That’s Not Something I Studied…

Was the response a friend of mine, newly diagnosed with Cancer, received last year, from his oncologist, when he asked what dietary changes he might consider in order to help him fight his battle.

“We didn’t cover nutrition as part of my schooling”, said the doctor, in not so many words, who then continued to tell my friend that sure, there might be a few minor changes one might make to their diet, but ultimately, it wasn’t going to make too much of a difference.

This was also said, by the way, before the doc had any idea whether or not my friend ate vegetables every day or opted for three times a day stops at McDonald’s.

Fortunately, my friend sought medical care elsewhere and is now in remission, but the huge problem remains.

Based on many conversations I’ve had with my own doctors, clients who are doctors and clients who’ve gone to doctors, it seems like this approach is more common than one that not only considers food as part of the problem (and, more importantly, the solution), but one that would consider food and diet as one of the main factors into why one might have Cancer, or another equally potentially life threatening illness, as well as those that are milder.

One client who is a doctor himself concurred.  An intelligent, well educated man who happens to follow a healthy diet of his own as well as run marathons explained that in his opinion, he learned what he needed to learn in medical school, as a resident and then in his private practice.  He strongly feels that if it wasn’t taught, it wasn’t important.

I can understand the rationale.

But I don’t agree with it.

Enlighten me, readers!  Tell me I’m wrong!  If any of you are physicians, surgeons, private practice docs, what was your experience in school?   And how can change be implemented into the medical schools’ curriculum?

I’d so love to hear it straight from the horses’ mouths!