Using Food and Culinary Herbs to Heal Disease
Over two thousand years ago, the famous Green physician Hippocrates said, “Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food.” This is still good advice and we should be using food as medicine. After all, one of the primary ways you can maintain good health is through nutrition. Many ailments are nothing more than deficiencies of the vital nutrients and phytochemicals found in food.
All plants, including medicinal herbs, contain nutrients – carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals. Healing herbs are typically considered medicinal. This is because of the phytochemicals they contain, such as tannins, essential oils, mucilaginous fibers, alkaloids, saponins, and glycosides.
All foods contain these types of phytochemicals, even a fairly simple food, like potato, which is primarily used as a source of carbohydrates has over 150 identified phytochemicals including solanine alkaloids, oxalic acid, tannins, and nitrates. Furthermore, all medicinal herbs contain nutrients such as essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals. In this month’s Sunshine Sharing, we are going to discuss the medicinal or healing properties of certain fruits, vegetables, and culinary herbs.
Food as Medicine – Utilizing the Power of Lifestyle and Diet
Many of today’s current health issues are based on an individual’s lifestyle. When we think of lifestyle we think of several areas. We focus on stress management, exercise/movement, avoiding toxic substances (recreational drugs, alcohol, and smoking), and diet.
Focusing on diet and nutrition as a part of treating and preventing many chronic diseases is in the mainstream. There is information showing that focusing on nutrient-dense foods can help reduce, reverse, and prevent many of the common chronic diseases today. These include heart disease, stroke, obesity, type II diabetes, and lung cancer.
If you are currently trying to manage one of these concerns, it’s time to learn more about what you can do. Healthy living and healthy eating can make a difference in how you feel and your quality of life. I have just recently launched several wellness programs, the Healthy Habits Healthy Living Challenge is a self-paced 13-week program and the IN.FORM Program is a 13-week one-on-one coaching program.
Both of these wellness programs will focus on creating healthier lifestyle habits to improve your overall health. If you implement what is shared you will be well on your way to a newer your in 90 days!