Food First!
Imagine a food, and not a medicine that is powerful enough to help you lower your cholesterol or reduce your risk of heart disease or lower your possibility of cancer! And then for an added bonus, it also puts you in a better mood and helps you achieve radiant looking skin. Oh, and I think I forgot to mention that there are absolutely no side effects? Surely you would stock up on a lifetime supply. Guess what? These life-altering foods are available right now in your local supermarket.
The foods you choose to eat will effect how you feel today as well as your future life’s quality. Even healthy people are able to make a few tweaks – and the impact really is amazing. I would guestimate that approximately 60% of suffering could be eliminated by what people eat and how they choose to exercise – I truly believe that heart disease, diabetes, obesity, cancer and high blood pressure can all be impacted.
The great thing is that you do not need to eat a specific food to treat a specific ailment. A healthy diet should incorporate a variety of the following superfoods – and they will help you maintain your weight, fight disease and even live longer. The one thing that all the foods on my list have in common is that they are ‘clean’ (unprocessed) foods. You aren’t going to find a fortified cereal on my list!
My Top Superfoods Which I Believe Offer Super Health Protection
- Beans
- Blueberries
- Broccoli
- Oats
- Oranges
- Pumpkin
- Salmon
- Soy
- Spinach
- Green Tea
- Tomatoes
- Turkey
- Walnuts
- Yogurt
Blueberries — Antioxidant Superfood
The ultimate superfood. Just 100g (4oz) of blueberries contain the same amount of age-defying antioxidants as five servings of other fruit and vegetables. Antioxidants help guard against a range of cancers, heart disease, asthma, arthritis and cataracts, Alzheimer’s and age-related neurological diseases.
By preventing infectious bacteria from clinging to the wall of the gut, bladder and urethra, blueberries also offer protection against cystitis. High in vitamin C and a good source of fibre, blueberries have a compound, pterostilbene, which acts to protect the heart in the same way as cholesterol-lowering drugs.
They also contain anthocyanins, which give them their blue colour. Other flavonoids reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. There is also resveratrol, which again is believed to have an anti-cancer effect.
Omega 3-Rich Fish — Superfoods for the Heart, Joints, and Memory
For quite some time it has been common knowledge that omega-3 fatty acids are good for you, but do know how far-reaching their health benefits can be?
Extensive research has linked omega-3 fatty acids consumption to everything from reduced cardiovascular disease to cancer, arthritis, may possibly help with memory loss and Altzheimer’s and inflammatory bowel disease, there is some evidence to show that it reduces depression as well.”
Omega-3s are most prevalent in fatty, cold-water fish: Look for wild (not farmed) salmon, herring, sardines, and mackerel. Aim for two-to-three servings a week. Other forms of omega 3s are available in fortified eggs, flax seed, and walnuts. These superfoods have the added benefit of being high in monounsaturated fats, which can lower cholesterol.
Soy — Superfood to Lower Cholesterol
A study reported in The Journal of the American Medical Association (2003) showed that a diet of soy fibre, protein from oats and barley, almonds, and margarine from plant sterols lowered cholesterol as much as statins (which are the most widely prescribed cholesterol medicine).
Fibre — Superfood Aids Weight Loss, Keeps Cholesterol Levels Down and Keeps Your Bowel Healthy
A diet which is high in fibre will help you maintain healthy cholesterol and regulate blood sugar levels. As fibre helps you feel fuller longer, it’s a great tool in weight management. Whole grains, beans, fruit, and vegetables are all good sources.
Green Tea — Superfood for Lowering Cholesterol and Inhibiting Cancer.
Green tea has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries to treat everything from headaches to depression. The leaves are supposedly richer in antioxidants than other types of tea because of the way they are processed. Green tea is alleged to boost weight loss, reduce cholesterol, combat cardiovascular disease, and prevent cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.
Calcium
Calcium helps build strong bones and prevents osteoporosis. Look for it in dairy products or supplements. Added bonus: Some studies show that calcium helps with weight loss. Here are the calcium levels recommended for adults by the USDA:
• Age 9 to 18 — 1,300 mg
• Age 19 to 50 — 1,000 mg
• Age 51 and over — 1,200 mg
Dark Chocolate
New research has shown that dark chocolate is packed with antioxidants and can lower blood pressure. However, its important that you are eating chocolate with a minimum of 60% cocoa content; the darker, the better. In addition, the darker it is, the lower the fat and sugar content. Now that’s my kind of health food!