The 20th century brought significant and dramatic shifts to modern medicine which has continued to develop at a staggering pace. However has our progress impacted our health in a positive way? In comparison our ancestors evolved, adapted and survived over long time periods in incredibly harsh environments and through their amazing resourcefulness we’re here to recount their tale.

Medical science has become one of cure, rather than prevention. From pain relief to gastric banding, we look to pill popping and scalpels as answers to our health. As a result, we often miss the true influences on our overall health with a focus shifted to finding the next breakthrough in miracle treatments.

However, a new way of thinking has emerged that may show us that the answer to health lay right in front of us, just like our ancestors, in what we eat.

Our Healthcare System Is Sick

Those who suffer a heart attack are undoubtedly grateful for the quick thinking work of the Doctors and medical professionals around them; in turn these professionals save lives through technology, surgery and medicines. However drugs, surgery and emergency treatments all too often fail in truly helping those who suffer chronic, debilitating ailments (such as diabetes, heart disease or arthritis).

This backwards balance is critical. The strain on health services the world over is showing and the future of our health relies on us learning from our past.  Across all healthcare sectors, we rely upon treatments, rather than prevention, and we fail to recognize the unshakable link between western diet and our health.

Applying Ancient Wisdom For Future Health

To evolve we must learn once more from our ancestors. This is no better demonstrated by the now ground-breaking research established by Dr Weston Price, who found relatively isolated and ‘primitive’ societies from around the world to boast far better overall health than their western counterparts. He saw the importance of animal fat within one’s diet and, amongst other findings, today further research has built a pretty damming picture of the implications of genetic and chemically enhanced farming.

Science Playing Catch-up

Today researchers are opening up new doors that will allow us to achieve optimal health through the personalization and understanding of nutrition, as well as to provide powerful insights into the relationship between molecules, genes and the wider biological system.Key to this is recognizing that nutrients have powerful abilities to interact and direct molecular mechanisms, which can change the very physiological functions of our bodies. This understanding represents a revolutionary way of approaching overall health, and it is what defines Nutrigenomics.

Eating To A Genetic Destiny

By acknowledging that food is altering our DNA; and as our ancestors evolved survive, we are devolving their historical hard work and compensating with treatment focused rather than prevention first approach to medical care.However through new understanding of genetics and food, coupled with the classical approaches to the implications on diet, we can achieve the ultimate goal of optimal health through the simple principles of nutrition and diet.