The use of certain types of foods has been very common in the past for healing curative qualities. Also called the “doctoring” of foods, it was seen as a basic form of preventative medicine that all traditional systems of healing have shared (Chen, 17). With secularized medicine, theories of healing with food, climate, and regions were greatly focused and distinguished. Although technology was far advanced from what it is today, certain types of food, from spices to rare animal parts were used and believed to prove healing effects to the human body. Ancient Chinese and Greeks believed in maintaining the quality of life, and during that time, with therapy and practices focusing on maintaining healthy diets was considered, “ the first line and highest form of medicine” (Chen, p.20).Through cultural systems and knowledge gained from ancient Chinese physicians and Greek doctors, using food for medicinal purposes with different diet practices and healing techniques helped sustain what was thought to have a positive effect on the longevity of a person’s life. With consideration that longevity factored in more from traits passed down through the genes, although it wasn’t completely guaranteed, food has been continually used for healing and therapeutic effects to promote and enhance the quality of one’s life.
From traditional Chinese medicine to contemporary Chinese medicine today, some practices might have changed and also been incorporated, but food therapy is still continually used for healing effects to promote longevity in a person’s life. Chinese physicians in the past have incorporated spices like ginseng in their food dishes, soups, and teas to support more energy and increase better health. In addition to using spices for medicinal purposes with their food, animal parts were also incorporated with herbs and spices as part of food therapy. “Belief in the healing and often aphrodisiac qualities of medicinal food continues well into the present” (Chen, p.26). Unfortunately, from tragic events in the past, like the SARS epidemic, the use of animal parts have been decreasing to avoid the risk of transferring any types of diseases from animal to humans. Along with that, the promotion of using animal parts for medicinal purposes has decreased in concern of endangering certain types of animals. For instance, bile from the gall bladders of bears was used in Chinese medicine as a “remedy for fever, convulsions, and hemorrhoids” (Chen, p.26). Although certain practices, like the use of animal parts have decreased with time, spices and also certain types of food are still being used till this day as a part of food therapy in cultural medicinal practices. In this case, the use of rice porridge, also known as “jook” is still continually used among Asian cultural when a person is sick to help them feel better or also in hopes to reduce the risks of consuming any types of toxins that might be found in certain types of foods. These cultural practices have been a major part of helping with opening more doors for locating and increasing more healing remedies to better sustain and ensure a better quality of life in a single person.
To follow along in time, as science became more advanced and technology had fewer limitations and restrictions, the development of Nutraceuticals was promoted as another type of remedy incorporating the qualities of food to reduce signs of chronic illness. From ancient civilization, certain types of functional foods like compounds of garlic was “believed to be useful in lowering hypertension, prevent cardiovascular heart disease, and even prevent or treat cancer” (Chen,p.80). Although medical technology and advancement was a major factor in increasing the use of Nutraceuticals for medicinal healing effects, the standards in production and consumption of patent medicine set by the federal government is also seen to factor in with the rise of dietary supplements and Nutraceuticals in modern day 21st century. The use of dietary supplements and Nutraceuticals may have its beneficiary effects to promoting the quality of health in a person, but many people can argue that compounds infused from foods through food processing will not generate and ensure the same health enhancements from naturally grown goods. Flavinoids, for example, can be found only naturally in chocolate, wine, tea, strawberries, and raisins which has possible connections with improving cardiovascular health. “Concerns about health and the desire for well-being lead many consumers to seek our alternatives to processed foods….Nutraceuticals address this concern by offering enhanced foods that seem more nutritious or supplements with specific health benefits for particular disorders” (Chen, p. 91).
Another type of food advancement explained by Nancy Chen would be the rise of Genetically Modified Food and Drugs in the market. The interest of GMOs came into perspective with the aim to prevent widespread hunger and dependency on foreign aid in certain countries like China and India and also benefit the famers’ needs for demands from the market with year-round produce and cheaper food. Certain types of GM crops have also been grown to promote less use of pesticides during agriculture which in turn, benefits consumers from increased intake from harmful toxins from these pesticides. “Responses to GM foods and GM animals in human food ways depend greatly on social and political contexts that frame health risk from consumption of cloned meat to broader concerns of food shortage” (Chen, p.95). Many countries including the European countries are very concerned with the long term effects GM foods might have on the human populations especially since this type of food advancement has just been introduced into the market not too long ago. With in mind, that scientists are cloning certain genetic traits from plants and animals to grow what it believed better promote the high-yield of crops, fewer pesticides, and bigger food supplies for developing nations especially in need of it, but because the occurrence of this medical advancement has been brought upon the market so recently, we have limited knowledge on the possible health effects from cloning these genes or inserting certain genes in foods are aren’t available naturally.
The advancement of food remedies and therapy has increased so much throughout the years. From the beginning when Chinese physicians used traditional Chinese medicine with spices and certain types of food, to promote longevity and the quality of life to the days today when scientists have been medically able to clone and create pills with increasing health effects and genetically modified foods that promote less use of pesticides and ensure greatly quality and quantity of food, food is still continually seen as a major factor and addition to promoting one’s quality of life. Although there are many factors including environmental factors and one’s obtained from genetic traits, the use of food as part of therapy and medicinal use is still being incorporated into today’s pharmaceutical and agricultural market.
Works Cited
Chen, Nancy. Food, Medicine, and the Quest for Good Health. New York: Columbia University Press. 2009. Pp. 17-52, 79-107.
http://read.elanso.com/ArticleModule/sourcearticle.aspx?idx=KeQcKUUpHQVwJhHa QwPAQcIi
http://herbisorbis.typepad.com/herbis_orbis/traditional_chinese_medicine/
http://www.micromaxeurope.com/english/nutraceuticals_world.html
