Acne cause: Eating processed foods increases the body’s insulin levels, causing skin inflammation and breakouts. An imbalance of Omega-3 fats in the diet can also aggravate acne. Omega-3 fats are known to counter the effect of inflammatory chemicals that lead to breakouts.
Food solution: Have a diet that’s low on sugar and rich in whole grains, fibre, fruits and vegetables. It will balance the body’s insulin levels. Go for Omega-3 rich walnuts, flaxseeds, spinach and strawberries. Avoid fried and greasy foods.
High blood pressure cause: Blood pressure is the force ex- erted against the walls of the arteries as blood flows through them. If a person has high blood pressure, it means that the walls of the arteries are receiving too much pressure repeatedly. Consumption of unhealthy fats leads to a build up of cholesterol deposits along the artery walls, thinning the passage for blood flow, and thereby adding to the pressure.
Food solution: Adopt a two-pronged approach — stay away from unhealthy fats found in fried and packaged foods, and boost the intake of potassium, a mineral that reduces the effect of sodium on blood pressure levels. Mushrooms, bananas, dark green leafy vegetables, sweet potatoes, oranges and dates are high in potassium.
Asthma cause: Asthma is an allergic response of the body to a substance, such as foreign dust particles or foods that cause swelling or inflammation of the airways. High levels of histamine, a chemical messenger that helps direct the body’s response to a foreign invader, have been found to inflammate respiratory airways.
Food solution: Although no diet can guarantee the reversal of asthma, avoiding foods that up histamine levels can help control it. These include: alcohol, vinegar, ketchup, confectionary made with yeast, sour cream and fermented and processed foods.
Color your plate right
The best way to ensure that your diet is balanced is to color code it. Pigmentation is what lends color to fruits and vegetables, and also contains healthy nutrients. The deeper the color, the higher the percentage of a specific nutrient the food item has. Purple colored foods like plums and aubergines have phytochemicals called anthocyanins and resveratrol that fight ageing, reduce blood pressure and protect the body against liver diseases.
Orange colored foods such as oranges and carrots contain betacarotene and betacryptoxanthin that keep the skin and eyes healthy, and also protect against arthritis. Yellow foods such as bananas and sweet corn contain carotenoids that boost the immune system and keep the heart healthy. White foods, including garlic, onions, cauliflower and mushrooms, are rich in vitamin C, and antibiotic and antifungal compounds that fight cell damage and keep the fighter white blood cells healthy. Red foods like tomatoes and watermelons contain the powerful antioxidant lycopene which acts as an internal sunscreen and protects you from sunburn, prevents osteoporosis and heart diseases.
Greens such as peas, broccoli and spinach are packed with sulforaphane, isothiocyanate, and indoles which stimulate the liver to keep cancer producing chemicals in check.
Always choose real foods over processed foods. If the food didn’t grow in a garden or a farm, then it’s not a real food. This means choose the potato over the potato chips. Eat an orange rather than drink orange juice. Eat fruit instead of fruit snacks. If you’re a meat eater, eat actual meat not Frankenstein versions like chicken nuggets, hot dogs, and sandwich meat.
Diversify your food. Always aim for eating a variety of foods and colors. Whole foods vary in color because they all possess their own unique set of nutrients. Choose foods with bright colors and you’ll be sure to get a wide range of needed nutrients for disease prevention, optimal performance, high energy, and clear thinking.
Dr. Marianna Pochelli is a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine specializing in the treatment of disease through superfoods and herbal strategies. She actively promotes detoxification, colon cleansing, and a vegetarian lifestyle using living foods as a platform to health.
