Healing Gardens

[Guest guest]

For part of my practicum this semester I am working in a community

group to develop a healing garden in a park - it will focus on

flowers/ architecture for that setting. While researching information

on it, I came across this article on Vegetables as Food and Medicine -

another form of healing garden. Thought it might be of interest to

some, so here it is. I am totally fascinated with healing gardens.

 

A garden of healing: vegetables as food & medicine.

Jan De Vries. Bestways. Jan 1989 v17 n1 p18(2).

 

Full Text: COPYRIGHT 1989 Vegetarian Times, Inc.

 

A GARDEN OF HEALING: VEGETABLES AS FOOD & MEDICINE

THE HEALTH VALUE of vegetables today depends completely on the

quality of the soil in which they are grown. It is a proven fact that

vegetables grown with organic compost contain greater amounts of

vitamins, minerals and trace elements, than is the case when treated

with artificial fertilizer.

 

I look at the results which come back from the agricultural college

where tests are done on the produce we grow. I am delighted with

these results, but it is also the smell and taste of our home-grown

produce which pleases me. Garden produce grown the old-fashioned or

bio-dynamic way cannot be beaten.

 

Organic gardening is something we desperately need today to

strengthen our immune systems with plentiful supplies of vitamins,

minerals and trace elements. So often garden produce is spoiled by

all this artificial fertilizing and the use of pesticides and

insecticides, which are so harmful to our health. For goodness sake,

let us be careful with the treatment of the vegetable, one of our

main sources of food. If we treat it with respect and value it, it

will serve us well.

 

LEEKS

Many patients have experienced what it is to suffer from the dreadful

pain of shingles. The relief obtained by dabbing the affected areas

with wild leek extract has to be experienced to be believed. An older

lady came to me recently and thanked me from the bottom of her heart.

When she had consulted me previously about her shingles I had given

her some homeopathic remedies and also had advised her to dab the

affected areas with the extract from the wild leek. Thankfully, she

had experienced great relief. Cultivated leeks may also be used to

alleviate the effects of this problem.

Wild as well as cultivated leeks are beneficial in cases of high

blood pressure and the strength, the power and the vital force which

chemist Marcel Vogel describes so beautifully as the secret life in

the plant, is there for all to witness.

 

WATERCRESS

I am occasionally asked why I am so fond of watercress, as I

frequently advise large quantities of this to be included in diets,

especially for weight reduction. I add watercress to the daily diet,

not only because of its vitamin, mineral and trace element value, but

because it is so rich in iodine. The thyroid and other endocrine

glands flourish on iodine and it is of benefit to people who battle

with weight problems.

 

Watercress is an ideal way to garnish our food attractively with its

pleasant aroma, good taste and looks. Add to this the bonus of being

conducive to good health. A combination of watercress and other

vegetables together with some seasoning salt makes a delicious snack,

which can be eaten by overweight people without fear, as watercress

influences the function of the thyroid.

 

CARROTS

Carrots are excellent for our gallbladder and liver. In some parts of

the world carrots are always on the menu, because they make such a

good balance for the metabolic system. They are ideal for children

because of their Vitamin A content and fortunately most children

enjoy the taste of them. Carrots can also serve as a preventive

measure to rheumatism and arthritis and are also helpful when

treating those suffering from impetigo (a contagious skin disease).

One of the most unpleasant problems--Menier's syndrome (a disease of

the inner-ear characterized by recurrent attacks of deafness,

tinnitus, vertigo, nausea and vomiting) can also be eased by this

dietary aid.

 

CABBAGE

Cabbage will improve and cure conditions such as arthritis, stomach

and metabolic problems. It is rich in calcium and therefore

advantageous to correcting our inherent deficiencies. As I like to

eat cabbage in its own juices there is no problem with digestion,

which is a possibility with boiled cabbage.

 

Sauerkraut is white cabbage put through a fermenting process. It is

not only a delicious but also an extremely healthy vegetable. Apart

from the lemon, sauerkraut is the best anti-scorbutic remedy. As it

is easily digested, a spoonful of sauerkraut every day can be of

benefit to problems of the mucous membranes, teeth or even with

swollen ankles or general weaknesses. Sauerkraut may be used in a

poultice for stomachaches or to relieve any feelings of cramp.

With swellings or bruises the response to a cabbage-leaf poultice is

remarkable. Fresh cabbage-leaf compresses will aid headaches and

sinus trouble. In our osteopathic clinic I treat many swollen ankles

and osteo-arthritic or rheumatoid-arthritic knees. I have often been

laughed at when I advise patients to place, on alternate nights, a

kaolin or a cabbage-leaf poultice on the affected spot. This old-

fashioned remedy is simple and very effective. On the first evening

before going to bed bandage on the affected area a kaolin poultice

and leave on all night. The following evening place fresh cabbage

leaves on the area and when bandaged this should also be left until

the next morning. The results will not disappoint the user.

The healing powers which can bring such relief can be affected by

supplying curative elements to the tissues and by eliminating toxins

and other harmful substances from these tissues. Even the Greeks

wrote about the medicinal powers of the cabbage leaf as an important

herbal medicine. The Romans were also known to use the cabbage as a

universal remedy and it was used to cure many ailments. In 1881, Dr.

Blanc, who was teaching at a faculty in Paris and also working as a

doctor in a hospice at Trone, France, stated: " The cabbage leaf is

the doctor of the poor. " He listed many options in his book about the

capabilities of the cabbage leaf.

 

It is impossible to explain the workings of the cabbage leaf, but we

are certain of three facts:

1. It is possible to influence the affected area;

2. It produces a cleansing effect by activating the skin to eliminate

poisons;

3. It creates a reflex reaction on certain reflex points on the skin.

These points, however, still do not satisfactorily explain the quick

and effective action of the cabbage leaf.

 

SPINACH

Our ancestors knew the value of spinach. It is rich in Vitamins A, B,

C, iron, calcium phosphorous, magnesium and potassium. It stimulates

the forming of red blood cells and it also cleans the bowel. Fresh

spinach extract alleviates depression. It is beneficial when

suffering from malfunctioning of the digestive tract, rheumatism,

arthritis, kidney stones and liver problems.

 

LETTUCE

Not only is lettuce a delicious vegetable to eat, it acts in a

cooling, calming and cleansing manner. It is also rich in Vitamins A,

B and C, iron, magnesium, sodium, copper and has a good blood-

cleansing effect. Together with some watercress, radishes and

sometimes a little celery, it makes an appetizing as well as a

healthy sandwich.

 

Since ancient times the lettuce has been known to have health

properties, it is also said to have been used to combat insomnia.

 

BEETS

Oddly enough, the beet belongs to the spinach family. It is

essentially a root which is quite rich in sugar. Beets contain superb

ingredients for the digestive system and are of great help with

constipation, bladder infections, hemorrhoids and skin diseases, but

it has even more properties. This vegetable has the greatest

anticancer organic characteristics.

 

Beets should be eaten raw or cooked, rather than pickled, in order to

preserve their valuable properties. I often prescribe beets to be

used by patients as a fresh beet drink. It is a very good medicinal

remedy for the blood, as it supplies us with iron and an abundance of

other minerals.

 

In my former residential clinic, patients were served a beet salad

every day. This contained equal amounts of raw grated beet and raw

grated carrots, mixed with a handful of raisins and some unsweetened

apple juice. The flavor can be enhanced by adding some seasoned salt.

This makes a tasty salad which is full of vitamins, minerals and

trace elements to boost the immune system. It is also one of the most

effective cancer preventives.

 

The beet has a very high content of potassium, copper, iron and

silicone. Above all, next to the onion, the beet has the highest

silicic acid contents of Vitamin B-complex. It contains betamine, a

nitrogen donate/activator and stimulator of the phosphate synthesis

of choline and a coloring matter called cyanine. These are all very

vital ingredients in the cancer therapy. Peripheral activation of

cancer cells takes place when using beet juice combined with other

activators, giving very encouraging results.

 

The beet is a natural, valuable, prophylactic and therapeutic remedy

for the activation of cell respiration. The body's own defense

activity centers principally around the activation of oxygen through

peroxidation.

 

I have had to instruct my patients as to beets' preparation. I

usually give them a fairly standard recipe:

 

Cook the beet in the skin, thus containing as many vitamins and

minerals as possible. When cooked, peel off the skin, slice or grate

the beet and mix it with some cooked and chopped onion and some dried

apple. When reheating, add a knob of butter and some cornstarch mixed

with water to bind it. A dash of cider vinegar, a bay leaf or a pinch

of ground cloves may be added.

 

ONIONS

The onion is used as a diuretic and antiseptic and promotes a healthy

skin because it is a rich source of sulphur.

 

In old folklore it was often recommended to eat a raw onion because

of its healthy properties and there are many varieties suitable for

different purposes. Some are good for use in salads and others are

better for boiling. Onion poultices on painful areas are helpful and

when suffering from a cold, some onion juice mixed with honey gives

great relief. If older people are bothered with digestive problems a

strong onion extract in hot water can bring relief.

 

The onion is also rich in Vitamin C and although I am discussing the

onion under the heading of vegetables, it really is as much of a

seasoning as a vegetable used in combination with other vegetables.

In our residential clinic in The Netherlands one of our nurses had a

very nasty ear infection. Her ear was swollen badly and gave her a

lot of discomfort. No remedy seemed to bring relief. When one of our

older colleagues visited the clinic it was discussed and he

immediately made an onion poultice and placed it right on the ear and

covered it with a warm, damp cloth. It seems incredible, but the

abscess broke soon after, enabling the healing process to start.

The onion is considered one of the most potent seasoning vegetables,

but we should not disregard its healing potential.

 

ARTICHOKES

Artichokes are of great value for liver and gall bladder patients as

they are rich in sulphur. In cases of liver cirrhosis due to alcohol

excess, we obtain excellent results by recommending the patient to

eat artichokes in whatever shape or form.

 

Artichokes promote the production of gastric juices and liver

activity. They also stimulate the flow of bile. This is one of the

reasons that I sometimes recommend them for use to some people

suffering migraine attacks and also to people who imbibe too much

alcohol.

 

Artichokes have a high inulin content, raw or cooked, and ease a

craving for sweets. If one has a " sweet tooth, " it will help to eat a

few artichokes a week to minimize this problem.

 

POTATOES

The potato creates a neutral reaction in the body, neither acid nor

alkaline. It is also lower in protein than other vegetables. Potatoes

can be eaten in many ways, which makes them a versatile ingredient in

our daily diet.

 

I often rely on the therapeutic properties of the potato for

treatment in my clinic. I advise many older arthritic patients to

take the juice of one raw potato first thing in the morning, together

with some mustard seeds to chew. These simple measures will improve

their condition. It almost works as a filter for the acidity which is

mostly present with these patients and with this inexpensive method I

have seen patients almost able to get the use of their joints again.

Potato juice is most effective for uric acid and rheumatic

conditions.

 

Not only is the juice of a potato advised for rheumatism and

arthritis sufferers, it also serves as a useful remedy for stomach

ulcers, eczema, chronic diarrhea, diabetes, duodenal ulcers,

psoriasis, etc. If mixed with a little milk, it is ideal for

swellings, bruises, inflamed muscles and inflammation of the joints.

Potato poultices may also be used.

 

I continued to advise people to cook the potato in the skin, as we do

not want to lose any of its qualities during the cooking process.

Having discussed some of the many available vegetables, we again

recognize the vital force in plant life. God has kept his promise

that he would supply plenty of food for man to exist naturally. It is

up to us not to spoil these gifts and to treat them with the respect

they are due.

[Guest guest]

Thank you for that wonderful information!

 

Cath

 

 

 

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