6. Gut health goes far beyond just digesting food and absorbing nutrients—it influences every aspect of the body, from brain function to heart health, immunity, and even mental well-being. Hippocrates had it right when he said, “All disease begins in the gut.” As a gastroenterologist working with thousands of patients, I’ve seen this truth firsthand, but I've also witnessed how dramatically our gut health can improve simply by the foods we choose to eat. It’s no wonder Hippocrates also said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”