The idea of food as a cure is more than 2000 years old. Centuries ago it was Hippocrates, the Greek philosopher and healer who introduced the idea that lifestyle could affect health. He said … let food be thy medicine and medicine thy food.
In the Indian context, ancient texts like Charaka, Sushrutha and Vaghbhata recorded ideas about the preventive and curative aspects of foods and illness, as they existed about the start of the Christian era. The Charaka Samhita deals with therapeutics, Sushruta Samhita with surgical aspects and the Vaghabata is a compendium of science. The latter was an Ayurvedic text, particularly good on food injunctions related to seasonal afflictions. Another source is Jivika, that emphasises on healing as a compassionate science, as taught in Buddhism. There is also reference to the Bower manuscript of the 20th century that deals with snake bite and the medicinal value of garlic.
It was believed that illnesses arose primarily because of disharmony within the body and nature’s cosmic forces, good health representing a balance between them. Foods and diets were thus considered important as medication in maintaining the body and its functions. Some medicines were simply regular mixtures of raw or cooked foods and or herbal-spice mixtures. These were handmade into decoctions, lotions, balls or pills as required, and administered for relief of various symptoms of illness.
I remember my grandmother using the ash from the cooking fire, mixing with certain salts and spices, straining it through fine muslin, dipping her forefinger into the mixture, asking me to put out the tongue, and applying it to a sore throat for relief. It worked every time like magic, and spread like wild fire to become common practice.
Over the years ancient sciences of healing have got lost or eclipsed, nature-cures having been overtaken by manufactured modern allopathic medicines. Doctors now, rarely prescribe eating particular foods as potential solutions to health problems. They have even forgotten the oath suggested by Hippocrates for medical practitioners, that set their responsibilities towards healing of patients. With privatisation, what is followed today is money makes the mayor go, leaving common citizens in the lurch, to fend for themselves through loans or insurance covers in anticipation of falling sick.
Traditionally, prevention and cure of illness was based on the healing touch of physicians, who diagnosed problems by using their senses of touch or feel, appearance of the patient, body language, voice quality, facial expression and so on. The healer showed empathy, spent time with those in pain, fatigued or ill, and a welcoming smile that cured half the problem. A simple powder, carminative, cough mixture or a lotion, advice to rest, eat and drink at intervals helped to cure. There were fewer hospitals, more cohesion in societies and traditional knowledge passed on, as to what foods to take or avoid. The strength was ‘faith’ in elders or healers who took charge of curing, through love and care, periodically enquiring about the patient to assess their health status. In the words of Dr. APJ Kalam :
Smile is the electricity, Life is the battery. Whenever you smile the battery gets charged and a beautiful day is activated.
Today, there is greater emphasis on ‘tests’ as a means of diagnosing illnesses, food research for identifying natural compounds present in it for manufacturing capsules, tablets or vaccines for cures. Besides nutrients, researchers and scientists continue to discover more about the components in different foods that offer healing powers for various illnesses.
It is however, heartening to see a combination of traditional and modern practices being now encouraged through the revamping of the syllabi for medical education, in an effort to educate students in a practical manner. Meaningful placements of interns in all areas of the country, from grassroots to the cities for public and private practice, added to provide experience in both traditional and modern healing. The effort is to prevent rather than only cure diseases, the mainstay of modern allopathic medicine that has more side effects on the body.
Combined research is now being encouraged so that traditional treatments can go through the same research processes as modern research, to establish and publish results rather than stick to word of mouth or experiential practice alone. The real value lies in using all information in a practical way to maintain or improve health and wellbeing, using foods and nutrition as a tool for healing through nature’s bounty. An understanding of foods acting as medicine are illustrated through a few examples of some common illnesses.
Urinary tract Infection (UTI) - Infection of any part of the tract may spread through the urinary system of the body, and if not addressed early may lead to kidney damage. These infections are commonly due to microbes like Escherichia coli, and Streptococcus faecalis from the perineum. Mixed infections through urinary catheters in patients are seen, and sometimes inflammation can occur following radiotherapy, even in the absence of microorganisms.
The most common predisposing cause of UTI’s is coliform microbes more common in women than men, but the drugs prescribed for its cure are needed over longer periods and often in strong doses, gradually tapered off. Depending on the nature of the infection and sensitivity to the drugs prescribed, these usually have severe side effects. The problem arises when infections keep recurring as they can damage the kidney and other parts of the system.
In males after 50, there is a decrease in the testosterone and a rise of other hormones like prolactin that stimulates the prostrate gland, enlargement of which results in most urinary problems. While prescriptions aid in shrinking the gland to improve urinary function, diet plays an important role as the prostrate contains more zinc than any other organ in the body.
Symptoms of UTI usually include a burning sensation while passing urine, low volume and problems in emptying the bladder. The infecting organisms usually thrive in an acidic environment, therefore, at the first signs immediate treatment is to increase the pH of the urine, for which alkaline syrups or tablets are prescribed.
As far as foods are concerned, all acid producing foods should be replaced by those which produce an alkaline reaction in the body. A pH of 7.0 is considered as neutral, 0-7 being acidic and 7-14 alkaline. This can be measured using a pH colour-coded litmus paper easily, by placing a drop of the urine sample on it, drying and colour matching to read the pH. The test is applicable to all liquid food, juicy fruits and vegetables and their preparations as well. Plenty of water and liquids are also recommended for lowering the pH of the urine.
It is important to know that different parts of the body exhibit varying pH levels suited to their specific functions, for instance blood pH ranges between 7.35-7.25 as against other body fluids. Although foods consumed may affect the pH of urine, those considered acidic generally lie within the range of 4.6 or lower. Also, the sour taste of a food is not a measure of its acid or alkaline reaction during digestion, absorption or metabolism, since it is acted upon in different pH environments in the body. Some alkaline foods suggested for diets for UTI’s are:
Coconut water - Used as such is lighter than other juices, cooling and easy to digest and absorb, is tasty and nutritious with its natural sugar for energy. The green coconut has more water, its sweetness depending on the degree of ripeness.
Cooked rice - usually has a pH of 6.0-7.2 is slightly acidic to neutral, can be mixed with alkaline vegetables and spices, as in pulaos or gravies and consumed. It is common to use rice conjee in coastal India as a spiced beverage to heal problems of the gut and counteract hot weather conditions.
Pulses and legumes - Whole moong dal and beans of all colours and sizes, particularly soya bean are sources of oestrogenic compounds called isoflavones, that prevent the growth of the prostrate gland. Derived foods like tofu, tempeh, soya milk and others are useful additions to the diet.
Nuts and seeds - Almost all nuts and seeds provide an alkaline reaction in the body such as almonds, walnut, pistachios, chilgoza, coconut, seeds of melon, pumpkin, flax, roasted and used. If fried they create acidity in the body because of absorbed oils or fats.
The processing industry has therefore started de-oiling nuts and seeds and presenting the natural oils for nutritional, culinary, medicinal and cosmetic purposes. A new term cosmo-nutrition has now been coined for food ingredients such as vitamins C,E, minerals and other natural compounds, used for making creams, powders and other cosmetics.
Vegetables and fruits - These include root vegetables like beetroot, carrot, radish, gourds, eggplant, artichoke, spinach and other leafy greens, cucumber, cauliflower, broccoli and most non-starchy vegetables. Fruits in fresh or dried forms such as dates, figs, grapefruit, papaya, apples, melons, berries, prunes, coconuts, lemons and citrus varieties produce an alkaline reaction in the body.
Spices and condiments - These used in moderation add nutrients to foods along with flavour and taste. Sour tasting spices like amchur ( raw mango powder), or tamarind should be avoided for UTI, acid reflux, ulcers and so on.
Dairy - While curds are the mainstay in Indian diets, milk proteins have a buffering effect as far as pH is concerned. So it is good practice to drink half a cup with meals instead of water for neutralising the effect of any acid foods that may have been consumed.
It was the traditional practice in India to give children and adults a glass of milk before going to bed. In fact, there are foods within each food group, that can easily be included in planning diets for patients with UTI and other infections. In the long run, these could prevent their recurrence.
Foods to avoid are caffeinated beverages, alcohol, spicy foods, sour or highly sweetened foods, since excessive sugar leaves an acidic residue in the body, artificial sweeteners, tomatoes and its based products, and chocolates. Any food with a high fat or oil content is a source of acidity on digestion and metabolism.
In fact, although diet may affect the pH of the urine, research suggests that consuming acid or alkaline foods is unlikely to affect pH of blood significantly. If blood is acidic it usually suggests an underlying health issue like diabetes, lung or kidney disease not well managed. Some choose to limit high acid foods to reduce their potential renal acid load (PRAL) which reflects the amount of acid the body produces from foods eaten. PRAL is usually high with ingestion of high protein animal foods.
Cuts and bruises - for minor cuts, bruises, and burns there were always remedies called ‘kitchen cures’, such as turmeric that was immediately made into a paste with ghee and applied as an antiseptic. Later on pharmacies started preparing creams from these ingredients by replacing the ghee with cheaper oils, and offered them as ‘burnol’ or other antiseptic creams.
I can never forget the days when mother used to light kitchen fires in an iron bucket, the precursor of today’s barbeque, using dry sticks from the garden and some soft coal, and then cook on it. On two occasions she got badly burnt, her saree having caught the flame, when father rushed me around the colony to pick up as many ‘burnol’ tubes available. I went on passing them to him as I got them from neighbours, so he could smear her with the creams before the ambulance arrived. She had been declared with 80% burns, but survived.
Pain relief - there was always a special decoction made for relieving all kinds of pain. Till today, various spices and their mixtures are used in households to prevent or relieve pain. Cloves for toothache, spiced tea for colds, cardamom and fennel seeds for bad breath and so on. In fact, grandmother’s recipes were published decades ago for household use covering various illnesses using common culinary ingredients.
Anxiety – Stress and fatigue have both been linked to dehydration, weight gain or loss, disturbed sleep and mood, all altering the body’s circadium rhythms. It is not for nothing that the custom of offering water first, to any visitor has been the norm in Indian homes. The qualities of water have been widely propagated in ancient texts and systems of traditional medicine. Many physical, mental and emotional imbalances can result from not drinking enough water, the body getting dehydrated due to many factors. Just as a warm iron takes away wrinkles from clothes, water cools the mind and warms the heart, taking away tension and worries of life.
To avoid feeling fatigued it is essential to eat a balanced diet for adequate nutrition, to enable the body’s processes of energy production, metabolism, DNA synthesis, oxygen transport and organ functions to remain normal. How?
Stay hydrated as dehydration causes tiredness and fatigue, while also affecting focus and the ability to think clearly.
Add protein to the diet since protein increases stamina and helps to build endurance.
Reduce caffeine intake as coffee acts as a temporary stimulant increasing focus and energy level only in the short term, but causing an energy crash thereafter. In fact, one can build dependence on caffeine irrespective of its source, whether from tea, coffee or other foods, thus interfering with the natural rhythms and sleep cycle.
Avoid alcohol as it not only dehydrates and disturbs eating and sleeping patterns but also raises the level of epinephrine, a stress hormone that increases the heart rate and over-stimulates the body.
Some health problems can be managed more effectively by simple lifestyle changes and using foods diligently to get rid of deficiencies or imbalances that occur from time to time. Using nature’s bounty to restore the body to health also has many advantages with little or no side effects, that are so common with the use of drugs.
Medication seems the most reliable and scientific way to manage disease, whether uneasiness or any affliction. Drugs are usually prescribed after a health problem arises, with single pointed focus on its cure, without looking at the impact that these may have on other organs or tissues. A holistic approach to health is therefore, necessary for addressing the root cause of a disease, for which nature and past experience offers viable solutions.
Roger Dobson wrote in the Sunday Times about scientists now turning fruit and vegetables into drugs, vaccines and antibiotics, for avoiding painful injections for patients, particularly for children’s diseases.
Professor Charles Arntzen at Cornell University NewYork, is using produce fresh from the greenhouse, causing a revolution that is turning potatoes, bananas, corn, beans, tomatoes and many other crops into drugs, vaccines and antibiotics. Scientists around the world are today, altering the genetic profile of these plants to grow proteins and antibodies, that will fight or prevent diseases like malaria, cholera, herpes to cancer treatments. It is predicted that within a couple of decades vaccines will be delivered through food.
I wonder if this is what Hippocrates meant when he proclaimed that food should be our medicine, and medicine our food.
Is it really fair to assume that nature has not made enough provision for the health of creation or life. Just imagine professionals prescribing half a raw potato, or a couple of tomatoes twice a week with meals. Will these foods then be marketed only through pharmacies? A whole lot of problems surface with every development, since heads and tails always come together.
If scientists have their way, we will all be eating genetically altered foods, and pharmaceutical pills and potions, that are already at the trial stage. Would our genes then remain unaltered?
We have already lost the original, taste of crops and are eating for the sake of variety, not experiencing the pleasure of the different tastes and flavours we used to enjoy. While we cannot completely go back in time, we can surely learn lessons from nature by staying as close to it as possible. Farokh E Udwadia the country’s best known diagnostician in an interview with Bachi Karkaria said:
We cannot wish away technology but we have to keep stressing that there is another older side to medicine. Can science and technology ever be able to record a good history or take the place of a good physical examination of the patient? It is important to realise that eyes, ears and hands can sometimes detect what no technology can.
A very early sign of Parkinson’s could be missed if a doctor did not look at a person’s face, or notice the way he walked into the room. Similarly, a child with high fever may have a few blood spots that point to a serious illness. One requires a general practitioner (GP) to examine carefully before suggesting any specialist consultation.
Further, only when a patient is listened to and examined carefully, can there be a doctor-patient bond that nurtures trust and faith, the core of medicine and healing. If a patient is very sick (s)he senses genuine empathy. It is faith that heals not just the doctor’s qualifications and prescriptions.
Nikki Wagner, in her ‘Sovereign Food and Health’ has so aptly described that we are living in a divided world separate from each other and nature. She says:
This separation allows us to commit atrocities to destroy the world, to harm other human beings and ourselves. Look around at the heartless destruction of the natural world reflected in the heartless destruction of humans too. As we do to the world we do to ourselves.
Medicines not prescribed or found in a pharmacy are found in nature so be with it, eating the foods it provides, breathing the oxygen that trees offer in exchange for the carbon dioxide and other toxins we pass on through soil, air, water etc. What medicines or supplements cannot give us are:
Exposure to the rising and setting sun for physical, mental and emotional health.
Gratitude for all we have through speech, recitations or silent prayer, providing contentment and calm. Research has now established that ‘gratitude’ has stress relieving effects (Journal of Psychophysiology).
Letting go of the past and staying in the present, with no anxiety for the irretrievable past and unknown future.
Meditation to increase the power of the spirit or soul.
Hydrating to replace lost body water. Remember “You can take a horse to water but cannot make it drink”, it has to be a conscious effort.
Having good friends, since we are all social beings, for caring and sharing to lessen our sorrows and double the joys, since head and tails go together in life.
Fruits and vegetables for protection from disease and maintenance of health.
Exercise or movement to increase muscle and tissue and organ strength.
Fasting or naturally detoxifying by resting body processes.
Sound sleep the surest way to rejuvenate the body.
Listening to nature, its sounds both internal and external.
Unconditional love for self and others, developing empathy and spirit of service.
Smiling and laughter indispensable tools for health. Can one ever call a model beautiful who is not wearing a smile or looking happy.
According to our texts we are born with seven natural sanskars or qualities like happiness, love, shanti, purity, power, knowledge and peace or bliss. These we can nurture only by looking within ourselves, they cannot be brought or bought from outside. Nature has so much to offer, one cannot stop learning through life.
Today, we are faced not only with chronic diseases but some rare ones too, which cannot be treated by drugs alone, but only by nature, diet and physiotherapy, a science developed to provide passive exercise to affected muscles, nerves and so on. Yoga being the oldest form, which when used for recovery is called therapeutic yoga, aiming to strengthen the weak parts of the body.
Rare diseases
There are a number of rare diseases that require lifelong treatments, care and constant supervision, as they can be debilitating. Information about rare diseases comes to light through the media, when known personalities take a break and return to social media to reveal the cause. It has today, become common to read reports of those who suffered from rare diseases, with strange symptoms often incurable, or even fatal irrespective of age. Those listed below are from the affected persons own accounts, of actors, singers, writers, sports persons, and those active on social media.
Guillain-Barre Syndrome - a rare neurological condition, the symptoms of which are a sudden inability to walk, tingling sensation and numbness in the limbs with no strength for mobility. The condition requires emergency treatment and rehabilitation with intensive physiotherapy for weeks, but with expectations of recovery. The NY Times reported Sufjan Stevans, Indie rock singer and composer having suffered from it.
Myositis – A state of muscle weakness and pain. Samantha Ruth case has been well publicised through media.
Fibromyalgia – Chronic disorder characterised by widespread muscle pain often accompanied by fatigue, altered sleep, memory and mood. Producer Mahesh Bhatt revealed:
“At 18 years I experienced migraine with body ache and depression, suffering for first 4 years trying to cure myself by any means. There is however, no cure as it is your own body attacking you, and one experiences flare up days and better days. Medicine and regular sleep can help but one needs a good support system, since hiding pain and fighting it both require strength. Some good hobby such as writing to divert attention and focus kept me going. Whether it is depression, fibromyalgia, anxiety or myositis there should not be any stigma attached.”
Two poems that kept Bhatt going were Harivansh Bachchan’s “Agnipath” and “Invictus” that also kept Nelson Mandela alive in prison, gave hope and the will to recover.
Tourette Syndrome – A neuropsychiatric disorder characterised by multiple repetitive and involuntary movements and vocalisations called TICS.
Myasthenia gravis – An autoimmune neuromuscular disease causing muscle weakness and fatigue, impacting various muscles including those controlling speech, swallowing and breathing. When Amitabh Bachchan fell ill recently during a film shoot in Mysuru, he was diagnosed with it.
Ehlers-danlos Syndrome – This is a disorder of the connective tissues affecting the skin, ligaments and internal organs. With this condition, the collagen that strengthens the skin becomes defective.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) – The name signifies that this occurs in traumatic conditions, be it a serious accident, falls, attacks, natural disasters or other unprecedented sudden calamities affecting muscles, nerves, bones through fractures, requiring emergency multiple surgeries and life saving procedures.
Costocondritis – This is characterised by inflammation of the cartilage that connects the ribs to the breast bone or sternum. It may be accompanied by pain while breathing, or using the arms, lying down, sitting, even laughing or just everything. The probable cause of an injury to the cartilage could be due to radiations as in cancer treatment or the side-effect of an injection for osteopenia or low body mass (BMD) disease. An incessant cough or a combination of the above can cause the disease.
Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS) – This affects one in a million, is a progressive neurological condition that adversely affects the nervous system specifically the brain and spinal cord, and is characterised by muscle stiffness and spasms. (Dr. Mukesh N Sharma, Director, Neurointervention and Stroke, Marengo CIMS Hospital, Ahmedabad).
The pop singer Celine Dion is battling with this disorder and says, she can’t sing like she used to. In a video on instagram, she said it is affecting every aspect of her life from difficulty in walking, to severe muscle stiffness, rigidity and painful spasms in the trunk. As it progresses it may result in altered postures affecting even the muscles of the face.
People might even develop sensitivity to light, noise or any kind of emotional stress, leading to episodes of stiffness or muscle spasms in the body. Spasms can affect the entire body or a specific region as in the legs often leading to falls, while in the chest the respiratory muscles may require emergency treatment with ventilatory support.
The treatment is aimed at managing symptoms, and improving mobility. The reason for this syndrome is not identified, but it is assumed to be an autoimmune disorder. Sometimes it can be paraneoplastic, associated with cancer somewhere else in the body. (Dec.2, D.Times 2022).
Pulsatile Tinnitus (PT)- Individuals suffering from this rare disease regularly hear a steady beat or whooshing sound that synchronises with their pulse, in one or both ears. It may affect one’s ability to concentrate, sleep or work and can have many causes that affect blood flow, such as vascular disease or high BP. In chronic cases people experience stress, anxiety and depression.
Lyme disease - This is an extremely rare disease also called borreliosis, a tic-borne illness caused by the bacterium Borellia burgdorferi, that deer usually carry but can spread through other animal and insect bites too. In India, fewer than 5000 cases per year have been reported, of which the rural areas of Haryana have a few. The disease can be diagnosed through lab tests and medically treated.
Symptoms - Its symptoms are rash or Erythema migrans, flu-like symptoms, joint pain and weakness in the limbs. These respond to non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs like penicillin and antibiotics. If left untreated it spreads to joints, heart and the nervous system. While a vaccine is available for dogs and other animals none is yet known for humans.
Prevention - It is important to check for rashes in areas of the body that are subject to greater humidity and can encourage bacterial growth, such as armpits, groin and hair. Conducting a full body examination and proper cleaning, scrubbing and drying after bath is necessary to prevent any type of microbial infestation. Treat clothing with mild 0.5% solution of an insect repellent, and avoid contact with tics.
Garlic oil also works as a repellent because of its pungent odour, which prevents tics from feeding and laying eggs. Home garlic sprays have proved effective and are simple to prepare, by soaking 2-4 crushed bulbs in one cup of water overnight and using the water through a spray bottle, for clothes, infected mattresses, carpets and corners, particularly those not cleaned and dried daily. Tics that have not attached their mouthparts may become unresponsive and eventually lose contact with the skin in a hot bath.
The treatment of rare diseases depends on diagnosing the underlying cause. As yet little research is available, while specialists are increasing in every medical and allied field. The government’s initiative to open hospitals and care services for rare diseases is a step forward, but in the presence of so many multi-speciality hospitals and private specialised clinics already existing, is there a need? May be just a separate department would do instead. This requires thought.
What are called ‘rare’ today have perhaps long existed, since suffering has been a part of life, and even today, doctors give up on patients saying they are not responding to any life-saving drugs. So research can go on and on and on. The best bet is to try to improve the body’s immunity to fight disease following a few guidelines as listed.
Drink plenty of water as this cleanses the system of impurities and toxins.
Take herbal or green tea instead of tea and coffee that are dehydrating.
Add salads and greens to every meal.
Chew food well to exercise the muscles of the face and reduce the work of digestion as well.
Move the body to use all muscles for strengthening them, keeping organs and processes functional for use as required.
Experience tells us that children in slums constantly amid dust and pollution, have better immunity than those who move from air-conditioned towers to cars, schools, supermarkets and back into sanitised environments.
So let’s move closer to nature, play outdoors, sweat and work hard, treating each situation as an opportunity to learn, grow and move on.
Thank you Manmohan Sethi for your appreciation. I hope it will help you to drop unnecessary pills and sodas and adopt a natural healthy diet. Look forward to further interactions.
Very knowledgeable. Great wisdom and research. Going back to classical times to modern medicine
The best part is natural food cure for long term diseases and body affliction to foods that cure .