Have you ever had a cold, and instead of turning to a bottle of cold medicine or some ibuprofen, you ate a clove of garlic or drank a cup of ginger tea?
Natural remedies like these have been around for thousands of years and have been utilized around the world.
Allopathic medicine has achieved many lifesaving and pain-reducing breakthroughs over the last couple hundred years (including anesthesia, modern surgical techniques, and antibiotics). But it’s lost sight of the effectiveness of many natural treatments. Trained by pharmaceutical companies, doctors now prescribe pills instead of the plants whose healing properties often inspired the drugs in the first place.
While the manufactured drugs are often far more potent than the plants from which their active ingredients were identified, many also come with significant costs. These can include a dizzying array of side effects, decreased effectiveness over time, and the potential to cause debilitating dependency (like the opioid crisis).
As the limitations of pharmaceuticals become increasingly apparent, more and more people are turning to natural medicine as a resource to alleviate their pain and help them achieve healing.
Since 2007, approximately 38% of adults and 12% of children in the United States have used some form of natural medicine. And the rates of complementary and alternative medicine are even higher in Southeast Asia, where many natural medicine modalities originated.
But what exactly is natural medicine?
Defining Natural Medicine
Natural medicine is a form of medicine that uses the healing powers of nature to support the body in healing itself. It typically applies a holistic, rather than reductionalistic, approach — seeking to treat the whole person, rather than focusing mainly on addressing specific symptoms.
Types of natural medicine may include things like nutrition, herbalism, chiropractic, ayurveda, acupuncture, yoga, meditation, naturopathy, and many other complementary and alternative approaches to healing. For an overview of some popular natural medicine types and techniques, check out the Association for Natural Medicine in Europe’s website, here.
Food: The Original Natural Medicine
Do you know what the most widely utilized natural medicine resource is on the planet?
Food.
Increasing numbers of people are learning to leverage the healing power of conscious food choices to prevent chronic illness. And when it comes to treating the symptoms of illness, food turns out to bring a lot to the table, too. Mother Nature gives us a huge pharmacy of natural foods, herbs, and spices that are stunningly effective in fighting illness as well as in promoting health.
6 Natural Medicine Resources to Put You on the Path to Health & Wellness
These six natural medicine resources will help you to utilize the healing power of food to support your wellness.
1. 4 Powerful Herbs Proven to Reduce Stress
Stress-related complaints are one of the most common reasons for visiting a doctor. And too much stress, too much of the time, can lead to inflammation in the body. And it can contribute to the development of chronic ailments like heart disease and type 2 diabetes. But certain herbs, known as adaptogens, can calm you down and help manage stress. Discover what these herbs are and how to incorporate them into your daily life.
2. Amazing Alliums — Why These Disease-Fighting Veggies Are Worth Eating Every Day!
Garlic, onions, leeks, and scallions are all part of the allium family of vegetables. These potent smelling veggies have been used medicinally and culinarily for thousands of years. Alliums have natural compounds with powerful disease-fighting powers that make them a top food choice for use as natural medicine. Discover the facts about alliums, their range of health benefits, and a few sample recipes.
3. What’s the Best Diet for Humans? Surprisingly, Most Experts Agree!
There’s a lot of confusion surrounding diet and nutrition advice, but this article cuts through the noise and gives it to you straight. With science-backed facts surrounding the “Blue Zones” and the diet of the people who reside in these longest-lived places, you’ll discover there’s actually consensus on what constitutes the best diet. In this article, adapted from Ocean Robbins’ book, 31-Day Food Revolution, you’ll discover the four principles of the Food Revolution Diet Plan. And you’ll see why, ultimately, you should listen to your own body.
4. Practicing Gratitude on Thanksgiving is A Powerful Action for Health and Happiness
It’s not just what you eat that shapes your health, but also with whom, and how! It turns out that Thanksgiving is more than just a holiday and a chance to gorge on a stuffed bird. It’s also an opportunity to practice one of the most health-giving acts there is: gratitude! Check out this article for the science behind gratitude and how you can put it to work in your life.
5. This Is an Astonishingly Easy, Affordable, and Effective Way to Treat Depression Naturally
In this article, you’ll see why magnesium is critical for your health. And why it can help with depression. You’ll also get a recommendation for how much to take and what foods contain the most magnesium. (Hint: They’re plants!)
6. Natural Medicine: The Magic of Food with Michael Murray, ND
Foods and herbs are at the forefront of the natural medicine revolution. They can alter the expression of your DNA, control your metabolism, reset your hormonal balance, and even help prevent cancer. Join Ocean Robbins and Dr. Michael Murray, ND for a look at what the science tells us about which natural approaches work, and why.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vD6aDclkEA
2 Recipes for Utilizing the Natural Medicine Power of Food
Put the power of food medicine to work for you with these disease-fighting recipes.
Easy Walnut & Mushroom Zucchini Noodles from Connoisseurus Rex
Enjoy the flavors of Italian food with this plant-based pasta dish using spiralized zucchini for the noodle base.
Tomatoes and nutrient-dense zucchini are rich in immune-boosting antioxidants, especially in their skin. And both the mushrooms and allium veggies in this dish act as prebiotics, improving digestion.
With the addition of walnuts mixed in, you’ll also get a healthy dose of omega-3 fats, which can help prevent and fight cancer.
Note: Omit the oil and water sauté the veggies to go oil-free.
Turmeric Golden Milk Smoothie Bowl from The Conscious Dietitian
A traditional beverage used in Ayurveda (an ancient form of natural medicine originating in India), golden milk has many health benefits. Featuring the potent, disease-fighting, anti-inflammatory spice, turmeric, golden milk can help prevent inflammation, stabilize moods, and improve overall health.
This particular recipe is in the form of a smoothie bowl and also includes natural sweeteners like dried coconut flakes and bananas, along with hemp hearts — another excellent, plant-based source of healthy protein and fat.
And If you want even more health-boosting resources to improve your WHOLE Life…
Tell us in the comments:
- Do you use natural medicine in your everyday life?
- Did you find these resources helpful, and if so, which ones were most useful?
- What foods are your favorite natural medicine remedies?
Featured Image: iStock.com/FatCamera
