I need medicine to live. Medicine that isn't food or natural. It literally keeps me alive. Also quite a few foods will kill me.

You are welcome to your homeopathic mumbo-jumbo, but I like living, so I'm going to listen to people who studied medicine their entire lives.

Hope you never get diabetes. Insulin isn't edible, nor does it "grow in nature" if you stop producing it.

I work as a sport scientist and I have a Master's in Exercise Medicine and work as a free lance sports nutritionist, so hopefully I can give some incite . This post seems to create a false dichotomy between food and medicine. This is why I believe that food is not medicine...

Firstly, food is a necessity. Furthermore, there are a whole host of other factors that make food, food, such as the emotions felt when eating it, nostalgic memories resurfacing when tasting, smelling or thinking about food. Most importantly, the social interactions that food creates

Secondly, whilst some foods have been found to have medicinal properties, like tumric, cinnamon and ginger, it's normally a specific compound that causes this. Furthermore, when studied the compounds are in a concentrated form that's impossible to reach by eating the whole food.

Thirdly, whilst it's true that some diseases are managed through diet, this is done in the form of nutrional therapy and under the strict supervision of a dietitian and are to manage diseases, not cure them.

Eating a balanced, calorie appropriate diet does reduce the risk of non-communicable disease, like type 2 diabetes but there is a very clear distinction between avoid foods at all costs due to fear of illness (which creates problems I'll explain) and eating a balanced diet to ensure that one's body is working normally.

Avoiding foods because they are viewed promote disease or are unnatural (GE Crops for example) or only eating certain foods based on their potential medicinal benefit is the beginning of disordered eat. When these food choices are categoriesed further in to clean foods, eating disorders such as orthorexia start to emerge.

Hopefully this had clarified why I don't view foods as medicine ?

Oh please. Anti retroviral therapy for HIV is evil, but hemlock and deadly nightshade are fine? And why is this posted under 'Academic'? It's just plain dumb.

I prefer it that people get vaccinated to having preventable diseases, especially in children, rife.

Also, I like that my medication for hypertension has maybe preventable me from having a stroke or heart attack.

I would like to see that daft ‘treatment’ homeopathy banned, though.

Ummmm..asbestos, lead, heroin, cocaine, arsenic, etc etc etc are All-Natural substances...do you put them into your body too?

Ok, I have Diabetes, so by your logic I should not take my insulin since it is not a food. If I did that I would go into a Diabetic coma and ultimately die. Thanks but no thanks. I'll take my chances with modern medicine. That is what science and learning is all about

really what a stupid way to think insulin anti convulsants anti depressants anti retrovirals the list goes on average age of death when hippocrates lived 35

While I like what your saying in theory, I am alive due to modern medicine. Well over half the first world population is alive due to modern advances in water/waste treatment, vaccines, insulin, antibiotics, GMOs, and vitamin supplements. No doubt people should eat better but the maxim sounds to much like alternative medicine to get my agreement.

I used to be a chef, so I know how to eat a great regiment of intake of Proteins, carbs, vitamins, and colesteral, treans fats, and many others.

So in a way I do understand that a good healthy diet can help one maintain a better healthiness.

But to say that drugs are not medicine, or what ever nonsense you are babbling about is pointless.
I am diagnosed with Schizoaffective disorder.
What exactly would you say what food I should take for that?

Fine . Next time u get a bacterial pneumonia , cellulitis , a simple bladder infection , do not come to me for antibiotics . I won't even mention autoimmune diseases here , complicated virus or chronic conditions or neurological / neuromuscular or cardiac conditions .
Just simple common infections . U know . The ones that can simply kill u even on 2018 if left untreated . U can take all the natural crap that u wish sir . I promise u . Ain't gonna treat your breathing , your A fib or your seizures .
I hope u re consider your beliefs especially if u provide and decide for young children or elderly folks . Thank u .

As a species, we've learnt a lot in the last two-and-a-half thousand years. If you want to turn your back on all that, it's up to you.

Okay folks ... Let's put our happy face on. I have often said that we should be talking about this with each other. But people get so pissed when they don't have to... So, any experiences we could share that would be helpful, we don't. Why is this I wonder? A small percentage of us, roughly 3% of the world's population has a rare genetic deficiency or abnomaly. For this we are grateful to turn to modern medicine. The rest of all the afflictions and diseases are acquired. Some folks just don't have the money, knowledge or means to avoid or eliminate acquired disease. We can't hold them accountable and they have to take drugs if they can get them. This is sad but it's what happens in a capitalistic environment. Our medical industry sees us as consumers. Some of us can buy medicine some of us can't. And it will make sure there is always a lot of sickness to go around to create a profit for the industry. The other 97% without a genetic abnomaly and the people who can afford and understand what good preventive care is needed can use food as a medicine. And they will stay healthy because of it. I will never call drugs "medicine" because they will not cure you. They will only add the thing you need to be brought back up to ultimate shape. It you need to take the drug for the rest of your life it is not a cure. But that's okay! That's just a given and how it works. We should be grateful for good food however,and not call it non-conventional. And of course we are grateful for life-saving drugs, surgery and treatments. No one has to say that we are not grateful. There are two different things here. Both are good so whyfeel you have to choose one side or the other? I use both and I'm equally grateful for both.

That sounds elegant, but I see no reason to believe it’s true.

There have been a few advancements in science and medicine over the last 2,400 years.

2000 years ago..that's fine. But go ahead and try natural cures to your melanoma or pneumonia. See how it works. List your favorite charity so we can contribute after you die.

I like the first part: "Make food your medicine, and make medicine your food" as I think our diet has a lot to do with the state of our body's health. The rest of it...nah.

The hippo never lived in the 21st century!

Sounds like a terrible idea, but it's your life, to use or lose as you see fit.

There are negative side effects to medicines. I think there is a middle way: moderation. I am fortunate in not needing medicine at this time, but if I develop an illness that calls for medication, then I won’t hesitate to use it.

I do think there’s way too much medication being done in the US in lieu of healthy lifestyles. There’s also the indisputable fact that medicine won’t keep us alive forever. At some point the best course will be to get with the program and move on.

Anti-vax, then?

Hippocrates was dead hundreds of years before Caesar and Cleopatra went to bone town. He didn't know a lot about germs or ... well, anything as to modern medicine. That's not to disparage him, but this is one of those maxims that worked at the time but is no longer relevant.

Absolutely true. We can influence about 70% of what happens (30% is just bad luck) so it pays to eat clean, exercise etc. The standard American diet is harmful.

Very Wise!! Hippocrates is the Father of Medicine for a reason!!