OUR MAGNIFICENT BODIES
The Medicinal Value of Organic Fruits and Vegetables
by Jenine Cohoon, MHN, PhDc

Organic food is the healthiest food and fuel we can give our magnificent bodies. Organic fruits and vegetables are nutrient rich, powerful antioxidants and are free of chemicals. When healing with foods, it is the organic foods that carry with it the ability to nourish our bodies in a way that supports our own innate ability to reverse disease and the aging process. Our bodies utilize these foods with beautiful precision.

Non-organic foods contain chemicals, have been irradiated, and some have been genetically engineered (GMO). These are threats to the human body. These foods, specifically GMO, have been linked to cancer, viral and bacterial infections, allergies and birth defects. Irradiated, non-organic, and GMO foods benefit packers and grocers, not farmers nor consumers. These foods may appear fresh but are inferior and are depleted of vitamins, minerals and enzymes.

Organic foods may not always be easy to come by depending on location, and if they are available, may be expensive. However, for the health benefits, it is often worth the expense to upgrade to organic foods. Compare prices at health food stores and supermarkets carrying organic foods to find the best prices. Find local farmer’s markets that are certified organic for possible lower prices. Another alternative is to plant your own organic garden!

When choosing fruits and vegetables to plant, consider your location, climate and your tastes and preferences. Also consider the healing properties of the food you are most interested in. For the first 5000 years of civilization, food was relied on for medicine and still is today. To get the full healing potential, it does need to be fresh, blemish free and organic. The following list highlights popular fruits and vegetables with their medicinal actions:

Bell Peppers are rich in antioxidant vitamin C. Helps to fight off colds, asthma, bronchitis, respiratory infections, cataracts, macular degeneration, angina, atherosclerosis and cancer.

Blueberries act as an unusual type of antibiotic by blocking attachment of bacteria that cause urinary tract infections. Contains chemicals that curb diarrhea. Also has anti-viral activity.

Cabbage contains numerous anti-cancer and antioxidant compounds. Speeds up estrogen metabolism, is thought to help block breast cancer and suppress growth of polyps, a prelude to colon cancer.

Carrots are a super source of beta carotene, a powerful anti-cancer, artery-protecting, immune-boosting, infection-fighting antioxidant with wide protective powers. The high soluble fiber in carrots depresses blood cholesterol and promotes regularity. Cooking can make it easier for the body to absorb carrot's beta-carotene.

Chili Pepper have shown to help dissolve blood clots, opens up sinuses and air passages, breaks up mucus in the lungs, acts as an expectorant or decongestant, helps prevent bronchitis, emphysema and stomach ulcers.

Cucumbers are the most cooling food. Indicated for fevers, constipation, skin eruptions, high blood pressure, rheumatism, obesity, acidosis and is a mild diuretic.

Eggplant may lower blood cholesterol and help counteract some detrimental blood effects of fatty foods. Eggplant also has antibacterial and diuretic properties.

Onions (including chives, shallots, scallions, leeks) are an exceptionally strong antioxidant, full of numerous anti-cancer agents. Blocks cancer dramatcally in animals. The onion is the richest dietary source of quercetin, a potent antioxidant (in shallots, yellow and red onions only not white onions). Specifically linked to inhibiting human stomach cancer. Thins the blood, lowers cholesterol, raises good-type HDL cholesterol (preferred dose: half a raw onion a day), wards off blood clots, fights asthma, chronic bronchitis, hay fever, diabetes, atherosclerosis and infections. Anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, antiviral, thought to have diverse anti-cancer powers. Quercetin is also a sedative.

Raspberries have anti-viral, anti-cancer activity.

Spinach tops the list, along with other green leafy vegetables, as a food most eaten by people who don't get cancer. A super source of antioxidants and cancer antagonists, containing about four times more beta-carotene and three times more lutein than broccoli, for example. Rich in fiber that helps lower blood cholesterol.

Strawberries have anti-viral, anti-cancer activity.

Tomatos are a major source of lycopene, an antioxidant and anti-cancer agent that intervenes in devastating chain reactions of oxygen free radical molecules.

When planting your garden, be sure to choose a location that is in a well-drained area near a water supply. Avoid areas shaded by tall buildings or trees. Many gardeners find it helpful to draw out on paper the location of each row and the crop or succession of crops to be planted. Choose fruits and vegetables that thrive in your area.

Since organic fertilizers and soil conditioning materials work slowly in general, they should be mixed into the soil at least three weeks ahead of planting. A key factor for successful organic gardening is the use of abundant quantities of organic material applied to the soil. Usually, it is in the form of animal manures, plant manures, cover crops, compost, or mixed organic fertilizer.

There are many benefits to growing an organic garden, many of which I will discuss in the next issue. Some of the benefits are: organic vegetables are powerful anti-fungals; less harmful chemicals on the food you eat; organic material helps maintain a steady supply of plant nutrients; it buffers the soil from chemical imbalances; and it improves the condition and structure of soil, providing better aeration and temperatures.

Give your body the best with organically grown nutrient-dense food. It is a wonderful complement to the Phase One diet, or any healthy diet. Congratulations to those who have joined the Phase One Diet challenge! The challenge continues! Join now, or reaffirm your commitment. The Phase One diet is step one of the antifungal program. Join the National Challenge by visiting www.drjenine.com. Make your commitment, along with hundreds of others, who like you, want better health, more energy, weight loss, normalization of body functions, and a decrease in “messengers”. Whether you are taking the challenge for the first time, or are renewing your commitment, we welcome you aboard to better health. You can feel confident as you take on this commitment, that you are not alone.

For products discussed here, and for my own personal recommendations as a holistic nutritional consultant, visit us at www.drjenine.com.

References:

• Medicinal Benefits of Whole Foods, reprinted http://www.naturalways.com/medValFd.htm
• Jonathan Campbell, 50 Harmful Effects of GMO food http://www.cqs.com/50harm.htm
• Tanya Maxted-Frost, Benefits of Organic Food http://www.positivehealth.com/PERMIT/Articles/Organic%20and
  %20Vegetarian/frost47.htm

**DISCLAIMER: The law requires that I must state the following: The information provided here is intended for educational purposes only. It is not meant to either directly or indirectly diagnose, give medical advice or prescribe treatment. Unless specifically referenced, the information has not been scientifically validated or approved by any government or regulatory agency. Please consult with your physician or other licensed health care professional for medical diagnosis and treatment. Recommendations are based on nutritional support to rejuvenate the body and based on what I would do for specific needs.