Hippocrates lived from 460 BC – 370 BC. He was considered the founder of Western medicine and established medicine as a legitimate profession. ?Prior to that, it was lumped in with philosophy and theurgy (evoking the presence of the gods).

I’m intrigued by how long Hippocrates lived and wonder if it’s because he practiced what he preached. ?And I’m even more curious about how we’ve gotten so far off track. ?Is it our “I want it now” mentality where a pill seems like a better option than an apple? ?In the past, at the first sign of a sniffle I would have reached for ibuprofen or a capful of atomic green, nasty tasting cold medicine.

But as Maya Angelou says, “when I know better, I do better.” ?For the past two years I’ve been experimenting with food and vitamins to cure my common ailments – from a sore throat to a sinus infection. ?What’s surprising is not that it works, but how simple it is. ?And at this time of year, we’re more susceptible to colds and flus as we transition from Winter to Spring. ?In case you were wondering, here’s what I keep in my first aid kit:

• Ginger Root: Wrapped in tinfoil to keep it fresh, ginger is a modern day healing elixir. ?Cut a few slices off the root and steep in hot water with a squeeze of lemon. Ginger settles the stomach and boosts our immune system. ?Sometimes I add a little local honey if I have a sore throat or just want something a little sweeter.
• Vitamin C: 1,000 milligrams once or twice a day and Zinc lozenges (on a full stomach to avoid nausea) as directed. ?This will knock what ails you right out of you. ?I use buffered Vitamin C crystals to avoid stomach?upset.
• Greens: Fresh greens like spinach, kale, chard and romaine lettuce detoxify and cleanse the liver. ?Greens pack a powerful, immune boosting punch. ?Try them fresh, steamed, juiced with other anti-oxidant rich vegetables or added to smoothies and soups.
• Eliminate processed foods: none, nada, zip. ?I don’t touch so much as an organic blue corn chip. ?Just fresh fruits and vegetables. ?I usually skip meat too for at least 24 hours.

If our body doesn’t have to expend extra energy digesting food, it can focus on healing. ?There’s a great blog by the?Beet Reporter?where she talks about using food as her own personal health insurance plan. ?That’s an insurance program I can relate to! ?Stay healthy my friends.