When it comes to healing yourself, what’s the first thought that comes to your mind? It may be doctors, medical professionals, or medicines, right? Well, this is what most people think. But what most people ignore is the potential of natural foods.
If you, too, aren’t aware of the potential or healing properties of natural food but are curious, you’ve come to the right place. In this blog, we’ll discuss how nutrition is linked to healing and how you can use food for healing.
What is the Connection between Healing and Nutrition or Natural Foods?
Most people think of food as an object that fills their tummies. But that’s not true, completely. It’s because food and the right food, in particular, is a lot more than that. It’s like fuel for your body.
Foods, especially natural ones such as fruits and vegetables, contain all the nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, protein, fats, carbs, amino acids, antioxidants, etc., to ensure the overall wellbeing of your body. And not only do these foods keep you healthy, but they also help you heal.
For instance, according to a study, adequate nutrition is required for ideal wound healing. Also, nutritional deficiencies can have a negative impact on wound healing. This shows how closely nutrition is connected to healing.
What are Natural Foods and the Health Benefits of Consuming Them?
Any food that isn’t produced by processing or has none of its ingredients modified or changed is referred to as natural food. Common examples of natural foods are:
- Fresh Vegetables
- Fresh Fruits
- Seeds
- Fish
- Meat
- Nuts
- Beans
- Quinoa
- Legumes
- Lentils
- Wholewheat
- Brown rice
What are Some Common Benefits of Consuming Natural Foods?
1. Highly Nutritious
Natural foods, as stated earlier, contain all the nutrients your body needs to ensure overall wellbeing. Also, these food items contain nutrients in the purest form without extra additives, which further increases the nutritional value. So, avoid processed foods and go for natural ones.
2. No Artificial Ingredients
Natural foods come with no additives or artificial ingredients, which makes them even better for your health. It’s because these artificial ingredients lower the nutrient content and could also be allergy-causing and even might disturb your health. This is why you should avoid processed foods at all costs.
3. Help Maintain Healthy Weight
Fruits and vegetables being high in fiber and nutrients can help you lose a few pounds and maintain a healthy weight. Also, they make you feel full for longer without adding many calories, which protects you from unnecessary cravings.
Foods to Heal Common Life Issues
1. Foods for Improved Strength During Exercise
When it comes to improving strength, you need protein. And there are numerous natural foods that you can rely on.
For instance, you can go for an egg that contains about 7 grams of protein or a salmon, a 100-gram serving of which contains about 20 grams of protein. Or, if you’re a vegan, you can go for broccoli for strength during exercise.
2. Food for Healing Sleeping Issues
You might know kiwi for improving immunity during dengue and increasing the number of platelets. However, it is also known to improve sleep. Just a few slices of kiwi before hitting the bed will help you achieve better sleep.
Also, turkey, apart from offering good protein content, comes with tryptophan which improves the production of melatonin which further promotes sleep.
3. Food for Healing Stress
When it comes to managing/dealing with stress, you can rely on dark chocolate that has a high antioxidant content. This antioxidant content helps lower stress by reducing the stress hormones in your body.
Also, avocados contain a good amount of omega- 3 fatty acids, which can help you lower stress anxiety and improve your mood.
4. Food for Good Mood
Bananas are an amazing food for a good mood. It contains vitamin B6, which improves the synthesis of neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine that make you feel good. Also, you can go for nuts such as almonds, peanuts, walnuts, etc., that contain tryptophan that helps boost serotonin.
So, when it comes to food for a good mood, you can rely on bananas and nuts.
These were some common issues you can deal with using natural foods. However, one thing most people ignore is to eat mindfully. Eating mindfully means thinking about and being aware of the food you’re consuming and enjoying it better. This helps enhance the overall experience. So, eat mindfully and follow a balanced diet to enjoy good health.
Wrapping Up
Natural foods are way more important and beneficial than you think. So, avoid processed foods, and go for natural foods. Try new recipes each day and ensure a healthy mind, body, and life.