UNPLUG YOURSELF

Around 1936, pharmaceuticals began to take the forefront of medicine. This was around the same time as the prohibition of cannabis and hemp…Coincidence? Since then, we have seen a steady rise in many different diseases and ailments that plague us today. For example; cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, etc… Our current system of only prescribing PILLS has proved to be ineffective overall hence our disease epidemic. In addition, the healthcare system in the United States is severely broken as it seems to be a privilege and designed to keep us sick. Not to mention, the relentless addiction problem we have that comes along with prescribing prescription drugs like candy! Let’s explore some remedies that can help heal the body INSTEAD of covering or suppressing pain. In other words, let’s do better than a band-aid…It starts with the food we are consuming.

Hippocrates the father of medicine said; “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”. AND “Leave your drugs in the chemist’s pot if you can heal the patient with food.”

heart disease 

In the United States, heart disease is the leading cause of death in men and women. About 610,000 people die each year from heart complications, making it 1 out of every 4 people. The main reason for heart disease is high LDL (bad) cholesterol. Therefore, let’s look at some heart healthy food to help heal this very important muscular organ that pumps blood to our entire body and just so happens to be the center of our life force…

• Oatmeal, Apples, Blueberries, Nuts, & Beans- These particular foods are rich in soluble fiber. When our digestive tract has soluble fiber, it attaches to cholesterol particles to remove them from the body. This lowers the body’s cholesterol which in return lowers the risk for heart disease. Oatmeal is believed to offer the most heart protection. However, not Quaker Oats! Remember to read labels as rolled oats should be the only ingredient. Many commercial brands have other chemicals laced within them cancelling the benefits. 
• Salmon, Walnuts, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Chia Seeds, Flax Seeds- Omega-3’s lower blood pressure and heart rate. In addition, omega-3’s improve the health of the blood vessels. Also, foods like avocado and olive oil are high in monounsaturated fat. This type of healthy fat helps to reduce bad cholesterol levels in the blood. 
• Pomegranate, Dark Chocolate (Cacao)– Both are rich in antioxidants and contain flavonoids called polyphenols. This lowers blood pressure and inflammation in the body. Most importantly, these two superfoods can prevent blood clots by keeping the arteries clean. 
• Spinach, Kale, Broccoli, Tomatoes- Tomatoes are high in heart healthy potassium and are a good source of antioxidants. They help get rid of bad cholesterol and keep the blood vessels open. The greens, have high levels of carotenoids which act as antioxidants. In addition, they are high in fiber as well as vitamins and minerals. 

diabetes 

Diabetes is another huge health epidemic in the United States. Over 100 million adults are pre-diabetic or have been diagnosed with diabetes. In addition, the southern and Appalachian areas of the country have the highest rate of diagnosis. Type 2 diabetes definitely has a significant correlation with poor diet, obesity and high sugar intake. In other words, you have the power to control it! Therefore, let’s look at some foods we should be eating in order to prevent or assist in correcting diabetes…

• Apples, Asparagus, Avocados- Everyone knows the saying, “An apple a day will keep the doctor away”. This is a very true statement. Organic of course! Studies show consuming an apple per day for just 4 weeks will lower LDL (bad) cholesterol in the body by 40 percent. This lowers the risk of developing diabetes. Asparagus, helps keep blood sugar levels in control and increases insulin production. Avocados, raise HDL (good) cholesterol in the body. Therefore, this lowers the risk of heart attack or stroke in diabetics. 
• Beans, Blueberries, Broccoli- Beans are a good source of protein and are high in fiber. Studies show eating beans daily lowers blood pressure and results in better blood sugar control. Blueberries contain specific antioxidants and have a high fiber content. They help to keep blood sugar more level. Broccoli, is a superfood! There are so many reasons it should be consumed. It has more vitamin C than an orange. It’s high in beta-carotene which the body uses to make Vitamin K. It’s also rich in folate and fiber. Not to mention it’s high levels of sulfur containing compounds known as glucosinolates. This activates an enzyme in our body to assist in detoxification. 
• Oats, Cranberries, Nuts– Again, we have oats! In regards to diabetes, oats help to stop the rise in blood sugar by delaying the stomach from emptying. Cranberries are abundant in phytonutrients, specifically anthocyanin. Studies have showed eating foods high in anthocyanin lowers blood glucose by improving insulin resistance. In addition, cranberries lower bad cholesterol and blood pressure while reducing the risk for heart disease. If you want to benefit from drinking cranberry juice, make sure it’s not Ocean Spray or some juice from concentrate. Real cranberry juice will be very tart which can be diluted with water or mineral water. Lastly, nuts have shown they can improve blood sugar.

cancer

This is probably the scariest of all diagnosis. Sadly, statistics show 1 in 3 Americans will be diagnosed with some form of cancer before the age of 65. This is an epidemic that is sweeping the United States. However, I believe we can turn this around with the proper knowledge. In fact, questions are starting to emerge in regards to the effectiveness of chemotherapy. In other words, many people are starting to realize chemotherapy isn’t the answer at all. Diet once again plays a critical role in our health, especially, in preventing or fighting cancer. The body wants to stay alkalized NOT acidic. The foods listed above will assist in keeping the body alkaline. Also, be mindful that SUGAR plays a critical role in feeding cancer cells. Let’s look into our food pharmacy for some powerful herbs that are worth recognition…

• Ginger- This plant root is a powerful superfood! There are 115 different chemical components found in ginger root, however, the medicinal benefits come from gingerols which is the oily resin of the root. Gingerols act as highly potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatories.  Specifically, 6-gingerol. In fact, studies have discovered ginger is 10,000 times more effective than chemo for treating breast cancer stem cells. In addition, gingerols are known to naturally improve diabetes, lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, and prevent blood clotting to reduce risk of heart attack and stroke. Therefore, ginger should become a staple in the American diet! 
• Tumeric- This is a spice that belongs to the ginger family. The active ingredient in tumeric is curcumin. Studies have shown the ability of curcumin to prevent and have anticancer effects on cancer cells. This can be contributed to it’s powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. 
• Cinnamon– Cinnamon has been studied extensively and has shown to play a critical role in the prevention and treatment of cancer and diabetes. The polyphenols found in cinnamon inhibit the spread of cancer cells and tumor growth. Once again, the anti-inflammatory properties of cinnamon play a critical role in it’s medicinal benefits.
• Garlic– Our immune system plays a very critical role in overall health. Garlic contains sulfur compounds that have shown to stimulate the immune system’s natural defense against cancer. In addition, garlic has shown the potential to reduce tumor growth. 
• Cayenne Pepper– According to a study done at the UCLA, capsaicin the active ingredient in cayenne pepper has shown the ability to slow the growth of prostate cancer cells AND may have the ability to destroy them.

in conclusion 

A solution would not exist without a problem and vice-versa. However, focusing on a problem without proposing a solution seems counter-productive. Let’s be real with ourselves, we’ve gotten out of touch with nature and all the gifts it provides. We’ve collectively been slow to connect the dots with our disease epidemic and addiction to processed, sugary, chemical-filled, acidic, GMO diets. Plus, it doesn’t help that many doctors don’t inform patients of the immense benefits of a clean well-balanced diet. Therefore, it’s time we take matters into our own hands. The foods and herbs listed above are just a few amongst many that can transform our health! A new perspective of using nature for medicine starts here!