The Fit Foodie
FOOD AS MEDICINE BY THE FIT FOODIE MAREYA IBRAHIM
Mareya Ibrahim is The Fit Foodie, a TV chef, holistic nutrition coach, author and award-winning entrepreneur and inventor. She is the author of “Eat Like You Give a Fork,” and a signature chef to the NY Times bestseller “The Daniel Plan: 40 Days to a Healthier Life”. Mareya is the host of “Recipes For Your Best Life” Podcast and is a frequent guest on national cooking shows. Connect with Mareya at mareyaibrahim.com.
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e’ve heard it, and it’s engrained in us. Food is medicine. But really, let’s dive deep down into this idea. How did they deal with disease thousands of years ago, before conventional medicine and antibiotics? The answer was in nature. Ancient civilizations became masters of using plants and herbs as their remedies. And the pharmaceuticals we have now are often derived from those medicinal plants - like garlic, onions, turmeric, thyme, black seed and so many more. The use of spices and herbs with antimicrobial activity was necessary to ward off the threat of food-borne pathogens and lifethreatening illnesses. Being omnivores, we have a lot of foods to choose from, and convenience isn’t always in our favor. While it’s much easier to roll up to a drive thru or lean on others to make food for us, we tend to lose our connection with our own nourishment. There’s never been a time where owning our health is more important. With the unprecedented pandemic and the daily stresses associated to adapting to it, our systems may have never been so chal-
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lenged. Our nervous system, endocrine system, digestive system, lymphatic system, adrenal system AND our immune system and every other part of our body needs support, and it all begins with food. Food is the fuel to not only give us the life force we need for energy and vitality, but it also helps us manage stress, helps us rest and sleep, helps us balance our hormones, and helps us armor up our immunity. When there’s a crisis in one of our systems, the ‘machine’ becomes at risk of breaking down. Boosting your own body’s immunity and ability to fight infection is on your own plate. Eat a variety of fresh fruit and veggies, especially those loaded with antioxidants and Vitamin C. Eating to thrive means getting a balance of essential amino acids (protein), good fat and slow burning carbohydrates so you fuel your body for maximum efficiency and strength. Adding prebiotic (garlic, onions, fiber) and probiotic rich foods (pickles, kimchi, fermented foods like miso, tempeh and black garlic) will all help with getting your gut health in check – and that’s EVERYTHING. Maybe even more important than food is hydration. Drinking enough clear liquids every day to flush your system of toxins is key. You can add some lemon juice or raw apple cider vinegar to your water to help with controlling bacteria, too. While there’s no silver bullet, we can take big strides in protecting our incredible bodies from succumbing to sickness with my top 8 immunity boosting foods. www.edibleorangecounty.com
