Food as Medicine - How to Add Healing Power to Everyday Meals

Have you ever heard the ancient saying, “Let your medicine be your food, and food be your medicine”?

It’s a wise saying by Hippocrates, the ancient Greek physician, from whom originates the Hippocratic Oath taken by doctors. Oddly, while modern doctors recognize Hippocrates’ contribution to medicine in the form of the Oath, the idea that our food can be our medicine is generally not included in the practice of modern medicine.

TIP! Grow your own produce. You don’t need much space to begin with, just a couple of pots on a deck, or a small area of your garden.

The good news is, foods are still “medicines,” and you can affect your health positively with the foods you eat. If you’d like to incorporate more healing herbs and foods into your diet, here are some tips that can help.

Herbs

TIP! Improve nutrition with a varied diet. By changing things up a little and diversifying your diet, you will be able to improve your nutrition.

The healing power of various herbs is becoming more and more recognized and accepted. Here are some of the more readily available herbs that you can add to your foods to boost their healing power.

* Ginger is an effective anti-nausea remedy and has significant antibacterial properties. The fresh root, sliced or diced, can be added to stir-fries, and it can be candied and eaten out of hand.

TIP! While fried foods may be packed with lots of flavor, they also have a ton of things in them that are not good for you, like fat and calories. Trying grilling and baking them instead, but make sure to add lots of herbs and spices so you will not miss the fact that it is not fried.

* Oregano, a tasty herb when added to pizza, spaghetti, and so forth, is considered an antioxidant. Antioxidants help mop up “free radicals” in the body, which are by-products of the body’s metabolic processes. Free radicals are implicated in the development of arthritis and other inflammatory conditions. So sprinkle this herb on regular dishes that are Italian or Greek in flavor.

* Rosemary is another antioxidant herb, and may help enhance memory and prevent cataracts. It may even help prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s disease. Rosemary is very good when used in meat marinades and sprinkled on dishes like pizza, focaccia, or pasta.

TIP! Expanding your understanding of salad is a great way to improve your nutrition. Salads are not limited to just lettuce and ranch dressing.

* Turmeric is commonly found in Indian curries. It has a yellowish color and earthy flavor, and is said to help reduce the pain and inflammation of arthritis. Turmeric can be added to soups and stews, curries, stir-fries, and other dishes.

Foods

TIP! A great nutrition tip if you have diabetes is to consult your doctor before you start including any type of herbs in your diet. A lot of herbs claim to have healing effects but they aren’t regulated by the FDA, which means there’s no evidence to back their claims.

The food you eat – not just the herbs you put on it – can help heal, too. Here are some suggestions.

* Garlic is a powerful preventer of colds and flu, and it has antifungal and antimicrobial properties. You can make garlic sauce for pasta, add it to soups, and base many meals around this simple food.

TIP! Be careful with sodium intake. Sodium intake should be limited to a little over a teaspoon (3,000 milligrams) per day.

* Onions are like garlic in their healthful properties. They are perhaps even more versatile; they can be made into a dish on their own or added to other foods.

* Berries are known for their antioxidant power. Add berries to salads or eat them out of hand. You can also freeze them and blend them into smoothies.

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Marenda (Posts)

Living Life Abundantly Motivator Blogger Entrepreneur Extraordinaire! Living Life Abundantly is a life style choice of personal development, self improvement, and inspired action. I created this blog with the intention of entertaining, educating, and empowering those ready for change.