Page 37 - Barefoot guide

CHAPTER 5

FOOD MEDICINE FROM AFRICA

FOR AFRICANS

My name is Dr. Harriet Karibu. I am passionate about helping people to get well and stay healthy. And
although I often have to give my patients pills, I’m one of those rare doctors who recognise that the best
medicine is nearly always healthy, safe and nutritious food, not pills. Food is what helps our bodies to grow
strong, to build our immune systems, and to fight against illnesses like COVID-19.
I also recognise that while science can teach us much about what food is good for us, there is also much
knowledge in our communities, amongst our mothers, grandmothers and other elders. I have interviewed some
of the people you met in this story to ask them what messages they have about good food medicine. This is what
they said.

• Traditional diets are the best foundation for what
we eat. Our forefathers and mothers spent many
hundreds of years learning what food keeps us
strong and healthy. Let us revive and celebrate
our traditional diets for their wisdom and to
remind us of who we are and where we come
from.

• Eat food that is grown in healthy, living soil, as
this food is full of a variety of nutrients that make
you healthy. The mighty microbes in healthy living
soil feed the mighty microbes in our bodies.
MBUYA
• The fresher the food the better. If you grow your
own food, you can eat it as soon as it is picked.
• Try to avoid food that’s been grown with
chemicals such as poisonous sprays and fertilisers
– these can make you sick over time.
• Healthy soil equals healthy food, and healthy
food equals healthy people.

RUTH

CHAPTER 5: FOOD MEDICINE FROM AFRICA FOR AFRICANS 29