LET FOOD BE THE MEDICINE, AND LET MEDICINE BE THE FOOD
EAT, DRINK, AND BE HEALTHY
Healthy food is the medicine we give our bodies every day. It can’t cure what ails you, but certain foods have the power to soothe symptoms and give your body a boost when you have specific illnesses or injuries. Help yourself to these healing foods.
CARBOHYDRATES
carbohydrates (grains, starchy vegetables, fruits, and water-based vegetables) provide energy, and how quickly you can use that energy will vary depending on how much fiber, protein, and fat are also available at the same time. All carbohydrates are broken down into glucose during digestion. Glucose is the simplest form of energy and supplies the fuel for most of your body’s energy needs (up to 98%!). In fact, glucose is THE one and only preferred fuel for your brain cells. It is stored as glycogen in our muscles and liver and used by our cells to do metabolism’s work.
PROTEINS
All proteins (animal proteins including meats, poultry/eggs, and dairy, fish, nuts/seeds, and vegetarian grain-based) provide the building blocks to repair, build, and strengthen muscles, which include the muscles we can see and feel, and the muscles that make the internal organs that we can’t see or feel but need to survive. Proteins also help create our hormones, enzymes, hair, skin, and nerve cells. All the different proteins offer vitamins and minerals, but each type of protein offers something unique.
FAT
Fat fuel group remains. Without enough fuel from this fuel group, your brain, skin and hair health, your bones, your reproductive health, your immune system, your ability to clot blood when wounded or to prevent bruising, and your energy level will all be compromised. The fat fuel group balances the carbohydrate fuel group by prolonging energy and carrying the fat-soluble vitamins that are found in vegetables and fruits around the body so they can do their jobs.