Optimum health is not merely the absence of disease but involves a sense of well being, feeling full of energy and free from anxiety. Although you may not be able to control fully certain aspects of your life which determine the state of your health, the one factor over which you have the most control is what you eat. Which is why we need to be more knowledgeable about the therapeutic properties of food.

Cultures throughout the world have long believed that the benefits from food go far beyond the sustenance simply provided by nutrients and calories. In Ancient Greece, the Athenians believed that mealtimes were an opportunity to replenish the spirit as well as the body; they reclined on couches while eating and food was accompanied by music, poetry and dancing. Our growing awareness of the link between what we eat and the effect it has on our physical, mental and spiritual health acknowledges the thinking behind this ancient wisdom.

Eating the right foods not only helps prevent the ‘diseases of affluence’, such as coronary heart disease, tooth decay and obesity, but can also protect against several kinds of cancer, including breast cancer and colon cancer. What we eat also affects our chance of suffering from high blood pressure and strokes, osteoporosis (brittle bones), diabetes in middle age and a host of other common illnesses. Once you know more about the therapeutic properties of food, you can gradually make small but positive changes to what and how you eat to make an enormous difference to your physical, emotional and spiritual being.

Herb teas
Herb teas (made with lemongrass, mint, ginger or cardamom) can be taken for therapeutic reasons or simply enjoyed for their refreshing flavours. The main advantage is that herb teas do not contain caffeine, and offer a pleasant and healthy alternative to tea and coffee. They can also help cleanse, calm or stimulate the body in a gentle but effective way. Teas made with freshly gathered herbs have a clean, bright flavour, but you can also use dried herbs, either loose or packaged. You will need a small handful of fresh herbs or 2 teaspoons of dried herbs per cup of boiling water. It is important to cover the tea while brewing, so that the health-giving properties are not carried away in the steam.

Nuts
Nuts are an excellent source of vitamin E - one of the antioxidants - and a valuable source of protein. They are also a good source of fibre, B vitamins and iron. They are a useful source of zinc and have high potassium and magnesium content but are often low in calcium. But remember nuts are high in fat and should be eaten in small quantities (e.g. 25 g).

Yogurt (Curd)
The nutritional and medical properties of yogurt have been recognized in the Middle East and Eastern Europe for centuries. It is a useful source of calcium and phosphorus, and also contains riboflavin (vitamin B2) and vitamin B12. Yogurt is a ‘live’ food made by incubating natural bacteria, lactobacilli, with pasteurized milk. Yogurt has been subjected to countless research studies and is now acknowledged as genuinely health-promoting. It is believed to boost the immune system and to discourage the proliferation of harmful bacteria and yeasts in the gut. It is helpful in treating gastro-intestinal disorders, and also helps replace valuable intestinal bacteria destroyed by antibiotics.

Grilled ­and roasted vegetables
If you want to reduce the fat in your diet, oven-roasting or grilling vegetables is a delicious and nutritious way of preparing them. You will need hardly any oil, sometimes none at all, especially if you use a non-stick roasting pan. Because the vegetables are not immersed in cooking liquid, fewer nutrients are lost, although some will inevitably be destroyed by heat. Vegetables such as capsicum, courgettes, onions and tomatoes are all good. Whole heads of garlic and fleshy chillies can be roasted too. This method greatly intensifies the delicious flavours and creates succulent nutrient-rich juices that can be used to flavour dressings and sauces. This is a healthful way of cooking sliced brinjals, since they normally soak up tablespoons of oil when fried, but need only the merest dab when roasted.

Seafood
Seafood, such as prawns and mussels, is rich in protein, low in saturated fats and high in omega-3 fatty acids. It is also an important source of iodine and other trace minerals including selenium, copper and zinc. It is the omega-3 fatty acids in seafood that make it especially valuable, with the potential to help lower blood cholesterol. While the cholesterol content of shellfish is considered high, what is more important in controlling blood cholesterol is the amount of saturated fat in the diet rather than cholesterol-containing foods. Fish has long been called ‘brain food’ because of the relationship between low-fat protein and its impact on the neurotransmitters in the brain. Additionally, there is some agreement among the experts that protein (as found in seafood) can counteract a ‘heavy’ feeling induced by too much carbohydrate and thus add to alertness.

Oily fish
There is growing evidence that oil-rich fish such as salmon, mackerel, tuna and sardines, may help prevent heart disease, high blood pressure and rheumatic conditions. This is because such fish are a unique source of omega-3 fatty acids. Our bodies cannot manufacture these fatty acids, yet they play an essential role in our metabolism. They have been shown to discourage blood from clotting, which may help reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes and circulatory problems, as well as thin the blood naturally. They can also lower blood cholesterol. There are also indications that omega-3 fatty acids may help to improve certain skin conditions such as psoriasis. To gain significant health benefits, the

American Heart Association recommends eating oily fish twice a week. Recent studies suggest that eating fatty fish several times a week can lower the risk of prostate cancer. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, twice-weekly oily fish consumption can prevent breast and ovarian cancer.

Wine
Alcohol is the oldest and most widely used drug, with more than 10,000 years of ‘ clinical trials’. The Ancient Greeks used wine to disinfect wounds, and it saved countless French lives during a cholera epidemic in the late 1800s. A physician noticed that wine­ drinkers seemed more immune to the disease, so advised people to mix wine with drinking water. Later, an Austrian military doctor conducted tests which confirmed wine’s bactericidal properties, as have modern studies. Antioxidants from red grapes help protect the body against heart disease and lower blood cholesterol levels. Although wine appears to have a therapeutic effect in certain situations, this is not an excuse for drinking copious amounts.

Tomatoes and lycopene
Tomatoes and tomato products are the primary dietary source of lycopene, a carotenoid which gives them their red colour. Recent studies strongly suggest that a high lycopene intake from regular consumption of tomatoes and tomato-based products can reduce the risk of prostate cancer by one-third. Lycopene may also be helpful to women. In animal tests, Japanese researchers have found that diets supplemented with lycopene significantly suppressed the development of breast cancer. Another study suggests that lyocpene may help boost the immune system. Lycopene is found in significant amounts in pink-fleshed grapefruit, guavas, watermelon and spring onions, as well as tomatoes.

Carrots pumpkins and alpha-carotene
Until relatively recently, beta-carotene was thought to be the substance in orange-fleshed vegetables that reduced the risk of cancer. However, recent research suggests that alpha-carotene is the more dominant protective factor for some cancers. Two American studies suggest that it could significantly reduce the risk of lung cancer, and earlier Japanese tests on animals have shown that it could inhibit the growth of cancer cells in the liver, lungs and skin. Alpha-carotene is present in large amounts in carrots and pumpkin; cantaloupes, apricots, squash and mangoes are also good sources. It is thought that just one carrot a day is a cancer-protective dose. Carrots have always been valued for their beneficial action on the lungs, for easing whooping cough and coughs in general, and for their ability to dissolve stones and tumours.

Herbs and spices
Herbs and spices count among nature’s most potent healers, standing somewhere between a medicine and a food. The texts of Ayurveda referto the ‘yoga of herbs’, meaning the ‘right usage’ of flavours in what we eat to promote well-being and good health. Combined with appropriate herbs and spices, vegetables, grains, pulses and even fruits take on a new vibrancy. For example, street vendors sell slices of fruit flavoured with all kinds of spices, including salt and pepper. The spices used will often be those known to stimulate digestion – ginger, mint or fennel, for instance. This is a surprisingly refreshing snack in a hot climate - chillies not only aid digestion but induce sweating to cool the body.

Chocolate
Since the days of the Maya and Aztecs, and its ‘discovery’ by the Spanish conquistadores, chocolate has always been highly valued as a sustaining food. We now know that it is the carbohydrates and fats in chocolate that that provide fuel for the body. Claims that chocolate is bad for you are due to the saturated fat and excess sugar content. Good-quality dark chocolate contains little or no sugar, plenty of valuable minerals and B vitamins. Chocolate also contains chemicals called endorphins, which are thought to affect the brain ­possibly causing a lift in mood and a creation of positive energy. As long as you don’t binge, chocolate deserves a place on the list of therapeutic foods, not only for its ability to revive, flagging energy but also for the pleasure it brings.

Raw juices
Raw juices can play a vital role in promoting and maintaining health and vitality, and get a potent cocktail of nutrients into the system. However, the process of juicing removes much of the beneficial fibre content of fruits and vegetables. Juices are bursting with quickly absorbed simple carbohydrates, along with enzymes, vitamins and minerals. Make sure your fruits and vegetables are of top quality and absolutely fresh. Organic produce is best, as it contains no harmful pesticide residues. Take special caution to wash all produce carefully before juicing.

Milk
Milk and dairy products are the best source of calcium. A 300 ml glass of milk provides nearly three-quarters of the recommended daily requirement. Milk also provides high-quality protein, essential B vitamins, phosphorus and zinc. It is a vital source of vitamin B12, although the vitamin is destroyed by boiling milk. Skimmed milk provides all the nutrients of whole milk but only half the calories. Because the fat has been removed, skimmed milk is lacking in fat-soluble vitamin A but it contains slightly higher levels of minerals and water-soluble B vitamins. Goat’s milk and soya milk are good alternatives for people with an intolerance of cow’s milk. In terms of nutrients, goat’s milk is similar to cow’s milk, but soya milk contains significantly less calcium. Recent research supports the view that diets rich in dairy products can reduce the risk of stroke.

Courtesy: A Harvest of Healing Foods by Christine McFadden and Kathleen Zelman

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