Eating and healing with traditional food

[snoop1130]

Eating and healing with traditional food

by Expat Life

 

 

Food is one of the most important parts of our everyday lives, culture and community. It brings people together and is used in times of celebration and festivals. Traditionally, food was not as abundant as it is today. More often than not, food was used during celebrations, but mostly it was used for sustenance and, in some, cultures it was used for healing. As time moved forward and the world became industrialised food became easier to access, very plentiful, and much cheaper. In today’s world, for most, food has become more of a want than a necessity and as the quantity of it has increased the quality has decreased. Society and cultures stepped away from using food as a sustenance and maintaining health and wellbeing and used it to fulfil cravings and to indulge in regularly. This has led to the increase in lifestyle and chronic diseases amongst many different cultures, including, heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Food is no longer healing us, but slowly making our lives unhealthier. The following takes a look at different cultures and their use of certain foods to help heal our bodies.

 

In India, the traditional Ayurveda medicine included nutrition. Food was thought to heal and prevent illness, creating a balance between the mind and body. The basis of Ayurveda treatment stems from our personality traits and the belief is that adjusting your diet, can balance and synchronise the health and wellbeing of your mind as well as your body.  

 

In Chinese culture not only did they believe that eating certain foods were beneficial to their wellness, the Chinese also believed the way you eat can influence your health. For example, when eating a meal, it is important to eat while sitting down and slowly in a quiet place. It is essential to chew your food well and warm cooked food is better for digestion than raw foods. It is unhealthy for the body to skip meals and you should not eat a meal while distracted. They also believed it was important to nap after eating to help food digest. In our crazy, fast paced, world we live in today, it is very difficult to accomplish even one of these important habits.

 

The following are a list of foods that are used both in Ayurveda medicine or traditional Chinese healing, and can easily be incorporated into a healthy daily diet, as they are readily available in most cultures.  

 

Ginger: The ginger roots, fresh and dry forms, help for the digestion process by stimulating the digestive enzymes and has scientific approval for it. The efficacy of ginger rhizome has been well documented for the prevention of nausea, dizziness, and motion sickness (1). 

 

Cumin seeds: Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L) is a leafy plant that grows low to the ground in China, India, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean region. Black cumin, Nigella sativa L. seeds contain antioxidants and anti-inflammatory effects, so it has been used since centuries in Middle East, Northern Africa and India for the treatment of asthma, cough, bronchitis, rheumatism (2). The anticancer properties of cumin seeds are also well known, such as in cancer prevention and also as anti-proliferative and chemo preventive agent. (3), (4), (5). Otherwise, cumin seeds are used as a potent analgesic (6).

 

Full Story: https://expatlifeinthailand.com/health-and-beauty/eating-and-healing-with-traditional-food/

 

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[Tony125]

From L/R   Turmeric (Curcumin) Black Garlic,  Reg Garlic pills,  "Ceylon Cinnamon"

 

https://www.intechopen.com/books/medicinal-plants-use-in-prevention-and-treatment-of-diseases/black-garlic-and-its-therapeutic-benefits

 

 

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1021949816301727

Black garlic: A critical review of its production, bioactivity, and application - ScienceDirect Black garlic (BG) is simply fresh garlic (Allium sativum L.) that has been fermented for a period of time at a high temperature under high humidity.The process turns garlic cloves dark, gives them a sweet taste, and alters their consistency to chewy and jelly-like ().The duration of fermentation varies depending on cultures, manufacturers, and purposes . www.sciencedirect.com

 

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-turmeric#section1

10 Proven Health Benefits of Turmeric and Curcumin Turmeric is an old Indian spice with a powerful medicinal compound called Curcumin. Here are the top 10 health benefits of turmeric/curcumin. www.healthline.com

 

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318386

Ceylon cinnamon: Health benefits, uses, and more Cinnamon is a widely-used spice in cooking, but Ceylon cinnamon may also help protect against diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and other conditions. This MNT Knowledge Center article explores the ... www.medicalnewstoday.com

[rumak]

Thaivisa members listening to a talk on good nutrition :

 

[DavidB1960]

Blah, blah, blah, blah, ca-ching, ca-ching, blah, blah.....

[Airbagwill]

There is nothing in your larder that will cure you of anything more than hunger

[keithathome]

What about beer Chang and Sangsom ??