This is the time of year when we turn to roots, to help provide nutrient and herbal constituents to support our resilience and immunity. In the summer time, the leaves capture the sunshine, and through some miracle of alchemy, turn that light into sugars, which are used, and the rest stored in the plants’ banking system – the roots. By the time autumn comes along, the roots are swollen with polysaccharides, vegetable proteins, defence compounds like phenols and a host of other wonderful constituents that herbalists call upon to help support our patients.
We naturally imbibe many of these beneficial compounds when we eat root vegetables, which of course, are one of the foods of choice for cosy winter meals. Foods which will help support your well being can include bone broths with root vegetables, anti-bacterial and anti-viral vegetables like onions and garlic, anti-bacterial herbs such as thyme, oregano and cinnamon, immune modulating foods like mushrooms, and fresh vegetable juices such as celery, beetroot and carrot.