“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”
- c. 460 BC – c. 370 BC
- Greek
- Physician, “Father of Medicine”
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Quote
“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”
Explanation
This quote is widely attributed to Hippocrates, but no direct evidence exists in the surviving texts of the Hippocratic Corpus that he said or wrote it in this exact form. The sentiment, however, is in line with Hippocratic thinking, which emphasized diet and lifestyle as foundational to maintaining health and treating disease. In that sense, the attribution—while likely apocryphal—is philosophically consistent with ancient Greek medical teachings.
Hippocratic medicine operated under the belief that the balance of the humors (blood, phlegm, black bile, and yellow bile) was greatly influenced by diet. Physicians were often as concerned with what their patients ate as with any drugs they administered. The quote reflects the view that nutrition is not merely sustenance, but a therapeutic tool—a principle deeply embedded in Hippocratic regimen-based care. In fact, one of the few treatises, On Diet, deals extensively with how specific foods affect the body and mind.
In modern medicine, the quote has gained renewed relevance as research continues to link diet with chronic disease prevention and treatment. From managing diabetes with low-sugar diets to preventing cardiovascular disease through Mediterranean-style eating, nutrition is once again being recognized as a vital component of health care. Whether or not Hippocrates actually said it, the idea that food plays a central role in healing and prevention remains both timeless and scientifically validated.
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