We have all heard this for as long as we can remember. As it turns out, there is more truth than poetry to this old saw. As modern medicine advances, we are finding increasing evidence that we truly are 'what we eat'. It is often much better to strengthen and fortify our immune system and whole body health than it is to try to fix a broken machine; so we circle back to a place where nutrition and medicine complement each other.
In the following series of articles I will discuss items in the L.E.Cooke Co. catalog that have medicinal as well as nutritional value. In the past 70+ years L.E. Cooke Co has focused on fruit trees with flavor. We have shunned commercial varieties that have been bred for shelf preservation (pun intended) and that ship well, but are tasteless. When the flavor is lost, so are many of the nutrients; as well as any incentive to eat it. A juicy piece of fruit with great flavor that is completely consumed definitely benefits the eater more than a hard, bland, fruit that yields one bite and a toss.
A caveat before I start: The information I am sharing is from a multitude of sources, and cultures over a wide time span. Neither L. E. Cooke Co. nor I as a representative assume any liability concerning the efficacy of the information shared. We do not suggest that any dietary protocols discussed are to replace conventional medical treatment or guarantee any results by their practice. We are nurserymen, not MDs, and proud of the trees we grow and the enhancements to life they provide.
Good nutrition is a key to good health. Foods which are rich in Vitamin C, Beta-carotene and Lycopene are known to protect DNA from damages. Research proves that these foods help in healing cancer, and strengthening auto-immune system. I will be focusing on cancer in many of my articles for a couple of reasons. The first is because of the finite implications of cancer. The second is that I feel that cancer is a manifestation of a breakdown of our immune system and its ability to fight life's stressors. By strengthening our immune system to fight cancer, we automatically battle diabetes, arthritis, heart disease and other ailments. As Hippocrates told us 2400 years ago, "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food." and, "Natural forces within us are the true healers of disease."
Tom Fetch 11-3-2014
Links to detailed information:
Health Benefits of Apricots (UME)