In this reflection from celebrity chef Raphael Gamon, What Traditional Chinese Medicine Can Still Teach Us is more than a question – it’s a return to ancient wisdom in a modern world.
“An apple a day keeps the doctor away” – a phrase so simple, it’s easy to dismiss. But behind the cliché lies a fundamental truth that ancient wisdom has long known: food is medicine, and what we eat every day has the power to either harm or heal.
At Highlands in Bloom (HiB), we are honored to bring the words and culinary perspective of celebrity chef Raphael Gamon to life – not just in the meals we serve, but in the philosophies we live by. Informed by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Gamon’s approach urges us to return to the roots of nourishment, to see food not as a trend but as a sacred exchange between body and earth.
Food Is Medicine – And Always Has Been
Modern medicine often starts where discomfort begins. But Traditional Chinese Medicine begins far earlier with the preventative intention behind what’s on your plate. As Chef Raphael reminds us, long before the invention of pharmaceuticals, our ancestors turned to nature’s pharmacy: roots, herbs, plants, and intentional meals that aligned with the seasons and supported the body’s rhythms.
These time-tested methods weren’t alternative – they were the original medicine. The chef was the healer. The kitchen was the clinic.
Today, we’ve outsourced our healing to pills with ingredients we can’t pronounce. But as chronic illness, anxiety, and autoimmune issues rise, more people are beginning to ask: what have we lost in the process?
The Disconnect: What We Eat Isn’t What It Used to Be
We now live in a world where food is modified for shelf life, not life span. Marketing tells us what’s “natural” or “healthy” – while ingredient lists reveal a chemistry experiment. Mass agriculture and super-farms prioritize appearance and output over nutrient integrity, leaving our immune systems to fend for themselves in an increasingly toxic environment.
Chef Raphael doesn’t just call this out – he challenges us to course-correct. Because real food still exists. And when prepared with presence, intention, and tradition, it has the power to restore.
Reconnecting to Our Body’s Wisdom – What Traditional Chinese Medicine Can Still Teach Us
TCM sees the body as an interconnected system – kidney controls heart, liver works in harmony with spleen, in return the spleen filters dead blood cells, liver and lung aim for balance, and lung activity supports the heart. It’s a current science operational blueprint.
When we eat while scrolling on our phones, we disrupt the brain-gut axis. When we fill our diets with processed snacks and synthetic additives, we compromise digestion, immunity, and emotional regulation. But when we tune in to how our bodies respond to food – with curiosity and reverence – we begin to reclaim agency over our health.
The Mind-Body Connection Is Not a Trend – It’s Biology
Whether through the placebo effect, behavior change, or reduced anxiety, belief and biology are deeply intertwined. Chef Raphael reminds us that healing is not only physical – it’s perceptual, emotional, and spiritual.
At Highlands in Bloom, we believe that honoring this complexity is essential – not optional. Our work integrates whole-body healing, including TCM-informed meals that reduce inflammation and support the nervous system. It’s current science respected integration; and it’s long overdue.
Looking Forward by Looking Back – What Traditional Chinese Medicine Can Still Teach Us
Food today is a complex industry with correct lifestyle choices anyone can reclaim harmony and it’s individual purpose. At Highlands in Bloom we believe in “listening to your body”.
Chef Raphael Gamon puts it plainly: “Eating healthy isn’t a myth — it’s a mindset.” And when we begin to listen to the body, align with the seasons, and make intentional choices, healing becomes not just possible – but inevitable.
Let this be your invitation to rediscover the sacredness of food. Because at Highlands in Bloom, every meal is a conversation between your body and our happiness.
Highlands in Bloom
Residential Treatment Center for Autoimmune + Mental Health
Agoura Hills, California
(805) 892-6313
Licensed by CDSS • Certified by DHCS • JCAHO Accredited
