Healing Foods

Vegetables and fruits should make up the largest part of your healthy foods grocery list. Vegetables and fruits have vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants and are low in calories.

All of your grain and cereal products should be made from whole grains, not from processed grains and should include whole grain breads, pastas, and breakfast cereals. Whole grains are important for vitamins, minerals, and for fiber, which is often lacking in modern diets.

Meats should be mostly fish and poultry, preferably organic. Tofu can be used as a protein substitute.
Beverages should be kept simple. Water, juices and herbal teas are all good choices.

Dairy products should be low fat. If you do not want bovine dairy products, choose soy milks, rice milks, or goat milks and cheese.

Be careful with dressing and condiments. They are sneaky sources of refined sugar and poor quality oils.

Fresh Vegetables			Fresh Fruits
Lettuce Greens Cucumbers Carrots Asparagus Zucchini Radishes Tomatoes Green Beans Onions Green Onions	Peppers Cauliflower Broccoli Peas Celery Potatoes Corn Sweet Potatoes Squash		Bananas Apples Oranges Pears Peaches Nectarines Grapefruit Berries

Basic Healing Foods Guide

Spinach

Spinach is an excellent example of a nutrient-dense vegetable. Spinach provides at least 50 % of the RDI for vitamin A, and about 20% of the RDI for vitamin C. Spinach is a good source of iron, calcium and folate.

Asparagus

Asparagus is high in folate content (20 to 50% of RDI per serving). Folate is a nutrient identified as being important for pregnant women.

Pumpkin

Pumpkin is an excellent source of vitamin A (as carotene), providing over 300 percent of the RDI. And canned pumpkin appears to have much more vitamin A than fresh-cooked pumpkin. This may be due to the fact canned pumpkin has more water cooked out of it than boiled pumpkin, and the varieties used for canning have intense orange color, a sure sign of carotene. Pumpkin is a good source of fiber and adds a little iron and folate to the diet as well.

Sweet Bing Cherries

Sweet Bing cherries are a good source of fiber. They provide about two grams per 1/2 cup serving.

Apricots

Apricots are a great source of beta-carotene, vitamin C, potassium and iron. Apricots are very good sources of vitamin A (as carotene). They provide about 35% of the RDI per serving.
Apricots are low in calories. 3 apricots only contain 50 calories.

Strawberries

Strawberries are a good source of vitamin C. They provide between 35 and 136 percent of the RDI per 1/2 cup serving. Strawberries are also a good source of fiber and iron. They provide about two percent and 3.5 percent respectively per 1/2 cup serving.

Soy Nuts

Soy nuts are high in protein and isoflavones.

Featured Health Tips

Sneak More Fruits and Veggies into your Diet

Sneak more fruitinto peanut butter and jelly sandwiches by adding sliced bananas to your sandwich.
Eat chips and salsa instead of potato chips
Blend blueberries or strawberries into milk. Sweeten with a little honey.
Build a stack of mini pancakes and pile chopped fresh strawberries or peaches between each layer.
Stir applesauce into hot oatmeal.
Add bananas or strawberries to vanilla yogurt for an afternoon snack.
Sprinkle dried cranberries on top of your salad.
Keep dried dates, apricots or cranberries in your desk or in a candy jar in your common/living room for snacks.

Tips to help you work in five servings a day of fruits and vegetables

Sneak more fruit into peanut butter and jelly sandwiches by adding sliced bananas to your sandwich. You can also easily make own jam. Blend well-drained canned apricots, peaches, or pineapple until smooth, then slather onto whole wheat bread.
Pile grilled veggies onto one side of a flour tortilla. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Fold over and heat in a skillet until both sides are golden brown, turning once.
Eat chips and salsa instead of potato chips
Blend blueberries or strawberries into milk. Sweeten with a little honey.
Saute chopped mushrooms and onions in olive oil. Add a handful or two of fresh baby spinach. Toss together. Pile the spinach mixture onto baked potatoes.
Build a stack of mini pancakes and pile chopped fresh strawberries or peaches between each layer.
Stir applesauce into hot oatmeal.
Add bananas or strawberries to vanilla yogurt for an afternoon snack.
Sprinkle dried cranberries on top of your salad.
Keep dried dates, apricots or cranberries in your desk or in a candy jar in your common/living room for snacks.
Put some punch into your party by blending 100 percent fruit juices to create a refreshing new juice. Try mixing pineapple, orange, grapefruit, or other fruit juices. Add a slice of lemon or lime as a garnish.

You can increase the amount of fruits and vegetables you eat at restaurants too.

Healthy restaurant choices:

Veggie pizza
Pasta with vegetables (without cream sauce)
Fresh vegetable "wrap"
Vegetable soup
Small salad (instead of fries)
Plenty of fresh vegetables from the salad bar
Spice up a Salad

Green or red pepper strips, broccoli florets, carrot slices, or cucumber add     crunch to your pasta or potato salad.
Baby carrots, shredded cabbage, or spinach leaves bring color to a green     salad.
Apple chunks, pineapples, and raisins perk up coleslaw, chicken or tuna     salads.
Oranges, grapefruit, or nectarine slices add extra flavor to any salad.
Fruit juice, flavored vinegars, or herbs make low-fat salad dressings flavorful     without adding fat or salt.
Wake up with fruits and vegetables! Add sliced banana, blueberries, or raisins     to cereal.

Healing Foods - Raw Juice Ingredients for Power Food Shakes

Apples - Antioxidant, vitamin C, antibacterial
Apricot - Beta-carotene, iron, fibre, potassium
Artichokes (lightly steamed first) - Folate and potassium, can regulate cholesterol and tone liver
Aubergines - Anthocyanins (antioxidant)
Avocado - Vitamin E, potassium, vitamin B6, C, manganese, riboflavin, sterols, glutathione
Bananas - Potassium, soothing on stomach, natural sugar source
Beetroot - Vitamin c, folate, potassium and other minerals, immune support, natural sugar, betaine
Blackberries - Vitamin C, fibre, folate, bioflavonoids, anthocyanin
Blueberries - Antibacterial, anthocyanin
Brazil nuts - Selenium, antioxidant
Broccoli - Vitamin C, beta carotene, folate, iron, potassium
Cabbage - Vitamin C, K, E, potassium, beta-carotene, fibre, folate, thiamine
Carrot - Beta-carotene, fibre, natural sugar
Cauliflower - Vitamin C, sulphurous compounds
Celery - Potassium, anti-inflammatory, sedative
Chicory - Inulin, detoxifying
Citrus fruit - Vitamin C, thiamine, folate, pectin
Cranberries - Specific for bladder, kidney, urinary tract, antibacterial
Grapefruit - Vitamin C, pectin (soluble fibre)
Grapes - Potassium, antioxidants (black grapes), light, appetising food (white)
Honey - Chest, phlegm remedy, decongestant, antibacterial, mild sedative
Leeks - Potassium, folate, diuretic
Onions and garlic - Natural ‘cure-all’, regulates blood cholesterol levels, prevents blood clotting, decongestant, sulphur compounds
Papaya - Vitamin C, beta carotene, calcium, iron, easily digestible
Peppers (red are sweetest) - Vitamin C, beta carotene, bioflavonoids
Pineapple - Vitamin C, digesting enzyme (bromelain), anti-inflammatory,
Salad leaves - Vitamin C, beta carotene, folate, calcium, iron, potassium
Sprouting seeds - Vitamin C, easily digestible protein, B complex vitamins, saponins
Strawberry - Vitamin C, liver tonic, digestive cleaner,
Tomato - Vitamin C, E, carotenoids, potassium, lycopene

Caution: Some fruits and vegetables may trigger allergic reactions in people, please check your tolerance before experimenting with foodstuffs you have not used before.