--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Let food be thy medicine and medicine be…" description: "\"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food\" — Hippocrates" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f03/hippocrates-2237_food_let-food-be-thy-medicine-and-medicine-be_1639584.jpg" --- # Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food ![“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” quote by Hippocrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f03/hippocrates-2237_food_let-food-be-thy-medicine-and-medicine-be_1639584.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f03/hippocrates-2237_food_let-food-be-thy-medicine-and-medicine-be_1639584.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f03/hippocrates-2237_food_let-food-be-thy-medicine-and-medicine-be_1639584.jpg) > “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” [Hippocrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hippocrates/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates treating health through nutrition, viewing food as both preventive and therapeutic. **In simple terms:** Food can heal and prevent illness. Key Takeaway Prioritize diet for health. Themes health nutrition preventive medicine Mood educational optimistic Type practical inspirational When to use this quote - daily meal planning - clinical nutrition - public health policy - wellness coaching Key Concepts holistic health dietary therapy Questions to Reflect On - How can you integrate food‑based healing today? - What dietary changes could improve your wellbeing? A Different Perspective Modern medicine also relies on pharmaceuticals. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Medicine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medicine/) ## Related quotes > [Let food be thy medicine, thy medicine shall be thy food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hippocrates/let-food-be-thy-medicine-thy-medicine-shall-be-thy-food/) [Hippocrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hippocrates/) > [Fight shy of the medicine which thy mother and thy father, thy sister and thy brother let out against thee, I shall cause thee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atharva-veda/fight-shy-of-the-medicine-which-thy-mother-and-thy-father-thy-sister/) [Atharva Veda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atharva-veda/) > [Thy food is such As hath been belch'd on by infected lungs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/thy-food-is-such-as-hath-been-belch-d-on-by-infected-lungs/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hippocrates/let-your-food-be-your-medicine-and-your-medicine-be-your-food/) [Hippocrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hippocrates/) > [The wise man should consider that health is the greatest of human blessings. Let food be your medicine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hippocrates/the-wise-man-should-consider-that-health-is-the-greatest-of-human/) [Hippocrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hippocrates/) > [“Read, re-read! Every word you read is a food for thy soul!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/read-re-read-every-word-you-read-is-a-food-for-thy-soul/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [The food of thy soul is light and space; feed it then on light and space. But the food of thy body is champagne…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/the-food-of-thy-soul-is-light-and-space-feed-it-then-on-light-and/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [“I let the food speak for itself and the food always wins...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-frank/i-let-the-food-speak-for-itself-and-the-food-always-wins/) Rachel Frank > [Singaporeans are food people, period. My first memories, let alone of food, were of sitting on the floor of the kitchen with my mother,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-leong/singaporeans-are-food-people-period-my-first-memories-let-alone-of/) [Melissa Leong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-leong/) > [Don't let your food get cold worrying about what's on my plate :-P~](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deangelo-stokes/don-t-let-your-food-get-cold-worrying-about-what-s-on-my-plate-p/) [DeAngelo Stokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deangelo-stokes/) > [Initially let your food do the talking. You'll be surprised how far you go in a short period of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-ramsay/initially-let-your-food-do-the-talking-you-ll-be-surprised-how-far/) [Gordon Ramsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-ramsay/) > [I don't let any food go to waste at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupali-ganguly/i-don-t-let-any-food-go-to-waste-at-home/) [Rupali Ganguly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupali-ganguly/) > [Food is a party; it's exciting. It should be a source of entertainment and nourishment. And just do everything you can to not let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-w-k/food-is-a-party-it-s-exciting-it-should-be-a-source-of-entertainment/) [Andrew W.K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-w-k/) > [“Hippocrates said let your food be your medicine and your medicine be your food.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-vickers/hippocrates-said-let-your-food-be-your-medicine-and-your-medicine-be/) [Lee Vickers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-vickers/) > [Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/part-of-the-secret-of-success-in-life-is-to-eat-what-you-like-and-let/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) ## More by Hippocrates > [Men ought to know that from nothing else but the brain come joys, delights, laughter and sports, and sorrows, griefs, despondency, and lamentations. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hippocrates/men-ought-to-know-that-from-nothing-else-but-the-brain-come-joys/) [Hippocrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hippocrates/) > [But medicine has long had all its means to hand, and has discovered both a principle and a method, through which the discoveries made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hippocrates/but-medicine-has-long-had-all-its-means-to-hand-and-has-discovered/) [Hippocrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hippocrates/) > [The dignity of a physician requires that he should look healthy, and as plump as nature intended him to be; for the common crowd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hippocrates/the-dignity-of-a-physician-requires-that-he-should-look-healthy-and/) [Hippocrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hippocrates/) > [I will follow that system of regimen which, according to my ability and judgment, I consider for the benefit of my patients, and abstain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hippocrates/i-will-follow-that-system-of-regimen-which-according-to-my-ability/) [Hippocrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hippocrates/) > [There are in fact two things, science and opinion. The former begets knowledge, the latter ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hippocrates/there-are-in-fact-two-things-science-and-opinion-the-former-begets/) [Hippocrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hippocrates/) > [The soul is the same in all living creatures, although the body of each is different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hippocrates/the-soul-is-the-same-in-all-living-creatures-although-the-body-of/) [Hippocrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hippocrates/) > [Everyone has a doctor in him or her; we just have to help it in its work. The natural healing force within each one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hippocrates/everyone-has-a-doctor-in-him-or-her-we-just-have-to-help-it-in-its/) [Hippocrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hippocrates/) > [Sleep and watchfulness, both of them, when immoderate, constitute disease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hippocrates/sleep-and-watchfulness-both-of-them-when-immoderate-constitute-disease/) [Hippocrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hippocrates/) > [War is the only proper school of the surgeon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hippocrates/war-is-the-only-proper-school-of-the-surgeon/) [Hippocrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hippocrates/) > [All diseases begin in the gut.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hippocrates/all-diseases-begin-in-the-gut/) [Hippocrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hippocrates/) > [Each of the substances of a man's diet acts upon his body and changes it in some way and upon these changes his whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hippocrates/each-of-the-substances-of-a-man-s-diet-acts-upon-his-body-and-changes/) [Hippocrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hippocrates/) > [Medicine in its present state is, it seems to me, by now completely discovered, insofar as it teaches in each instance the particular details…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hippocrates/medicine-in-its-present-state-is-it-seems-to-me-by-now-completely/) [Hippocrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hippocrates/) > [Things that are holy are revealed only to men who are holy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hippocrates/things-that-are-holy-are-revealed-only-to-men-who-are-holy/) [Hippocrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hippocrates/) > [A sensible man ought to think about that well being is the best of human blessings, and find out how by his personal thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hippocrates/a-sensible-man-ought-to-think-about-that-well-being-is-the-best-of/) [Hippocrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hippocrates/) > [Whoever wishes to investigate medicine should proceed thus: In the first place, consider the seasons of the year and what effect each of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hippocrates/whoever-wishes-to-investigate-medicine-should-proceed-thus-in-the/) [Hippocrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hippocrates/) [Explore all 177 Hippocrates quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hippocrates/) ## More Food quotes > [On Sundays, that's my pig out day and I do the pizza and the beer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-silvstedt/on-sundays-that-s-my-pig-out-day-and-i-do-the-pizza-and-the-beer/) [Victoria Silvstedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-silvstedt/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [By eating many fruits and vegetables in place of fast food and junk food, people could avoid obesity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-h-murdock/by-eating-many-fruits-and-vegetables-in-place-of-fast-food-and-junk/) [David H. Murdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-h-murdock/) > [“The global population of Earth are involved in the following corporate government experiments: The long term effects of - 1. Nuclear bomb fallout radiation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/the-global-population-of-earth-are-involved-in-the-following/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“My God, Joseph, your toasted sandwiches are the fucking shit. You do know that right?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ashworth/my-god-joseph-your-toasted-sandwiches-are-the-fucking-shit-you-do/) [Beth Ashworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ashworth/) > [I feel like I could eat the world raw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/i-feel-like-i-could-eat-the-world-raw/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [To me, Caribbean food is about fresh, seasonal produce - using what's in season to create vibrant and great tasting food. The spicing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ainsley-harriott/to-me-caribbean-food-is-about-fresh-seasonal-produce-using-what-s-in/) [Ainsley Harriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ainsley-harriott/) > [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [“if you cannot control your hunger and appetite, good luck managing your blood chemistry, metabolism, waistline, and, in the bigger picture, the prospect of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-perlmutter/if-you-cannot-control-your-hunger-and-appetite-good-luck-managing/) [David Perlmutter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-perlmutter/) > [“Hungarian Proverb: A dish of cabbages can be heated when it grows cold, but it will never taste the same.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mourid-barghouti/hungarian-proverb-a-dish-of-cabbages-can-be-heated-when-it-grows-cold/) [Mourid Barghouti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mourid-barghouti/) > [“The phrase “low and slow” was coined to describe the relatively low temperatures used for smoking and the lengthy amount of time it takes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-reader/the-phrase-low-and-slow-was-coined-to-describe-the-relatively-low/) Ted Reader > [Things live and die, and then someone processes them into edible portions. This is a complete telling of the story, 'Food.' The basic plot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-fahrenthold/things-live-and-die-and-then-someone-processes-them-into-edible/) [David Fahrenthold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-fahrenthold/) > [“Live is like a box of chocolates, we are all just waiting for a hungry hand to come down and grab us and eat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunshine/live-is-like-a-box-of-chocolates-we-are-all-just-waiting-for-a-hungry/) [sunshine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunshine/) > [Sometimes, when full and in fear that I will continue to eat unwanted food just because it's staring at me, I will place my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-nichols/sometimes-when-full-and-in-fear-that-i-will-continue-to-eat-unwanted/) [Rachel Nichols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-nichols/) > [“Pumpkin Flavor Latte Scrub   Ingredients 1 ½ cups of brown sugar 2 tablespoons of ground coffee 1-2 tablespoons of pumpkin spice ¾ -1…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-hilton/pumpkin-flavor-latte-scrub-ingredients-1-cups-of-brown-sugar-2/) Kate Hilton [Browse all 34,183 Food quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Hippocrates" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hippocrates/let-food-be-thy-medicine-and-medicine-be-thy-food/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Food" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hippocrates/let-food-be-thy-medicine-and-medicine-be-thy-food/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f03/hippocrates-2237_food_let-food-be-thy-medicine-and-medicine-be_1639584.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f03/hippocrates-2237_food_let-food-be-thy-medicine-and-medicine-be_1639584.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f03/hippocrates-2237_food_let-food-be-thy-medicine-and-medicine-be_1639584.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” — Hippocrates", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Hippocrates", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hippocrates/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Let food be thy medicine and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hippocrates/let-food-be-thy-medicine-and-medicine-be-thy-food/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hippocrates/let-food-be-thy-medicine-and-medicine-be-thy-food/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```