Never underestimate the power of an apple. 

This fruit’s anti-inflammatory properties make it a top pick when you’re faced with practically any illness. Encephalitis (brain inflammation), IBS (intestinal inflammation), and viral infection (which can result in nerve inflammation) are just a few conditions in which apples can play the critical nutritional role of calming your system by reducing viral and bacterial loads that create inflammation.

The phytochemicals in apples make them a true brain food, feeding neurons and increasing electrical activity. Apples with red skin contain anthocyanins and even traces of malvidin (a type of anthocyanidin), which are partially responsible for the red color. These pigments have anti-obesity properties and compounds that increase digestive strength, encouraging weight loss. Apples also have traces of flavonoids, rutin, and quercidin—phytochemicals that are responsible for heavy metal and radiation detoxification—as well as the amino acids glutamine and serine, which help detoxify the brain of MSG. This fruit helps cleanse and purify the organs, improve circulation in your lymphatic system, repair damaged skin, and regulate blood sugar.

Apples are the ultimate colon cleanser. As the pectin from an apple moves through your gut, it collects and rids your body of microbes such as bacteria, viruses, yeast, and mold. It also gathers and expels putrefied, impacted protein and debris that’s been hiding in intestinal pockets and feeding colonies of harmful bacteria such as E. coli and C. difficile. This makes apples an excellent antiproliferative for healing SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) and other digestive disorders.

Apples are also hydrating on a deep, cellular level. They provide precious trace minerals such as manganese and molybdenum, as well as electrolytes and critical mineral salts that help the body rehydrate after exercise or stress of any kind.

Conditions

If you have any of the following conditions, try bringing apples into your life:

Kidney disease, liver disease, Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, seizure disorders, multiple sclerosis (MS), thyroid disease, hypoglycemia, diabetes, transient ischemic attack (TIA), urinary tract infections (UTIs), adrenal fatigue, migraines, shingles, mold exposure, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), osteomyelitis, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), acne, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Lyme disease, obesity, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), anxiety, tinnitus, viral infection, vertigoSymptoms

If you have any of the following symptoms, try bringing apples into your life:

Ringing or buzzing in the ears, diabetic neuropathy, dizzy spells, room spins, balance and equilibrium issues, heart palpitations, acid reflux, hypoglycemia and other blood sugar imbalances, mineral deficiencies, body odor, premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms, rib pain, fatigue, bloating, gas, constipation, nervousness, anxiousness, frozen shoulder, weight gain, back pain, blurry eyes, brain fog, body pain, confusion, ear pain, body stiffness, brain inflammation, dandruff, menopause symptoms

Emotional Support

The apple is an ancient food that brings us back to the source. It is one of the very first foods to have comforted us, and so apples connect us to a sense of sanctuary. This makes them ideal for when you’re feeling depressed, alienated, invalid, powerless, useless, worthless—you get the idea. If the time ever comes when you feel you aren’t being validated, eating apples can help change your course.

Apples open up a part of you and change the energy within and around you to attract happier and brighter things. They can bring back your vibrancy, elevate you, lighten your spirit, and make you more energetic. This is because for thousands of years, we’ve stored apples to get us through the winter months. The fruit is a ray of hope that puts us in touch with the good life. It’s instilled in our bodies that when the outside world seems bleak, an apple can reconnect us to life, rebirth, sunlight, and summertime.

Spiritual Lesson

Apples teach us not to get burned by the frost of insensitivity from others. Unlike crops that risk damage from autumn temperatures, many apple varieties continue to grow and ripen through the cooler months, protected by their frost-resistant skin. When a cold front from a friend, lover, or colleague comes upon you, take heed from the apple and draw a protective shield around yourself until conditions improve.

Tips

* Red-skinned apples with the most color are best.

* Try eating three apples a day. If you commit to this routine, you could see your health improve in unexpected ways.

* At least once a year, go to an organic orchard that allows you to pick apples yourself. As I discussed in further detail in my first book, the skin of fresh, unwashed, pesticide- and wax-free produce contains elevated microorganisms that are critical to the health of your gut and immune system. The act of picking fruit is also one of the most powerful, grounding meditations that exists.

RECIPE

Apples with Caramel Dip

This is the perfect snack to have waiting when your kids get home from school: crispy apple slices laid out alongside a gooey caramel dipping sauce. You may want to double the recipe, because this dish will disappear before you know it.

1 large apple, sliced
6 dates, pitted
¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Arrange the apple slices on a plate. Blend the dates and the cinnamon with a splash of water until combined. (If working with dry, firm dates, soak them in water for 2 hours beforehand until they are softened.) Spoon the mixture into a serving cup alongside the apple slices.