Bone broths

Broth contains minerals in a form the body can absorb easily - not just calcium but also magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur and trace minerals. It contains the broken down material from cartilage and tendons - stuff like chondroitin sulphates and glucosamine, now sold as expensive supplements for arthritis and joint pain. When broth is cooled, it congeals due to the presence of gelatin. The use of gelatin as a therapeutic agent goes back to the ancient Chinese. Gelatin is a hydrophilic colloid, which means that it attracts and holds liquids; it facilitates digestion by attracting digestive juices to food in the gut. Stock and soups made from the bones of chicken, turkey, duck, beef, lamb and fish are anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, and contain nutrients that help build the integrity of the digestive tract. “Broth is beautiful”

Grains, legumes, nuts and seeds are the beginning of new plants. These plant precursors contain substances called phytates, which bind tightly to minerals, making these minerals unavailable to us. Soaking, fermenting or sprouting eliminate or reduce phytates. These processes also remove enzymes inhibitors that allows for easier assimilation. And soaking, fermenting and sprouting helps break down gluten, making whole grains easier to digest.

Seasonal - Eating seasonally means enjoying the ripest and freshest food at the height of its natural harvest time. While many fruits and vegetables are available year-round because of our fortune of travel to and from other countries, we lose a lot of the valuable nutrients due to the travel time.
If you eat seasonally, then you are likely to get produce that hasn’t traveled

so far, thus you are getting more nutrients to heal and nourish your body.

Seasonality Charts

Organic - Organic farmers refrain from using chemical pesticides or fertilizers, and

their crops are minimally processed to maintain product integrity without using

artificial ingredients, preservatives or irradiation. Organic meat and dairy products are

derived from animals that are fed only organic grain, or their true diet of grass and/or bugs, and they are not given antibiotics, hormones or supplemental medications. Organic produce also has higher levels of antioxidants and phytonutrients – cancer-fighting compounds.

Unrefined - Unrefined eating encourages foods to be eaten in their original state, as

much as possible. Refining removes vital nutrients and enzymes that are vital to

digestion and health. There have been many people to study indigenous cultures,

Weston A. Price being on the forefront. In his and other’s observations, these people

ate exclusively whole, unrefined foods and had virtually no disease. Given the

opportunity to compare these “primitive” cultures with members of the same racial

group who had become “civilized” eating refined grains, canned foods, pasteurized milk and sugar, Dr. Price found rampant tooth decay, infectious disease, degenerative illness and infertility.

Local – As S.O.U.L food makes a comeback in the United States, we are fortunate to have so many eager farmers banning together to create farmer’s markets. Local farmers transport their goods the shortest distance, thus meaning less carbon footprint and LOTS more nutrients on your plate. Produce that travels long distances is picked before it has reached its full nutrient potential and will not get anymore nutritious. It also loses nutrients the longer it is severed from its nutrient source. Buying local also means experimenting with delicious foods you might not otherwise consider adding to a meal!

The truth is that eating fat does not make you fat - good fats that is. In fact, you don't even have to feel guilty when you eat fat because fat is essential to our health. Fats from

animal and vegetable sources provide a concentrated source of energy in the diet.

They also provide the building blocks for cell membranes and a variety of hormones

and hormone-like substances. The human brain is over 65 percent fat. Fat keeps our

skin healthy and enhances our immune system. Good fats benefit our heart, normalize

our blood fats and cholesterol, and even prevent cancer! Fats as part of a meal slow

down absorption so that we can go longer without feeling hungry, and they stabilize our blood sugar. In addition, fat acts as a carrier for important fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. Dietary fats are needed for the conversion of carotene to vitamin A, for mineral absorption and for a host of other processes.

A portion of everyone’s diet should include raw food - fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, etc. Food contains enzymes that assist in the assimilation of nutrients. When heating foods above 118 degrees Fahrenheit, these enzymes are destroyed making the body’s enzymatic process do all the work - our bodies need a break! Heating also destroys vitamins, therefore, to make sure you are getting the most out of your food, eat some raw. To aid the digestive process, eat some raw foods along with cooked foods. You may even notice more energy!

In earlier times, people knew how to preserve vegetables for long periods of time
without the use of freezers or canning machines. This was done through the process
of lacto-fermentation. Lactic acid is a natural preservative that inhibits putrefying
bacteria; starches and sugars in fruits and vegetables convert the lactobacilli on their
surfaces into lactic acid. Like the fermentation of dairy, preservation of vegetables and
fruits by the process of lacto-fermentation has numerous advantages. The proliferation
of lactobacilli in fermented vegetables enhances their digestibility and increases
their vitamin levels. These beneficial organisms produce numerous helpful enzymes as well as antibiotic and anticarcinogenic substances. Lactic acid also promotes the growth of healthy flora throughout the intestine. Fermented, or cultured fruits and vegetables are extremely healing to the gut and bring about stronger immune function.