Eat These 6 Healing Foods This Holiday Season
There are known things that mess with the gut, and we avoid them on ALL of our menus: GMO’s, pesticides, hormones and food dyes. The manipulation of food in those ways causes gut distress because our organs don’t know how to digest the chemicals and fake ingredients.
Here are some foods we choose during the days leading up to the holidays and at our holiday feasts to keep out guts happy and healthy.
Apples: According to much research and one of our favorite health gurus, Anthony William, apples are rich in phytonutrients and antioxidants. They have been shown to be beneficial for neurodegenerative problems such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases as well as for bronchial problems such as asthma. Apples contain pectin which works like an intestinal broom to clean and sweep out debris from the colon.
Cranberries: The fresh, tart cranberries you find in grocery stores everywhere right now are an excellent source of antioxidants, making them an ideal anti aging and memory enhancing food. Cranberries have amazing anti inflammatory and anti cancer properties and according to Anthony William, are a vital food and supplement for anyone struggling with any chronic illness or disease. They are known to significantly boost the immune system and have a natural antibiotic effect in the body. Find them on our Thanksgiving menu, one of the most incredible cranberry sauces you will ever eat!
Fennel: Growing up in Italian households, we always had fennel at our holiday meals, as it was known for aiding in digestion when perhaps someone ate a bit too much! We absolutely love the light licorice flavor, and wether it’s in our Fix Me Up juice (we recommend drinking on an empty stomach) or in the Pear Fennel Salad, the benefits and satisfaction of this vegetable make it a must at our holiday meals!
Pears: We have a famous smoothie called the Green Dream, and we think it’s famous because of the whole pear in there (skin too) that makes people feel so good! You can find a similar recipe here. Pears are a rich source of important minerals, such as copper and potassium. Copper plays a role in immunity and potassium aids muscle contractions and heart function. Pears are an excellent source of polyphenols, which protect against free radicals, those pesky things that float around our system causing disruption. We always eat the skin because it boasts up to six times more polyphenols!
Squashes & Pumpkin: The beautiful color of these autumn vegetables is due to Vitamin A (carotenoids). The availability of vitamin A in our food is a key factor in a tolerant, highly functional immune system. (To really geek out on the incredible benefits of vitamin A, read this article here) The many vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants found in squash play an important role in reducing oxidative stress. In turn, this may help with cancer prevention. Squash is also high in fiber, which aids in digestion.
Potatoes & Sweet Potatoes: Potato plants draw some of the highest concentration of macro and trace minerals from the earth so eat potatoes from organic soil!
Potatoes are anti viral, anti fungal, and anti bacterial, and can help heal digestive conditions. They are soothing to the intestinal linings because they are gentle on the nerves inside the lining so they digest easily, even with some of the worst digestive issues. One of our “tricks” for holiday gatherings is to contribute a dish that we know we’ll be able to eat, so we often bring our Sweet Potato Pecan Mash. There’s no dairy and no gluten, even though it tastes like one of the most decadent dishes ever!
Can you tell that we get such joy out of eating and feasting?! We LOVE healing, energizing, cleansing, and powerful food!
Take a deep breath, savor and enjoy those around you, and choose foods that make you feel amazing!
Here’s to feeling great this holiday season!
Fran and Michelle
