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Dr Pradeep Mahajan, Regenerative Medicine Researcher & Founder, StemRx Hospital & Research Centre says healthy food is not about restrictive diets or expensive super foods. It is about balance- choosing seasonal, fresh, and diverse foods that maintain the body’s natural equilibrium.
An old saying, “Make food as medicine, not medicine as food,” is a reminder. In the current fast-paced world scenario, where accessibility takes charge over the quality, our eating habits have drastically changed; and so have the diseases that come along with it. What we choose to put on our plate every day has the power to either preserve our health or quietly undermine it. The food we consume is more than fuel; it is the first and most natural form of medicine available to us.
The power of natural nutrition
Mother Nature has provided us with food with an abundant pharmacy of nutrients. From grains, legumes, and nuts to fruits, vegetables, and herbs, every natural food is a complex package of nutrients. The foods that are rich in both macro-nutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, fats) and micro-nutrients (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants), which are the building blocks that are designed to nourish every cell in our body, repair damage, and maintain balance.
While modern lifestyles have distanced us from nutrient-rich food. Processed, ready-to-eat, and chemically preserved items have steadily replaced traditional, wholesome meals. The result is that while our stomachs are full, our cells remain starved of real nutrition. This hidden hunger is what paves the way for disease. Malnutrition today does not always look like poverty; it can exist in people who are overweight yet nutrient-deficient because their diets are filled with empty calories.
The way food is cooked matters
What we eat is important, but how we cook it is equally vital. Food that is overcooked, fried, and laden with preservatives loses its healing power. With traditional methods, like steaming, boiling, and slow cooking, nutrients are preserved, and their bioavailability is enhanced.
For example, steaming vegetables lightly will make their fibers soft and will retain water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C and B-complex. Indian spices used in cooking, such as turmeric, cumin/jeera, and black pepper, consist of natural medicinal properties. When the food is cooked in excessive oil or reheated several times, the benefits are lost.
In contrast, today’s fast-food culture cancels the natural goodness in our food, adding up as fuel for disease. Processed, trans fats, refined sugar, and artificial additives may make food taste good, but they rob it of natural goodness and instead fuel inflammation, the common pathway behind diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and even cancer.
What truly makes food healthy?
Healthy food is not about restrictive diets or expensive super foods. It is about balance- choosing seasonal, fresh, and diverse foods that maintain the body’s natural equilibrium. A plate rich in colourful vegetables, whole grains, pulses, nuts, and healthy fats can prevent deficiencies and strengthen immunity. What matters is diversity ; just as no single medicine can cure all ailments, no single food can meet all our needs. Eating local, seasonal foods is often the best way to ensure freshness, affordability, and compatibility with our body’s rhythms.
Examples include:
- Greens Leafy vegetables strengthen immunity
- Whole grains stabilise blood sugar levels
- Nuts and seeds provide healthy fats essential for brain function
- Fermented foods support gut health, which is closely linked to mental well-being and immunity.
The food choice is guided by balance and not Internet trends; it prevents deficiencies, strengthens resilience, and slows down the aging process naturally.
Health vs. Food, Disease vs. Food
Every bite we take is either fighting disease or feeding it. When food choices align with nature, they promote health. When they don’t, they invite disease. Today’s style of eating, highly processed, sugar-laden, and devoid of real nutrition, has been directly linked to diabetes, obesity, heart disease, infertility, and even neurological disorders. In essence, our kitchens can either be our first pharmacy or our first enemy. Consider this simple comparison: a packet of chips offers quick satisfaction but contributes to inflammation, a bowl of fresh fruit provides natural sweetness, hydration, and antioxidants that strengthen immunity.
For instance,omega-3 fatty acids found in walnuts and flax seeds have been shown to reduce inflammation, while excessive refined sugar triggers insulin resistance, a precursor to Type 2 diabetes. Similarly, diets rich in fruits and vegetables lower cancer risk, whereas a steady intake of processed meats increases it.
The gut: The forgotten organ of nutrition
In recent years, science has highlighted the importance of the gut microbiome, the trillions of bacteria that live in our digestive tract. These microbes play a crucial role in breaking down food, producing vitamins, and regulating immunity. This reinforces the age-old idea that health truly begins in the gut, and what we feed our gut is what we ultimately feed our entire body.
Nutrition does not work in isolation. Alongside food choices, factor such as physical activity, stress, sleep, and hydration determines how well our body absorbs and utilises nutrients. Mindful eating is another lost art. Eating slowly, chewing thoroughly, and savouring meals allows better digestion and signals satiety at the right time. Contrast this with today’s habit of eating hurriedly in front of screens, which leads to overeating and indigestion.
In conditions like infertility, obesity, or neurological decline, nutrition is not a supplementary element but a central therapeutic tool. Food provides the raw materials, while regenerative medicine, including innovations like MDI, enhances the body’s ability to heal, repair, and rejuvenate. This integrated approach ensures that recovery is not temporary but sustained, reducing dependence on lifelong medications and improving overall quality of life.
The plate of food you prepare today can either prevent or promote disease tomorrow. The science is clear: food is not just about calories; it is about information. Every nutrient you consume sends signals to your body: to heal, to grow, or, if food is harmful, to break down.
Make food your medicine, and not medicine your food; this wisdom still holds today. At StemRx, we are committed to helping individuals achieve long-term wellness by combining the best of regenerative medicine with the foundational power of nutrition.
Let us consider the everyday choices we make during this National Nutrition Week. Instead of consuming medicines to fix nutritional gaps, eating healthy food in its purest form can help.