Healing foods that your body needs to thrive

When it comes to your health, prevention is always better than cure. Why wait until you get sick and take prescription medication, which is often linked to negative side effects, if you can eat well so your body stays strong and healthy?

If you’re not sure where to start, try to eat less processed food filled with toxic chemicals and choose whole foods.

Whole foods are better than pharmaceutical drugs

Consider this scenario. When you have a headache, taking an aspirin can make you feel better in about 20 minutes. However, the same drug that “cures” your headache can also make your stomach hurt.

By eating whole foods, your body can use “rich, real nutrients” to fight diseases and heal faster. On the other hand, eating processed and modified foods can trigger negative reactions in your body such as discomfort, pain, or even illness.

To start your journey to health and wellness, eat more of the healing foods listed below.

Fruit and vegetables

Eat lots of different fruits and vegetables every day to improve your health. Make sure to leave the skin on so you get more minerals, vitamins, and phytochemicals. Pair vegetables with a healthy source of fat to help the body absorb the fat soluble vitamins in vegetables such as vitamins A, D, E and K. (Related: Want to age gracefully? Diet is the key to disease prevention.)

Add healthy fat to vegetables by:

• Adding a teaspoon of real grass-fed butter to steamed vegetables.
• Adding raw nuts or seeds to a salad.
• Eating nut butters or dip with carrot or celery sticks.
• Using olive oil as a salad dressing.

Fermented foods

You need probiotics to boost your gut health and for healing. Real foods like pickles and sauerkraut contain more probiotics than a supplement. You can also make your own fermented foods if you want a simple and affordable way to consume more probiotics. You’ll need some sea salt, water, and your choice of vegetables. Check online for easy recipes that you can follow.

Spices

Spices are good for the body because aside from being full of great flavors, they’re packed with natural anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties. Here are some spices with a lot of health benefits.

• Garlic – Garlic‘s health effects are due to allicin, the compound that’s also responsible for its pungent smell. Garlic helps prevent various health complaints like the common cold. Garlic can also boost heart health. Human studies have determined that garlic supplementation can greatly reduce blood pressure in individuals with hypertension (high blood pressure).
• Ginger – Studies have confirmed that consuming a gram or more of ginger can cure nausea, such as those caused by chemotherapy, morning sickness, and sea sickness. Ginger, which also has potent anti-inflammatory properties, can be used for pain management.
• Turmeric – Turmeric, the spice that gives curry its yellow color, has many compounds with medicinal properties. One of the most important is curcumin, a potent antioxidant that can help prevent oxidative damage and strengthen the body’s own antioxidant enzymes. Experts believe that oxidative damage is one of the major mechanisms behind aging and various diseases. Curcumin also has powerful anti-inflammatory properties and it can even match the effectiveness of some anti-inflammatory drugs. According to studies, curcumin can ease arthritis, help boost brain function, lower the risk of heart disease and cancer, and prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

Water

This may seem like a no-brainer, but not enough people drink water on a regular basis. If you’re not into plain water, infuse flavorful and healthy herbs or fruits to water to make a refreshing drink. Staying hydrated is crucial to your well-being.

Start living a healthier lifestyle. Learn more about the benefits of whole foods at Fresh.news.

Sources include:

AllInAHealth.com

Healthline.com