La Luz Light Newsletter June 2017: Foods That Heal
FOODS THAT HEAL - Nourishing and Grounding Your Body and Spirit
Gut health has been connected to so many health issues that
naturopaths and other holistic practitioners look there first when a client
comes knocking on their door. Perhaps
Hippocrates had something to say about this over 2000 years ago when he said,
“All disease begins in the gut”.
Although conventional doctors historically take the Hippocratic Oath, in
which physicians swear to follow and uphold certain standards, advancements in
medicine has lead the health industry far away from Hippocrates’ observation so
long ago. While Big Pharma gain profits
‘hand over fist’ by proverbially pushing drugs to address symptoms rather than
causes, it is no surprise that many of us are seeking alternative medicine.
Medicine, however, comes in many forms. Exercise including all cardio, weight
training, stretching, yoga, Pilates, routines are one medicine. You know that after any of these activities,
you feel great with all those little endorphins doing the happy dance! Practicing mindfulness regularly is also a
medicine because it does your mind and spirit a world of good that your body
will automatically respond. All
community-related activities where you extend your expertise, or volunteering
spirit expands your heart center and spreads all over your body! Finally, food – food that comes from the
ground that grows from a tiny seed to a cornucopia of nutritious fare. Naturally farmed, and cruelty free meats,
poultry and fish should always be considered over other varieties that include
more chemicals than in a drug pusher’s trunk.
What we put into our bodies our gut will absorb. It will use it as energy, nourish our cells
and organs or has the potential to create an imbalance or dis-ease.
When the Root Chakra is energetically out of whack, look not only
at your fears about security, finances, and family issues, but what you are
giving your gut to “digest”. If your
body reacts adversely, it is telling you it prefers not to “digest” what you
are sending down because it is not in alignment with what your body needs. Yes,
taste is a huge detractor from eating some of the best foods to maintain good
health, but then, isn’t taste acquired?
Trying and experimenting with new whole non-processed foods might just be
what the “doctor” ordered!
As we continue our Alphabet Series of healing foods, let’s examine
some “C” foods that are delicious as they are nutritious!
(Disclaimer: I am not a medical or
nutritional professional.
All information provided comes from
reliable texts and personal experience)
Carrots:
Have you ever noticed that once you slice a carrot, it has a very eerie
resemblance to a human eye. Well, as Mother Nature has a way of hinting many
valuable lessons, she’s reminding us that carrots are an excellent source of
beta carotene, a good source of dietary fibre and potassium, can help lower
cholesterol and, ……..it helps to prevent night blindness! An American study
found that test subects who ate one cup of carrots per day reduced their blood
cholesterol after 3 weeks by 11%. The
pectin in the carrots has high-cholesterol effects. Although carrots may not improve your myopia
or presbyopia, but the abundance of Vitamin A found in carrots will improve the
cells in the retina to have “clearer” night vision. When cooking carrots, adding some fat like
butter will ensure that the body takes full use of its nutrients. Eating them
raw with the skin on will add a bit of bitterness to the naturally sweet
vegetable. So there are a few options to
enjoy this wonderful gift from Mother Nature’s garden. If
you need some recipes on how to enjoy carrots, follow this link to AllRecipes!
Photo Credit: Pixabay –
RitaE
Cauliflower: Like it’s cousin broccoli, the
cauliflower is a versatile vegetable with a good source of folate and
potassium, and excellent source of Vitamin C. Also like its cousin, over-cooking this vegetable can release sulphurous compounds resulting in an
unpleasant taste, additionally causing flatulence. The best way to eat
cauliflower is raw in a salad or quickly steamed to reduce nutrient loss and
retain flavour. Recently, I’ve been seeing a resurgence of cauliflower in lieu
of rice as a side dish or pressed together to make an interesting pie
crust. Alternatives are being investigated
to replace gluten based foods. So, placing a raw cauliflower in a food
processer until you get little beads, add to pan with olive oil, salt and
pepper over medium heat cook for 3 minutes. Did you know you can make
cauliflower hummus by just replacing the chick pea ingredient? Check
out some exciting recipes using this great gift from the garden.
Photo Credit: Pixabay –
Couleur
Cranberries: This little tart, red berry is not just
for Christmas turkey anymore! It is now available as a juice, dried as a snack,
and an ingredient found in many trail-mixes as a great source of Vitamin C.
Cranberries have also been found to keep the urinary tract healthy and clear of
bacteria causing cystitis in the bladder and kidney stones. With its unique acidic
and naturally occurring antibiotic properties, cranberries help prevent
bacteria from attaching to the bladder walls making certain unwanted organisms
unable to thrive. Drinking 200ml of pure
cranberry juice daily will help keep everything running smoothly unless you are
taking blood thinners: there is a contraindication here. Beware of sugar laden
cranberry juice so please read the labels carefully and look for the pure, no sugar
added variety. Tartness Alert! Ahh…. the
things we need to do to keep our bodies healthy! Here
are 50 ways to enjoy cranberries!
Photo Credit: Pixabay –
Alex80
“Let food be thy medicine, and medicine thy food” - Hippocrates
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