Health

lately I've been reading alot about how food could be as a cure for any ailments...Here's an article from deccan chronicle - a local newspaper from Hyderabad, India

There’s more to food than its calorific value. Calorie counting is a very
superficial way of looking at food. Instead of looking at its calorific value,
look for its health benefits. One should choose food based on its positive attributes such as colour, flavour, nutrients, fibre and hundreds of other compounds that take the food and health connection to an exiting new level.

For example, garlic contains sulphur compounds that act as a natural antibiotic and helps get rid of worms. It also helps improve the bacteria flora in the intestines. It is usually children who suffer from worms. Therefore, it is a good idea to give them garlic toast in the morning for their breakfast. Use whole wheat bread. You could lightly sauté crushed garlic (1-2 cloves) in one teaspoon of butter or olive oil and pour it on toasted whole grain bread. In this way it becomes highly palatable.

Methi seeds: The seeds of methi can be taken in the sprouted form and mixed with salad or they can be roasted powdered and added to curries. They contain hytoestrogen (plant estrogen), which is beneficial for menopausal women. During menopause the body reduces its production of estrogen. This affect calcium uptake by the body and eventually leads to osteoporosis if the body’s calcium supplies have been poor over a long period of time.

Soya bean, most whole pulses, and methi seeds contain plant estrogen, which help prevent osteoporosis if other lifestyle factors are followed correctly. Folklore suggests that if you take one cup of sprouted methi seeds during your teens they may even help in breast enlargement. This is because methi contains diosgenin a compound which is used in making synthetic estrogen. The naturally occurring estrogen in methi seeds has many effects on the body. One of them possibly is breast enlargement. About 50 per cent of the methi seed is fibre. This fibre contains about six compounds that can help regulate blood sugar. Methi sprouts should be consumed by diabetics. In addition, it helps to reduce cholesterol and prevent cardiovascular disease.

Turmeric: Fresh, raw turmeric is rich in vitamin C, E, beta-carotene and other carotenoids. It is used for its medicinal properties in a whole lot of disorders. It is known to help prevent cataracts, strokes; it is used for treating amenorrhea (lack of menstruation). It contains a compound called curcumin that increases solubility of bile, which helps prevent gallstones.
About 1-2 teaspoons of the powder in a curry may also help reduce gallstones. Turmeric helps reduce pain and swelling and helps protect the liver. It has an anti-parasitic action and helps get rid of worms. It is also a potent antibiotic. The best way to take turmeric is in the form of curries. You could also make a tangy soup or rasam with 1-2 teaspoons of turmeric powder to make use of its healing benefits. One should eat a variety of foods as each has its own set of known and unknown nutrients, which work in subtle ways to help our bodies become healthy.