Food as Medicine

FOOD AS MEDICINE 

I am a firm believer in this motto. Food product can Harm, Whole food can Heal.  Our daily wellbeing is so dependent upon what we put into our mouth. A regular diet of processed foods or the SAD (Standard American Diet) we know leads to obesity, heart disease and diabetes. Have you ever noticed how a meal can make you feel? Do you ever feel like you need a nap after eating lunch? Fall asleep on the couch right after dinner? Do you become irritable or bloated? So much of this  is related to the food you eat-most often, food product.

Today the focus is on FOOD AS MEDICINE, this starts with whole food, lots of variety, lots of color. What is Whole Foods? Any food that comes out of the ground, or off a tree-from a plant-(not made in a plant), and is still in it’s natural state. The FDA recommends 5 servings a day, with mass farming soil quality has greatly declined, it now takes twice as many servings to get the same amount of nutrients. Ten servings per day of mainly veg and a couple pieces of fruit. Fear not, a serving size is 1/2 cup.  This is easily covered with veggies for snacks, salad for dinner, and as I prefer to start my day, sautéed greens with an egg or homemade sausage on toast for breakfast. 

In the Flathead, we have amazing farmers who bring the cream of the crop to the Farmers Markets, and at pick up sights. I HIGHLY  recommend starting your weekly grocery shopping at one of the local Farmers markets (supporting local business owners-very often Women) Each week, pick one new veggie to try. The farmers are the best resource on how to prepare it. Join a CSA-community sponsored agriculture. Lower Valley Farms, farmer Mandy Gerth, has a closed Facebook group with me as the CSA coach, each week I showcase the bag of produce and write suggestion on preparation, helping you get through your week of produce. 

                              Let Food by the Medicine and Medicine by thy Food -Hypocrites