Nutrition research is not science. There are very few details on the subject, and there are too many variables for us to make accurate predictions. Sadly, we have very little information about the effects of many of the substances (especially man-made) that Americans ingest on a daily basis, and we literally have no idea what they’re doing. “What are you eating?”
Here’s a common scenario: Someone goes in for their annual physical and is found to have high blood pressure. Without any fuss or discussion, a prescription is written for a medication that this person will likely take for the rest of their life. And every medication has potential complications. Plus, it’s expensive. Some new medications can cost hundreds of dollars per month.
What if, instead, a healthcare provider wrote a prescription for specific dietary additions or changes? Few Americans look at food for its medicinal properties, instead thinking only of satisfying hunger in the moment. Little consideration is given to the impact of various foods, such as fast-food burgers, energy drinks, and ultra-processed snack foods that have been on the shelves for months.
A partial explanation is the inconsistency and inaccuracy in the multiple nutritional recommendations that have been handed down over the years. “authorities.” Indeed, the benefits and dangers of many of the foods we eat are still being questioned. Scientists have made various statements that contradict previous guidelines. It is no wonder that many have lost interest in research and choose to ignore much of the good science devoted to the subject.
What if a healthcare provider gave a patient with high blood pressure a prescription for dietary changes that listed specific nutrients, herbs, supplements and foods? This is the essence of precision nutrition, a most rudimentary practice based on the idea that what we eat affects our health.
The definition can be enumerated as follows: PN attempts to make nutritional recommendations for an individual based on certain personal factors such as genetic makeup, an individual’s microbiome, metabolic profile, overall health, physical activity, dietary patterns, and even an assessment of socio-economic and psycho-social factors: Could it be possible in the future to develop precision medicine therapies based solely on diet?
One might think that precision nutrition is simply the latest fad diet. However, research on the subject is fueled and multiplied by the costs and complications of drug-induced adverse events. Don’t be fooled into thinking these are trivial. In just one year, over $100 billion was spent on these treatments. Over 100,000 people die each year as a result of these undesirable complications of drug therapy.
Just to be clear, all herbs and “Natural foods” It’s benign. Any substance can cause problems if consumed in excess for a long period of time. Avocados are considered healthy, but if you eat nothing but avocados for a year, you’ll get sick (I’ve seen it happen!).
Nature favors a balanced diet of a variety of vegetables, healthy proteins, complex carbohydrates, and essential vitamins. However, it is much less likely and practical to experience adverse reactions from foods. Precision nutrition (aka dietary supplements and precision medicine) goes a few steps further and proposes that disease can be treated, or controlled or eliminated, by consuming specific substances in specific amounts.
This concept is very ambitious and will clearly require a more quantitative and detailed understanding of the complex relationships between humans, their total nutritional intake, socio-economic factors, and genetics. While this level of understanding is still a long way off, many now recognize the importance and potential of the idea of food as medicine.
That’s a very important question. “What should I eat to be healthy?” Every person is inherently different. What is healthy for one person may not be for another. Additionally, as with any discussion of health and wellness, age also comes into play. Our responses to food change over time, and that needs to be taken into account when prescribing anything, be it a medicine or a food.
Unfortunately, the big food industry has waged a disinformation campaign on this issue, peddling and promoting it to great effect. Although Americans’ diets are improving according to some studies, they are still suffering from higher rates of obesity, heart disease, and other lifestyle-related diseases. The economic situation is certainly a problem for many American workers who struggle to make ends meet. But how can food made in industrial plants and composed mostly of chemicals be good for you?
As a culture, we need to know more about the connection between diet and health. More research on the issue in the future may help Precision Nutrition fulfill its promise, but with the majority of Americans rushing through dinner rather than meal planning, there’s still a long way to go. Still, we might one day be prescribed a delicious turmeric-flavored stir fry to cure pancreatitis. Not such a bad prescription after all!
Dr. Conway McLean, DABFAS, FAPWHc, has offices in Lance and Marquette. He specializes in treating disorders of the lower leg, ankle and foot.
