Food Is Medicine 101: What It Really Means When We Say Food Helps Heal the Body

An Interview with Tammie Brown, MPH, RDN, LD, Owner of Restoring Bodies

When you hear the phrase “Food Is Medicine,” what comes to mind? Perhaps you’re skeptical, thinking it’s an extreme practice adopted by those who want to replace medication with specific nutrient-rich foods. Or perhaps you simply roll your eyes, thinking it’s yet another fad that will soon die out. 

No matter what your initial reaction is, our founder and registered dietitian, Tammie Brown is here to set the record straight about what Food Is Medicine really means as well as the role dietitians can play in helping you find foods that support your nutrition goals.

What does Food Is Medicine mean?

“Food Is Medicine is a food-based intervention program that prescribes produce and medically tailored meals to aid in prevention, managing, and treatment of diet-related diseases. 

For instance, if I have celiac disease, certain foods are not going to heal me, especially foods with gluten. Foods with gluten are going to hurt me by causing harm to my microbiome and damaging the villi in my intestines, preventing me from absorbing nutrients.

It doesn’t matter if I’m eating something as healthy as whole grains or brown rice. Because of celiac disease, the gluten in these foods will harm me, not heal me. 

Now, once we replace the whole grains with gluten-free foods like quinoa and white rice (which has been fortified with vitamins and minerals), food will no longer be the culprit but my friend. 

We have to be careful about thinking food is the end-all-be-all or the key to healing. It is one part of a holistic lifestyle.” 

Is it true certain diets can reverse a health condition?  

“That’s a tricky question – I need to do more research before giving a definitive answer. 

Some people think, okay I have this disease. If I eat a certain way, I will be cured. For example, they may think they can heal their Type 2 diabetes through a restrictive diet, but this may only last for a short time due to the restrictiveness of their diet.

The truth of the matter is while food can assist with achieving remission of a condition like Type 2 diabetes, it is important to understand Type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease. Eat one way and you put it into remission; eat another way and the signs and symptoms return. Glucose levels may start to creep back up, for example, and A1C levels may no longer be within normal limits.

Another thing to keep in mind is sometimes a condition is genetic and cannot be healed by food. 

Many people want to get off their high blood pressure medicine. If we change their sodium intake by limiting high sodium foods, it may lower their blood pressure, but it doesn’t mean they will be able to come completely off their medicines. 

Instead, they may be able to reduce their dosage or decrease the number of medicines they take. That’s because high blood pressure can be the result of genetics, lifestyle, medical conditions, medications, and age. Genetics plays a role of about 20% when it pertains to chronic disease. 

It’s easy to point to food, but the truth is, food may not always be the cause of the condition. So yes, we can heal our bodies through food, but I believe the first priority of Food Is Medicine is prevention: helping people understand how to nourish their bodies to reduce the likelihood of developing certain diseases.”

Can anyone use food to heal the body? 

“Yes, but there’s a big spectrum when it comes to Food Is Medicine. It's a broad phrase that people sometimes run with and confuse. It’s important to understand there are different levels of Food Is Medicine. 

On one level, we’re trying to introduce different fruits, vegetables, and lean meats without taking culture away. Food as medicine is different for someone from Senegal, for example, or Nigeria or one of the Middle Eastern countries. They already eat pretty well due to many of their plant-based meals. But because they live in a country that is not indigenous to their native land, finding substitutions that are comparable is crucial to their well-being.

On another level, we’re trying to get food to people who don’t have access to grocery stores or only have access to highly processed foods. There are still areas in our country that do not have grocery stores. How do we get the right foods – foods that heal – to those people? 

That’s why there are companies that can create what we call medically tailored meals and groceries. For someone with diabetes who may not have access to a grocery store, those groceries provide them with foods that help them keep their medical condition controlled.” 

How do you start using food to heal the body? 

“First, you have to have the right mindset. You cannot be in denial about having a chronic disease or you’ll lack the right types of foods to begin the process of using food as medicine.

Second, go see a registered dietitian if you're going to use food to heal the body. Doctors and nurses are not taught medical nutrition therapy. They are not trained on how food affects the body. That is what we as dietitians do. 

A dietitian will assess you based on your diagnosis, design a personalized plan, and then educate you on how to use food in a way that works with your body. In the case of kidney disease, for example, we may determine we may need to limit the amount of protein consumed. We may even recommend eating or limiting certain foods. 

Every body is different, which means each person will respond differently to certain foods. If we see you’re not responding, we will reassess and try a different approach. In some cases, we may need to refer you to another specialist so that we have a clearer picture of what is happening. We do that because we are not doctors. It is not our place to diagnose you with a specific health condition. 

Third, keep in mind, dietitians don’t have a magic wand; everything depends on you and your willingness to do the work.”

Where can I learn more about Food Is Medicine?

“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (OASH), and the Food Is Medicine Coalition all have great information. You can also make an individual appointment with a dietitian, who can explain it to you and how it may work for you personally.” 

How can I request a consultation with you? 

“If you’d like to meet with me, you can either go through your insurance, which typically allows for preventative services every year, or you can contact Restoring Bodies directly and self-pay. Call 256-858-1344 to schedule an appointment.” 

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