Medicine in your kitchen cabinet?
- Leora Dappen
- Jan 21, 2016
- 3 min read
9 common foods and spices to help the winter sniffles and more.
I have clients asking me every day what “natural remedy” I suggest to get rid of this pain or that sniffle. My answer is almost always…go to your kitchen cupboard.
I have been using simple foods, herbs, spices and nutritional supplements for my family for over 20 years for everything from allergies to zits. It is safe, cheap, and highly effective. In fact this photo is my kitchen table during a clean out of my spice cabinet. It's not a high resolution shot but whats so amazing is to realize that EVERYTHING on this table is medicine! How awesome is that?!
Many cultures around the world still depend on foods and natural medicine exclusively. Spice combinations were traditionally used for medicine as well as for food preservation. Indian curry and chai mix are great examples of this.
It is very empowering to treat your family, especially children, safely and effectively with the same stuff you put on the dinner table. Also, no doctor appointments, no pharmacy visits, no negative side effects, no drug interactions.
Honey. Raw, organic, local honey is extremely medicinal. Manuka honey from New Zealand has specific antibacterial properties. A teaspoon of honey is more effective then the leading cough syrups at calming coughs and soothing a sore, scratchy throat. Honey has natural analgesics (pain killing elements) and high amounts of hydrogen peroxide. Honey is incredibly antibacterial, internally and externally. Scientists are in a mad dash to replicate the antibiotic produced by bee saliva with the increasing antibiotic resistant Superbugs among us, but to no avail. I tended 134 beehives a couple summers ago among thousands of acres of organic sweet clover. It was a privilege and honor. They are magnificent creatures, worthy of reverence.
Thyme. It’s in Italian and Mediterranean food galore. It is an awesome expectorant, breaking up phlegm in the lungs and preventing further congestion. It also has anticoagulant (blood thinning), antibacterial and antimicrobial (kills pathogens) properties.
Cinnamon. It helps increase metabolism, balance blood sugar, is anti-inflammatory, anti-parasitic, anticoagulant (blood thinning) and calming to the belly.
Turmeric. Entire books are written on this “wonder spice”. It is the spice that gives Indian curry its color. It helps with a myriad of health conditions due to its incredible anti-inflammatory properties. It is anti-parasitic and extremely anti-carcinogenic (anti-cancer). I take it morning and night, plus cook with it all the time.
Cayenne pepper. It revs up your metabolism, may get rid of ulcers and is effective against nasal and chest congestion and shortens the severity of the common cold…mix in a cup of hot water with juice of one lemon and teaspoon of raw honey. It is also an anticoagulant (blood thinning) and blood purifier.
Ginger. Awesome for calming a sour stomach, bloating, and gas. It is great for air and seasickness as well as morning sickness. It also helps maintain blood pressure and healthy cholesterol levels. It is anti-inflammatory, analgesic (pain killing), anti-parasitic, antifungal, anticoagulant (blood thinning) and blood purifying.
Garlic. It was called Russian Penicillin during World War II. Believe it or not, garlic has even more to offer. It is not only antibacterial, but also antiviral, anti-parasitic, antifungal, antimicrobial (kills micro-organisms) and anticoagulant (thins your blood). It can help regulate blood pressure, blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels. People have claimed to cure their own cancer with just the addition of garlic. It is my favorite crop to grow.
Cilantro. This wonderful Mexican herb is best known in the Natural Health world as being specific for chelating heavy metals out of the body. Heavy metal toxicity is epidemic in this country from pesticides, power plants and car emissions.
Oregano. This humble herb has incredible antibacterial properties. Oregano oil has become a go-to for many people at the first signs of a cold or flu. It also has blood-cleansing and anticoagulant (blood thinning) properties.
The list above is far from inclusive. Your kitchen cupboard should be full of “functional foods” that support health in a BIG way. Make a conscious choice to integrate these foods into your daily meals and feel empowered knowing you are boosting the health of your family…naturally, safely, effectively.
Happy, Healthy Eating!
Leora
コメント