Newest Health Care Plan: Food as Medicine

Enjoy sweetened food without sugar through the use of herbs and spices giving a whole lot of flavor to your favorite dishes!

In America we have an epidemic of adult onset diabetes. It stems mainly from really bad food choices continued over decades coupled with long term stress. Right here in Louisiana we have the dubious honor of being labeled the state in America with the most obese people for 2009. Looks like Wisconsin, Minnesota, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia escaped that honor this time. Not to worry; the obese police will circle back and enlist them yet again. Wait your turn; it’s Louisiana’s time to shine in the spotlight.

Gee, “do ya think” a lack of affordable health care since Hurricane Katrina almost four years ago could have something to do with it? The new Republican governor isn’t interested in re-opening hospitals for the poor or middle class. Never mind our long term Democrat Senator Mary Landrieu finally procured the state a share of the oil royalty revenues – in the billions of dollars to help with health care and public schools. Where’s the money?

We never have been able to get our public school system up to par because of a lack of sharing in the oil profits and some other smaller persistent factors. Why does that matter? Bad public school systems equals businesses big enough to create jobs go elsewhere. Who is going to ask their employees to move to Louisiana if they have a family? What business wants to pay a lot extra to place those employees’ children in the private schools?

OK, so what does the minor political rant have to do with food as medicine you ask? Plenty. When jobs are scarce or people are underemployed – like most of America right now with 100,000 each week entering those unhappy ranks – people make really bad food choices. Because of job and ensuing financial stress they go to sugar, lots of carbohydrates and low quality meats. They by-pass the healthier fruits (too expensive for them) and vegetables (the last thing a stressed out person thinks about but actually what they need).

With stress on the rise during this tough economic time worldwide, wallets and bank accounts depleted, it’s time to think of food as medicine. I have friends and relatives who are adult diabetics. When they visit and see me throwing all kinds of herbs and spices into my boiling cauldron on the stove they are intrigued. When they taste the sweetness they are amazed it was done without white or brown sugar or even brown rice syrup or another healthy alternative that is easier on your blood sugar.

I like the sweet taste as much as most anyone but don’t like the blood sugar ride that goes with sugary foods. So, over the years, I took to experimenting with various herbs and spices. Traveling and asking questions also furthered my interest and education. I’ve never been too shy to chat up the wait staff or cooks - or chefs if they came out for a visit. It’s the Law of Attraction as is so fashionable these days. If you don’t ask you don’t receive is the ancient Biblical principle the Law of Attraction rephrases, packaged into marketable money-making products.

When you are stressed you really need to feed your nervous system most of all. That means B vitamins. These B vitamins can be found in lentils, beans, grains like oats and quinoa, as well as vegetables like celery and greens: mustard, beets, kale, amaranth and dandelion.

Wonder about your short-term memory issues? That would be the stomping ground of B1 vitamin called thiamine. Wonder about skin issues and light-sensitivity? B2 vitamin called riboflavin.

B3 is called niacin and has been used in higher doses to combat high cholesterol but with some side effects. B6 is called pyridoxamine and is for producing red blood cells. Not enough of this vitamin can cause confusion and insomnia.

B9 is folic acid and works in conjunction with B12 to synthesize DNA. Without B9 folic acid you can suffer from poor growth or anemia. That’s why pregnant women are recommended to get plenty of this one. B12 is called cyanocobalamin. You definitely want to make sure you get enough of this vitamin as it helps to repair our DNA!

For more detailed articles on vitamins go to HowStuffWorks.com.

Lentils are great not only as easy to digest protein that keeps you feeling full and satisfied.  Lentils are also great for the stimulating effect upon the adrenal system and kidneys.  Lentils are also what you chase after as a diuretic for water retention.  Most women have experienced that nemesis at some point in their lives unless they are vegetarians.

As far as greens go Amaranth is king as it is high in protein and calcium, higher in calcium than milk.  Originally it was a food of the ancient Aztecs and used in their worship rituals.  It was no wonder their culture thought so highly of it.  Amaranth thrives even in poor soil and under drought conditions.  World health workers in Africa and Latin America have taken note that there is no malnutrition in areas where amaranth is part of the diet.

Basically, what you want to do is give greater assistance to your liver. Let’s face it; America is a nation of pill-popping folks whether for prescription or recreation. Our livers are tired of processing so many toxins. And we wonder why we are stressed and tired a lot? Take care of your liver and you will regain your energy and be a lot less grumpy in the process.

How to feed your liver and still enjoy the food you eat? Ah, the tricky question. Spring is the traditional time of year that the ancients got serious about altering their diet for liver support after a long winter of eating heavy meats and fats that clog the liver. They lowered their salt level during this time as well to help speed along shedding the water retention.

They were big into foods like dandelion greens. But what if you absolutely hate greens because of previous bad experience like parents that cooked greens into a deadly unattractive mush? Not to worry; herbs, spices and intriguing vinegars to your palate’s rescue!

A lot of obesity has to do with a high meat diet which slows down the metabolism when it is combined with gluten-forming carbos like most breads, pastries, cakes and cookies. Yeah, the tasty sugary stuff. It’s all made with wheat flour and wheat flour has the highest gluten.

Gluten causes edema; edema causes swelling of the body. Edema is nothing but water retention gone crazy. Lower the gluten in your diet and you lower the swelling. Want to see your waist again? Lower the gluten; keep the carbos. Carbos are not evil when taken in the form of brown rice, new red potatoes, corn, cornmeal and many grains. You need them and your nervous system and liver desperately need them.

There is a theory that eating too much of something over a long period of time can create an allergy for said food. Take a look at America; there may be something to it when it comes to wheat flour products. Go into any grocery store and start counting the products that have wheat flour in them and you will be amazed.

Ways to Enjoy Medicinal Herbs and Spices in Your Diet

So, what to include in your diet that will help recover your energy? Lots of choices! Do you enjoy a little honey and mint tea? Can’t have honey? Try adding a sweet spice like ground cloves in its place.

Other sweet spices I’ve taken to over the years are basil and marjoram. When I feel the need for the equivalent of a sugar rush my “go-to” herb is marjoram. It goes with just about anything: meat Bolognese or vegetarian marinara sauce, white sauces for seafood or cheese, with turkey or chicken dishes. I’m thinking of trying it in a cookie just to see how it behaves in a dessert format. Basil is another sweetie that is tasty and goes equally well in the above dishes.

Onions, sautéed slowly, like many other vegetables, caramelizes and is very sweet. Oven roasting them can accomplish the same. Beets are naturally sweet and take well to oven roasting. Then there’s the awesome garlic that can also become sweet-tasting.

Any starchy vegetable like beets and carrots when they are young have a sweet taste. If you are willing to eat sprouted seeds, grains and legumes these are also often sweet. Most of my diabetic friends don’t like them, preferring the herbs and spices.

The best herbs for liver support – not all are sweet as some are pungent – are basil, fennel, marjoram, rosemary, caraway, dill and bay leaf.

Spices I’ve found either tasty in the way of pungency or sweetness are turmeric and cloves. Turmeric is a pungent spice little used in America and the main ingredient in curry powder. It reduces swelling and has a mildly fiery flavor. It also can stain your clothing a wonderful golden yellow that is beautiful to behold before you pull out the bleach.

If you want to lose weight this is a great spice to add to your daily diet. Sprinkle it on your pizza, throw it into a lentil soup, add to your scrambled eggs and for Southerners, add some to your garlic grits (American South version of Italy’s polenta done with cornmeal).

Cloves are wonderfully sweet and a little bit is all you require. I first encountered cloves in something other than sweets on a trip to Greece. At a restaurant I dined on their version of spaghetti and meatballs. Well, it was nothing I recognized but it was awesome!

After pestering them to give it up they laughed and told me the simple ingredients: oregano, olive oil, garlic, onions, sea salt, black pepper and cloves. Who knew the taste sensation was out of this world?!

That and when you are traveling abroad it’s nice to know that someone is adept in the kitchen for killing bacteria on ground meat. Ground meat has a lot of surfaces for gathering bacteria unless you use a lot of salt, vinegar or - now new to my arsenal: cloves! Viva the ground cloves jar! Cloves have a wonderful sweet taste. Keep your use down to a low roar as this spice can be overpowering.

A few fruits that help cool your liver from an excessive high meat and fat diet:  apples, tomatoes, cherries and grapes.  They all are low acid and good for diabetics.  Tomatoes may start out acidic but actually alkalize the blood.  Grapes are great for pulling out toxins:  weight loss.  Cherries are chock full of happy vitamins and lots of easy to digest iron. 

And apples?  Apples are King in my book.  Apples are great for colds, sinus issues, especially sinus infections, better lung function all around AND make your skin beautiful.  Talk about the “go-to” perfect fruit.

Summary: Explore new options for that sweet taste humanity so craves. There are easy and delicious alternatives than reaching for the bag of over-processed sugar unmentionables. Choose sweet spices like cloves and basil. Choose pungent ones like turmeric for weight loss. Lentils, grapes and turmeric are all great for weight loss.

And apples? Apples are King of the beautiful as this fruit helps your liver to process toxins, making it easier to breathe deeply and show off beautiful skin. Does it get any better than that? There is always the old proverb: An apple a day keeps the doctor away. All my relatives that lived well into their 90’s and past 100 all followed that rule.

Grand Dad Alonzo Lyon never needed a doctor until one summer he was visiting us in Maine. He was 85 years old at the time. He went to his friend and told him, “I think I’m having a heart attack.”

The doctor examined him and then asked, “Well, A. E., what were you doing this morning?”

Grand Dad told him, “Same as always with the grandkids. We went out apple picking, you know, those tasty tart unripe crabapples? They were some good going down. But now, well, I don’t know, maybe they caused a heart attack.”

The doctor started laughing, “A. E., the only thing wrong with you is a stomach ache from unripe apples!”

Grand Dad said, “But I never experienced this before. I've never felt such pain!”

The doctor, “You are 85 years old, man!”

Grand Dad had never had the flu, a cold, a sore throat, a stomach ache or a heart attack in his entire life and lived to 95 years old. When he left the doctor’s office he was quite relieved and promised not to over-indulge on green crabapples again - ever.

hub #32

Dandelion greens with garlic, anchovies, fennel and lemon by Laurel Fan @ flickr

Golden Beet Salad by thebittenword.com @ flickr

Amaranth greens by FotoosVanRobin @ flickr

Warm Lentil and Avocado Salad with St Maure Goats Cheese, Balsamic Roasted Onions and Baby Roma Tomatoes by avlsyz @ flickr

Basil by tillwe @ flickr

Purple grapes by Zest-pk @ flickr

Garlic cloves by FotoosVanRobin @ flickr

Cloves and orange by MsNice @ flickr

Cherries by bensonkua @ flickr

Golden apples by ruralgold @ flickr

Green apple by ginnerobot @ flickr