This will probably be a very long post.
One thing that I really feel about eating nutritiously and using herbs is that it has to be accessible! I also think that each person has to go on their journey step by step. So, here as a guide, I will start you with some great foods. I have borrowed these foods from the book "10 Essential Foods" by Lalitha Thomas. Her book is out of print now.
Here is her list of foods, so feel free to start including some of these foods into your daily diets! You don't have to include all 10 everyday, but you certainly can include a couple of them each day and you will have improved your health and your family's health! At least that has been MY experience!
1. Almonds--these are a complete protein. If you can get them raw, they are even better for you, but even slightly roasted or pasturized, they still carry many nutrients. IF you can get your hands on raw ones, they can be sprouted and that even adds a lot of nutrition! They help improve prostate health. Alternatives to almonds might be sunflower seeds, pumppkin seeds, sesame seeds and Brazil nuts. Each of these have their redeeming qualities as well!
2. Broccoli--This is high in cloropohyll. This is something that is great for your body. This is an easy veggie to get your hands on. It is known for cancer prevention if eaten lightly steamed or raw. It of course has many good minerals and has a lot of other great qualities. Alternatives can be any member of the cruciferous (cabbage) family. Kale, cabbage, cauliflower and chard are some other ideas. Frozen broccoli is better than no broccoli.
3. Brown Rice--This is fantastic! First of all, most people enjoy rice and this has a lot of protein and phyto-chemicals. There are many types of brown rices, so feel free to experiment! Brown rices have 9-12% protein and contain MANY trace minerals and vitamins. It also contains selenium which helps with anxiety, depression, mental sluggishness and fatigue. Alternatives might be: millet, buckwheat, quinoa, amaranth, barley, rye, wheat and corn. Additions to it that make it tasty and more nutritious are dried beans/legmes such as anazazi beans, adzuki beans, pinto beans, lentils, split peas, corn, soy beans and black trutle beans.
4. Carrots--These are really great at fighting disease. Their color (being bright) means that there are a lot of phytochemicals and being orang etehy contain carotinoids. The darker the carrot the more healthy. They are good at helping in healing from allergies, ulcers, colds, diaarrhea or sore throats. It is great for glands and your liver. They are also great for dry skin! Believe it or not they are high in an easy to assimilate calcium. They have also been shown to lower cholesterol. They have also been shown to fight cancer. Alternatives can be: Any deep-orange to red root vegetables, such as red or yellow beets. Red chard, purple cabbage, rhubarb or red radish are also good options.
5. Dulse--This is a less common vegetable, but I have been pleased to see that awareness of it has been on the rise! Dulse is great as a source of B-12 and can help with protection against radioactive pollution in the system. It is a great source of the following: B12, Iron (4 times higher than spinach), calcium, potassium, chromium, alginate (phytochemcial), live enzymes, major AND trace minerals, iodine, vitamin K, vitamin e and beta carotene. It has been shown to help protect against cancer (specifically breast cancer). Alternative sea vegetables: arame, nori and hiziki. Other mineral rich veggies (not sea) would be figs, kale, broccoli, chard and all cruciferous vegetables.
6. Figs--Lalitha calls this the MIRACLE fruit :) They are higher in calcium than milk and a lot of major minerals. They are great for digestion and they are also very tasty and can help alleviate a sweet-tooth :) Figs have the highest dietary fiber of any fruit, nut or vegetable, they are extremely high in calcium, they are 50% higher in potassium than bananas, they have twice the plant protein as other dried fruits, they contain easily digestable sugars, lower calorie count per gram of dietary fiber, they have been shown to help prevent colon cancer and aid in the following: constipation, lowering cholesterol, shrink hemorrhoids and colon polyps. Also, pesticides are not used on them because they don't need it! Some alternatives might be: unsulfured papaya, pineapple and mango fresh or dried.
7. Flax Oil--This oil has proven itself to be a wonderful addition to our diets. It has essential fatty acids and a lot of omega 3's. These are gerat for the body's immune system and for helping with the manufacturing of hormones. It has been shown that it can help with high blood pressure, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, immuno-suppression, psoriasis and eczema. It helps with teh prevention of strokes, heart attacks and cancer and is often used in cancer treatments as well. Because Lalitha considers this a supplemental oil that has many things our body needs, she does not offer really an alternative, however these oils are also very nutritious and are good options: Extra virgin olive oil (unrefined), sesame oil (unrefined), almond oil, sunflower seed oil, pumpkin seed oil, avaocado oil and safflower oil. When buying, you might like to look for these qualities: cold-pressed or expeller-pressed, packaged in opaque packages (light resistant), unrefined and organic. Personally, I use olive oil and coconut oil almost exclusively. For stir fry, I have been known to use peanut oil as it has a high heat resistance.
8. Grapefruit--Yum Yum! Need I say more? Okay, I will. These are really high in vitamin C and bioflavonoids. It has a lower acidity than some citrus and it also contains strong phytochemicals...quercitin being a great one! It is known for lowering holesterol, anti-cancer acticvity (especially stomach and pancreatic), enhancing the immune system, building alkaline mineral reserves, anti-viral activity, anti-bacterial activity, proteting arteries, enhancing cardiovascular system and stimulating digestion. The pulp is great for you, while the juice is good for you, remember the flesh adds a lot. If you feel adventurous enough (and I do) to chew a seed or two each time you consume one, you are taking in the wonderful grapefruit seed oil that has been known to help with so many things. Here is a list of what grapefruit extract has been known to help with (it was a bio-technical process as opposed to out of diet) gram-positive bacteria such as Stphylococcus, streptococcus and listeria, gram-negative bacteria such as E.coli, klebsiella, legionella, salmonella, shigella, cholera and pseudomonas, Fungi and Yeasts such as candida (I have had personal success with this), aspergillus and trichophyton, Viruses such as herpes simplex 1, influenza A3 and some animal viruses, parasites such as giardia lamblia, entamoeba, histolytica and chlamydia. Of course, she goes into the scientific detail in her book about this, but honestly, it is an easy thing to incorporate. If you can't eat one, then juicing one would also be very beneficial. Alternatives could be: lemons and oranges (whole).
9. Spinach--Hurray for spinach! It is so great for us and easy to consume. The leaves are sweet and are easily blended, they are mild and enjoyable as salads, on sandwiches or my favorite in a smoothie! It is high in chlorophyll which is a great blood builder and will then help increase your energy. It is high in folic acid which is known for the following: helps breakdown and utilize protein, helps form hemoglobin for healthy red blood cells, is essential for growna dn reproduction of all body cells, helps balance appetite and prodcution of hydrochloric acid, aids in liver performance, prevents some birth defects, and protects against many types of canceer especially lung, cervical and pancreatic. Some alternatives are: parsley, chard and kale.
10. Sprouts--These are great and full of many nutrients. Alfalfa are probably the most familiar and one of Lalitha's favorites. I love lentil sprouts because they are buttery and many people will eat them lightly sauteed, but not actually completely cooked.
So, there you have it. I did not quote any of the sources that Lalitha used, but there are many studies readily available to look at. I didn't want this to be overwhelming, but if you feel like you need to do more research then I highly recommend it. I am constantly working toward learning more about natural health. I feel like for our family that we have a responsibility to our family members and to ourselves to be empowered by knowing what to do to improve our health. What a blessing it is to have our Heavenly Father provide so many ways for us to use what he has given us to be healthy!
As always, remember, I am not a doctor or anyone who is giving medical advice. Here I shared from something I have read from and shared personal stories. Always do your own research and if necessary talk to your medical provider.
