Keep in mind as you are planning and planting this year’s vegetable garden that the foods you plant can be more than just ingredients in your favourite recipes.  As Hippocrates once said ‘Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food”.    Onions – a potent antiviral. Onion syrup is used to treat a cough and sore throat while onion ear muffs can relieve the pain of ear infections. Beets – an extremely effective stool softener and the very best food to support liver function. Green Beans – high in the mineral molybdenum which can be used to treat exercise-induced asthma. Leafy Greens – a good source of iron, calcium, magnesium, B vitamins, folic acid, and vitamin E. Higher levels of each of these nutrients are required in pregnancy.  Greens also support liver function. Green Peas – high in zinc, a mineral that supports the immune system.  Zinc also promotes a healthy testosterone balance important in treating hormone related acne and prostate disorders. Peas are also high in vitamin B5 which supports our adrenal glands during stress. Asparagus – high in folic acid, a nutrient responsible for healthy cell division. Folic acid is protective against all types of cancer and is essential in pregnancy. Sunflower Seeds – one of the highest food sources of vitamin B6, a cofactor of many enzyme systems in the body including those responsible for healthy estrogen balance and the production of the mood enhancing neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine and melatonin for healthy sleep patterns.    Finally, try to plant a rainbow. Bioflavanoids are the colours in fruits and vegetables. Bioflavanoids support the immune system, decrease allergy symptoms, decrease night blindness, cataracts, and macular degeneration, quicken wound healing, strengthen blood vessels thereby treating nosebleeds, bleeding gums, haemorrhoids, and varicose veins, decrease hot flashes, stabilize blood sugars, and decrease high cholesterol and protect against atherosclerosis. Food as Medicine Dr. Jennifer Matthews - Naturopathic Physician Allergy Season  Assessing your ‘Soil’       Spring has truly arrived and with it comes allergy season. If you experience seasonal allergies you know the pattern well. Late February and into June comes the tree pollens, May through July are the grass pollens, July to September are the weed pollens and August through October tend to be the ragweed pollens. In Kamloops, we can’t forget the lovely sagebrush that seems to bloom from spring through to fall.    Each year people spend countless dollars on pills, sprays and creams in an attempt to manage their allergic symptoms. What many people don’t realize is that much like improving your garden soil to establish thriving plants, providing your body with the basic nutrients to support the tissues and balance the immune system can minimize allergy symptoms and either eliminate the need for additional treatment or improve the effectiveness of any treatment you do choose.    The basic nutrients to begin with include: Water - divide your body weight in ½ and that number in ounces is your baseline hydration per day. Protein – 10-15 grams at breakfast and then a small snack sized amount every 3 hours and before bed Bioflavanoids - the colours in fruits and vegetables. Try to choose the most varied and darkest colour. An example would be ½ cup of frozen blueberries per day. Fruits and vegetables also include vitamin C, a natural anti-histamine. Omega 3 oils – one of the best anti-inflammatories found in nature. They can be found in fish, flax, walnut, canola, hemp seed oils. Try to get 1 tablespoon of oil, 3 ounces of fish or 3 1000mg capsules per day. Herbs – There are many herbs that can support the mucous membranes and normalize an over reactive immune system. Some suggestions include Nettle and Mullein leaves, Echinacea root, Elder and Eyebright flowers. Mullein  Also known as Velvet or Flannel Plant, mullein is a sun-loving, plant that grows wild in dry, barren soil throughout our region. It is easily identified by its base of thick velvety leaves and by clusters of yellow blooms that cling to the tip of its tall stem that can easily reach 1 ½ metres in height. Ancient Europeans dipped the thick stems in tallow to be used as funeral torches. Romans and European peasants used the dried hairs scraped from the leaves, to make candlewicks. Today, mullein is valued around the world for its medicinal properties now backed by scientific evidence. Research indicates some of the uses as analgesic, antihistaminic, anti- inflammatory, sedative and pesticide. Dr. Jennifer Matthews - Naturopathic Physician Allergy Season    Assessing your soil Food as Medicine Back to top Back to top