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November 2004
This Month's Topic: Eating
Seasonally for Your Health
In
my private practice I am continuously encouraging
people to eat plenty of fresh produce. Throughout
the summer I have emphasized eating big salads
that included a variety of leafy greens, red, orange
and yellow peppers, cucumbers, grated zucchini and
fresh herbs such as basil and mint. I have also emphasized
eating fresh seasonal fruits such as strawberries,
blueberries, cherries, and peaches.
As
the season changes and those foods are no longer
available it is time for us to move on to other foods.
The foods of summer are perfect for that season.
They are light, refreshing, hydrating, and cooling
to the body. As the temperatures get colder we need
a different kind of fuel. We need foods that are
grounding, provide sustained energy, and generate
warmth. From the standpoint of produce this includes
sweet potatoes and yams, acorn and other squashes,
and root vegetables such as carrots and beets. Ginger
root and garlic can be used to generate warmth and
promote circulation. The fruit of the season is certainly
the apple, and all of these foods are beautifully
accented by nuts and seeds.
| Finding
Seasonal Foods |
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Farmers' markets are a wonderful way
of finding fresh seasonal foods to eat while
supporting local farmers. To learn more about
Farmers' Markets go the Northeast-Midwest
organization's Resources for Farmers' Markets'
website. Click the link there to find a Farmers'
Market in your area. The link provides locations
for Farmers' Markets in each of the United
States along with dates and hours of operation.
Resources for Farmers' Markets |
| Increased
Nutritional Value |
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Eating
foods grown in your area means that the
food goes from harvest to your mouth
more rapidly, maintaining flavor and
nutritional value. Eating foods in season
also increases nutritional value. A study
in Japan showed spinach harvested in
July to have three times the vitamin
C content as spinach harvested in the
winter.
This
season look for winter squashes, such as
those pictured here, at your local food markets.
For some useful information and research
on the value of eating seasonally visit the
World's Healthiest Foods web site. They are
a not-for-profit organization dedicated to
bringing the latest information and research
about healthy eating to as many people as
possible.
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| Herbal
Support for Fall |
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Another
way of including season appropriate plants
in your diet is in the types of beverages
you choose to drink. Mint tea is the
classic summer brew because of its cooling
and refreshing qualities. Also, the deep
green mint leaves are available fresh
in the summer. Fall is the time to harvest
roots, so drinking teas made with roots
rather than leaves is appropriate at
that time.
The
Art of Health Alteratives tea is made
of cleansing and immune supportive roots
such as burdock, dandelion, and oregon
grape. The tea also contains cinnamon
bark which provides not only a delicious
sweet taste, but also the warming
that is needed as the temperatures outside
drop.
Alteratives
tea is available at www.art-health.com
or Toll free in the US and Canada at
1-877-224-8411.
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| An
Apple a Day.... |
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Is
there any truth to the old saying that
an apple a day keeps the doctor away?
There is certainly considerable research
to suggest that there is something to
this familiar phrase. The health benefits
of eating apples are numerous. Studies
have shown apples to be preventative
against, cardiovascular disease, asthma,
diabetes, constipation, diarrhea, and
cancers including colon, prostate, liver,
and lung.
The
apple's solubule fiber pectin helps to
bind excess hormones in the colon and
draw them out of the body. This alleviates
symptoms of hormonal imbalance associated
with pre menstrual syndrome and peri-menopuse.
110 grams of whole apple have the antioxidant
value equal to 1500 mg of vitamin C.
Detailed information on the health benefits
of apples as well as creative ways to
eat them are available following the
link below.
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As
I write this bulletin, the change of seasons
is so clearly upon us. The hot dry days
of summer have definitely passed, and have
been replaced by the cooler, crisper days
of fall. The colors in my environment are
changing. Green leaves turn to yellow,
orange and red, and fewer bright colored
flowers are in bloom each day.
The freshly
available foods are changing
as well. In this issue of The Art of Health
Bulletin I discuss some of the benefits of
seasonal eating, and what that means for
us as summer turns to fall.
If
you appreciate this information, pass it
on! You can use the link at the bottom
of this page to send this bulletin to all
of your friends wanting to live a healthier
life. |
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Yours in Health,
Laura Washington, ND
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