There are many correct ways to live, and yet everyone is confused about the right path.
Before we make a choice, let’s remember some basic truths. With the right information, we can and will make that all-too-crucial decision.
To begin with, why is there an overload of information out there? Because we’re in the digital age. And every day, medical science continues to reveal more discoveries. The responsible thing to do is to get educated. It is the least that we can do for ourselves if we value our lives.
We need to be “armed” in a war that rages within our human bodies: inflammation.
Before the body gets sick, it has to reach a state of inflammation. The result is a weary immune system. So, in order to be well, let’s fight inflammation.
The first nonnegotiable rule: Eat your vegetables. Green food provide the right nutritional defense to be effective in neutralizing inflammation. They are called phytonutrients contained in fresh vegetables and fruits.
Remember to get power nutrients from the food you eat. Exotic as they may sound, here they are: anthocyanins allyl sulfur compounds, carotenoids, catechins, coumarins, glucosinolates, isoflavones, isoflavonoids, lignans, limonoid, phenolic acids, phytosterols, tocopherols and tocotrienols.
Natural food sources are onions, garlic, açai, blueberries, grapes, carrots, yams, pumpkin, green leafy vegetables, green tea, citrus fruits whole grains, wheat grass, barley grass, broccoli, sprouts, cabbage and kale.
Raw vegetables and fruits contain much more enzymes than cooked food. In fact, cooking kills the enzymatic power of raw foods.
What to eat
Eat more:
Fish—long-chain marine fatty acids, omega 3s (DHA and EPA) are concentrated in fatty fish like tuna, salmon, sardines. And the exciting development can be expected—it can save your life. These fish are likened to powerful statins that prevent heart attacks.
There is evidence found in the Attica study in Greece, in which 1,514 healthy men and 1,528 healthy women were examined to determine the role of dietary changes and the lowering of risks for heart disease. Those who consumed 10.5 ounces per week of fish (that’s like eating fish once a week) lowered their inflammatory markers by as much as 33 percent!
Moral of the story? Eat more fish, consume less red meat. Caution: Avoid frying your fish.
If you seek a vegetarian approach to consuming omega 3, consider investing in flaxseed oil supplements. This, combined with vitamin C, will upgrade your omega 3 profile to optimum levels.
Dynamic duo
There’s a dynamic duo of spices, two bright stars that shine brilliantly in the firmament of health. It is the curcumin in turmeric (yellow ginger) that addresses problems of the brain like Alzheimer’s disease.
In India, which enjoys lower rates of Alzheimer’s, the population consumes generous amounts of curry (in which turmeric is a key component).
It also lowers blood sugar levels, improves blood circulation, and enhances memory.
Sources are fresh turmeric root, curry spices, turmeric and ginger, also known to contain anti-cancer properties.
Ginger root, known as 6-gingerol, is as potent as turmeric.
Cinnamon is prized in traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine. It stimulates insulin receptors with ease, and makes the cells metabolize glucose more effectively.
Do you know that all you need is less than half a teaspoon of cinnamon in order to manage adult-onset diabetes? Blood sugar, cholesterol and triglycerides can drop.
The complete longevity lifestyle includes 20 minutes of exercise daily, hydration, seven to eight hours of sleep, and stress management.
This week’s affirmation: “I will live longer and better.”
(Reference: “Ageless Face, Ageless Mind,” by Nicolas Perricone, M.D.)