HEALING FOODS: Practical Guide to the Health Benefits and Medicinal Properties of Food (2 page)

HEART HEALTH

The relationship between diet and heart health has been studied intensively. Every bite of heart-healthy foods delivers a powerful dose of phytonutrients that prevent and repair damage to cells and help prevent heart disease.

Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are high in antioxidants, folate, fiber, and potassium.
These nutrients blunt the effects of free radical damage to the heart and help prevent heart disease.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is high in B-vitamins which are effective in lowering homocycsteine levels associated with cardiovascular diseases.  It is also high in fiber which helps protect the heart and lower cholesterol.

Dark Chocolate!

Chocolate is high in flavonoids which help protect the cardiovascular system and inhibit platelet clumping. Research indicates that the flavonoids in chocolate reduce cell damage associated with heart disease, lower blood pressure, and improve vascular function.

Olive Oil

The monounsaturated fats in olive have been shown to reduce the inflammation often associated with the risk for cardiovascular disease.

HEALTHY AGING

You already know that eating nutritious foods can help you stay healthy, but what you eat can also make a difference on how you age, from the inside out. Making wise decisions about what you eat as you get older is very important. Aging can take a toll on many parts of our body including eyes, bones, skin, heart, and mind.

Fatty
Fish

Omega-3 fatty acids commonly found in fish oils offer many anti-aging benefits. Omega-3 fatty acids are considered essential fatty acids and are vital for normal metabolism. They protect your heart and reduce your risk of stroke.
Studies also suggest that consumption of omega-3 fatty acids can reduce the risk of age related dementia.
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Eat one
to two servings a week of fatty fish such as salmon or tuna. 

Brazil Nut

Constipation is common at all ages,
but as we age we tend to be more susceptible. Adding brazil nuts to your diet may provide much needed relief. Brazil nuts are high in selenium and fiber which help get things moving.

Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables provide fiber, vitamins, and minerals and many other anti-aging phytonutrients. These phytonutrients will
help to boost your energy, ward off the signs of aging and may even reverse age-related brain decline.

HEALTHY SKIN

The secret to a beautiful, wrinkle-free complexion lies in what you eat. Eating the right foods can help you fight acne, minimize wrinkles, and enhance your skin's natural beauty.

Salmon

Salmon has one of the richest concentration omega-3 fatty acids, which help fortify skin cell membranes, protect against sun damage, and reduce the risk of certain forms of skin cancer. These healthy fats allow water and nutrients into the skin, keep toxins out, and reduce the body's production of inflammatory substances, decreasing clogged pores, and avert fine lines and wrinkles.

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes boast large amounts of beta carotene which helps combat rough winter skin and may also help protect against UV damage. 

Broccoli

Broccoli is high in antioxidants, including vitamins C and E which aid in the production of collagen, protects your skin cell membranes, guard against UV radiation damage, and keep your skin healthy and supple.

Sunflower Seeds

Sunflower seeds are replete with vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant that slows down the aging of skin cells and diminishes the appearance of scars. These seeds are also high in zinc which helps maintain collagen and promotes skin renewal.

WEIGHT MANAGEMENT

It’s no secret that the foods you eat are directly linked to your weight. The results of a study recently published in
The New England Journal of Medicine
showed that small changes in lifestyle behaviors such as physical activity and sleep duration are strongly correlated with long-term weight gain; however the most important factor was diet.
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There are of course foods that promote weight gain and foods that promote weight loss. We all know the common culprits that drive weight gain (fried foods, sugar sweetened beverages, processed meats, starchy carbs) but here are some of the best foods to help you lose or maintain your weight.

Vegetables

Daily intake of vegetables can help speed up your weight loss because they are low in calories, high in volume, and packed with nutrients and fiber. In essence, they fill you up without all the calories, thus controlling cravings and overeating.

Citrus Fruit and Berries:

Fruits in general are an excellent source of energy and nutrition. Diets rich in fruits provide the required nutrients to the body and keep the body hydrated. Citrus fruits and berries are low in carbohydrates. A diet rich in citrus fruits and berries can be a good way to detoxify the body and help with weight loss. These fruits aid in removing bad cholesterol and improving digestion and decreasing appetite, thereby leading to healthy weight loss. 

Whole Grains

Whole grains are naturally low-fat and cholesterol free and contain fiber, which helps curb your appetite. Whole grains are also low in the glycemic index which means that they are absorbed into your bloodstream slowly, allowing you to go longer without feeling those hunger pangs or cravings.

Yogurt

Adding yogurt to your diet helps you lose weight by increasing your body’s ability to burn fat, especially that stubborn belly fat. Your stored belly fat produces the hormone cortisol, which signals your body to store more body fat. The calcium in yogurt helps break this cycle by signaling your fat cells to produce less cortisol. The amino acids in yogurt also help you burn calories. According to a study published in the
International Journal of Obesity,
obese adults who ate three servings of fat-free yogurt daily as part of a lower-calorie diet lost 22% more weight and 61% more body fat than those who just cut calories. In addition, yogurt eaters also lost 81% more belly fat.
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Nuts

Nuts are good sources of protein and fiber and contain many essential vitamins your body needs.
Nuts are also full of healthy fats, which create a feeling of satiety. The more satisfied you feel, the less you are likely to snack excessively between meals or overeat during the meals.
While nuts do have a large amount of calories and fat, if you eat them in controlled portions they will be very beneficial for your weight loss efforts. Research has shown that people who eat nuts lose more weight, so don’t be afraid to include them in your weight loss plan.

PART TWO: Foods That Heal

Good food is wise medicine. 

—Alison Levitt M.D

Using food as medicine is nothing new, but it is too often overlooked as an  real and effective solution to many health problems. Many people are also unaware of the specific medicinal uses and health benefits of particular foods. This section is dedicated to exploring this further. Here we will look at the health benefits and medicinal uses of variety of healing foods.

A table, a chair, a bowl of fruit and a violin; what else does a man need to be happy.

—Albert Einstein

FRUITS

Fruits are nature’s amazing medicines packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and many phytonutrients. Antioxidants help protect the human body from oxidative stress, diseases, and cancers, as well as boost our immunity level. Fruits are also a good source of soluble fiber, which helps to lower cholesterol and provide relief from constipation. Vitamins and minerals are found in most foods, but fruits are particularly good sources of many of these valuable compounds.