Food as Medicine

Do you ever have those days when you think, can’t I have just one day when my back doesn’t hurt, when I don’t have a headache, when I don’t have acid reflux, when I don’t have a cold, when…the list is endless. 

I often wonder how the world has gotten so unhealthy, both as a collective and as individuals. How did we get here and how do we find our way back? 

Could it be our disconnection from nature, Spirit, and ourselves has actually made us sick?

I certainly don’t have the answer but I do think it’s possible to heal ourselves and the planet.

Maybe it’s about balance. But, when I think about balance, it feels a little static. Life is more dynamic, and always changing, but either way, we need to dig a little deeper, get to the root, and discover ways to regain our health.

My impression of health care in this country is, that much of it is about managing symptoms. We need to start asking the bigger question of why our bodies are giving us symptoms in the first place and change the way we think about health and wellness.

By making more health-promoting choices and actually incorporating them into your life, chances are you will start to get back some of your vitality on all levels, physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.

The more you make positive choices, the more positive choices you make. 

There is no separation between you and nature. You are connected through the elements of Space, Air, Fire, Water, and Earth, even if you’re not consciously aware of it. 

 

“For the one who is wise the whole world is a teacher” Ayurvedic text Ashtanga Hrdayam

 

Nothing is random and if you follow a path of seasonal living you know that each season brings about certain conditions. For example, Autumn gets drier, windy, erratic, and cool. Summer is all about light, fire, heat, and intensity. 

One of the first steps back to health starts with food. No big surprise there. Food is medicine but only to the extent we can digest it and assimilate the nutrients. 

Everyone is different of course, but, here are 4 general recommendations for using food as medicine. 

 

It’s better if you eat cooked, warm, and oily food

 

Cold, raw foods are difficult to digest. These types of foods put out your ‘digestive fire’, especially if you eat them in excess. 

And, unless you live in a climate that’s always warm, cold food isn’t appropriate in the winter months. I definitely don’t want a cold salad when I’m already freezing. 

Think about how cold contracts and warm expands. If you want your ‘pipes’ to run more efficiently and keep things flowing, warmer food is the way to go. Cooking food kind of ‘pre-digests’ it so your digestive system doesn’t have to work so hard. 

And, correct me if I’m wrong but I think most people these days have some kind of digestive issue or another. 

If you adjust your diet and lifestyle to match the season you’ll have better immunity, digestion, mood, and sleep. 

 

Drink warm, boiled, or room-temperature water 

 

Boiling water helps lighten the quality of the water making it easier for your body to digest. It cleanses and hydrates the digestive tract and the lymphatic system. 

Hot water strengthens your digestive fire and digestive enzymes so you can digest your food better which helps you assimilate more nutrients. 

It’s great to have a bit of hot water or hot tea first thing in the morning to set your digestive tone for the day. 

Try your water with a squeeze of ½ a lemon if you want to add some detoxifying benefits. 

 

Cook with Love and Positive Thoughts 

 

It’s amazing how when you cook with loving intention and beautiful thoughts those feelings are transmitted into your food. 

I think it’s the same concept with food as Dr. Masaru Emotos’s work with water. He wrote the book Hidden Messages in Water where he talked about the idea that our thoughts and intentions impact the physical realm. 

He studied the scientific evidence of how the molecular structure in water transforms when it is exposed to human words, thoughts, sounds, and intentions.

He showed in pictures, how water exposed to loving, benevolent, and compassionate human intentions results in aesthetically pleasing physical molecular formations in the water while water exposed to fearful and discordant human intentions results in disconnected, disfigured, and “unpleasant” physical molecular formations. 

I guarantee it’s the same with food or anything else for that matter.

 

Drink Spiced Milk

 

Spiced milk is a great way to end the day. Drink it a couple of hours after your last meal. This simple ritual can help you relax and promote a good night’s sleep.

It’s especially nice to drink on the days you feel depleted. Those days when you’re tired and worn out and in need of a reset. Fill your mug with spiced milk to recharge your body and your mind. 

It’s a small act of self-care that will leave you feeling more nourished and help you find more balance in your life. 

The bonus part is, that having a warm mug of spiced milk might just prevent you from snacking at night. 

But, you don’t have to wait until nighttime to drink it. Make it during the day to increase your clarity, energy, and strength.

There are plenty of recipes and options for spices for you to choose from. Choose what your body needs. This recipe uses cinnamon and cardamom but feel free to use black pepper, turmeric, fennel, nutmeg, and clove, whatever makes you happy.

1/2 cup of milk (preferably whole and organic, if you don’t do milk, do what you do)

½ tsp of ghee

⅛ tsp. Cinnamon

⅛ tsp Cardamom

1 tsp honey or maple syrup (honey is warming, maple syrup is cooling)

Add the ghee and spices to a pot, then add the milk. Bring the milk just to a boil and turn off the heat. Add sweetener. Enjoy!

 

Using food as medicine is one of the easiest ways to improve your health. You’ll feel better, be calmer, have a clearer mind, live longer, and be physically stronger.