With farmers markets opening and abundant fresh produce available, this is an exciting time of the year and perfect time to start using food as medicine!
Though the practice of eating good food is simple, the complexity of food involves more than just phytonutrients – the growing, touching, and smelling of the food; how we prepare it and who we eat it with, etc.
Unfortunately, many of us have lost this bond with food, along with the process of preparing and eating it with loved ones by buying packages in warehouses far removed from dirt, sights, smells, and laughter.
Consuming foods loaded with GMOs, preservatives, and colors that haven’t even been clinically tested for their long-term effect on health is poisoning us.
When we buy a box of macaroni and cheese we have lost more than nutrients; we have lost a great deal! A box of macaroni isn’t technically even food any more; the box probably has more nutrients than the contents itself.
Therefore, it’s important that we reconnect with food by going BACK to the farmers market! There are so many reasons why getting back to basics is so crucial for our health.
1) Knowing where our food comes from grounds us.
I’ve always been struck by how satisfying it is to chat with the farmers. They are so proud of what they do, and to be able to smell and see the dirt on the produce right from the source is humbling and exciting.
2) It saves money and supports local farmers.
Let’s not forget our budgets. These plants are so much more cost effective and nutrient dense than buying some junk in the store, which has a very high cost due to ill health. Pay now or pay the doctor later. Sliding by McDonald’s will not save you time and money; it will cost you time, health, and happiness.
Folks, it is not worth it! Eating that stuff is like taking out a high interest loan from someone who demands payment very quickly at a very high interest rate.
3) It provides an abundance and variety of colorful and phytonutrient-rich produce for optimum wellbeing.
Eating colorful carbohydrates in the form of fruits and vegetables from the farmers market is ideal for health! Get at least three colors on the plate for that magical balance of phytonutrients, and your body will make proteins and enzymes it needs for functioning well.
Don’t be deceived by one product doing this all. Yes, blueberries are wonderful antioxidants. However, your liver needs the detoxifying effects of broccoli, your colon needs the fiber from spinach, and your joints need good oils from olives, avocadoes, and other green oils. Also, your cell repair throughout your body needs the vitamin C found in strawberries, etc.
EAT IT ALL!
Don’t worry about recipes. Just throw it in water or throw on a flame; eat it raw and add a few spices. Don’t worry so much about making the perfect meal, because often, the perfect meal stems from nutrient-dense, fresh produce from the source, and the ability to enjoy it with loved ones.
Have fun with it, and be sure to get to the farmers market!