Instead of just turning to your drugstore or doctor in order to stay healthy, you can open the doors of your kitchen pantry or refrigerator and make the most of nature's own healing foods.

Staying healthy and preventing disease depend on many factors: your heredity, environment, ability to handle stress, the amount of exercise you get, and your diet. While you may not be able to do much to control most of those things, you can do something about exercise and the food you eat. By learning about the therapeutic powers of food, you can put them to work for you and your family!

But it's important to remember one thing about healthy eating. No particular food or diet is a panacea or cure by itself. Food doesn't make you healthy, but eating the right kind of food will allow you to reach your maximum health potential, taking into account your genes, your lifestyle and your general constitution. It's like the patient with a broken leg who asks the doctor "Will I ever be a champion ballroom dancer when my leg recovers?"

"It depends", says the doctor, "on whether you were one before."

Before beginning any diet or nutritional treatment, consult your doctor. Nutritional needs vary from person to person, depending on age, sex, health status and total diet. No single food, or groups of food, should be eaten at the exclusion of others to prevent or treat a specific illness or to maintain health, except on your doctor's advice. It is essential to vary your foods and eat a balanced diet!