Expanding the Grocery List to Help Control Common Ailments

Some common, everyday ailments can be helped by adding and subtracting certain things from your diet. With just a few inexpensive dietary changes, you can banish these conditions. Here are a few foods to stock up on.

Bad Breath: Besides the obvious things such as onions, garlic, spicy foods and coffee, a low carb diet can be the cause of bad breath. When we restrict carbohydrates in our diet to the point that there are not adequate 'replenish carbohydrates' stored in our muscles and liver, the body breaks down fat into energy to preserve itself. This breakdown of fat results in a condition known as ketosis and this condition causes bad breath. To help combat bad breath, add mint, parsley, fennel and cardamom to the diet. These herbs and spices kill the bad bacteria and mimic the effects of mouthwash as they have antiseptic and antibacterial properties. They also get to the root cause of the bad breath. Yogurt and kefir also reduce the offensive smell by killing the bacteria on the back of the tongue and on the gums that release hydrogen sulfide causing an offensive odor.

Gas: Gas can be caused by sodas and beans and also certain vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, onions and garlic. Dried fruits, nuts and seeds also cause gas. Rice helps the body absorb gas and spices like ginger aid in the digestion of gas producing foods. Yogurt contains friendly bacteria that help combat symptoms of bloating and gas.

Depression: Trans and saturated fats can prevent the brain's neurotransmitters from working correctly. Low carb, high-protein diets can cause a drop in serotonin called the 'happy' neurotransmitter. Foods that are rich in tryptophan like eggs, turkey, chicken and nuts kick-start the production of serotonin. Scientific experiments have shown that a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids like tuna, salmon, walnuts and canola oil can be a very powerful mood elevator. A lack of zinc in the diet also proves to be a leading cause of depression. Adding oysters and beef to the diet easily remedies this. For vegetarians, a few handfuls of mixed nuts will do the trick.

Arthritis: A small percentage of people who suffer from osteoarthritis may have their condition aggravated by alkaloids found in such vegetables as tomatoes, eggplant, peppers and potatoes. Other foods that may aggravate osteoarthritis are fatty meats, high-fat dairy products and corn oil. Cooking vegetables reduces the alkaloid content by half, but sometimes that is not enough so adding an anti-inflammatory ingredient to the diet such as cherry juice will show good results. Ginger and turmeric contain anthocyanins that reduce uric acid, inflammation and pain associated with arthritis. Studies also show that Vitamin D helps muscle strength and reduces pain in osteoarthritis knee problems. Good sources of Vitamin D include oily fish like salmon, mushrooms, liver, breakfast cereals and milk.

Try these easy and inexpensive dietary changes and see how they help with your problem.

Source: Article in August 2010 issue of 'Spirit' Magazine, SWA