Received: 4 July 2024 / Revised: 19 July 2024 / Accepted: 19 July 2024 | Dong-Xiao Sun-Waterhouse, Xiao-Yu Chen, Zhen-Hua Liu, Geoffrey I.N. Waterhouse, Wen-Yi Kang
The article explores the transformation from traditional medicine-food homology to modern food-medicine homology, highlighting the evolution of this concept in Chinese culture and its impact on global health and wellness. The traditional "medicine and food homology" concept, rooted in ancient Chinese medicine, emphasizes the intrinsic link between food and medicine, advocating for the use of edible materials to prevent and treat various health conditions. This concept has evolved through five stages: budding, developing, flourishing, refining, and mature, with significant contributions from historical texts and practices.
The modern "food-medicine homology" concept integrates traditional wisdom with modern scientific advancements, such as genetics, metabolism, and nutrition theories. It emphasizes personalized and precise dietary recommendations, leveraging advanced technologies like omics and artificial intelligence to enhance the efficacy of food and medicine. The article also discusses the shift in human lifestyle towards wellness, driven by the need to address modern health issues like obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. This shift has led to a greater focus on preventive care and proactive health, where individuals take a more active role in maintaining their health through diet and lifestyle choices.
The article concludes by outlining relevant food processing trends, from traditional methods like drying and thermal processing to modern techniques that preserve and enhance the nutritional and therapeutic properties of food. The integration of these trends with the modern food-medicine homology concept aims to create a more sustainable and effective approach to health and wellness.The article explores the transformation from traditional medicine-food homology to modern food-medicine homology, highlighting the evolution of this concept in Chinese culture and its impact on global health and wellness. The traditional "medicine and food homology" concept, rooted in ancient Chinese medicine, emphasizes the intrinsic link between food and medicine, advocating for the use of edible materials to prevent and treat various health conditions. This concept has evolved through five stages: budding, developing, flourishing, refining, and mature, with significant contributions from historical texts and practices.
The modern "food-medicine homology" concept integrates traditional wisdom with modern scientific advancements, such as genetics, metabolism, and nutrition theories. It emphasizes personalized and precise dietary recommendations, leveraging advanced technologies like omics and artificial intelligence to enhance the efficacy of food and medicine. The article also discusses the shift in human lifestyle towards wellness, driven by the need to address modern health issues like obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. This shift has led to a greater focus on preventive care and proactive health, where individuals take a more active role in maintaining their health through diet and lifestyle choices.
The article concludes by outlining relevant food processing trends, from traditional methods like drying and thermal processing to modern techniques that preserve and enhance the nutritional and therapeutic properties of food. The integration of these trends with the modern food-medicine homology concept aims to create a more sustainable and effective approach to health and wellness.