66 The Complete Home Guide to Herbs, Natural Healing, and Nutrition
hints and tips for quick use
For superfood to be used at breakfast, make up a batch the night before,
leave in a plastic pitcher with a lid in the refrigerator, and shake before
drinking in the morning, or leave some in a glass and simply stir. In
wintry, cold weather, add in a knob of fresh gingerroot. In hot summer
weather, chill some fruit juice before stirring in the superfood, or simply
add ice cubes to the mixture. For a diabetic or low-calorie version, don’t
use fruit juice; instead add just the juice of two fresh lemons and
springwater.
Fruits
According to some archaeologists, ethnobiologists, and zoologists,
humans were originally designed to be fructivorous, that is to say, fruit-
only feeders, as indicated by our eye placement and dexterous hands.
Early humans lived in rain forests where fruit was readily available
throughout the year. According to Dr. David Forman of the Imperial
Cancer Research Fund’s epidemiology unit at Oxford, fruit can
substantially reduce the risk of stomach cancer. He says that a 30 to 50
percent lower risk of cancer can be achieved by eating one piece of fruit a
day, and one-third of the annual deaths from cancer could be prevented
this way. Fruit is not only tasty, but also full of fi ber, minerals, and
vitamins. Many fruits also contain large amounts of digestive enzymes,
papaya and pineapple in particular (these are used by the supplement
industry to enhance digestion). Proper digestion is essential for good
health, so, on several levels, increased fruit consumption is a healthy
move. When fi ber ferments in the large intestine, a chemical called
butyrate is produced, which blocks the action of genes produced by
cancer cells.
If you feel cold in the winter, add paprika, powdered ginger, cinnamon,
and other warming spices to fruit. Generally we eat more fruit in summer
than in winter — a natural choice if we are not to feel too cold and
watery — but fruit is vital at any time. It is best in season but can also be
dried or canned for use out of season. Keep an unpeeled onion in your
fruit bowl, and its sulfur content will keep the fruit fresher, keeping
bacteria from spreading as quickly between the fruits and thus delaying
decay.
Juices (Vegetable and Fruit)
Perhaps our greatest authority on the subject of juicing is N. W. Walker,
author of Fresh Vegetable and Fruit Juices. He died relatively recently, aged
almost 120 years, having helped many people. He said, “By juicing the
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