Health~ Food as Medicine

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Food as Medicine --HEADACHE? EAT FISH! Eat plenty of fish -- fish oil helps prevent headaches. So does ginger, which reduces inflammation and pain. HAY FEVER? EAT YOGURT! Eat lots of yogurt before pollen season. Also-eat honey from your area (local region) daily. TO PREVENT STROKE DRINK TEA! Prevent buildup of fatty deposits on artery walls with regular doses of tea. (actually, tea suppresses my appetite and keeps the pounds from invading... Green tea is great for our immune system)! INSOMNIA (CAN'T SLEEP?) TRY HONEY! Use honey as a tranquilizer and sedative. ASTHMA? EAT ONIONS!!!! Eating onions helps ease constriction of bronchial tubes. ARTHRITIS? EAT FISH, TOO!! Salmon, tuna, mackerel and sardines actually prevent arthritis. (fish has omega oils, good for our immune system) UPSET STOMACH? BANANAS - GINGER!!!!! Bananas will settle an upset stomach. Ginger will cure morning sickness and nausea. BLADDER INFECTION? DRINK CRANBERRY JUICE!!!! High-acid cranberry juice controls harmful bacteria. BONE PROBLEMS? EAT PINEAPPLE!!! Bone fractures and osteoporosis can be prevented by the manganese in pineapple. PREMENSTRUAL SYNDROME? EAT CORNFLAKES!!!! Women can ward off the effects of PMS with cornflakes, which help reduce depression, anxiety and fatigue MEMORY PROBLEMS? EAT OYSTERS! Oysters help improve your mental functioning by supplying much-needed zinc. COLDS? EAT GARLIC! Clear up that stuffy head with garlic. (remember, garlic lowers cholesterol, too.) COUGHING? USE RED PEPPERS!! A substance similar to that found in the cough syrups is found in hot red pepper. Use red (cayenne) pepper with caution-it can irritate your tummy. BREAST CANCER? Eat Wheat bran and cabbage. Helps to maintain estrogen at healthy levels. LUNG CANCER? EAT DARK GREEN AND ORANGE AND VEGGIES!!! A good antidote is beta carotene, a form of Vitamin A found in dark green and orange vegetables. ULCERS? EAT CABBAGE !!! Cabbage contains chemicals that help heal both gastric and duodenal ulcers. DIARRHEA? EAT APPLES! Grate an apple with its skin, let it turn brown and eat it to cure this condition. (Bananas are good for this ailment) CLOGGED ARTERIES? EAT AVOCADO! Mono unsaturated fat in avocados lowers cholesterol. HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE? EAT CELERY AND OLIVE OIL!!! Olive oil has been shown to lower blood pressure. Celery contains a chemical that lowers pressure too. BLOOD SUGAR IMBALANCE? EAT BROCCOLI AND PEANUTS!!! The chromium in broccoli and peanuts helps regulate insulin and blood sugar. Kiwi: Tiny but mighty. This is a good source of potassium, magnesium, Vitamin E and fiber. It's Vitamin C content is twice that of an orange. Apple: An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Although an apple has a low Vitamin C content, it has antioxidants and flavonoids which enhances the activity of Vitamin C thereby helping to lower the risks of colon cancer, heart attack and stroke. Strawberry: Protective fruit. Strawberries have the highest total antioxidant power among major fruits and protects the body from cancer causing, blood vessels clogging free radicals. (Actually, any berry is good for you... they're high in anti-oxidants and they actually keep us young... blueberries are the best and very versatile in the health field... they get rid of all the free-radicals that invade our bodies) Orange: Sweetest medicine. Taking 2 - 4 oranges a day may help keep colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent & dissolve kidney stones as well as lessen the risk of colon cancer. Watermelon: Coolest Thirst Quencher. Composed of 92% water, it is also packed with a giant dose of glutathione which helps boost our immune system. They are also a key source of lycopene - the cancer fighting oxidant. Other nutrients found in watermelon are Vitamin C and Potassium. (watermelon also has natural substances [natural SPF sources] that keep our skin healthy, protecting our skin from those darn uv rays) Guava and Papaya: Top awards for Vitamin C. They are the clear winners for their high Vitamin C content. Guava is also rich in fiber which helps prevent constipation. Papaya is rich in carotene, this is good for your eyes. (also good for gas and indigestion) Tomatoes: Very good as a preventative measure for men, keeps those prostrate problems from invading their bodies http://www.greatestherbsonearth.com/articles/foods_as_medicine.htm=====================================================================Post subject: Medicinal Components of Cabbages ---Medicinal Components of Cabbages Apr 02, 2005 12:05 PST Brassica oleracea var. capitata http://www.innvista.com/health/herbs/cabbage.htm -- Wild cabbage is native to the coasts of the English Channel and the Mediterranean, but cultivated varieties are produced worldwide as a vegetable.The plant has been cultivated for at least 4,000 years. It has been called: "poor man's medicine chest" and "doctor of the poor". Cabbages were used by sailors to prevent scurvy. It was also an ancient remedy for TB (tuberculosis). Cabbage has an ancient reputation for "purifying" the blood, a practice seen today as decoctions and fresh cabbage juice are taken as a good cleanser and detoxifier. It was used by the Romans as an antidote to alcohol, believing it counteracted intoxication and prevented, or reduced, a hangover. This concept has some validity since cabbage aids in the "breakdown" of "toxins" in the liver. In a Greek ritual, cabbage was given to expectant mothers shortly before birth in order to establish good breast-milk production, a practice that is carried out by women, of any culture, today. Cabbage leaves have long been used as a poultice to treat infected wounds. ---anti-inflammatory antibacterial anti-rheumatic heals tissues by encouraging cells to proliferate a liver decongestant protects the stomach from "gastric hydrochloric acid" - Components vitamins and minerals (especially A, B, C, E, calcium, sulfur, silica, magnesium, iodine, iron, and phosphorus) chlorophyll mustard oils ---Medicinal Parts -Leaves Extensive modern research largely confirms its ancient use in folk medicine, and it has been shown to "stimulate" the immune system and the production of antibodies. Its sulfur compounds are largely responsible for its antiseptic, antibiotic, and disinfectant actions, particularly in the respiratory system. An amino acid, methionine, found only in raw cabbage, is responsible for promoting the healing effects. As an old remedy for hangovers and used to dry out alcoholics, cabbage is showing through modern research that a substance called "glutamine" can help both peptic ulcers and alcoholism. Its "tumor-inhibiting" constituents are the bioflavonoids, indoles, genistein, and monoterpenes. Poultices have long been used to treat wounds, burns and scalds, boils and carbuncles, bruises and sprains, ulcers, blisters, cold sores, shingles, and bites and stings. Its anti-inflammatory action can benefit swollen and painful joints and help relieve the pain of neuralgia, sciatica, toothache, headaches, migraines, and lumbago. Traditionally, it was applied over the abdomen and left overnight to treat peptic ulcers and bowel problems. Applied during the day to the lower abdomen, it was thought useful in soothing cystitis and renal colic and the relief of "fluid retension". Poultices, along with cabbage tea or juice, were taken to relieve the pain and soreness of a harsh cough; and, if the poultices were applied to the throat, they helped soothe tonsilitis and laryngitis. To make a poultice, cut out the midrib of a leaf and iron it. Place while still hot onto the area to be treated, being careful not to have it too hot or to leave it on too long as it can cause blisters. Fresh leaves steeped in olive oil can be applied to chapped skin, chilblains, varicose veins, abscesses, and boils. Fresh juices can be used as a diuretic and antiseptic for the urinary tract and to ease fluid retension and to reduce or prevent kidney stones, arthritis, and gout. Gargles made from cabbage juice are used for sore throats. Lotions with the juice can relieve burns, bites, cold sores, acne, impetigo; and, if squeezed into the ear,they can help heal earaches (this must be done by a professional). Eyewash made from cabbage juice and warm water is excellent for sore, tired eyes. Fresh leaves can be placed directly onto wounds or even into a bra for mastitis or engorged breasts. To use, cut out the midrib, and beat the leaf gently to soften it and release its medicinal properties, then place on an affected area. Decoctions are used for digestive problems, including colitis. Syrup made from a decoction can be used for coughs, asthma, and bronchitis. - Traditional Use Because of its "iron" and chlorophyll content, it has long been used to treat anemia. It is taken to treat anxiety, depression, insomnia, exhaustion. Breastfeeding mothers use it to stimulate milk production. In soups and teas, cabbage has long been used during colds, flu, sinusitis, and sore throats. Cabbage has long been used to heal ulcers as it contains "mucilage" that coats the lining of the digestive tract, protecting it from irritants and excessive acid. It is recommended that two or three glasses of freshly extracted juice be taken between meals to relieve peptic ulcers, gastritis, heartburn, and ulcerative colitis. It is used to stimulate the digestion and to relieve constipation. A traditional Russian cure for chronic constipation is one-half glass of salted cabbage juice taken before each meal. However, it can be just as effective without the salt. As a tonic, cabbage has long been used to treat cirrhosis of the liver, as well as lethargy, irritability, and headaches, all symptoms associated with a sluggish liver. Cabbage may help "reduce" blood sugar, so may be of benefit to diabetics. Like other brassicas, cabbage also has the ability to help lower the risk of cancer, especially of the colon, and growth of polyps, which often are a prelude to cancer. When eaten raw, cabbage has been shown to help protect against the effects of radiation. Cabbage also appears to "enhance" the body's ability to "metabolize" estrogen, helping to reduce susceptibility to breast, uterine, and ovarian cancers, if eaten regularly. Externally, cabbage leaves have a soothing antiseptic and healing effect and the ability to draw out toxins from the skin. Cabbage poultices are also excellent for sore throats and hot, swollen joints. Lightly crush the leaves, blanch in boiling water, and wrap around the area. Leave on for two to four hours and renew, as necessary. Care is needed not to blister the skin. _________________JoAnn Guestmrsjo-www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Diets