Nutritional medicine uses food, and individual nutrients for medicinal and therapeutic effects. Nutrients are involved in the creation of every molecule and the maintenance of every system in the body. The body requires more than 45 nutrients to maintain health. The nutrients provided by the foods we eat are essential for growth, development and repair of the body. They help regulate metabolic functions, assist in the formation and functioning of bones, tissues and organs, as well as the production of hormones, nervous system chemicals, and genetic material.

Nutrient deficiencies ultimately contribute to the development of degenerative diseases.The rising incidence of chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, high cholesterol and many types of cancer have been positively correlated to the Western diet. Nutrition therefore plays an important role in virtually every medical condition. Good nutrition is therefore fundamental in the prevention and treatment of disease.

Today’s consumers are flooded with information about what they should be eating to improve their health, this overload often leaves people confused and unsure about what to eat. The use of antibiotics and hormones in animal produce; pesticides and herbicides sprayed on crops; the use of chemicals and preservatives in food processing burden our detoxification systems and can leave us depleted of essential nutrients.  Australian soils are notoriously mineral deficient further rendering foods low in essential minerals. Food processing, long-term storage and handling can significantly reduce the nutrients present in our food. The combined effect can make it difficult to attain everything we need from our food for optimum metabolic function and ultimately affect the growth, development and repair of ourselves and our children. (credit http://chalimahjeanne.com)