Do You Know What You’re Eating?

The Zanzibar red colobus monkey
Source: Flickr commons/HBarrison

It’s Not Just a Food!

For thousands of years various cultures around the world have added certain herbs, spices and other substances to recipes. Yet, it’s only now being discovered that many of these substances have strong medicinal properties.

Whilst our modern scientific methods have tried to simplify research, the fact still remains that the most powerful form of investigation is observation. Various cultures around the world have learned to successfully survive in their environments by observing the effects of dietary modifications.

For instance, whilst there are many examples of humans surviving harsh climates with no issue, similar examples can be observed in our fellow primate, the monkey. Zanzibar, a small Island off Tanzania is home to a species of monkey who thrive due to adaptation. These monkeys have discovered that certain types of berries, leaves and almonds provide great nutritional value. The only problem is that all three of these substances are toxic to the ape.

“One of the biggest issues with the refining of foods has been the elimination of many of these substances from our diets.”

Despite this, these monkeys have taught themselves to steal charcoal from local villages. which they consume after eating the berries. The charcoal helps them to eliminate the toxins allowing them to consume these highly nutritious foods without risking their lives.

We Need to Stop Eliminating the Good

Over thousands of years many of the foods that have been integrated into our diets provide more than just a nutritious meal. For example, it is believed the French have survived a high fat and sugar diet because of a substance known as Resveratrol that is found in the skin of grapes that they consume so frequently.

The Indians have most likely prevented diabetes despite high carbohydrate comsumption because of their regular intake of ghee, turmeric (high in curcumin/powerful anti inflammatory) and cinnamon (known to stabilize blood sugar).

One of the biggest issues with refining food has been the elimination of many of these substances from our diets. In removing fresh, healthy foods, we’ve also eliminated many of these cofactors and phytonutrients required for our survival. One of these forgotten foods is honey. 

The Healing Power of Honey

The Healing Power of Honey

Honey is an amazing substance. Despite its sweet taste, most forms of honey have very little negative effect on our blood sugars and insulin function. This makes it a great sweetener and a healthier altenative to refined sugar.

In addition, honey has some amazing healing properties. Taken internally, manuka honey has been shown to be an immune stimulant, helping overall health and great for the treatment of colds, flus and respiratory infection. In addition, it also promotes the healing of wounds, peptic ulcers, gingivitis, soothes inflamed tissues and stimulates muscle regeneration.

“Refining the sugars in honey to simple forms removes the healing properties.”

Though, the true magic of honey is what it does to superficial infections. Honey is an amazing healer of wounds. In fact honey has been shown to work as well or better than persribed medications for the treatment of; abscesses, ulcers, diabetic foot wounds, skin burns, abrasions, labial herpes, seborrheic dermatitis, gangrene and surgical wound infections, even in the case of MRSA (anti-biotic resistant staphlycoccal infection).

Honey has been shown to be immune stimulating, skin regenerating, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, both anti-bacterial and viral and an anti-oxidant. Just ensure the honey is wild flower or manuka honey, not clover or alfalfa honey that is most commonly available.

It’s All About the Quality

Using good quality, whole foods has been an integral part of our dietary evolution. Yet, in the last 100 years our modern food preparation practices have had a negative impact on our diets. So, going back to basics is the first start to taking control of your health. Building a good immune system through a healthy lifestyle is the start of preventing disease.