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The Healing Power of Colorful Foods to Support Your Detox Protocol
Color matters:
During a detox or a liquid fast you naturally want to consume green juices. You hear how good they are for you and how much nutrients they contain, but do you really know what various juices contain based on their color compounds? Based on the color and nutritional composition of the color compounds or carotenoids, how do they function to support your system? How can you use the healing power of colorful food to improve you detox?
This article takes a very quick look at the various colors of the fruit and vegetable spectrum and its nutritional benefit to the body, mind and spirit. As we explore the healing power of colorful food you will come across a few terms that will help to broaden your knowledge, as well as keep you informed about the active components found in your favorite foods. Also consider exploring the fact that our body is a shrine or an altar (temple) and the foods we bring to our shrine are offerings.
It is important to note that many foods though not visibly colored contain some or most of these food colors that we will discuss. Hawthorn berry is one such example, a red food that contains Beta-Carotine, dispute its reddish pigmentation research does not indicate the presence of lycopene. At least not as far as we know.
The color of your juice indicates specific nutritional characteristics and healing properties, so design your drinks thoughtfully:
Reds
● Red foods speed up circulation, creating fire and heats up the body. Red foods affect the psyche and is used to increase energy. Also, reds strengthen your psyche, increase motivation and courage. Red foods such as beet, hawthorn berry are excellent for blood circulation, blood building and heart health. Some foods contain lycopene, an antioxidant that fights off toxins that can cause DNA and cell damage.
Lycopene is a biochemical term for the red pigmentation that we see in tomatoes, berries, watermelon and other foods. Interestingly, you can access the lycopene from watermelon in its raw state. However tomatoes, as you probably know, need to be cooked. Other lycopene rich foods include guava, papaya (Thai papaya ), and even Roselle Can contain small amounts. Roselle is also called sorrel in the Caribbean islands. Research shows that this carotenoid has increased bioavailability. This means that the body’s ability to absorb and process increases when It is consumed with some type of fat.
Oranges
● Orange foods have antispasmodic properties and provide excellent alleviation from pains and cramps. These foods strengthen the lungs, and supports those who live in metropolitan cities, where the air is highly polluted. Orange foods also function as an appetite stimulant and affects us emotionally by opening us up to joy and expansiveness. Hence the reason so may fastfood chains utilize this color scheme into their branding.
These foods contain beta carotene associated with protection against heart disease and cancer. Studies also show that consuming vegetables rich in β-carotene for more than once a week reduces the risk of lung cancer. Fruit with this potent pigment like acerola cherry, also called Barbados Cherry, is high in both C and A vitamins. Some other foods include mango, specific palms, some varieties of pumpkin, rose hip fruits and oil palm just to name a few.
Yellows
● Yellow foods are Moto stimulants and help to move us in the mornings. They strengthen the nerves and digestion and eases constipation.
Greens
● Green foods are blood cleansers, natural tranquilizers, and are nutritious. Green work as a psychic and energetic food to balance and to rejuvenate. Think of Ausar, called the green skinned deity, resurrected by Auset and Nebhet. Chlorophyll continues to be one of the highest forms of rejuvenating foods for building the blood and cleansing the bowels and other elimination systems such as the liver.
Chlorella, a green algae, has the highest percentages of pure natural chlorophyll. Chlorella is one of those foods that rebuilding tissues while multiplying the growth rate of beneficial bacteria in the bowels while boosting the immune system. However its benefits does not stop there, because chlorella helps rebuild nerve tissue and aid with degenerative brain and nerve disorders.
Greens Also assist in cleansing and detoxing cadmium, uranium and lead, including the breaking down of persistent hydrocarbons, metallic toxic chemicals such as mercury, arsenic and more. Some greens have high digestible protein content, and digestive enzymes.
Aside from Chlorella there are a wide range of greens which have excellent detoxing effects such as parsley for eliminating heavy metals from the body,
Blues
● Blue foods for headaches, spiritual and mental work and are naturally cooling.
Detoxing does not indicate that the protocol and foods do the detoxing. You are resetting the body’s natural environment using the healing power of colorful food. This way you body functions at its optimum and can therefore detox under normal conditions. The hormones and phytoplankton chemicals in food fuels the body and stimulates the glands, and nerves. The mental and emotional body and the mind is also fueled by the various colors of the food spectrum. Using the healing power of colorful food is best way to taste the rainbow.
