We are what we eat: 3 cures and 5 simple strategies to fix what ails you

It’s true: we really are what we eat. Our individual health or malaise is a direct result not only of our diet now, but of what we ate as a child and as a teen. And even what our mothers ate while we were in the womb contributes to our current state of wellbeing.
Just consider some of the ways the things we choose to eat can directly affect how we feel.
 

Beat asthma. Children who ate three daily servings of whole grains along with fish twice a week cut their risks of developing asthma by more than half, reports a recent study published in Thorax journal.

Cure arthritis. Nightshade vegetables (eggplant, tomatoes, white potatoes, peppers) contain a mild toxin that may cause inflammatory diseases such as fibromyalgia, arthritis, and even asthma, too, in some people.

Stop bloating. Not only can artificial sweeteners cause us to gain weight, as a University of Texas study suggests, but they can lead to an overgrowth of bacteria in the large intestine in more than half of all women who use them, more than doubling normal gas production.

The great thing about all this news is that we can control how we feel by what we decide to put in our mouths. Every time we shop for food and at every meal we eat we have an opportunity to choose to be healthy.

Here are five simple strategies for healthy eating. Employing any one at a given opportunity is a victory for your body!

• Choose whole grains.
• Avoid trans-fats and increase unsaturated fats.
• Eliminate artificial sweeteners.
• Switch to sea salt.
• Try to eat more whole foods.

Sweet Potato Walnut Chicken
 

Ingredients:
2 med. sweet potato, julienne cut
1- 1 1/2 lb. chicken strips or whole pieces of chicken
1/2 cup broth or water
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. white pepper
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 heads broccoli, cut into stalks

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Spray inside of 4-quart cast iron Dutch oven with olive oil. 2. Add the sweet potato sticks to the pot in a thick layer. Separate chicken strips and scatter into pot. Mix broth with spices and pour over all. Lightly salt and pepper and sprinkle with walnuts. Stack broccoli stalks into pot until full. 3. Cover and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until 3 minutes after the aroma of a complete meal wafts from the oven.

Nutritional Analysis per serving (based on using water instead of broth): 411 calories, 33g protein, 23g carbs, 21g fat, 75mg chol, 323mg sodium, 7g fiber