Throughout history, people have looked at as a source of healing. Some of the myths were found to have no scientific merit. But some other ones have proved their mettle over the period of time. Many generations of people sipped warm milk before bed time to aid in the sleep. Now we know that milk contains an amino acid that causes the brain to release a mildly tranquilizing substance that encourages drowsiness.
Food can be therapeutic in several ways.
It provides nutrient that is needed by a sick person in a form he or she can use. It also provides nutrients for persons who are deficient in them. Sometimes food also supplies an agent or chemical that aids in the metabolism of other nutrients. Such foods act by changing the ecology within the human body. Many of the old time remedies stress food avoidance as well as specifying what to eat.