The theory that nature provides clues as to the beneficial uses of plants is known as The Doctrine Of Signatures. The earliest known references to this theory are the writings of Galen (131-200 AD). Some 1,400 years later The Doctrine Of Signatures was expanded upon by several authors of note:
Paracelsus (1493-1541 AD) was born Phillip von Hohenheim, who later took up the names Philippus Theophrastus Aureolus, Bombastus von Hohenheim, and finally taking the title Paracelsus. He is regarded as the father of modern chemistry. The writings of Paracelsus are regarded as the earliest formal account of The Doctrine Of Signatures and had a significant influence in bringing the concept into the medicinal realm.
Jakob Boehme (1575-1624 AD) offered two books which further expanded upon The Doctrine Of Signatures from both physical and spiritual aspects. His books Signatura Rerum (The Signature Of All Things) and Aurora were published in the early 17th Century.
William Coles (1626-1662 AD) was a 17th century botanist, herbalist and physician. He authored a book titled The Art Of Simpling which reflected a contemporary belief that the appearance of a plant provides a clue, or signature, which indicates its beneficial medicinal use.
Surprisingly, little has been written on the topic since the 17th century. But now that modern day researchers are focusing more resources on the study of whole foods, the concept is once again coming into focus. The latest scientific research offers a good bit of anecdotal evidence suggesting that The Doctrine Of Signatures does hold true in many cases, including signatures that appear at a microscopic level – here is our first example.
Walnuts are an excellent source of omega-3 essential fatty acids, a special type of protective fat the body cannot manufacture. A quarter-cup of walnuts provides over 90% of the daily value for these essential fatty acids that promote better cognitive function in the brain.
In the April - May 1996 issue of Physiology & Behavior, Laura J. Stevens, of the Department of Foods and Nutrition, Purdue University, and co-investigators reported that boys with lower levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood showed more problems with behavior, learning, and health than those with higher levels of total omega-3 fatty acids. Also, in 1996, researchers from the Department of Psychiatry, Technical University, Faculty of Medicine, Trabzon, Turkey, reported that levels of free fatty acids as well as zinc were several fold lower in ADHD children compared to non-ADHD children.
In addition to being a wonderful “brain food”, walnuts offer many other potential health benefits ranging from cardiovascular protection, to anti-inflammatory benefits helpful in asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory skin diseases such as eczema and psoriasis. In addition, walnuts contain an antioxidant compound called ellagic acid that supports the immune system and appears to have several anticancer properties.
Many foods from The Wholefood Farmacy are rich in walnuts, the most popular being Organic Phi Plus. We call Phi Plus “the healthiest food in the world” because it is handcrafted from over 3 dozen pure whole food ingredients – there’s no other food like it in the world!
