Let Food be Thy Medicine

By: Dr. Bri Duga

Most nights, after we finally get our three kids in bed, Seth and I will relax on the couch and recount our day.  Our conversation goes from the kids, to the office and, often to what important information we have learned in our study of health and wellness that we wish to share with each other. Seth and I are always working on our own personal health journey, and I feel very blessed to be able to share it with him.
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One incredibly key aspect to health is nutrition. I started down the rabbit hole of food with my daughter’s gluten intolerance and my son’s auto immune disease.  I have learned so much, and although modern science is catching up to what we already innately know about a whole food, natural diet, I think the sticking point exists in learning how to apply this in our modern American culture.
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Hippocrates said “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” However, he forgot the foil to that statement, which is “Don’t let food be your poison,” Which it emphatically is in our culture.

The food groups that cause the most amount of inflammation in our bodies are Grains, Dairy and Sugar.  Ask you average American what they had to eat yesterday, and you will inevitably get an answer that is heavy in one or all of those three groups.  Why do we eat these particular foods so much? It’s simple. They are cheap, tasty, shelf stable and readily available without having to prepare it ourselves.  In the excess in to which we eat grains, dairy and sugar, these foods are our poisons.
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Go ahead and google Anti – inflammatory foods. You will see a list of colorful foods such as Asparagus, cabbage, lemon, sweet potato and Brussel sprouts. No where will you see bread, muffins or cakes.
Pre- biotic foods help to feed the helpful bacteria in our digestive system. Did you know that you have more bacterial cells in your body then you do human? That makes us a symbiotic organism!  Your gut bacteria like to eat onions, garlic, berries and flax seeds, just to name a few.

When I end up eating something that I know is more on the poison side of the scale, boy do I feel it!  It usually  takes up to a  day or two, but I  notice that I  feel cranky, lethargic,  tired, have mental fog,  less patience with my children, insomnia, depression and  less motivation…..  Does any of this sounds familiar? Do you ever feel this way?   When you do, does the sound of an invigorating workout sound like fun, or like a punishment?  Do you find yourself reaching for a quick fix like coffee, sugar, bread, pasta, chocolate or alcohol?  If you do, I promise you, you are not alone.

By eating the  right fuel for our bodies (read: real food, not processed) will you  find the  vitality  and  energy to  do all the things that your life requires of  you without feeling  weighed  down  by the  invisible inspiration stealer: inflammation.

I have spent years trying to find a bridge between the concept as food for fuel and food for fun.  This is part of my wellness journey, and I finally have some great ideas to share.  We will be hosting some cooking classes in our office during the month of May.  Wednesday May 9th and May 23rd at 12:00 noon, Dr. Seth will be sharing some of his favorite Vitamix receives. On May 15th and May 29th at 12:00 noon, I will be teaching how to use the Instant Pot.  All events will be held at our office at 249 Main Street, in South Berwick, Maine. If you are not currently a patient, please RSVP to 207-704-0298 so we can make sure to have enough food for all!
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