Something I learnt very early on in medical school is that we don’t just ‘catch cancer’ – cancer cells arise in our bodies everyday. This can be because of a genetic predisposition or environmental influence but typically our immune system eliminates them. Strengthening our immune system isn’t just about fighting off seasonal illness’, it’s about supporting a system which saves our lives. Every single day a hidden battle occurs with a variety of virus’, bacteria, fungi, parasites, cancer cells and harmful substances.

The topic of immunity is incredibly complex and it could sound a bit flippant perhaps, to write about simply supporting our immune systems with food. Each individual is different, has a different genetic make up, a different environment both internally and externally. Our exposure to different germs depends on so many factors and our immune system is a vast, intelligent, constantly evolving system that is also adaptable to the situations we put it in.

As such some people find the phrase ‘food as medicine’ as contentious, but I have always subscribed to the idea what we put into our bodies matters and that by concentrating on eating a colourful, nutrient dense, phytochemical rich diet to prevent or manage illness seems like a no brainer to me! Poor diet is actually a leading cause of preventable death every year, accounting for nearly 11 million deaths worldwide. Strengthening our immune system isn’t just about eating the right vitamins, it’s about bolstering the bodies core systems and building an internal fortress. A compromised immune system makes for a compromised human so anything we can do through food, medicine, exercise, mindset should always be considered important.

My recent podcast with Professor Robert Thomas on a similar topic, was so fascinating as he spoke at length about his supplement Pomi-T, a wholefood supplement containing pomegranate seed, green tea, broccoli and turmeric, given during a recent study to men with confirmed cases of prostate cancer. The control group was given an identical placebo. The results were really amazing. They measured the men’s median % change in PSA (the prostate specific antigen used to check for prostate cancer) over a period of time and they found at the end a statistically significant difference in levels of PSA between the men taking Pomi-T and the control group. To put this in context – a nutritional supplement made only from food, slowed down the measurable biological progression of prostate cancer, with no side effects, and they felt better and stronger. This is highly significant for men managing localised, low-risk prostate cancer through observation. Listen more from Prof Robert Thomas here: #09 Beyond the Prescription Pad: Lifestyle Medicine in Cancer Care – NCIM – National Centre for Integrative Medicine

And of course the non negotiable facts are there in science for us all to read with regards to the gut microbiome and the gut-immune axis. The diet we eat alters our gut microbiome, which modulates our immune system. Changes to our food is directly linked to our systemic health.

My take-away from ‘Food as Medicine’: there is immense power in food and what we put into our bodies. Probably one of the most powerful things we can do for our immune system include focussing on fresh, whole foods which are nutrient dense and minimally processed. And of course ensuring we include functional ingredients daily such as anti-inflammatory spices, fermented and probiotic foods, fruit, vegetables and rich in polyphenols and other antioxidants with immune boosting compounds. I truly believe this is one of the most crucial things we do for our bodies – food isn’t just fuel; food isn’t just pleasure; food is also medicine.