Advances in Nutrition Therapy: Emerging Concepts, Research Trends and Practical Applications

It is distressing to witness a large portion of society suffering and dying from diseases that are costly to treat, yet many perish because available medications fail to provide a cure. Moreover, many individuals cannot afford the exorbitant costs of treatment, leading to preventable pain, disabilities, and death. Over the past decade, we have conducted research and discovered the remarkable healing potential of certain foods, food supplements and herbs, which can effectively treat most common ailments. It is well-established that some diseases result from deficiencies or excesses of specific nutrients in the body. For example, beriberi is caused by a lack of vitamin B1, rickets by a deficiency of vitamin D, and scurvy by a lack of vitamin C. Vitamin A has long been used to treat conditions like night blindness and xerophthalmia. Foods like liver, palm oil, unripe plantain, eggs, cheese, oily fish, carrots, green leafy vegetables, apricot, and pawpaw are rich sources of vitamin A. Studies have also shown that vitamin A promotes growth in rats. Despite this knowledge, many people still turn to synthetic medications first when ill, often ignoring the harmful short- and long-term effects of these drugs. As a result of these side effects and the prohibitive cost of treating chronic diseases, which is out of reach for many, there is a growing global trend towards seeking alternative methods for preventing and treating illness. The effectiveness of nutraceuticals-foods with medicinal properties-has been proven through scientific research, and they are now recognized as food supplements in the United States. While the healing power of food is not new, it has often been overshadowed by influential figures seeking profits at the expense of human health. However, it is now receiving the well-deserved attention of researchers, consumers, and traders worldwide.