Whether you’re battling arthritis, cramps, high blood pressure, or even just some basic cold, chances are quite high that you do not need over the counter medicines in order to save the day. In fact, forking over half your wallet in an attempt to do so might even be causing you some serious long term side effects, which are not ultimately worth your short term fix.Truth is, the possibilities for using food as medicine are far more abundant than the common public may yet be aware.Here at Wanderfit Retreats, we will always encourage our athletes to pursue and maintain a well-balanced nutrition plan, and within that, we also think it is a great idea to be using your food as medicine whenever possible.
It’s also important to note that the food which we consume can, and often does, act as something quite the opposite of medicine. If we do not maintain proper mindfulness of the foods we are allowing into our body, then they can, and they inevitably will end up being the very reason we need medicine in the first place.
Most of the food in western culture today is chock-full of unnecessary hormones and pesticides. These unnatural entities are often the cause of many diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and inflammation alike. And although we can use food as medicine in order to counteract this, we are also capable of alleviating the entire process itself, simply by being smart about our dieting habits from the beginning.We can do better, we can eat food that is good for us. It’s just going to take a little bit of knowledge, some diligent practice, and perhaps a slight rework of our daily habits.But if we give this enough focus, we can, in fact, be using our food as medicine in every meal.
A great place for us to start in properly using food as medicine is to first come to an understanding of what exactly we should be looking for in our eating habits.In short,
Beyond this, using food as medicine really is an art form and something which we ought to be pursuing throughout the duration of our lives, allowing our knowledge on the subject to be constantly growing.It’s a complex and in-depth topic which can take a while to fully understand. Today however, we’d like to help you get started here with these 9 fun facts on different ways you can be using your food as medicine.
Almonds are very high in magnesium and are as a result great for alleviating headaches and even migraines.As a matter of fact, 1 oz of almonds has 78g of magnesium!So next time you have one of those annoying headaches come along, steer clear of the pharmaceuticals and instead grab yourself 9-12 almonds and a tall glass of water.
Freshly caught salmon is one of, if not the, highest sources of omega 3 which is out there.These fatty acids are a great aid in reducing inflammation within the body. Or perhaps better put — having a proper balance of our omega 3 and omega 6 acids help keep the body functioning at an optimal rate, such that inflammation rarely occurs.
Studies have shown that buckwheat honey is a great aid in relieving your basic cough/sore throat symptoms, and is especially true in children. Mix some in with hot water and a bit of fresh ginger root, treating yourself to a nice tea before bed, and just watch how quickly that sore throat disappears.
Speaking of tea — hibiscus tea has been clinically proven to reduce blood pressure.A modest 10g a day will reduce your blood pressure by up to 12%.No more of those ridiculous medications, no more constant monitoring. We can bypass all of these unnecessary stressors by simply using our food as medicine.
Using food as medicine can also help us in reducing our high blood sugar.Beans are a fiber dense and high concentration of carbohydrates food source which rank quite low on the glycemic index.They pack a nutritious punch and will do very little in raising your blood sugar levels.
Another fiber dense food is chia seeds, and these little beauties will do a tremendous job in aiding those who have high cholesterol.As low as one ounce of chia seeds has 10.7 grams of fiber.So before you go buying any more of those cholesterol pills, why not give chia seeds a chance? Add them to your morning yogurt or granola for an extra crunchy bite of delicious fiber.
Turmeric is another fantastic source of food as medicine.It helps to significantly reduce inflammation in the joint/s and as such is something highly sought after by those with arthritis.
Ginger for menstrual cramps?You better believe it.[perfectpullquote align="full" bordertop="false" cite="" link="" color="#074FEB" class="" size=""]“Research suggests that compounds found in ginger... inhibiting the body's production of prostaglandins… [and] because the onset of menstrual cramps appears to be linked to excessive production of prostaglandins, it's thought that consuming ginger in dietary supplement or tea form can help reduce menstrual pain.”— Cathy Wong[/perfectpullquote]
And last but certainly not least, we could never forget the ever coveted ghee.Oh, the beauty of ghee.If you’re highly active in the fitness scene like we are, then you have surely heard of all the craze surrounding the health benefits of ghee.When we talk about using food as medicine, ghee is perhaps the best and most accessible agent in aiding with the digestive process.It flushes out old bile, encourages an active production of new and healthier bile, and generally lubricates the entire system, pulling stored fats and toxins out of the body.
So you see guys, using food as medicine is actually something which can easily become common practice in our day to day lives.It all starts with a shift in our mental perspective, a shift where we begin to think of our food as a necessary medicine and not just as something which is required to sustain energy or to taste good at lunch.This is an ideology which all of us here at Wanderfit Retreats support and encourage, and as you join us on our retreats, you will certainly find yourself in pursuit of some delicious and healthy eats the entire time you are with us.
We embody an eventful and action-packed lifestyle, as we simultaneously ensure that we are optimizing our health in every possible way.Does this sound like something which might interest you?Because if it does we have some great news!There are still a limited number of spots remaining for our upcoming Bali trips.A place where you can fully immerse yourself into an 8-day experience where using food as medicine comes naturally, and with ease.Join us, and begin this new journey of yours in some serious style. And always remember guys, you are what you eat — literally.
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