DeepSummary
The podcast episode features an interview with Dr. William Li, a medical doctor, internal medicine specialist, and research scientist who studies food as medicine. He discusses how the foods we eat can either support or weaken our body's natural defense systems, such as circulation, stem cells, gut microbiome, DNA protection, and the immune system.
Dr. Li explains why certain foods like added sugars, artificial sweeteners, ultra-processed foods, alcohol, and reused cooking oils can be harmful to our health. He also provides practical advice on choosing healthier options like whole, plant-based foods, high-quality olive oils, and pairing certain foods together for better nutrient absorption.
The conversation covers a wide range of topics, including reading food labels, understanding organic foods, the link between diet and autoimmune diseases, the role of supplements, and finding joy in healthy eating. Dr. Li emphasizes the importance of being in touch with our bodies and making informed choices about the foods we consume.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Choosing high-quality organic foods can provide more beneficial phytochemicals and fewer harmful pesticides.
- Certain foods like added sugars, artificial sweeteners, ultra-processed foods, alcohol, and reused cooking oils can impair our body's natural defense systems, including circulation, stem cells, gut microbiome, DNA protection, and immune function.
- Eating a whole-food, plant-based diet can support our body's natural defenses and overall health by providing essential nutrients, fiber, and beneficial phytochemicals.
- Reading food labels and understanding the ingredients in packaged foods can help us make more informed choices about what we consume.
- Pairing certain foods together, such as black pepper with turmeric or healthy fats with vegetables like tomatoes, can increase nutrient absorption.
- Finding joy in healthy eating by choosing foods we love and making sustainable dietary changes can promote long-term success.
- Understanding the link between diet and autoimmune diseases can help us make dietary adjustments to reduce inflammation and support our immune system.
- While whole foods should be prioritized, supplements can be beneficial for filling nutritional gaps or addressing specific deficiencies.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “I think one of the greatest things about food is that and food and health is that it actually puts the agency of choice into our own individual hands. And so we make our own choices.“ by William Lee
- “There's a lot of foods that actually impair our health defenses, our circulation, our stem cells, our healthy gut microbiome, the ability for our DNA to protect our bodies from the environment and also our immune system. Your body can't handle some of those foods that we have gotten used to eating.“ by William Lee
- “I have one motto that I want everybody to just sort of take to heart, which is that when it comes to food and health, I really believe that you should love your food, to love your health. Both can happen at the same time.“ by William Lee
- “If we want people to get on a better diet, to get them started and to keep them going on it, we want them to actually feel like it's not a heavy lift. It's something that's doable.“ by William Lee
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Episode Information
Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee
Dr Rangan Chatterjee
5/7/24
Today’s guest passionately believes that the decisions we make every day about what we eat, have a huge influence on our overall health. Dr William Li is a medical doctor, internal medicine specialist, research scientist and the author of the 2 international bestsellers, Eat to Beat Disease and Eat To Beat Your Diet. He works in a field of research called Food as Medicine and having been involved with the development of many different drugs over the past few decades, he is passionate about using scientific rigour to analyse the specific benefits of food.
Dr Li has been a guest on my podcast on 2 previous occasions - Episodes 234 and 376 - and those episodes remain some of the most downloaded episodes in the history of my show. Today’s brand new episode was actually a conversation Dr Li and I recorded together around 2 years ago, but the content within it, is just as relevant today.
In this conversation, we covered a broad range of food related topics that people often find confusing, with the intention of providing more clarity. We start off talking about the foods we might want to consider cutting back on, due to their negative effects on our health. We talk about sugar, artificial sweeteners, ultra-processed foods, alcohol, and the problems with reusing oil when frying.
We also talk about the practical steps we can all take immediately, when it comes to choosing foods that will enhance both our short term and long-term health.
We cover so many different topics today, including:
- how you can go about choosing a good quality olive oil,
- the benefits of pairing certain foods together to increase nutrient absorption,
- how we can increase the amount of vitamin D in mushrooms,
- why organic foods are healthier,
- how to best read food labels,
- the link between the foods we consume and autoimmune disease,
- whether supplements are beneficial, and so much more.
Dr Li is someone who wants joy to be at the heart of how we think about our food choices and our health. He is knowledgeable, passionate and a wonderful communicator. I always enjoy my conversations with him, I hope you enjoy listening.
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Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/450
DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.
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