The New Medicine Cabinet
Bite This: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the use of complementary or alternative medicine in the US adult population was over 40% in 1988-1994 and over half in 2003-2006. It has increased even more since that time.
Food is medicine. Without adequate fuel for the body, no matter what else you do, you will more than likely endure illness and other complications down the road. Even if you take medications for whatever ails you, the medications will not work appropriately without the right components in your body. Not only can food help prevent chronic illnesses, it can also help relieve current symptoms of these illnesses.
For cancer prevention:
1. Onions, garlic - contain organosulfur compounds which help prevent stomach, prostate, skin, esophageal and colorectal cancer.
2. Cruciferous vegetables - think broccoli- contains indoles, sulforaphane, and isothiocyanate to help protect against colon, bladder, prostate, breast and lung cancer.
3. Hot peppers - contain capsaicin and vitamin C and protect against stomach and skin cancer.
4. Citrus fruits - contain terpene, coumarin, vitamin C, folate and fiber and help protect against mouth, stomach and esophageal cancer
5. Tomatoes/red grapefruit- contains lycopene and helps protect against prostate, cervical, breast, pancreatic, colorectal, esophageal and oral cancer.
6. Berries and grapes - contain ellagic acid and protect against colon, breast, prostate and oral cancer.
For heart disease prevention:
1. Fruits and vegetables - contain an abundant amount of vitamins/minerals including potassium and fiber and are low in calories compared to other foods which help protect against heart disease.
2. Red wine and grapes - resveratrol helps protect against heart disease
3. Oats/oatmeal - contains soluble fiber and phytochemicals that help lower cholesterol
4. Nuts/seeds - contain unsaturated fatty acids and fiber to help reduce bad cholesterol
5. Garlic - may help slow the development of atherosclerosis and may reduce blood pressure.
For osteoporosis prevention:
1. Dairy - contains calcium to help maintain bone strength
2. Fish - contains vitamin D which helps maintain balance between calcium and phosphorus to help build and maintain strong bones.
Symptom Management:
1. Ginger - helps relieve nausea experinced from cancer treatments as well as during pregnancy.
2. Cinnamon - has been shown to help improve blood sugar control.
3. Walnuts, fish, flaxseed - contain omega-3 fatty acids which can help reduce inflammation.
4. Turmeric - main ingredient curcumin may decrease inflammation in the body which may help improve achy joints. May also aid in indigestion.
5. Red peppers/spinach - high in Vitamin B6 to help with neuropathy caused by cancer treatments or diabetes .
6. Meat/beans - contain iron which can help manage fatigue.
7. Chamomile, cherries - can help insomnia.
Certain diets have also been shown to help manage certain diseases:
1. Ketogenic diet - one that is high in fat and low in carbs which may help people with epilepsy
2. Gluten-free diet- diet that omits wheat, rye, barley, oats and all gluten from the diet may help autism.
These are just some examples of how food is medicine. So instead of popping a pill to help relieve your achy joints, try eating foods that help decrease inflammation in the body. Instead of surrendering to medicine to help lower your cholesterol, try eating foods such as oatmeal that can naturally help lower your cholesterol. Sometimes just avoding certain foods - fried and processed foods - can help cure your ailments.
Sound bite: Next time you are having difficulty sleeping, try eating some cherries.
Carrots, Ginger and Cumin (recipe from Twenty-Minute Menus by Marian Burros (Simon and Schuster)
1/2 pound carrots
3 tablespoons butter
1 tsp cumin seed
1/2 tbs fesh chopped ginger
1 clove chopped garlic
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup 2% milk
salt and pepper to taste
Peel carrots and cut into medium slices. Cook carrots in boiling, salted water until tender. Drain and rinse carrots under cold water.
Meanwhile in a pan, melt 1 tbsp butter and saute cumin about 30 seconds. Add ginger and garlic and saute for another minute.
Combine carrots with cumin/garlic mixture and add lemon juice, remaining butter and milk. Process in a blender or food processor until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Yield: 2 servings.
Food is medicine. Without adequate fuel for the body, no matter what else you do, you will more than likely endure illness and other complications down the road. Even if you take medications for whatever ails you, the medications will not work appropriately without the right components in your body. Not only can food help prevent chronic illnesses, it can also help relieve current symptoms of these illnesses.
For cancer prevention:
1. Onions, garlic - contain organosulfur compounds which help prevent stomach, prostate, skin, esophageal and colorectal cancer.
2. Cruciferous vegetables - think broccoli- contains indoles, sulforaphane, and isothiocyanate to help protect against colon, bladder, prostate, breast and lung cancer.
3. Hot peppers - contain capsaicin and vitamin C and protect against stomach and skin cancer.
4. Citrus fruits - contain terpene, coumarin, vitamin C, folate and fiber and help protect against mouth, stomach and esophageal cancer
5. Tomatoes/red grapefruit- contains lycopene and helps protect against prostate, cervical, breast, pancreatic, colorectal, esophageal and oral cancer.
6. Berries and grapes - contain ellagic acid and protect against colon, breast, prostate and oral cancer.
For heart disease prevention:
1. Fruits and vegetables - contain an abundant amount of vitamins/minerals including potassium and fiber and are low in calories compared to other foods which help protect against heart disease.
2. Red wine and grapes - resveratrol helps protect against heart disease
3. Oats/oatmeal - contains soluble fiber and phytochemicals that help lower cholesterol
4. Nuts/seeds - contain unsaturated fatty acids and fiber to help reduce bad cholesterol
5. Garlic - may help slow the development of atherosclerosis and may reduce blood pressure.
For osteoporosis prevention:
1. Dairy - contains calcium to help maintain bone strength
2. Fish - contains vitamin D which helps maintain balance between calcium and phosphorus to help build and maintain strong bones.
Symptom Management:
1. Ginger - helps relieve nausea experinced from cancer treatments as well as during pregnancy.
2. Cinnamon - has been shown to help improve blood sugar control.
3. Walnuts, fish, flaxseed - contain omega-3 fatty acids which can help reduce inflammation.
4. Turmeric - main ingredient curcumin may decrease inflammation in the body which may help improve achy joints. May also aid in indigestion.
5. Red peppers/spinach - high in Vitamin B6 to help with neuropathy caused by cancer treatments or diabetes .
6. Meat/beans - contain iron which can help manage fatigue.
7. Chamomile, cherries - can help insomnia.
Certain diets have also been shown to help manage certain diseases:
1. Ketogenic diet - one that is high in fat and low in carbs which may help people with epilepsy
2. Gluten-free diet- diet that omits wheat, rye, barley, oats and all gluten from the diet may help autism.
These are just some examples of how food is medicine. So instead of popping a pill to help relieve your achy joints, try eating foods that help decrease inflammation in the body. Instead of surrendering to medicine to help lower your cholesterol, try eating foods such as oatmeal that can naturally help lower your cholesterol. Sometimes just avoding certain foods - fried and processed foods - can help cure your ailments.
Sound bite: Next time you are having difficulty sleeping, try eating some cherries.
Carrots, Ginger and Cumin (recipe from Twenty-Minute Menus by Marian Burros (Simon and Schuster)
1/2 pound carrots
3 tablespoons butter
1 tsp cumin seed
1/2 tbs fesh chopped ginger
1 clove chopped garlic
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup 2% milk
salt and pepper to taste
Peel carrots and cut into medium slices. Cook carrots in boiling, salted water until tender. Drain and rinse carrots under cold water.
Meanwhile in a pan, melt 1 tbsp butter and saute cumin about 30 seconds. Add ginger and garlic and saute for another minute.
Combine carrots with cumin/garlic mixture and add lemon juice, remaining butter and milk. Process in a blender or food processor until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Yield: 2 servings.
Comments
Post a Comment