Overview of the History of Using Food as Remedies

Using food as a remedy for ailment dates back hundreds and even thousands of years.  In 400 B.C. Hippocrates counseled, “Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food.”  He was well aware that what a person eats affects not just their health and bodily functions, but their minds, as well.  He wisely encouraged people to use food to prevent disease and maintain health (History of Nutrition). 

It was not just in ancient Greece that food was used as medicine. In pre-modern Europe and Asia, certain practices were developed to treat specific maladies: liver juice was used to treat eye diseases and garlic was known to cure athlete’s foot.  In 1747, Dr. James Lind discovered that limes successfully prevented scurvy in sailors (History of Nutrition). And let us not forget Daniel of the Old Testament, who convinced King Nebedkezneezer to allow him and his friends to eat pulse, which are foods made from seeds and grains,  instead of the rich foods of the king, as a means to gain strength (Daniel 1, The King James Version). 

We’ve all heard the age old adage, you are what you eat.  Perhaps there is some truth to that. Like times of old, people use diet and nutrition now to treat symptoms of illness and to maintain health.  If food can be used to treat maladies of the body, then why not of the brain. Following the example of Hippocrates, Lind, and Daniel, let’s explore the possibility of food to treat the symptoms of ADHD in children.  Are there certain foods, methods of farming or food preparation that correlate to better brain function and the ability to control impulsive behavior and mood? Certain research suggests that there is (ADHD Editorial Board).  

Put simply, ADHD is a medical condition that affects the development and activity of the brain, specifically where it has to do with attention and impulse control (Hasan). Typically, children with ADHD are treated with a myriad of approaches: medication, therapy, parent coaching and school support (Hasan). The purpose of this blog is to look into whether adding a specific diet to these practices could also help the ADHD child to function more successfully.  

1. “History of Nutrition.” Natural Healers, www.naturalhealers.com/nutrition-history/, Accessed 29 June 2019.

2.   Hasan, S. MD. (November 2017) “ADHD.” Kid’s Health, kidshealth.org/en/parents/adhd.html, Accessed 5 July 2019

  

2. ADHD Editorial Board. (23 March 2018) “Change Your Diet, Find Your Focus.” ADDitude, www.additudemag.com/can-the-right-diet-ease-add-symptoms/#footnote1, Accessed 5 July 2019