Super Foods

 

By Catherine Lewis, AHJ Editor — Published: June 10, 2008

 

Have you ever heard the term “super-foods”? In keeping with other “supers” such as Superman, super powers and super human, it would seem that super-foods would be something that could help you – definitely not hurt you. They certainly are part of one of the most talked about current health crazes. But there are many foods that can help you feel better and get healthier, so why these? Just what are these super-foods and what can they do for you? Let’s take a look . . .

Have you ever heard the term “super-foods”? In keeping with other “supers” such as Superman, super powers, super human, and super-duper (ok, maybe not that one) it would seem that super-foods would be something that could help you – definitely not hurt you. They certainly are part of one of the most talked about current health crazes. But there are many foods that can help you feel better and get healthier, so why these? Just what are these super-foods and what can they do for you? Let’s take a look . . .

What are Super-Foods?

Super-foods are foods that are designed by nature to give you a balanced and healthy diet.  But, the true super-foods are jam-packed full of nutrients that help to treat a variety of health issues and have potent preventative powers.  And while the craze of super-foods is relatively new, the benefits of eating these foods have been in place for centuries. You may not know that some of them are even categorized as super-foods while in fact many are foods that you may already be eating and can help to treat or even prevent diseases like cancer and blindness.  You just have to know what ones to eat!

What are Some Super-Foods?

There are many super-foods, but these are some of the most common:

• Beans (kidney, lima, etc) have lots of iron in them and are easy to cook and eat.  The best way to eat them is as natural as possible so that you get as many nutrients as you can (so, try not to just eat the ones in the can).
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• Blueberries are packed with vitamin C and have a ton of antioxidants that will help with your overall health.
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• Fish is great for helping you to feel more energized as well as having plenty of omega 3 fatty acids.
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• Soy is a great food that helps lower cholesterol and helps you to have a cleaner feeling body.  You can find soy in tofu as well as soy milk and oats and barley.
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• Fiber will help your body to have lower cholesterol as well and will lower blood sugar levels that may be running too high for your body.
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• Tea can help with many things but one of the most important is giving your body a boost with its important antioxidants.
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• Calcium helps with your bones and your teeth by making them stronger and last longer. 
• Dark Chocolate is new to the super-food list and is probably the most loved one.  Recent studies have shown dark chocolate to have powerful antioxidants.

Why You Need Super-Foods

So now you know what super-foods are – but do you really need them all?

Well, the answer is yes. To keep your body feeling good and working well, it’s ideal to get at least a little of each of these super-foods on a regular basis. If you don’t like one of them, you can always look for an alternative that has the same benefits and can still give you what your body needs!

So give a super-food a chance, will you? Who knows . . . you might feel better than you ever had, almost super-human even!

Get Strong! Stay Strong!

Chris

Mighty Magnesium

                                                                                                                    

For the longest time people have focused on calcium and vitamin D for bone health. While important, without adequate magnesium (Mg) the absorption of calcium is hindered. Magnesium is stored in our bones and is a buffering mineral when our blood becomes too acidic or when needed in other areas of the body. Many people are Mg deficient and have used up the Mg in their bones and they begin to weaken. An Israeli study showed that 22(71%) of the 31 women who took 250 and 750 mg of magnesium daily for 2 years (without extra calcium or vit. D) increased their bone density by 1-8%. The women who took placebos lost 1-3% of their bone density over the same 2 years. Great food sources of Mg include: broccoli, kale, collards, spinach, romaine lettuce, almonds, seafood and apples.

Get Strong! Stay Strong!

Chris

 

Hydration Tidbit

Many people often substitute high sugar and caffeine drinks for quality hydration.  Soda, coffee and teas contain caffeine and sugar, which can dehydrate as well as add extra calories and rob your bones of calcium.  Dehydration can lead to false sugar cravings, which can turn into extra pounds which most people nowadays dont need!  Substitute your soda for good old H2O.  Adding fruit or a little lemon or lime can make water more palatable.  Sports drinks are another alternative.  Be careful of sugar content in these drinks and use them to flavor water or make sure to dilute them. They should not be used in place of water.   Being properly hydrated is imperative for health and performance.  Try to drink at least 8, 8 oz glasses of quality water each day.  Yes soda, coffee and beer have water in it but so does sewer water.  That doesnt mean its good for your body (coffee in moderation does have some health benefits)!  Think of the stress to your kidneys and liver to filter out all the toxins in soda and other drinks.  Also many of the ingredients in those other drinks inhibit vitamin/mineral absorption which can effect your health and well being in the long run.  Thirst is not an accurate mechanism to go by.  Usually by the time you feel thirsty you may already be 2-3% dehydrated.  Checking urine color is a quick and practical way to monitor your hydration level.  It should be clear to pale yellow.  It amazes me how many people neglect this simple but important aspect of health and then wonder why they feel like crap all the time or do not heal quickly.  So, if your a water drinker keep up the good work!  If your not, get with it and start drinking!

 

Get Strong, Stay Strong!

Chris