Top Three Medicinal Foods for Fall

By Jessica Campbell, MS, FNTP

In August I wrote the first Top Three Medicinal Foods and you asked for more. It was about the importance of including Brazil nuts, cranberries, and parsley in your diet. Now we look at the top three medicinal foods for fall. I hope you've found some recipes to include the first three treasures. Cranberries are great popped into muffins or added like relish over fish. Parsley makes an amazing pesto in place of basil, and Brazil nuts are great to snack on.

This month we are going to look at the top three medicinal foods for fall and give you some great ideas on how to include them in your daily diet.        

1. Pumpkin seeds

We love our pumpkins in October, but we often neglect to eat the tiny seed packed with a punch within our beautiful orbs. Pumpkin seeds are a female’s best friend full of magnesium, zinc, and healthy fats. They have been known to regulate hormonal balances, especially when eaten with flaxseed to improve your estrogen levels.

Pumpkin seeds have been used historically by chicken farmers to rid their birds of parasites and many practitioners use them on humans too. The fiber helps expel blockages naturally. Look for raw pumpkin seeds at the market and add them to your next trail mix.

2. Ginger

One of the most important therapeutic foods, ginger stimulates metabolism which supports the thyroid. It helps regulate the adrenals, flushes waste from the body, and cleanses the liver.

Ginger has been used to reduce nausea, colds, and toxins for over 5000 years. Don't be fooled into thinking a Ginger Ale soda will help. Find a thumb-sized piece of ginger root, peel it, and slice into a pot of water. Boil slowly for 10 minutes to make fresh ginger tea.

3. Pomegranate

Full of vitamin C and one of the most powerful antioxidants to prevent cell deterioration, cancerous cells from forming, and free radical damage. Pomegranates are worth every penny, even though the fruit is so hard to get into.

Pomegranate season runs from October to February so it's time to find your fresh sources. Avoid the pasteurized store bought juices that are no longer full of live enzymes.  Try holding the ruby red gem underwater so the tasty seeds won't spray on you while plucking them out.

Eat them plain, over yogurt, or toss them in a salad for a sweet treat.

I hope you find a few ways to incorporate these tasty delights this fall. Please share with us your favorite use of pumpkin seeds, ginger, or pomegranate below in the comments.

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Other articles you may like:

Top Three Medicinal Foods- Summer -- Homemade Granola -- How to Stop Inflammation