I know a lot of nutrition focused doctors around the world frequently quote that most doctors don’t get a nutrition course. That is probably true, however, it’s not the whole truth. Because, all doctors I know get several courses on BIOCHEMISTRY which is the MOTHER of Nutrition. Biochemistry is the groundwork for which helps us understand how our bodies work and how our bodies interact with nutrition. And there’s biochemistry of what happens when things go wrong like CANCER.  If nutrition were a course, it would be bundled into biochemistry. We all studied the biochemistry of humans, animals, bacteria, viruses, and plants. I think back when we were in medical school, I have a feeling that the very smart doctors who were in charge of our medical education probably felt that nutrition was somehow influenced too strongly by businesses and probably felt it wise to just teach us the basics of how to evaluate nutritional claims. Now that’s wiser than cramming down our throats some information that would change from time to time as we search for the truth. I believe that search swings like a pendulum around what is the truth or the “best practice.” So we’ll go from one wild extreme to the other and back and forth sometimes.

Many smart doctors I know even have degrees in Biochemistry such as my wife, Dr. Tammy Wu – plastic surgeon, and Dr. Monica Wood – orthopedic hand surgeon.

I have had a renewed interest in Nutrition and have had this interest for the past 7-8 years as I decided to transition myself to a vegan diet. But most of that interest comes from our skills in evaluating medical studies – which is a skill I was supposed to learn in medical school, and balancing that with the understanding and reviewing of the subject of biochemistry – which is the chemistry of life. I believe that my other physician colleagues in Modesto and in the world have similar interests especially as we come more and more to the conclusion that some of the best medicines come from nature. Even BOTOX comes from nature.