C-Force: We Need to Find Our Way to Foods That Fight Disease

Processed foods very well could be making us sick. It is not a hard conclusion to reach. Jerold Mande is CEO of Nourish Science, a new non-governmental organization focused on solving the country's current nutrition crisis. He is also an adjunct professor of nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. According to Mande, "federal food law is clear: It bans 'any poisonous or deleterious substance which may render [a food] injurious to health.'"

In an opinion piece posted on the Harvard Health website last March, he makes a pretty compelling case. He writes of evidence mounting in recent years that chronic illnesses such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer are connected to "deleterious substances" found in highly processed foods. "From heat-and-eat meals such as frozen pizza to sweetened breakfast cereals, ultra-processed foods are industrial formulations of ingredients from substances extracted from foods or synthesized in laboratories. They are also staples of our diets," he writes.

Mande reports that the economic cost of poor diet-related chronic diseases has been estimated at $16 trillion from 2011 to 2020. He points to evidence suggesting that "ultra-processed foods are causing much of this harm."

The piece also references a study conducted by the National Institutes of Health designed "to discover the cause of sharp increases in obesity in the U.S." In their finding, researchers also raise concerns that a root cause might be that "additives and processing -- not just the percentage of fat or sugar in a diet -- (is making) us sick." According to Mande, "more research is urgently needed."

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Agriculture are the agencies with the authority under federal law "to protect us from highly processed foods." But for them to take dramatic action would require "a paradigm shift" in policy, Mande writes. No one should be holding their breath as if that is going to happen any time soon.

Meanwhile, an estimated "678,000 Americans die each year from chronic food illness," Mande writes. "That toll is higher than all our combat deaths in every war in American history -- combined. That's right: there are more deaths each year from our food than all the combat deaths from the Revolutionary War through the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq."

The sad irony is that many foods -- in their natural state -- have been proven to help fight disease, not bring it on.

Take for example our need for calcium. As pointed out in a Cleveland Clinic report, it is an essential mineral "that keeps your bones and teeth strong. It's also necessary for many of your body's functions, such as muscle movement, blood clotting and nerve signaling.

"Your body can't make calcium -- it must come from your diet."

According to registered dietitian Anthony DiMarino, "As you grow older, your body absorbs less of the calcium in your diet." As a result, many Americans aren't getting enough.

It is commonly known that milk and dairy products are among the best calcium sources. But certain nuts and seeds are also rich in calcium. "Some proteins, such as tofu with added calcium sulfate, and canned fish with bones, are high in calcium," according to the Cleveland Clinic report. "You may need to read the labels closely to decipher which foods can deliver your daily calcium dose." The percentage of the daily recommended value is based on 1,200 milligrams of calcium.

Because your bones weaken as you age, a calcium deficiency may go unnoticed. "Many people don't notice any symptoms until a bone fracture. ... By choosing calcium-rich foods, you can protect your bone health now and into the future," according to the report.

"Inflammation refers to your body's process of fighting against things that harm it, like infections, injuries, and toxins," notes a Healthline report. It can cause symptoms like fatigue, pain and weight loss. Chronic inflammation also has a "negative impact on your tissues and organs," leading to diseases like cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

"Some herbs and spices, such as ginger and black pepper, contain anti-inflammatory compounds that may reduce inflammation and benefit your overall health," according to another Healthline report. "Ginger is also incredibly versatile and easy to incorporate into many dishes."

People have also used ginger for thousands of years in traditional medicine to heal numerous conditions. "These include colds, migraines, nausea, arthritis, and high blood pressure."

Black pepper, "known as the king of spices," is popular around the world. "Traditionally, people used black pepper to treat certain health conditions, such as asthma, diarrhea, and many other gastric ailments." It is widely available and easy to add to your diet.

Among other herbs and spices you might want to explore as to their medicinal properties, consider turmeric, cardamom, rosemary and green tea. They are known for helping reduce inflammation while spicing up your diet.

Topping off this discussion of foods that fight disease, here is one high in antioxidants and nutrients, and known to help folks sleep better: just add a cherry on top.

Cherries have many health benefits, explains registered dietitian Carly Sedlacek in a Cleveland Clinic report. The fruit is high in antioxidants like vitamins A (beta-carotene), C and E, which "protect against inflammation and fight free radicals, which can cause cell damage and contribute to chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes and heart disease." Cherries also help you sleep better thanks to high levels of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle, and tryptophan. "The high amounts of anthocyanins and melatonin in cherries protect against cancer-causing cell damage."

According to the report, "more than a thousand cherry varieties grown in the United States." Whether sweet or tart, the fruit provides many health benefits.

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