These herbal pharmacists took visual cues from the flora. If a plant resembled a part of the body, that was an indication of healing properties for that body part. Signatures presented as similar textures, shapes, and colors, and were considered be- nevolent signs from the Divine that mankind could easily inter- pret.
Our modern approach to medicine does not allow for intu- ition, nor does it acknowledge the power of philosophical or spiritual beliefs in healing. Therefore, the Doctrine of Signatures has largely been left behind as "magical thinking" by the major- ity of today’s medical professionals. But not all this foundational wisdom has been lost. Paradigm-shifting studies on placebo effect may help expand the limited views of modern medicine regarding the power of beliefs to impact healing outcomes. Until then, there are some foods that science validates as having the power to heal the part of the body that they closely resemble. Let’s examine a few of these signature foods, and learn what qualities they possess that can help keep our human systems functioning optimally.
Pomegranate
Pomegranates are prized for possessing numerous regenerative properties, many of which bear strikingly similar signatures to the human systems they restore. The deep red, as-
tringently sweet juice of the pomegranate has
been clinically studied to increase the health and vitality of our blood. A 2014 study in the Journal of Applied Physiology, Nutri- tion and Metabolism found that consuming pomegranate extract 30 minutes before exercise enhanced the diameter of blood vessels and increased blood flow. The group that consumed pomegranate juice also noted delayed onset of fatigue during exercise as well as a significant increase in post-workout vitality. Pomegranates are known worldwide as symbols of fertility, thanks in part to their resemblance to human ovaries. Amaz- ingly, pomegranates not only look like human ovaries, they produce some of the very same hormones (e.g. estrone and testosterone) and have shown promise in the treatment of meno- pause.
Epithelial tissue refers to the thin layer of cells that make up
the connective tissue which lines the inside and outside of the body. Flat in shape and tightly-packed together, these epithelia closely resemble the clustered red seeds inside the pomegranate. If you have ever tried pomegranate juice, you probably noticed the clean, astringent effect it has on the inside of the mouth. This is where pomegranate’s benefits for epithelial tissue are on display.
Epithelial tissue lines the inside of our mouths and throats.
When you drink pomegranate juice, this same cleansing effect that you taste and feel in your mouth, is also occurring in your arteries. The effect is clinically significant. A 3-year study on the ef- fects of pomegranate juice consumption on atherosclerotic pa- tients showed that within just 3 months of starting an 8-oz.
daily pomegranate juice regimen, patients demonstrated a rever- sal of plaque build-up in the carotid arteries by 13%! And unlike pharmaceutical interventions, the benefits of drinking pomegranate juice deepen the longer you consume it. Imagine the benefit this simple (and delicious!) intervention could impart to the millions of people on dangerous statin drugs.
Flaxseed
Flaxseeds look very much like the epithe- lial tissue they heal and are mucilaginous, much like the epithe- lial tissues in our body which produce a slip- pery, protective mucus coat known as the gly- cocalyx.
Flax has been con-
sumed by humans for thousands of years, and its many thera- peutic uses are well-documented. Ancient Ayurvedic texts herald flax seeds and the rich, lustrous oil they produce, as healing for the skin, useful in fighting fatigue, and as a powerful anti-inflam- matory, among other benefits. Modern dieticians talk about flaxseeds’ high lignan count,
referring to the isolated part of the plant that has been identified as a powerful antioxidant. Ingesting flaxseed oil has been shown to speed wound healing by stimulating collagen synthesis, giving credence to its historical value for skin conditions. Science keeps adding to the already long list of reasons to prize this wondrous plant. Studies have demonstrated the thera-
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