The Doctrine of Signatures - Food and Body Parts

Can you see the similarity between the eye and the carrot above?

When "eye" was young, my mother told me that I should eat my carrots or I wouldn't be able to see well, and in later years my studies revealed the benefits of the nutrients in carrots for the eyes.

Carrots are wonderful for vision and night vision...the orange in the carrot, beta-carotene, is transformed in the body to Vitamin A, good for vision and the forming of rhodopsin which helps us see in poor lighting...hence the benefit to night vision.

Take a look at this picture of a tomato cut in half, what does it remind you of?

Think about it a bit, then after you take a look at the colorful tomatoes below, just under that see what organ tomatoes are similar to, and the health benefits.

Now look closely, do you see the similarity between the tomato above and the heart? Are you beginning to see why this theory came to be?

They are both red, and both appear to have chambers. It is Lycopene in the tomato that provides it's red color, and it's antioxidant properties that are beneficial to the heart. It helps to prevent oxidized LDL which is the "bad" cholesterol in the blood (HDL being the "good" cholesterol...I remember the difference by thinking H=Healthy). Bad cholesterol is what blocks arteries and causes them to become stiff leading to serious cardiovascular disease.

Here's a delicious cluster of red grapes, what are they similar too?

Just below the following wine and grapes print, you'll find the answer.

Grapes have lots of natural antioxidants known as polyphenols that can aid in the prevention of the accumulation of cholesterol on the artery walls. They are beneficial eaten as they are, much of the beneficial properties found in the skin, and it is because of these same beneficial properties that wine is considered to be healthy when taken in moderation.

A study was done to verify that the information about grapes was scientific, a representative sample of fresh California grapes was collected, freeze-dried and ground into an edible grape powder. The grape powder used in this study contains all of the biologically active compounds found in fresh grapes.

"We found a remarkable reduction in the development of atherosclerosis following consumption of grape powder," said principal investigator Bianca Fuhrman, Senior Scientist at the Lipid Research Laboratory headed by Dr. Michael Aviram at the Rambam Medical Center in Israel . "Grapes contain an abundance of powerful antioxidants that appear to inhibit an array of critical factors that can cause atherosclerosis."

If there is excess cholesterol in the blood, the result can be Atherosclerosis, also known as hardening of the arteries, caused by cholesterol build-up on the arterial wall, which leads to blockage of the vessels that supply blood to the heart or the brain, resulting in a heart attack or stroke, respectively. Blood cholesterol is carried throughout the body by two lipoproteins. Low density lipoprotein (LDL), also known as the "bad" cholesterol, deposits cholesterol in arterial walls when it is present in excess. High density lipoprotein (HDL), or the "good" cholesterol, removes the excess cholesterol from the arteries to the liver and out of the body. When cholesterol is damaged by oxidation, such as oxidized LDL cholesterol, it is more easily deposited in the arterial walls, leading to a blockage of the vessels. Diseases caused by atherosclerosis are the leading cause of illness and death in the U.S.

While this doesn't focus on red blood cells exactly, the cells are much "happier" because they are not blocked by clogged arteries and can flow freely through the body, and the blood is not carrying as much cholesterol.

Look closely, this isn't too hard, think about it a bit then look for the answer after the next section.

Here is my favorite source of foods that are unique, have unique names, and many are great for when you're on the road, hiking, camping...it's free to join the "Wholesale Buyers Club" and prices have been reduced quite a bit since I first started shopping here...please click here for more information.

Can you see the similarity between the brain and the walnut?

Walnuts are a great source of omega-3 essential fatty acids, a "protective fat" that our bodies cannot make on their own, so we have to get them from foods. A quarter-cup of walnuts provides over 90% of the daily value for these essential fatty acids that promote better cognitive function in the brain.

Here's a study for you...in the April - May 1996 issue of Physiology & Behavior, a Laura J. Stevens at the Department of Foods and Nutrition in Purdue University, and a team that worked with her reported that boys with lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood showed more problems with behavior, learning, and health than those with higher levels of total omega-3 fatty acids. Also, in 1996, researchers from the Department of Psychiatry, Technical University, Faculty of Medicine, Trabzon, Turkey, reported that levels of free fatty acids as well as zinc were several fold lower in ADHD children compared to non-ADHD children.

Walnuts also benefit the cardiovascular system, and have anti-inflammatory benefits helpful in asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory skin diseases such as eczema and psoriasis. In addition, walnuts contain an antioxidant compound called ellagic acid that supports the immune system and appears to have several anticancer properties.

One of my favorite sources for Walnuts, which are combined with other nutrient dense foods to make something delicious to snack on, eat as a quick meal, or take on the trails with you is called Organic Phi Plus, and available from The Wholefood Farmacy...it is a handcrafted food with over 30 pure whole food ingredients in each morsel.

This can't be too hard, take a good look, and then just below the next section, you find the answer!

This is fun, isn't it?

Without spermatozoa or sperm, none of us would be here, so we have to keep our guys healthy, don't we? And here's information about foods that help. Fortunately, if the man or men in your life ore reading this don't like broccoli, there's other choices, read on.

At a recent American Society for Reproductive Medicine meeting, new research revealed that eating more fruits and veggies can help men boost their fertility. These new findings indicate that the more produce a man consumes, the healthier his sperm will be. In a study group of infertile men, 83 percent of them were found to be eating less than five servings of fruits and veggies a day. Overall, the men who ate the fewest fruits and veggies had the lowest sperm motility.

"We think that sperm quality is affected by dietary antioxidant intake," said study author Dr. Vivian Lewis, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Rochester in Rochester, N.Y. "Antioxidants, like those found in fruits and vegetables, may help prevent damage to sperm that causes them to become sluggish and lose the ability to fertilize an egg".

In particular, the antioxidants glutathione and cryptoxanthin, which are prevalent in brightly colored produce such as broccoli, leafy greens, tomatoes, peppers and oranges, were associated with strong, healthy sperm, Lewis said. She recommended that men hoping to father children eat "a variety of fruits and vegetables, at least five servings a day."

The modern day researches continue to confirm what the ancients knew. Focus on giving your body what it needs - it knows how to do the rest.

Make 5 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables per day your goal this fall and lead your children towards a life of health, happiness, vitality, and longevity.