The food we eat can either be our most deadly poison or our best medicine, and the path to wellness is more likely to be found in your pantry than on a pharmacy shelf. Why not make a few simple changes to ensure every single meal becomes more nourishing? Bondi Health and Wellness naturopath Tania Flack explains how you can.
1. More raw
Traditionally, raw foods or foods that have been only lightly cooked at low temperatures have been associated with cleansing the body, because they contain enzymes that help with the digestive process. Increasing the amount of raw foods in your diet is as easy as having a raw salad before meals or drinking a green smoothie every morning.
Increasing raw foods in the diet alkalises the body, promotes detoxification, and increases your intake of nutrient-dense plant foods. Raw foods are ideal for helping with chronic disease, toxicity, and inflammation.
2. Go slow
When we are recuperating – be it from illness, overwork or childbirth – slow-cooked, easy-to-digest foods are ideal. This is traditional wisdom that has stood the test of time; every ancient culture features nourishing broths, soups and stews that help to rebuild strength and stamina.
Often such dishes are cooked with meat on the bone and root vegetables, which are considered strengthening foods, because their nutrients are made more bioavailable via slow cooking.
3. Eat seasonally
One benefit of buying from local farmers’ markets is that you will only ever be offered what is freshest and currently in season. Fruits and vegetables from the supermarket may have been in cold storage for months before you buy them, which negatively affects both flavour and nutrient levels.
Find out what is in season near you at www.seasonalfoodguide.com.
5. Choose organic
The effect of agricultural chemicals on our health cannot be underestimated. While it may be argued that there is not much nutritional difference between organic versus commercially grown food, as a natural health practitioner I can guarantee that the extra nutrients needed to detoxify chemicals from commercially grown produce puts organic food out in front by a mile.
Eating organic is very important for anyone suffering ill health, as chemicals and pesticides will only stress the body further.
6. Activate your food
Activating nuts and seeds may seem like another food trend, but it is in fact an ancient process of food preparation that makes nutrients more bioavailable.
Matt Wong, owner of Edge Wellness, a leading producer of activated nuts, says, “Activating nuts involves soaking them at room temperature then slowly drying them. This mimics the germination process and breaks down a compound found in nuts and seeds called phytic acid which binds to minerals in the digestive tract and blocks their absorption. Activating nuts and seeds makes their nutrients more bioavailable, as well as easier to digest by anyone with digestive problems – plus, they taste delicious!”
7. In a ferment
Fermenting is a time-honoured tradition used around the world to help preserve foods. Natural bacteria feed on the sugar and starch in the food, creating lactic acid.
This process of lactofermentation helps to preserve the food, making it more bioavailable and easier to digest. Beneficial bacteria, or probiotics, are formed during the fermenting process and these support digestive health.
Regularly eating probiotic-rich fermented foods like sauerkraut, kim chi or kombucha helps to support gut health.
8. Enjoy everyday superfoods
‘Superfood’ has got to be the buzzword of the decade – just don’t forget the less exotic foods that also merit the title, but minus the price tag:
- Crucifers: This family includes some of the biggest nutritional heavy hitters of the vegetable world – kale, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and bok choi. Not only are they high in folate, vitamin C, beta-carotene, and fibre, they’re also great for the liver and packed with antioxidants and cancer-fighting phytochemicals. Sulphoraphane, a compound found in broccoli, is particularly protective against breast and prostate cancers. A high intake of cruciferous vegetables is not ideal for people with pre-existing thyroid conditions; however this can be mitigated if you add iodine-rich foods, such as seafood, seaweed and dairy. Aim for two serves per day.
- Eggs: High in protein, containing a full complement of amino acids, and rich in B-group vitamins, calcium, iron, phosphorus and zinc, eggs are also a valuable source of fat-soluble vitamins A, E, and D. Both the yolk and white contain selenium, a powerful antioxidant. Interestingly, an old fashioned remedy to boost calcium was to put a whole egg into a glass of lemon juice. The acid in the juice leaches calcium and minerals from the eggshell. Remove the egg after 24 hours and you’re left with a mineral-rich drink – have half a teaspoon daily to boost your calcium levels.
- Oily fish: These are a valuable source of protein and nutrients, particularly omega-3 essential fatty acids. Omega-3 essential fats provide two different compounds, each with their own individual benefits: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which acts as a powerful anti-inflammatory and helps to protect the cardiovascular system, and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which is deeply nourishing to the nervous system, brain, eyes and skin, and is particularly useful to support reproductive health. Eating fresh oily fish on a regular basis can meet your needs for essential fatty acids. You should avoid large pelagic, predatory fish, such as marlin, swordfish and shark, as they tend to bio-accumulate heavy metals and other toxins. Your best choices are mackerel, sardines, anchovies and other smaller, oily fish. Aim to have fresh fish three times per week.
- Flaxseeds: These are one of the oldest cultivated crops, and with good reason! They provide the most concentrated form of plant-sourced omega-3 essential fatty acids and, like oily fish, they are anti-inflammatory and help to protect against cardiovascular disease. Flaxseeds are also one of the richest sources of phytoestrogens. Consuming crushed flaxseeds on a daily basis has been shown in clinical studies to reduce the symptoms of menopause, and to help maintain a healthy hormone balance. Flaxseeds contain both soluble and insoluble fibre and are rich in minerals, such as magnesium, calcium, potassium and zinc. Like all nuts and seeds they need to be stored in an airtight container in the fridge to protect the delicate fats from oxidising. Aim for a tablespoon of crushed seeds per day.
- Turmeric and black pepper: Turmeric is a vibrant yellow spice that has been used medicinally for centuries throughout Asia. Its active constituent, curcumin, has been studied extensively and has proven antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties, however it has relatively poor bioavailability. Research has shown that piperine, a constituent found in black pepper, actually enhances the bioavailability of curcumin. Add turmeric, either as a powdered spice or grated root, to your food, along with a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper on a daily basis.
- Seaweed: This comes in many different varieties, but perhaps the best known are kelp, wakame, dulse, and nori. Seaweed contains a wide variety of important nutrients, such as vitamins A and C, calcium and magnesium, and it is particularly high in iodine. Iodine is only needed in trace amounts, so adding a pinch of powdered seaweed to your dishes is all that’s needed to boost your intake. Iodine is essential for thyroid health and is especially important during pregnancy and breast-feeding. However, people who have hyperthyroidism should avoid seaweed and other iodine-containing foods.
- Garlic: Prized for its distinct pungent flavour, garlic, like turmeric, bridges the gap between food and herbal medicine. Thought of as the food equivalent of antibiotics, it has been used throughout history as a key ingredient in healing recipes due to its beneficial effect on the immune system. It has powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antimicrobial properties; it also reduces the risk of heart disease and lowers blood pressure and cholesterol. Letting your crushed garlic cloves sit for a while before cooking allows the natural enzymes time to render the key sulphur constituent, allicin, more bioavailable. Add a little to your diet each day.
Be your own healer
Bone broth is used for healing across a wide range of cultures. After all, ‘Jewish penicillin’ – aka chicken soup – a popular healing food, is based on a rich broth. The addition of apple cider vinegar in this recipe helps to create an acidic environment, which releases the minerals from the bones into the broth, so you are left with a delicious, mineral-rich mixture.
Half a cup per day will support recovery.
Bone broth recipe
2 onions, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons turmeric powder
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 kg organic, grass-fed chicken or beef bones
6 litres filtered water
½ cup apple cider vinegar
Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil in a large pot until translucent. Add turmeric and black pepper. Add bones, water and apple cider vinegar. Cover and simmer for one hour, then remove the lid and allow the broth to reduce for another hour. Enjoy!
This article first appeared in Nature & Health magazine.
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