Foods that Heal: Apples

     In continuing our "Foods that Heal" series, I have been studying up on the benefits of apples.  My mom always said "Apples are the most portable nutrition", and they are.  They are wrapped up in the perfect convenient packaging, easily carried with you to eat and toss the core.  Let's look at some of the benefits of this super food.

     Of course, the old adage is "An apple a day keeps the doctor away", and it is so true, but what else does an apple a day keep away?

AN APPLE A DAY:
  
*keeps the orthodontist away-- I had the worst crooked teeth as a young girl.  I remember a huge gap between my two front teeth, due to the fact that one of them came in completely sideways.  I carried a lunch to school every day, faithfully packed by my mom every morning, and every single day there was an apple in there.  Mom always checked up on us each evening to make sure we ate all of our lunch.  I honestly believe that eating raw, hard to chew vegetables and fruits help align your teeth.  Sinking your teeth into that apple and pulling a bite off pulls those teeth and lines them up!

*keeps the Prilosec away-- We have an epidemic of giant proportions in our country. People are suffering from acid reflux, and are told by the doctor that their body is producing too much acid.  Actually, the opposite is true.  Your stomach has a "door" on the top of it.  It opens to let in food when you eat and is supposed to close.  Your stomach produces acid so that the food can be digested.  Fresh, raw fruits and vegetables aid in the digestion process, and your stomach knows this!  If it does not have enough raw enzymes to assist in digesting your food, the "door" stays open until you send some down.  If the "door" doesn't close, then the acid comes up in your throat and gives you that burning sensation.  Many who suffer with this problem would benefit greatly just by simply eating a whole apple about half an hour before eating a meal. (By the way, if you were to go to the drug companies websites and read about these types of medications, you would discover that, besides having harmful side effects, the companies state that this type of drug is not to be taken for more than 14 days.....hmmm, seems like everyone is on it permanently.)



Ad from a magazine.  Of course, a doctor will tell you otherwise!

  (This type of drug turns off some of the acid producers in the stomach, causing a worse problem where the food is not digested and therefore you receive no nutrients.)

*keeps the inhaler away-- Apples have been known to promote healthy lung function. It has been found that good lung function was associated with high intakes of vitamins C, E, and beta-carotene, citrus fruits, apples, and fruit juices. However, those who studied these facts, after they took into consideration factors such as body mass, smoking history and exercise the only food that seemed to make a significant difference was apples. It was found that eating five or more apples a week was linked to a slightly better lung function. So, keep those lungs functioning correctly by including apples in your diet!

*keeps the fat away-- Okay, now I have your undivided attention!  The skin of raw apples contains pectin, which when eaten, forms a gel in your stomach.  This gel inhibits the absorption of fats and  also helps to suppress your appetite and make you feel full! Plus, when your stomach has the proper amount of digestive enzymes, the digestion process will be more efficient, eliminating bloating and belly aches.  My kids know that the cure for a tummy ache is some raw apple! Another benefit of having good digestive processes is that the problem of bad breath is also reduced!

*keeps the yellow teeth away-- Another area that we are constantly reminded of the advertising industry is that of having beautiful, white teeth.  Apples help keep your teeth white by helping your body begin the digestive process in your mouth.  Eating an apple helps your strengthen your saliva with the enzymes in the apple.  Strong saliva washes over your teeth and helps to dissolve the plaque that can turn your teeth yellow.

*keeps away the cataracts, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, cancer, etc.-- There are so many other benefits to eating apples.  Try one today, or better yet, one with each meal.  They are sweet, and delicious, so why not incorporate them in your everyday eating routine? Apples are also antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory, and they contain lots of fiber to keep things running smoothly.  We could all benefit from at least one apple a day!
    *By the way, it was not an apple on the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that Eve ate in the garden, causing her to sin!!  But perhaps, apples were what grew on the tree of life!!

Foods that Heal: Garlic

 

  I am starting a few articles on specific foods that are great for healing all kinds of ailments.  When approaching health care from a natural viewpoint, we need to have our "medicine cabinet" stocked with things that will prepare us for any illness that may come along.  Garlic, in my opinion is the best healer by far.
     I could write pages and pages of the benefits of garlic and the ailments that it can heal.  Any sickness or infection can be thwarted with the super power of garlic.  It has often been called Nature's Antibiotic.  If I were leaving today for a foreign country, I would take garlic with me to plant.  It has super potent power and is readily available when there is no doctor.  I once told some missionaries who were fearful about going to a country that was infested with malaria, that they should take garlic with them.  They were rather taken back and said that they were worried about the social implications.  I laughed about it later, they were headed to a country where the people hadn't even heard of the concept of brushing their teeth or thought about personal hygiene.  Yes, garlic is a potent breath influence, but there are things you can do to cover it up, as we will discuss later.  Here are a few (of the thousands) ailments that can be healed with garlic:

1. Blood Pressure:  Garlic contains high amounts of natural sulphur which is great for regulating blood pressure.  It also stimulates the nerves and strengthens the heart. People who suffer from high blood pressure would benefit from including garlic in their daily intake of nutrition. If you are on blood pressure medication, do not go off of it without your doctor's permission, but begin taking the garlic and watch it's effects over a few weeks.  You and your doctor will be amazed.

2. Congestion: We often think of congestion in our head and nasal cavities, but many illnesses are caused by congestion in other parts of the body as well. For instance, your liver can be congested causing stomach and intestinal problems. You can have internal organs congested with all kinds of toxic build-up that can cause many different types of symptoms.  Garlic is a blood purifier, it helps restore equilibrium in your body and helps to empty your body of the waste that is plugging you up.

3. Cold and Flu: We already mentioned the power of garlic to rid your body of congestion, so the next time you feel a cold coming on, try taking some garlic and see if you can perhaps stop the illness in its tracks or at least minimize the effects and duration of the illness.  We will discuss how to use/take garlic later on.

4. Diarrhea: This is a nasty subject, but something that many people suffer from and often don't know the cause.  Those in foreign countries are more susceptible to this illness and often are endangered by it's results.  Many people die of amoebic dysentery, which can be healed with garlic.  The bacteria cannot withstand the power of the sulphur in the garlic, so your body has extra healing power to rid the infection.  Coupled with charcoal (yes, black stuff from a fire!), you can heal serious diarrheal problems very quickly.

5. Arthritis, Blood poisoning, Insect bites, Mono, Parasites, Pimples, Pneumonia, Skin infections, Throat infections, Thrush, Vaginal Infections,  Wounds, Yeast infections.........Yes, the list is unending. Garlic is a super powerful food that can heal many problems.  The question is, "How do you use it?"

Ways to take/use Garlic: The best way to use garlic is to use it in its raw form. That is when it is the most powerful.  Cooking garlic can reduce the effects and often make it powerless to heal a strong infection. Garlic is very strong tasting.  You can chop it up and put it in a teaspoon of honey.  You can also mince it and put it in salsa and eat it with corn chips.  It adds a little zing to your salsa but is a very easy way to eat it.  If you are able to, you can even just swallow a chunk whole.  Usually if I have a particularly bad infection, I will try to take 2 or 3 cloves a day.
     Garlic can also be used externally.  For a skin infection, simply crush 4 or 5 cloves, place them between paper towels and pour very hot water over it.  Let it cool slightly and apply to the infected area.  This is very effective even for congestion of the lungs, bladder infection, infected wounds or skin ailments.  Use caution, however, on children's tender skin. Garlic is very strong and can cause irritation or blistering. Keep the poultice on for a few minutes at a time, checking for irritation.   Those of you that suffer with pimples might try taping a slice of garlic to one overnight and seeing the results in the morning.
     There are  more socially acceptable forms of garlic available.   Kyolic Garlic is a pill form of dried "odorless" garlic.  Though not as potent as raw garlic, it is easier to take and is effective in some ways.  Those that suffer from high blood pressure would benefit from taking one pill three times a day.
    The problem of "garlic breath":  To transform garlic breath, simply eat a generous amount of raw parsley, or chew on a clove bud or a cinnamon stick.  You could also rinse out your mouth with equal parts  of lemon  juice and water, or chew on an orange peel.  A drop of peppermint oil on the tongue is also very effective. I have found that when one takes large amounts of garlic internally, the aroma can also be detected in the sweat.  So, if you are really sick, keep secluded!
     So, stock your medicine cabinet with garlic.  It will save you a lot of money when you don't have to buy antibiotics and will help you maintain your health.  Remember that garlic is very effective, but it is like all other good foods and vitamins, it does not work well by itself. If you eat garlic to heal something, but still eat sugar and junk food, the garlic will be useless.  It needs good, unprocessed, natural foods and plenty of water to help it work. Tap into the power of garlic and try it for yourself!

The Raw Truth

Beginning a meal with something real, You won't believe how much better you feel!

We've all heard it before: "An apple a day keeps the doctor away."  Some may scoff at this "old wive's" tale, but it holds a simple truth: raw fruits and veggies keep you healthy!  Our second simple step to improving your general health is to add something green or raw to every meal.  Now, when I say "raw", I mean fruit or veggies, not meat, or cookie dough, or anything undercooked.  This simple habit was instilled into me by my mom when I was very young.  Every sack lunch I ever took to school had an apple or carrot sticks in it.  But, why raw?  Aren't cooked vegetable just as healthy?  Let's look at the advantages of raw fruits and vegetables:

#1 Raw fruits and vegetables have digestive enzymes in them.  So, in other words, it's like they are already partially digested for you and they assist your stomach in digesting the other food you have consumed.  Anyone who suffers from regular stomach pain could help themselves by starting every meal with some raw apple or pineapple.

#2 They help build strong and healthy teeth.  Ever noticed pictures of tribal people in other countries?  They have never even heard of a tooth brush, let alone the thought of using one, yet they usually have beautiful white, straight teeth.  How does that happen?  Their main diet consists of natural, unprocessed foods that require more chewing and contain good nutrients for strong teeth and jaws.  As a child, I had extremely crooked teeth coming in after I lost my baby teeth, but I believe that all those apples in my lunches every day helped to realign my teeth and make them straight again-- without the aid of braces! As Ogden Nash so poignantly put it "Celery raw develops the jaw...".

#3  They help to keep you happy.  Seriously!  Leafy green vegetables contain a lot of b vitamins.  A lack of these essential vitamins can make you nervous, irritable and often depressed!  So, forget the Zoloft, just add some fresh spinach and romaine lettuce to your diet!

#4 They help keep you young looking.  Here's another crazy idea, forget Botox, just keep eating those leafy greens!  They are full of compounds that help prevent wear and tear on  your skin.  They help repair your cells as you get older.  Studies have shown that men and women who ate the most green leafy vegetables had the least wrinkles!

#5 Many, many other benefits: We all know that veggies contain plenty of fiber to keep things moving, lots of vitamin C to keep us from getting sick and lots of brain power to keep us smart!

So, try it today.  Just simply adding a small amount of raw fruits and vegetables to every meal, will make a big difference in how you feel!