Four power foods
We can balance our immune systems with anti-inflammatory foods.
I want to discuss my four power foods that I discovered during my healing journey. I began eating these anti-inflammatory foods every day. When used as part of a whole food diet, these foods are transformative to the health.
What are they?
Ginger
Turmeric
Lemon
Sprouts
#1: GINGER
The only thing I knew about ginger as a child was the humble ginger snap cookies that my grandma always kept in her pantry. When I was suffering from pregnancy-associated nausea, I started drinking ginger tea and it got me through the first trimester. My “ginger turning point” occurred when I traveled to Zambia and ordered ginger tea at our hotel. They brought out the most deliciously strong unforgettable ginger tea. It was unforgettable not just for the taste but for how I felt afterward. I felt better. I breathed better. I slept better.
Ginger has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. Research has shown that the polyphenols (bioactive chemicals) in ginger reduce both pro-inflammatory and oxidative molecules in the body, acting as a powerful anti-inflammatory antioxidant. Ginger is beneficial for a wide range of conditions from allergies to metabolic syndrome.
When I got home from Zambia, I spend months trying to replicate the ginger tea. For the recipes, see the healing recipe page.
#2: TURMERIC
Over the years I have increased the healing power of my ginger tea by adding turmeric. Turmeric has been used as an anti-inflammatory pain killer for thousands of years. The root contains a polyphenol called curcumin. Studies have demonstrated that curcumin’s anti-inflammatory effect relieves pain and reverses metabolic syndrome.
Curcumin does not get absorbed into the body easily during the digestive process; however, eating it with pineapple core (which contains bromelain) greatly increases the absorption. Bromelain is an anti-inflammatory digestive enzyme with numerous health benefits.
In addition, curcumin is quickly metabolized by the body causing blood levels to drop quickly, however ingesting it with black pepper can help the curcumin stay in our blood longer. I crack fresh black pepper into all my turmeric drinks to maximize its beneficial impact.
Putting these two facts together, we can make a pineapple turmeric power shot with a sprinkle of freshly crushed black pepper for an anti-inflammatory power shot.
#3 Lemon
Lemon is much more than a flavor or a scent. The entire fruit, especially the peel, is loaded with beneficial molecules including limonoids, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), carotene, citric acid, and flavonoids.
Like ginger and turmeric, these bioactive substances are anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-microbial. However, lemon has the added benefit of being anticancer (kills cancer cells) and anti-hyperglycemic (lowers blood glucose).
And lemon is delicious. I enjoy adding lemon juice and lemon rind to salad dressing and marinades. I put sliced lemon (peel and all) into my smoothies.
Cold water with a squeeze of lemon is the most refreshing way to quench my thirst on a hot day. No need for colorful hydration drinks or sodas.
#4 Sprouts
Sprouts are a health-promoting vegetable that is often overlooked. They are made when a seed is allowed to germinate and grow into a tiny plant up to 2 inches long. Many different types of seeds can be sprouted including beans, grains, and certain green vegetables. My favorite sprouts are grown from broccoli and alfalfa seeds.
If anyone has ever tried to buy sprouts at the store, they are expensive. However, it is simple to sprout at home. Buy a bag of organic sprouting seeds (my online Amazon store). Buy a mason jar with a mesh lid. Soak the seeds in filtered water overnight. Drain the water and sit the jar upside down. Rinse the seeds once a day. In three to four days, you will have sprouts. They are a perfect snack or add a delicious crunch to sandwiches or salads. I eat a handful of sprouts with a glass of filtered water every morning to jumpstart my nutrition.
Sprouts are powerhouses of nutrition. They have many vitamins and minerals including vitamin C and K, folate, magnesium, and phosphorus. They are rich in easy-to-digest proteins. They are full of antioxidants and beneficial phytonutrients.
An article from decades ago found that broccoli sprouts contain ten to hundred times more phytonutrients (specifically glucoraphanin and sulforaphane) that the adult plants. They found that an extract made from 3-day-old broccoli sprouts were highly effective in reducing the growth of tumor cells. Anyone who is concerned about cancer should eat sprouts to maximize their intake of cancer-reducing phytonutrients.
If you want to learn more about sprouting, check out my sprouting growing guide.