You may be familiar with the saying “You are what you eat,”but did you also know that the foods that you choose may actually help your body to heal and prevent disease?

There has been an increase in interest in the West about how the foods we eat can assist the body to heal and eliminate diseases. Much of this information comes from Eastern medicine where the use of foods for health has long been established and practiced.

Different foods and food groups are seen as more beneficial in the treatment or management of different conditions. In this way, using food as medicine can be tasty, delicious and have additional health benefits such as weight loss, increased energy and healthier digestion.

While you may know about the value of fruit,vegetables and other foods, here are some very specific foods and the issues they can help to treat and alleviate:

• Bananas–bananas are rich in vitamin B6, which is needed for the production of serotonin, the chemical in the brain that helps to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. They are also a good option to provide a full, satisfied feeling without a large boost in blood sugar levels.
• Raisins–a handful of raisins a day can be very helpful in lowering blood pressure. They are high in polyphenols, which are essential in cardiovascular health.
• Ginger–ginger, used as a tea, is very effective in addressing an upset digestive system. This is particularly important for mothers-to-be experiencing morning sickness, as it eliminates the need to use over the counter medications.
• Pears–for those with high cholesterol, adding a pear a day to your diet provides the fiber needed to help to remove the bad cholesterol from your system. Pears are high in pectin, which is known to reduce LDL levels.
• Cabbage–ulcers are caused by bacteria (H. pylori) in the stomach. Research has shown that eating cabbage, which contains sulforaphane, reduces the growth of H. pylori and may even help to prevent tumors in the digestive tract.

Different foods can be used for different health issues. These foods can easily be added to a balanced diet for amazing results in a short period of time.