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According to the old adage, “We are what we eat,” nutrition is everything. In fact, many health scientists study human hair to determine how healthy people are. That’s because human hair grows quickly and provides a map of every vitamin, mineral and nutrient the person has consumed (and it shows what the person is lacking).

So if our hair represents exactly what we eat, what does that say about the rest of our bodies? The human body depends upon nutrition in order to survive. What we put in our mouths determines how much energy we will have, how we will feel throughout the day, how happy we are, and even how long we will live.

To eat a nutritious, balanced diet, health experts recommend eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, grains and nuts. High fat foods and red meat lead to high cholesterol, obesity and heart disease, and should be eaten in moderation. At the same time, eating a variety of different types of fruits and vegetables is important as well, because each different type contains different nutrients. The more variety our bodies receive, the more healthy we are.

Although there are many food fads and diet trends, the best advice any health expert can give is to listen to your body. If you are depressed, sick, lethargic and can’t concentrate, you probably aren’t getting the nutrition you need. Start by examining what you eat each day, and throw out anything that doesn’t have nutritive value. Add fruits, vegetables, nuts and grains, and drink plenty of water to wash toxins out of your body. Soon, your body will appreciate being given the proper nutrition, and you will notice the difference.

Herbs are used as alternative forms of medicine to treat everything from an upset stomach to depression. Most herbs are available from your local natural foods store, but many people enjoy the rewards of growing their own herb gardens. Herbs can be grown outside, but many can also grow very successfully in pots placed along your windowsill.

If you choose to start an herb garden inside, start the seeds in small pots with a fluorescent light or plenty of sunlight. Don’t plant the seeds very deep (there are often directions on the seed packages), and water sparingly. As they grow larger, either transplant them to larger pots or plant them outside in the garden after the last frost.

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of medicinal herbs. However, there are a few that should be part of any good herb garden, and these include:

• Burdock
• Cayenne
• Chamomile
• Echinacea
• Fever Few
• Lemon Balm
• Milk Thistle
• Peppermint
• St. John’s Wort
• Yarrow

Burdock is used to detoxify the blood stream and rid the body of harmful toxins. It can also cure sore throats and colds, and provides healthy dietary fiber when eaten.

Cayenne is used to treat circulation and digestion problems, heart disease, sore throat, headaches and toothache. It can also treat upset stomach and gas, and some people use it in various recipes to treat premenstrual symptoms.

Chamomile is used to treat upset stomachs, stress, anxiety, and to induce sleep. It is typically boiled to make a tea.

Echinacea is used to support the immune system. Many people believe it prevents and cures the common cold.

Fever Few is used to treat migraines and muscle spasms. The leaves are chewed daily.

Lemon Balm reduces stress, acts as a sedative, and alleviates upset stomach, gas and bloating.

Milk Thistle is used to treat high cholesterol, liver problems, gallbladder disorders and some types of cancer. It can also be helpful for people with type 2 diabetes.

Peppermint is used to support healthy lungs and breathing. The leaves can be placed in boiling water to create an air freshener and inhalant.

St. John’s Wort is used as a sedative and to treat depression.

Yarrow fights the common cold and the flu. It can also staunch bleeding if a piece of the plant is held against a wound. It lowers blood pressure, cures fevers, and promotes healthy digestion and circulation.

Eating whole foods is an important part of getting the nutrition you need to be healthy. Whole foods are foods that preserve the same shape, freshness and nutritive qualities that they have while they are growing on trees, vines, in the soil or on bushes.

When foods are processed, chopped, crushed or otherwise altered, they begin to lose some of their nutrients. The longer it takes to get those processed foods to you, the more nutrients they lose. Also, high heat and excessive cooking also removes nutrients from foods.

There are some ways to preserve some of the nutritive value, however. Freezing foods immediately once they have been harvested retains most of their nutrients. Refraining from overcooking the food also retains nutrients.

Here are some tips to get the whole food nutrition you need:

• Choose fruits and vegetables that are ripe and fresh
• Don’t overcook food; instead, steam it carefully
• Frozen foods have nutritive value as long as it was frozen right after it was harvested (and frozen as close to whole food form as possible)
• Frozen foods lose value once they get “freezer-burn”
• Whole grains are also essential to a whole food diet
• Whole grains are those that have not undergone extensive processing. While eating whole grain bread and pasta is OK, also remember to choose whole grain rice, couscous and millet that hasn’t been processed.