“Let your food be your medicine and let your medicine be your food”. Hippocrates
Fresh fruit and vegetables are LOADED with nutrition, naturally high in fiber, promote healthy blood pressure, protect against illness and disease and are good for you in every way imaginable.
Bell Pepper: One of the most nutrient-dense foods, high in fiber and one of the richest natural sources of vitamin C. The high vitamin C content along with high beta-carotene content makes bell peppers naturally protective against cataracts.
- Bell peppers also contain substances, including capsaicin, flavonoids and vitamin C, which have been shown to prevent blood clot formation, reduce the risk of heart attacks and stroke and naturally lower cholesterol.
Broccoli: Low in calories and one of the most nutrient-dense foods on earth and especially rich in vitamin C. Broccoli is an excellent source of Vitamins K, A, B6, E, folic acid, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, various phyto-nutrients and fiber.
- Broccoli contains Sulforaphane, which according research out of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, “dramatically reduced the frequency, size and number of tumors” in test animals. New anti-cancer drugs targeting breast and prostrate cancer, are being developed based on what you get naturally in broccoli.
To get the protective effect researchers suggest eating about two pounds of broccoli per week OR about an ounce of mature broccoli sprouts per week. Broccoli is also rich in carotenoids and helps protect against macular degeneration.
Carrots: Two carrots provide over 4 times the RDA of vitamin A. Carrots are also an excellent source of vitamin K, K, B6, thiamine, potassium and fiber.
- Carrots are nutritional store-houses of anti-oxidants and have been shown in medical studies to lower the risk of heart attack, postmenopausal breast cancer and bladder cervix, prostrate, colon, larynx and esophagus cancer.
- Studies suggest as little as one carrot a day may cut the rate of lung cancer by 50%.
Celery: An excellent source of vitamin C , B6, B1, B2, potassium, sodium, and fiber.
- Celery naturally lowers blood pressure in a matter of minutes and, consumed daily, lowers blood pressure 12-14% and lowers cholesterol by 7%. Celery also contains natural substances effective in reducing joint pain and muscle aches.
Blueberries: An excellent source of antioxidants, vitamin C, fiber, vitamin E, manganese and riboflavin.
- Blueberries contain compounds proven protective to the eyes, help protect against macular degeneration, associated with greater learning ability, improves night vision and promotes intestinal and urinary health.
Cantaloupe: Extremely nutrient-dense, naturally low in calories; excellent source of carotenes, potassium and many other nutrients.
- Cantaloupes are high in the compound adenosine, which naturally thins the blood and is currently used in drugs related to heart health.
Apples: Excellent source of vitamin C, potassium, fiber and best eaten with the skin on and raw.
- More than 85 medical studies show regular apple consumption is consistently associated with reduced risk of heart disease, cancer, asthma, and type 2 diabetes. One study followed 5000 men and women more than 20 years and found a 20% lower risk of heart disease compared to the non apple-eating group.
- Besides being heart-healthy; apples promote bowel regularity and relieve both constipation and diarrhea.
Bananas: Extremely rich in potassium, which regulates heart function and fluid balance and plays a big role in maintaining healthy blood pressure.
Virtually ALL brightly colored fruits and vegetables contain a wide spectrum of vitamins, minerals, phyto-nutrients and other highly health-beneficial compounds so effective, they are being tested in controlled medical studies and researched by major pharmaceutical companies to pattern drugs after.
OTHER FOODS THAT HEAL
Seeds And Nuts: (Almonds, pistachios, pecans, etc.) Naturally high in fiber; extremely mineral-rich; high in naturally occurring, heart-healthy fats associated with lower cholesterol and lower blood pressure. An EXCELLENT snack choice! Low in carbohydrate, and rich in protein and heart-healthy fats. And a little bit goes a long way to satisfy your appetite.
Any food naturally high in the omega 3 essential fatty acids; because the omega 3’s have a natural, powerful anti-inflammatory affect, are important to blood pressure, heart and brain health and support good health throughout your body.
Wild-caught salmon; sardines form COLD water areas; any cold water fish; walnuts; and all fresh, dark-green leafy vegetables are naturally high in healthy omega 3 essential fatty acids.
Small servings of lean meat, chicken or cold water fish; because these foods contain all the essential amino acids and are LOADED with highly bio-available vitamins and minerals, which means smaller servings still give you optimal nutrition.
BOTTOM LINE
You determine your level of health and vitality with your food choices. Why not accept the wonderful, health-building, nutritional gifts nature offers so abundantly?
Fall in love with delicious green and brightly colored vegetables, fresh seasonal fruit, raw seeds and nuts, cold water fish and small servings of lean meats. Do this and, in less time than you imagine, you’ll become noticalbly healthier and more energetic.
Food Choices And Weight Loss
The key to losing weight and keeping it off is to understand how food affects your hormones, your body weight and your health and to have a step-by-step program to put that knowledge to work in your life. For more information on this visit: http://www.5StepsToOptimalHealth.com
Replacing food that harm your health with foods that strengthen, heal and fortify your body will improve your health and make you stronger and more energetic.
Having excellent health is a choice you can make… so go buy yourself some broccoli… and share this article with your friends.
Written by Dr. Russell J. Martino, Ph.DThe Voice Of Health
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Dr. Russell, I heard you say on Great Day Houston that raw carrots are better to eat than cooked because you lose some of the nutrients in the cooking water. But I read in a magazine that cooked carrots are better because your body is able to absorb more of the nutrients. Is that something to consider also? What if the carrots are steamed rather than boiled?
Courtney,
Regardless of how you eat carrots, they are good for you and loaded with nutrients.
Raw carrots are inexpensive, highly nutritious and something you can take with you when you’re in a hurry.
Boiling carrots breaks down the fiber and makes the nutrients more accessible… HOWEVER boiling carrots results in many nutrients being lost in the water and, if you’re in a hurry, you probably won’t grab boiled carrots to snack on… but you may grab a raw carrot.
Lightly steaming carrots breaks down the fiber making the nutrients more accessible and no nutrients are lost to the water.
Nutritionally speaking carrots are excellent regardless of how you have them. There are no bad choices.
You get more nutrients from lightly steamed carrots than you get from raw carrots.
Studies conducted at the University or Arkansas show that blanching carrots for two minutes, canning them and cooking them at high temperature in the can yields the highest anti oxidant content of all. In other words… cooked, canned carrots are extremely high in anti oxidants and are very good for you.
The bottom line is…
You can ‘t go wrong eating carrots.
While you may get greater anti oxidant value in steamed or canned carrots, the overall nutritional value you get from raw carrots is VASTLY SUPERIOR to most other quick-snack choices.
The nutrients you get from raw carrots you actually are VASTLY SUPERIOR to the nutrients you don’t get from not eating steamed or boiled carrots because you were in too big a hurry to bother preparing them.
One final thought… anti oxidants in carrots are primarily in the skin, which means unpeeled carrots are nutritionally superior to peeled carrots 100% of the time.
Having excellent health is a choice you can make… so go by yourself some broccoli… and share this article with your friends.
typo buy