Foods to Help Your Muscles and Body

Most of the time we can address and take care of  many of our aches and pains by eating the correct foods. Yet often times we go to the store first too hungry to make healthy intentional selections. I know for myself if I've missed a meal before going food shopping I tend to purchase foods which are quick and easy. These choices often lack variety and generally are not balanced nor taking into consideration what is going on in my body outside of hunger.

Before I really started to think of food as medicine I generally didn't know what types of food to buy to target what I wanted to change in my body. I mainly purchased items to make a salad because a salad is healthy, right? I'd get some supplements because supplements will balance me out, right?

Now I'm a bit more aware. I try  to consider the season I'm in and how my body is reacting to that season. I notice if I need to decrease inflammation or prepare for the flu season. I'm aware if I can't warm up my feet and hands. Then I go for foods to address these issues.

I can go into more detail at another time about seasonal eating but for this write up I'm going to focus on herbs and spices that can help your body.

1. Turmeric: is not only for curry. It is one of the leading medicine foods and has been for decades.
                     It is a great anti-inflammatory
                     It is a strong anti-oxidant
                     It is an anti-coagulant
                     It helps improve brain function
                     It helps improve endothelial function
                     which plays a role in decreasing heart disease
                     It's an anti-cancer

       To improve the effectiveness of Turmeric we must enhance the absorption of it's chemical  Curcumin. This is done by combining it with ground black pepper.                

       Note: most research finds Turmeric to be an estrogen inhibitor. However, there have been a few articles that state too much turmeric can increase the levels of estrogen in the blood. Therefore, to be cautious, I try to limit the amount of turmeric and forms of turmeric in a day. In one day rather than adding it to a smoothie, drinking it as a tea, eating it as a curry and taking it as a supplement, I choose one or two of these options. This is true for any thing we consume; too much of a good thing can become a bad thing. 

       

     
2. Ginger: most widely know for is benefits to help reduce nausea and stomach upset.
                  It helps blood flow and circulation with helps
                  the body thermo-regulate
                  It's an anti-inflammatory
                  It's an anti-cancer
                  It helps break down and release mucus
                  It improves the immune system
                  It decrease plaque build up in the arteries

3. Cinnamon: is not just for baking
                 It helps reduce blood sugar levels
                 It supports blood platelets and thus
                  helps improve blood clotting
                  It helps reduce blood pressure

4. Mustard : not just for your sandwich
                 It is great as a quick combatant of muscle spasms
                 It helps reduce muscle pain
                 It helps improve nerve impulses

5. Cardamom: not just for rice pudding
               It helps detox the kidneys
               It's an anti-inflammatory
               It helps reduce muscle spasm


All of these to some degree are anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-vital.

As with any medicine not every one should use these as a medicine, meaning take them at high levels on a daily basis for an extend period of time. For instance someone who is prone to gallstones should not take turmeric. Someone on blood thinners should not take the one's promoting anti-coagulation.

Always consult your Naturopath or other health care provide when seeking to change your system's regulators.