A healthy diet is one that helps maintain or improve general health and provides the body with essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and sustenance.
Healthy Body
The requirements for a healthy diet can be met from a variety of plant-based and and animal based foods. A healthy diet supports the energy needs and provides for human nutrition without exposure to toxicity or excessive weight gain from consuming excessive amounts.
Rainbow – Live Food Categories
Food was created to be appealing to all of our senses, especially our sense of taste, smell and sight. Within the skin pigments and edible portion of these living foods lies a vast array of phytonutrients most of which have yet to be fully understood or properly documented by science.
Red Carotenoids Pigment
Trees: Cherries, Apples, Cranberries, Papaya, Pomegranate, Red Guavas, cherries, red peppers and red onions.
Plants: Tomatoes, Strawberries, Watermelon and Rasberries
Herbs: Beets, Rhubarb, Radish
Nutrient: Lycopene – reduces brest and prostate cancer risk, boots heart, brain, eye and bone heath.
Heart Health – Healthy heart, Lowers cholesterol, Skin protection, Helps cell renewal, Prevents cancer.
Ornage Carotenoids Pigment
Trees: Oranges, Mandarins, grapefruit, Peaches, papayas, nectarines, Kumquats, lemons, bananas, carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin and corn.
Plants: Pumkin, Squash, Carrots, Sweet Potatoes, Yams.
Herbs: Curry, Carrots, Marigolds
Nutrient: Beta Carotene – fights cancerm reduces inflamation, sipports immune system and boosts vision.
Cancer Prevention – Healthy heart, Immune system, skin prtection, supports eye sight, antioxidants.
Yellow Carotenoids Pigment
Trees: Lemons, Pears, Apricots, Grapefruit, Pomelo.
Plants: Corn, Squash, Wheat, Cantaloupe.
Herbs: Turmeric
Nutrient: Vitamin C and Flavoniods – inhibits tumorcell growth, detoxify harmful substances, boost immune system, reduce inflamation and boost heart health.
Beauty – Healthy heart, Lowers cholesterol, healthy joints and tissues, Supports eyesight, Healthy skin.
Green Chlorophylls Pigment
Trees: Avocado, Olives, Pears, Lime, Apples, Kiwifruit, green Guavas, gren apples, artichokes, arugula, asparagus, avocado, honey dew, green beans , green pears.
Plants: Cucumbers, Peas, Green Beans, Zucchini, Grapes.
Herbs: Brocolli, Asparagus, Greens, Brussel Sprouts, Kale, Celery, green Onions.
Nutrient: Ondoles and Lutein – eliminates excess estrogen and carcinogens and suppots eye health.
Allyl Sulfides – destoys cancer cells and reduces cell division.
Detoxification – Improves digestion, supports eye sight, healthy bones.
Purple Anthocyanins Pigment
Trees: Plumbs, Prunes, Figs, Blackberries, Blueberries, Boysenberries., eggplants, cabbage, endive, Blueberries, Blackberries, Muberries and plums.
Plants: Grapes, Blackberries, Elderberies.
Herbs: Beets, Eggplant, Cabbage.
Resveratrol – decreeses estrogen production, boosts heart and brain health.
Nutrient: Anthocyanin – destroys free radicals, reduces inflamation and boosts brain health.
Longevity – Healthy heart, Lower cholesterol, Helps immunity, Anti Aging, Healthy urinary system.
White Anthocyanins Pigment
Trees: Coconut, Dates, Pears, Nuts, garlic, ginger, mushrooms, onions, white corn, turnips and white peaches.
Plants: White beans, Oats.
Herbs: Onion, Cauliflower, Garlic, Horseradish, Potatoes, Turni[s, Mushrooms, Parsnips,Shallots, Ginger.
Nutrient: Allicin
Immune Support – Immune system, Healthy colon, Prevents ulcers, Lowers cholesterol, Healthy heart.
Healthy Soul
A healthy soul is open to growth, self-improvement, and learning. It involves continually seeking knowledge, personal development, and expanding one’s consciousness. a
Rules of Thumb
To ensure healthy soul one should make sure to keep in mind the following points:
- Always wash your hands before eating.
- Say blessings before and after eating in appreciation of Hashem the creator.
- Do not mix meat with milk products (wait six hours before eating milk after meat).
- Eat in order to keep the body healthy and not to satisfy the palate.
- Eat only when hungry and stop before filling up.
- Eat the main meal at lunch time and eat little after dark.
- Avoid excessive fasting.
Good to Know
- Figs, pears. melons and different kinds of squash are good for cleansing the digestive track, but eat them well in advance of larger meals and don’t mix them with carbohydrates.
- White meat should always be eaten before red meat, and eggs precede all flesh.
- Avoid aged, salted fish and cheese, as well as any cooked foods with unpleasant odours.
- Honey and wine are terrible for the children, but invigorating for the elderly.
- All foods should be eaten while sitting at a table.
- Welcome the poor to your table.
- Recognize and resist the weakness of making food into a diversion.
The Seven Fruits of Israel
(Blessing of the Land)
The special significance of the seven species is attributed to the spiritual energies of each fruit to one of the seven lower sephirot that we count during each week of the Omer. Their correspondence is according to the order they occur in the Torah verse.
Medical Properties and Spiritual Energies
It is interesting to note how the medical properties of the seven species are synchronised with their spiritual energies. For example, grapes are associated with wine, which is used in Jewish rituals like Kiddush, and it is believed to symbolize joy and spiritual elevation. Figs and dates have been traditionally considered symbols of sweetness and fertility. Olive oil, used in Jewish rituals like lighting the Menorah, is seen as representing light and purity.
Wheat (Kindness)
The first of the seven lower sephirot. Wheat represents the endeavour to nourish our physical bodies as well as our spiritual aspirations.
The characteristic of chesed (mercy) is expansion, to reach out and extend oneself towards others. Wheat likewise reflects the nourishing food of kindness and to this day remains our main sustaining food staple.
According to Miamonidies, wheat strengthens the body and increases mothers milk, the ultimate nourishment and expression of chesed.
Barley (Restraint)
Barley’s main characteristic is contraction, reduction and setting boundaries. Tis is reflected by each barley seed being enclosed in a string hull (boundary) which means intact even during threshing.
Due to its contracting quality, barley is highly effective in reducing liquid when added to soup. Barley reduces cholesterol and risk of coronary disease.
Grapevine (Beauty)
The grape is one of the oldest cultivated fruit trees. Since beauty (tiferet) is the perfect balance between chesed and gevurah, grapes include both nourishing and eliminating qualities. Grape seed oil nourishes the skin, while also containing a very high content of antioxidants that help eliminate free radicals.
Grapes are very nutritious and full of vitamins A, B and C also treating blood and energy deficiency. Red wine made from grapes reduces fat in the blood.
Fig (Endurance)
The fig tree reflects everlasting fruitfulness as it has one of the longest periods of ripening. Figs, grapes and almonds are always the best fruits whether dried or fresh. Maimonides also taught that figs alleviate constipation, which is one of the main tenets of longevity and health.
Figs strengthen the blood and arouse vitality. Figs are very rich in minerals, especially potassium, iron and calcium and they contain omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. Figs contain phytosterols, which inhibit the absorption of dietary cholesterol.
Ponegranate (Majesty & Glory)
Also associated with thanks and recognition. Hod (thanks) corresponds to our immune system. A healthy immune system is able to recognize our friends from our foes and pomegranates boost our immune system.
Pomegranate seed oil causes cancer cells to self-destruct; the juice of the fruit is toxic to most breast cancer cells, yet has almost no effect on healthy cells. Pomegranate juice has also been proven to decrease heart disease by decreasing LDL (bad cholesterol) and increasing HDL (good cholesterol).
Olive (Foundation)
Olive oil is the foundation of most Mediterranean foods. Olive oil cleanses the liver and loosens the stool. It is helpful against stones in the urinary tract. Drink a teaspoon of olive oil every morning before eating.
Olive oil protects against heart disease by lowering the blood pressure and has strong anti-bacterial properties. It also contains several antioxidants to help fight cancer. Thus, olive oil can truly be called the foundation (yesod) of life.
Date – Honey (Kingdom)
Kingdom (mulchut) is the channel that allows everything to manifest below. Therefore dates are connected with the digestive system. The Tulmud teaches that dates heal intestinal illnesses. The palm tree has no waste, its lulavs (hearts) are used for prayer, its front for shade, its fibres for ropes, its twigs for a sieve and its beams for houses.
Likewise, the people of Israel have no waste, they each master their own particular part of Torah, learning or performing mitzvot and charitable deeds.
A Sustainable Garden
When creating or maintaining a vegetable garden the first thing to remember is that it takes time and patience to build your dream patch.