WHY SOME FOODS LOOK LIKE BODY ORGANS?
TIPS FROM NATURE ON WHAT TO EAT FOR WHAT In ancient times, food was inseparable from the science of healing and health. It was a phenomenon of nature providing solutions to problems in wildlife and humans being subsets of nature; our best disposition is to allow the heart to heal defects in nature. Interestingly, nature didn’t leave us without clues as to what food directly impacts what parts of the body.¹ Take a close look at figs, and you’d discover that their inner section is filled with seeds, and this fruit grows in pairs. It is scientifically proven that figs help sperm cells retain vitality and increase motility. Also, it is used in the treatment of male sterility as it increases the production of sperm.² This can be traced to its iron-rich nature!³ In what is known as the doctrine of natural signatures, we have enough guidance showing us a path to obtaining holistic health; through natural foods. The science of food shapes and the organs they affect is not old and stale; instead, it remains a reliable way of treating certain diseases; modern science is still trying to find solutions ultimately. Find out everything you need to know about food shapes and organs here! When was it first used? Just like the earth existed long before man found a name for it, the treatment of organ diseases using the knowledge of natural signatures existed long before it was named. The Hakeem’s (Arabic name for health caregivers) had already practiced it long before the 15th century when Paracelsus expounded on the concept, which the modern world can now relate with. In his definition, he mentioned that “Nature marks each growth…according to its curative benefit.”⁴ However, Jakob Böhme gave the name ‘The Doctrine of Signatures” in his 1621 book titled The Signature of All Things. According to Böhme, every natural object was made by God so that its shape passed a sign for what it should be used for.⁵ Having seen where it started, let us consider popular food shapes and what organs they can treat or keep in health. Food shapes and your organs Ginger Ginger doesn’t look very different from the shape of your stomach if you look at the knob that trails from it. Research has proven that Ginger has bioactive chemical substances that help your stomach in cases of vomiting, indigestion problems, and nausea.6 It remedies several other ailments affecting the organ it resembles the stomach most. We could almost call it the superhero of the stomach, from morning sickness, diarrhea, nausea, motion sickness, among others. Ginger helps toughen your stomach’s mucus layer and mitigate the development of tumors in the stomach. Grapes Looking at a hanging bunch of grapes, the little ball-like fruits clinging to a stalk looks like the alveoli. Alveoli are the inner structures of our lungs. This is more than just a resemblance. It has been proven by scientific research that the consumption of grapes presents against cases of lung cancer and emphysema. More so, the proanthocyanidin content of grapes relieves asthmatic problems caused by exposure to allergies. Carrots Taking a glance at the cone-shaped vegetable, it’s hard to tell which organ of the body it looks like. However, when you cut it into slices, without a doubt, you’d see its resemblance with an eye. The innermost core has a slight difference in coloration as it spreads to the edge of the slice. Not forgetting the lines that stretch from the inner core also look like the Iris and pupils of our eyes. Interestingly, carrots have been tested to contain substances that improve sight. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, the precursors of Vitamin A, which is known to protect the eyes from cataracts and improve vision. Avocado Ever seen the diagram of the human uterus? Then you will agree with me that it does bear semblance with an avocado. Interestingly, avocados are rich in potassium and folate, which are of high benefit to pregnant women.7 If you’ve ever been pregnant or know someone who has, you must have been familiar with Folic acid medication. The function of folic acid is to prevent the occurrence of cervical dysplasia or any other congenital problems. That’s what you get from consuming this fruit which looks like the uterus. Interestingly, that’s not all avocados do for the uterus. It also plays a vital role in balancing hormones associated with birth. Mushrooms When you cut mushrooms in half, they look like the outer part of the human ear. Besides the resemblance, mushrooms are rich sources of Vitamin D which aids hearing ability. Vitamin D is important in forming healthy bones, especially the three little bones in the ear, which transmit sound signals to the brain. Research shows that diets that include mushrooms help guard against loss of hearing. Olives This oval-shaped fruit of Mediterranean origin is shaped like a human ovary. Interestingly, research carried out in Italy showed that women who consume olive oil often have a 30% lower chance of getting ovarian. While more research is going on to back this finding, it is believed that the constituents of the oil may have inhibiting properties against the development of ovarian cancer genes. Sweet Potatoes They don’t just look like the pancreas; they help the pancreas produce insulin. Insulin helps your body balance its sugar level. Aside from being a great dietary choice, sweet potatoes improve the health of your pancreas, which in turn aid stomach activities, especially in the breaking down of food particles. According to the Body + Soul website, the American Diabetes Association listed sweet potatoes as one of the superfoods in treating diabetes. This is not out of place as the vegetable is known for its ability to adjust the glycemic index of diabetic patients. Tomato When you slice open this succulent vegetable horizontally, you’d see four comely chambers, and it’s no coincidence. If you remember high school biology, you’d recall that the human heart also has four chambers! Tomatoes are of great
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