By Laura Wegner, RN

RAWGIRLS | Owner

Rethinking Medicine: The Power of Food in Healing

In today’s world, medication is often the go-to solution for managing chronic health issues. While medicine plays a crucial role in saving lives, we must ask ourselves: Are we treating symptoms or addressing the root cause?

How Did We Get Here? The Problem with Treating Symptoms Instead of Causes

Many common illnesses today—high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity—are lifestyle-related. They are largely caused by what we eat, how we move, and how we live.

Yet, instead of addressing why these conditions are occurring, we often prescribe medication to manage symptoms while continuing the same habits that caused the problem.

For example:

• High blood pressure? Take a pill—but don’t adjust diet or exercise.
• Elevated cholesterol? Statins can help—but are we reducing processed foods?
• Type 2 diabetes? Insulin can regulate blood sugar—but what if the right foods could do the same?

Medication is an incredible tool, but it should be a temporary aid, not a permanent crutch. Once we start prescribing, the side effects often lead to additional prescriptions, creating a cascading cycle of medication dependence. Instead of addressing the root cause, patients are frequently placed on a lifetime of prescriptions, each one treating the side effects of the last. This cycle benefits pharmaceutical companies, turning medication into an annuity rather than a solution for true healing. Medicine isn’t designed to cure; it’s designed to treat. In many cases, once a prescription is written, the expectation is that the patient will remain on it indefinitely. Ideally, medication should serve as a short-term intervention while a person makes the necessary lifelong lifestyle adjustments that allow them to regain their health and eventually transition off medication. Sadly, that’s rarely the case in our healthcare system.

I’ll never forget a health fair where I was teaching CPR to the public. Before our session, a cardiologist (heart specialist) addressed the audience. Someone asked, “How can I lower my blood pressure?” Without hesitation, the physician replied, “Take medication.” That was it. No mention of diet, exercise, stress management, or holistic approaches—just a prescription. I was stunned. How have we reached a point where medication is the only solution offered, rather than one of many tools for achieving health?

The Solution: Using Food as Medicine

What if we used food as our first line of defense?

Nutrient-dense, whole foods have the power to:

• Lower inflammation (a root cause of many chronic diseases)
• Stabilize blood sugar and reduce the risk of diabetes
• Improve heart health and lower cholesterol naturally
• Support gut health, digestion, and overall well-being

For example:

• Leafy greens help regulate blood pressure
• Berries are packed with antioxidants that fight inflammation
• Healthy fats support brain and heart health
• Fiber-rich foods help stabilize blood sugar

These foods don’t just prevent disease—they can also help the body heal when given the chance.

When Medicine is Necessary (and When It’s Not)

Let’s be clear: medicine is essential in many situations. If you have a severe infection, you need antibiotics. If you’re in a medical emergency, intervention can be life-saving.

However, for long-term, chronic conditions, we need to ask:

• Are we treating the symptom, or are we addressing the root cause?
• Could dietary and lifestyle changes reduce or eliminate the need for this medication?
• Am I using medication as a tool for short-term stabilization while I make changes, or am I relying on it indefinitely?

The goal is not to reject medicine—it’s to use it wisely while prioritizing real, whole food as the foundation of health.

A Shift in Mindset: Healing Starts in the Kitchen

Instead of seeing food as just fuel, we need to recognize it as a powerful form of medicine that works preventatively and therapeutically.

• Imagine a world where doctors prescribe dietary changes before prescriptions.
• Where grocery stores are our first stop for health, not the pharmacy.
• Where we take responsibility for our health through mindful consumption, not just medication.

This shift won’t happen overnight, but it starts with awareness. When we prioritize whole, nutrient-dense foods, we may find that we need medicine less often—or not at all.

FAQ: Can Food Really Replace Medication?

Q: What does "food is medicine" mean?
A: The concept of "food as medicine" means that whole, nutrient-dense foods can help prevent and even treat chronic diseases, reducing the need for medication.

Q: Can food replace medication?
A: In some cases, yes. A whole-food, plant-based diet has been shown to reverse conditions like type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, reducing reliance on medication. However, medicine is still necessary in certain cases.

Q: What are the best foods for healing the body naturally?
A: Leafy greens, berries, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and fermented foods all contribute to overall health and can help reduce inflammation and chronic disease risk.

Why I Left Nursing for RawGirls: A Belief in True Healing

I believe in this so deeply—the disconnect between food and health, and how lifestyle changes, increased physical activity, and a whole-food diet can transform lives—that I made the decision to leave nursing to run RawGirls. I realized that true healing and vibrant health don't start in a hospital—they start in the kitchen.

I saw firsthand how our healthcare system prioritizes treatment over prevention, how patients are placed on lifelong medications without real guidance on how to heal. I knew I wanted to be part of a movement that empowers people to reclaim their health through real food, not prescriptions. This is my mission—helping people nourish their bodies, break free from medication dependency, and live the healthiest, most vibrant lives possible.

Final Thoughts: Balance, Not Extremes

I don’t believe in extremes—I believe in balance. Medicine has its place. But if we make conscious, intentional choices about what we put on our plates, we can prevent disease, reduce dependency on medication, and truly take control of our health.

Let’s reconnect with real food. Let’s prioritize prevention over treatment. Let’s use medicine wisely—only when necessary, not as the first line of defense.

Because the truth is simple: Food is Medicine.