Healing foods and your emotional state: 5 Natural ways to heal health complaints, regardless of what they are

The quest for effective remedies to different health conditions is a never-ending one, but it isn’t wise to rely on pharmaceutical medication. After all, drugs are often linked to adverse side effects.

The best way to maintain your overall health is through prevention, and you can do this by practicing five health-boosting habits – such as following a balanced diet and taking supplements to improve your digestion.

According to Kelly Turner, the New York Times best-selling author of Radical Remission, the title of her book refers to “the remission from cancer that occurs in the absence of conventional medicine, or after conventional medicine has failed.”

In Radical Remission, Turner details interviews with individuals from all walks of life who were told that they only had days to live. But by making lifestyle changes, the people she interviewed survived for many years and even became healthier.

Turner is the first in her field to research, document and travel around the globe to interview cancer survivors from 10 different countries. She talked to both the radical remission survivors and the people who helped heal them.

Through the course of her travels, Turner noticed common healing factors among the survivors. Detailed below are just five healing factors that can help those with cancer and those who want to improve their current lifestyle habits.

Take charge of your healing

While the survivors had different life experiences, at one point, they all realized that they needed to take charge of their healing process, especially after conventional doctors told them that they only had weeks or days left to live.

But since it isn’t possible to control your healing 100 percent, Turner suggests thinking of this habit more as empowering yourself – instead of taking control of the healing journey.

The survivors explained that they gained a sense of empowerment by understanding that they knew themselves better than their doctors did.

Change your diet radically

All the survivors Turner talked to had different “sets” of the nine keys, which varied depending on their personal needs. Some struggled with bad eating habits, while others were dealing with childhood trauma.

Regardless of the keys that the survivors started with, Turner noted that they made drastic changes to their eating habits, such as incorporating more fresh fruits and vegetables into their diet. (Related: Healthy habits for a healthier body: 13 Reasons to choose nutrient-rich whole foods over processed junk foods.)

Turner cited study findings that suggest following a diet made up of 50 percent fruits and vegetables was linked to increased longevity, “regardless of whether you have cancer or not.”

Not sure where to start? Eat more of the nutritious fruits and vegetables included in the list below:

• Avocado
• Bananas
• Bell peppers
• Celery
• Grapefruit
• Lettuce
• Melon
• Onions
• Peas
• Raisins
• Sprouts
• Tomato

Deepen your spiritual connection practice

People maintain their spiritual connection in different ways. While some may find solace in going to church, others may prefer meditation or even mindful hobbies like gardening.

Even if the survivors had different ways of connecting to their spiritual side, Turner explained that it was crucial to their healing.

For example, meditation is a common spiritual connection practice that helps improve your physical health by boosting levels of oxytocin and serotonin, which then increases the number of white blood cells and natural killer cells.

Turner recommends spending at least 15 minutes daily practicing your spiritual connection method.

Incorporate beneficial herbs and natural supplements into your diet

The survivors Turner talked to took different herbs and supplements.

However, she noticed three trends in what the herbs and supplements did for them:

• The herbs and supplements helped them digest their food better.
• The herbs and supplements helped detoxify their bodies of candida, heavy metals and parasites.
• The herbs and supplements helped improve their overall health by increasing their intake of vitamins B, C, D and E.

Listen to your feelings and release suppressed emotions

Your emotions are also crucial to your healing process. Thoughts influence your emotional state, which is also linked to your immune system.

If your thoughts are stuck to negative emotions that you have built up through the years, they can negatively affect your health.

Start releasing buried emotions by answering these questions from Turner:

1. What suppressed emotions do you need to let go?
2. Are these emotions caused by stress, grief or trauma?
3. Do you feel anxiety or fear of the future?

It’s also important to increase positive emotions, which helps improve your mood and outlook on life.

The healing process is different for every individual, but you can benefit from the five healing keys detailed above, even if you don’t have cancer. Turner’s colleagues and researchers have conducted randomized studies to verify that, individually, the five factors above can help strengthen your immunity.

These healing keys are lifelong commitments that offer significant health benefits. Practice habits such as making changes to your diet and dealing with any repressed emotions to improve your immunity and overall health.

Sources include:

MindBodyGreen.com

Heart.org