How To Use Food As Medicine with Dr. William Li

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Apr 13, 2022

Dr. William Li, a renowned physician and author of "Eat to Beat Disease," discusses the medicinal power of food and its biochemical interactions with our bodies. He highlights how specific foods can enhance health, from boosting immunity to aiding cancer survival. The conversation challenges traditional medical practices, advocating for an integrated approach where nutrition plays a central role in healing. Listeners learn actionable tips for improving their diets and discover the transformative potential of embracing natural foods.

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INSIGHT

Food as Medicine

Food contains medicinal properties, acting like drugs on specific receptors.
These compounds are not essential nutrients, but their absence can lead to chronic diseases.

INSIGHT

Health, Not Just Absence of Disease

Dr. William Li's focus shifted from treating diseases to understanding health.
He realized food can activate health-supporting pathways, similar to pharmaceuticals.

ANECDOTE

Beets and Spinach for Health

Eating beets or spinach activates the microbiome on the tongue to convert nitrates to nitric oxide.
This improves circulation, lowers blood pressure, and mobilizes stem cells for healing.

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This episode is brought to you by Mitopure, InsideTracker, and Cozy Earth.

Humans have coevolved with food and its medicinal actions on our bodies, meaning we have actual cell receptors for specific food-derived molecules. So why aren’t doctors trained in how to use food as medicine? We’re taught all about using pharmaceuticals to affect our biology, but the power of food is left high and dry. I think this is a foundational area of medical training we need to change. That’s why I’m so excited to talk to one of my favorite people and thinkers in the world of food and medicine on this episode of The Doctor’s Farmacy, Dr. William Li.

Dr. William Li is a world-renowned physician, scientist, speaker, and author of Eat to Beat Disease: The New Science of How Your Body Can Heal Itself. He is best known for leading the Angiogenesis Foundation. His groundbreaking work has impacted more than 70 diseases including cancer, diabetes, blindness, heart disease, and obesity. His TED Talk, Can We Eat to Starve Cancer? has garnered more than 11 million views, and he has appeared on The Dr. Oz Show, Martha Stewart Live, CNN, MSNBC, NPR, Voice of America, and has presented at the Vatican’s Unite to Cure conference. An author of over 100 scientific publications in leading journals such as Science, The New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, and more, Dr. Li has served on the faculties of Harvard, Tufts, and Dartmouth Medical School.

This episode is brought to you by Mitopure, InsideTracker, and Cozy Earth.

Get 10% off Mitopure at timelinenutrition.com/drhyman and use code DRHYMAN10 at checkout.

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Here are more details from our interview (audio version / Apple Subscriber version):

Dr. Li’s journey to understanding the power of eating to beat disease (6:53 / 3:20)
How food can activate our body’s healing defense systems (15:56 / 13:11)
Why Dr. Li changed his mind about organic foods (20:44 / 17:23)
The benefits of nutritional diversity and eating “weird foods” (25:45 / 22:04)
Research showing how eating tree nuts benefited colorectal cancer patients (30:18 / 26:00)
Combining food and pharmaceutical drugs (34:06 / 30:31)
Prescribing food as medicine (44:01 / 39:37)
Reimagining our approach to Covid and long Covid (52:37 / 47:38)
Foods that lower inflammation and boost the immune system (55:22 / 51:50)
Three ways to start using food as medicine (1:09:46 / 1:04:49)

Find Dr. Li’s Eat To Beat Disease Masterclass at drwilliamli.com/masterclass and get a copy of his book, Eat To Beat Disease, at drwilliamli.com/book-li.