Editor’s Note: Winter Edition no. 242

One of the things I love about winter is how much it makes me appreciate the other seasons! Instead of spending winter summoning spring, I thought about the five things I loved most about winter.

• Oversized tops, knits and track pants;
• A log fire, its warmth and dancing flames;
• An extra thick winter duvet and fleecy blanket;
• The sound of the rain on the roof, when cosy inside;
• Soups, home baked bread and steamy hot chocolate.

Winters are beautiful for some and problematic for others. In winter your immune system may slow down and it is also a time of colds, flus, dry skin, joint pain and cold sores. Winter makes up a quarter of our year and is a natural cycle on Earth; let’s make it count. In order to avoid the most common winter conditions, it is imperative to eat a healthy and nutritious diet, drink enough water and exercise.

To quote Hippocrates – the Father of Medicine – “Let food be thy medicine, and let medicine be thy food.” But, as research by Diana Cardenas in 2013 shows, this quote cannot be found anywhere in Hippocrates’ writings. What was established in Hippocrates’ writings was that diet and lifestyle regime were at the centre of his thoughts about the responsibilities of a doctor and the tools for treatment. As early as 400 BC Hippocrates stressed the importance of healthy eating and how the nutrients in various foods have healing properties.

The original Greek oath, literally translated, says: “I will apply dietetic and lifestyle measures to help the sick to my best ability and judgment; I will protect them from harm and injustice.”

Although many patients are convinced of the importance of food in both causing and relieving their problems, many doctors’ knowledge of nutrition is rudimentary. Most feel much more comfortable with drugs than foods and the “food as medicine” philosophy of Hippocrates has been largely neglected. Times they are a-changing; concerns about obesity, the human immune system and a growing acceptance of the science of functional foods and the therapeutic possibilities are becoming apparent.

“Let food be thy medicine…” is a great approach to take when looking at lifestyle changes needed to prevent and reduce disease. This does not suggest that conventional medicines are not necessary, but rather shows the significant role that a healthy diet plays in disease prevention.

In this edition …
We feature food, stress and human immunity, we share an inspirational conscious and holistic weight loss journey in Wavelength and explore super-powered immunity, natural remedies for viruses and superbugs, the power of pro-powered microorganisms like fermented foods and how to make Kimchi. We take a look at intuitive eating, paying attention to every experience related to eating, including taste, emotions, thoughts and how your body responds to what you eat. We introduce the psychoanalytic theories of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung on obesity in a book called Food Glorious Food.

The July calendar brings you the KwazuluSpirit Festival taking place 22 and 23 July at the Estuary Hotel and Spa in Port Edward, KZN. The full program is in this edition Pages 68 to 91 with great reads and all of the info needed to plan your journey and what you would like to experience each day. Nutrition features in the festival’s Vegan Village with talks on plantiIiscious nutrition and radical cellular regeneration…

Celebrating Women! August is women’s month, honouring all of the women in our lives we share a global conscious travel segment ‘Where Women Gather’.

All Love Debra