Some plants provide both a herb and a spice i.e. cilantro is the herb and coriander seed is the spice from the same plant

• Both spices and herbs can be used medicinally

Herbal Components

• Every plant has many different components

• Each component has a specific action on the body

• Example: rosmarinic acid from rosemary is a Phenylpropanoid and it’s actions are Anti-oxidant, Anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer

Herbal Constituent: the active compounds or chemicals within a plant

Herbal Actions

• Antiemetic: counteracts nausea and relieves nausea• Carminative: expels gas from the intestines• Demulcent: soothes irritated tissue, especially mucous

membranes• Expectorant: promotes the discharge of mucous from

the lungs• Emollient: used externally to soften and smooth the skin• Laxative: promotes bowel activity• Nervine: calming or soothing effects on the nerves• Analgesic: pain diminishing effect• Antipyretic: reduces or prevents fever• Antitussive: relieves coughing• Antimicrobial: When a plant contains specific

compounds that help to kill or arrest the growth of bacteria or viruses

List of a few commonly used herbs/spices

• Ginger

• Mint

• Onion

• Garlic

• Dandelion

• Licorice

• Fennel

• Turmeric

• Cinnamon

Choose two herbs/spices from the list on the previous slide

and explain:• What medicinal action does your herb/spice/food

have? • i.e. antimicrobial, antiemetic etc?

• What conditions would we use this food to treat?

• How would we instruct a person to take this food/medicine? • i.e. a tea, a supplement, in a smoothie, in cooking?

• What dose would we recommend?• i.e. one tea per day, 1 tbsp herb in cooking etc

Physiology Overview

Normal functioning immune system

• Antibodies attach to foreign bacteria/viruses and help the immune system to eliminate

them

Allergies

What are allergies?

• Inappropriate immune system reaction to a normal substance.

• In a classical allergic response, cells and antibodies in your immune system misidentify foods or environmental elements as foreign pathogens.

• Histamine release causing symptoms

Types of Anti-bodies

• IgG antibodies – are part of the immune system that when they are malfunctioning they cause food sensitivities

• IgE antibodies – are part of the immune systems when they are malfunction they cause allergy and anaphylaxis (end result is trouble breathing)

Allergy or Sensitivity

Classic Allergy Sensitivity or Intolerance

Caused by a reaction of the IgE antibody Various causes including deficiency of enzymes, inadequate gut lining defences,

inflammatory response, delayed IgG hypersensitivity

Symptoms appear within ~2 hours of exposure

Reactions can appear up to 72 hours after exposure

Can cause anaphylaxis Will not cause anaphylaxis

Often test positive to skin prick testing Often test positive to IgG antibody testing

Food Allergies/Anaphylactic Allergies

Food allergies tend to be very severe

Most common allergens causing anaphylaxis•Bees/wasps•Peanuts/nuts•Seafood•Latex•Medications

Food Sensitivities

• Often caused by a damaged gut lining

Food Sensitivities

• Bloating• Gas• Skin conditions

• Acne• Eczema

• Headaches• Fatigue• Diarrhea• Constipation

• Muscle or joint pain• Phlegm• Ear infections in children• Increasing number of

sensitivities• Burping• Heartburn• …

Common symptoms

Testing for Food Sensitivities

Pro Con

Very quick Expensive

No planning necessary Controversial evidence

Pros Cons

Inexpensive Difficult to execute

Helps you to understand your body Requires planning

Promotes healthy dietary changes May put restrictions on social life

May result in weight loss Takes about 6 weeks of commitment

Elimination Diet

IgG Blood Test

Group Work• In groups of 2 or 3 explain:

• Definition of the diet:

• What types of conditions does this diet help?

• Rules of the diet: i.e. what should you eat more of, less of, not at all

• Types of Diets – Elimination diet, hypoallergenic diet, Palaeolithic diet, FODMAPS