Top 4 Foods

By Heidi Du Preez

“Super” foods supply an incredibly wide range of nutrients, which are fully absorbed and utilised so that small amounts are sufficient. “Super” foods are also available in supplement form and contain high-quality pre-digested proteins, vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, enzymes and phytochemicals.

Garlic

For over five thousand years it has been used to cure many ailments. As far back as 3000 B.C. the Babylonians knew and used garlic as a curative aid. Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, recommended the use of garlic for infectious diseases and intestinal disorders. The medicinal properties are contained in the garlic oil, or allicin, which is also responsible for the anti-social smell of garlic when crushed. Apart from its anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties when eaten raw, garlic increases absorption of vitamins, promotes good circulation by thinning the blood, lowers cholesterol and prevent cancer-cell growth due to the sulphur compounds it contains, which acts as antioxidants. It is also a decongestant, and therefore excellent at dispelling mucous.

Garlic produces a marked effect on the intestine, helping diarrhoea and colitis and aiding in the elimination of toxins. It stimulates peristaltic action, and the secretion of digestive juices, and kills harmful bacteria, whilst not affecting the beneficial bacteria. In cooking you rob the garlic of most of its beneficial effect, but it gives a lovely flavour to food and still retain its antioxidant properties. It is therefore important to also include fresh, uncooked garlic in the diet. Garlic paste, bought in supermarkets and used in restaurants, does not contain the beneficial properties of fresh garlic.

A whole clove of fresh garlic could be cut into smaller pieces and then swallowed with water for it’s medicinal properties. The garlic will act as a natural antibiotic, the best prevention against winter’s colds and flu! Some people find that they are “intolerant” to garlic. However, the “intolerance” experienced is merely the effect the garlic has on stimulating detoxification. The more toxic your system, the more adverse detoxification symptoms you will experience, which is actually a positive sign because it means your system are eliminating the toxins. Garlic, the small little white wonder food, synonymous with health! The French could attribute their good health to the lots of garlic they enjoy, rather than the red wine myth.

Green “Super” foods

Blue-green algae e.g. Spirulina & Chlorella. They have a very high protein content and contain all the essential amino acids, in an alkaline forming state. These foods are rich in chlorophyll, vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids. They are also a very good source of beta-carotene and vitamin B12. These products are capable of independently sustaining life and will chelate and remove heavy metals from the body, cleanse the blood and tissues, protect against free radicals and alkalise the body.

Wheat grass, barley grass and alfalfa also contain a similar but reduced amount of proteins, vitamins, minerals and pigments along with many useful enzymes and therefore have similar properties to the blue-green algae. The grasses have been used to shrink tumours, heal wounds and other skin conditions and increase haemoglobin levels. The chlorophyll in these green “super” foods has remarkable healing properties. Grasses can be grown at home cheaply for juicing or they can be bought in powdered form. Alfalfa seeds could be sprouted.

Honey and Propolis

Raw or wild honey contains all the vitamins, minerals and enzymes, which are needed by our bodies to completely digest it. The honey is therefore pre-digested and places no strain on our digestive systems. Raw honey also does not affect the blood sugar levels in the same way than refined sugar or pasteurised honey does. Commercial honey is pasteurised and once honey is heated it becomes nothing more than a sugar concentrate without any healing properties. The importance of raw organic or wild honey, locally produced, cannot be overemphasized.

Propolis is a resinous substance collected by worker honeybees from the growing parts of trees and shrubs. It is mixed with beeswax and used as a sealant and sterilant in the beehive. The antibacterial and antifungal effects of propolis make it an excellent “natural antibiotic” and it acts as an antioxidant. Honey with propolis helps detoxifying the system, boost the immune system, regulates metabolism and provides antibacterial effect. Honey has been used for centuries as a dressing for wounds and sores, it’s an excellent food for the heart, maintains stable blood sugar levels and helps the thyroid gland function properly. Honey is a real “super” food.

Water

Although water is not a ‘super food’ as per definition given above, it is the prime essence of life! The fact is that water is a major need for all forms of life. The average adult is composed of almost 60% fluid. That’s more water than the total of all other substances in the body! Our cells literally owe their life to an adequate supply of fresh, clean water. Our body’s water is obtained from the fluids we drink and from the water content of the foods we eat. It is also obtained from the body’s internal oxidation reactions. The oxidation process occurs in the combining of hydrogen in the food we eat with the oxygen we breathe.

However, our conventional diets of meats, breads and cooked foods don’t supply our body with any water, in fact, it dehydrates the system. The high salt and seasoning content of our food necessitates the drinking of more water in order to keep the salt in solution so that it won’t harm the body tissues. Most people find water to bland to drink and axed it in favour of alcoholic drinks, tea and coffee, sodas, flavoured water and other chemical-laced alternatives – all of which further dehydrates the system. This result in most people being chronically and dangerously dehydrated, resulting in disease and even death. An indication of dehydration is if the urine is thick, dark yellow and rank in smell. Constipation is also usually a direct result of a dehydrated body.

To maintain health, we should consume at least 300 ml of pure, clean water per 10 kg of body weight every day. This should be drunk in small quantities spread out during the day. Alternatively, drink hot water with a slice of lemon and/or fresh ginger and herb teas (instead of soda, coffee, tea or milk). Additionally, drink only freshly squeezed fruit juice or vegetable juice, fruit juice diluted with water (50:50). There are a couple of coffee alternatives (not decaffeinated coffee) on the market and carob is a healthy alternative to hot chocolate. Above all, water still remains the best source of re-hydrating the system.

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