How Foods Can Heal

We live in a fast paced world where our health often takes a back seat to our responsibilities.  We run from work to school to kids’ sporting practice to the dog’s vet appointment to the store….it’s never-ending.  We tend to grab snacks or even fast food just because we need to eat for energy on the run.  This constant stress on our bodies, coupled with improper nutrition, causes illness and chronic disease.  Some of the most common things our bodies suffer from this lifestyle are inflammation, allergies, diminished brain function, stress and lack of energy. Thankfully, there are a few small changes we can make to our daily diet that can make a huge difference.

Inflammation

Turmeric is a spice that is a common staple in Indian and Middle Eastern foods.  Its mild flavor ads a wonderful, well-rounded aspect to almost any dish without overpowering it.  It has also been used for centuries as a natural source of dye for fabrics.  However, the most common and potent use for turmeric is medicinal.  It is known for its incredible ability to reduce inflammation.  It has been used successfully in pain management, including reducing the pain of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, migraines and chronic nerve pain.  Turmeric is also a powerful antioxidant.  It removes unwelcome toxins from the body to not only improve overall health and organ function, but to also act as preventative for certain types of cancer.  

Finding ways in ingest turmeric daily is quite easy.  It can be incorporated into just about any dish.  It’s delicious on eggs, roasted vegetables, chicken, rice, and even in homemade mayonnaise and salad dressings.  Like many other foods, you will get the most health benefits by eating it raw.  Sauces and dressings are a very easy way to do this.  You can also make “golden paste”.  This is a combination of turmeric (1/2 cup), water (1 cup), black pepper (1/2 tsp), and cold-pressed, unrefined, virgin coconut oil (1/4 cup).  Mixing it with a healthy fat makes it more easily utilized by the body. Take about a half a teaspoon daily.  If the flavor is too strong, add some locally produced raw honey.

Allergies

Speaking of local raw honey, this is another incredible powerhouse right in your kitchen.  Eating local raw honey daily has been proven to reduce the symptoms of seasonal allergies.  The reason why is because the bees feed on the flowers that are local to your area.  They drink the nectar, as well as bring the pollen from the flowers back to their hive.  This puts local pollen into the honey.  Because the pollen is in very small doses, it works like an inoculation by building up your body’s natural resistance to them.  Amazing, right? But that’s not all.  Raw honey also contains enzymes that help with digestive issues.  It’s has antiseptic properties that make it wonderful for treating burns, abrasions and other skin irritations.  One very important thing to remember about raw honey is you should never heat it.  If you’re putting it into tea, make sure the tea is lukewarm.  Otherwise it will destroy all the enzymes and other health components present in raw honey.

Brain Function

As we reach middle age, we start to notice that we may not be as mentally sharp as we used to be.  This can be caused from years of avoiding fats due to the marketing of low fat foods.  The food industry has brainwashed us to believe that fats are bad for us.  We have been told that they cause heart disease and obesity, however, this is only partially correct.  Hydrogenated fats are processed fats that have undergone a chemical change to make it more shelf stable in pre-made foods.  Our bodies cannot properly process these unnatural fats so they cause disease. Some of the over-processed oils to avoid are soy, canola, corn, and peanut oils.

However, healthy fats are imperative to a healthy body. Omega-3 and omega-6 oils feed the brain and improve its function.  These oils increase memory and cognition and reduce your risk for neurological diseases such as dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s disease.  In higher doses, they can also lessen the effects of these diseases if they are already present.  Adding regular exercise (at least three times per week) further reduces your risk for neurological disease and increases your brain function.  Other benefits of healthy fats are lower cholesterol levels, lower body fat and healthier skin.  Cold-pressed, unrefined, virgin coconut oil, organic olive oil and avocado oil are the three best oils for cooking.  You can also take supplements to increase your omega-3 and omega-6 intake.  Fermented cod liver oil is an incredible supplement to take for overall health.  It has one of the highest concentrations of these healthy fats.

Stress

Stress seems to affect just about everyone lately, and it’s not limited to adults.  Too many children are also suffering from stress and anxiety.  It’s one of the most rampant diseases of our time.  While we can’t always change our entire lifestyle to avoid stress, we can counteract it as best we can.  Regular exercise and proper nutrition are crucial.  One thing that most people are lacking in their daily diet is folate.  Low levels of folate can be one of the causes of anxiety and depression.  Eating enough folate daily helps produce and release a chemical in the brain called dopamine.  Dopamine helps you feel calm and happy.  So how do we get more folate into our diets?  Dark leafy greens.  That doesn’t mean salads every day, although there’s nothing wrong with that.  There are a lot of ways to get dark leafy greens into your diet.  

First let’s identify dark leafy greens.  Spinach, kale, butterhead lettuce, arugula, mustard greens, cabbage, broccoli, romaine lettuce, and swiss chard are all dark leafy greens.  You can make salads, sauté the greens in a healthy fat like coconut oil or grass-fed butter, steam them, or put them raw into smoothies.  Another fun way to get greens is to make chips out of them.  Kale works the best because it’s heartier.  Wash and dry the leave, and remove the stems.  Drizzle lightly with olive oil (another healthy fat!) and sprinkle with salt.  Try pink Himalayan salt for some added nutrition.  Then roast in the oven preheated to 275° F for about 25 minutes or until they are dry and crisp.  Experiment with different seasonings and spices to see what you like.

Energy

It’s no wonder we don’t have much energy with all the things we already covered. All the changes we’ve mentioned will definitely help with your energy levels, but there’s also something else that we can add in to help.  Something that we may have heard from our mothers or grandmothers for years.  Vitamin C!  Vitamin C is a very powerful antioxidant.  It rids our bodies of all the toxins that accumulate and slow us down.  It boosts the immune system, keeping us in top shape.  When we feel healthy, we naturally have more energy.  Keeping the body balanced with proper nutrition, avoiding as many toxic influences as possible and taking supplements like Vitamin C keeps your body running smoothly.  Our mental clarity is directly linked to a healthy body.  They balance each other, and you can’t have one without the other. Take the time to take care of yourself and you’ll be amazed at just how much peace you will feel, even in the midst of a very busy lifestyle.