Top 5 Foods That Fight Diseases

This post will cover disease-fighting foods. Of course, immunity can be boosted by exercising regularly (not over doing it – that compromises the immune system), and hygiene as well. These 3 together are basic things that are in your direct control. We will look at what we can add to our diet to help defend ourselves better against diseases.

 

1. Soybeans

Soybeans are a known source of proteins, carbohydrates (soluble and insoluble fiber), potassium, magnesium, molybdenum etc. They are also a rich source of the very beneficial isoflavones compounds like genistein. It is also rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and iron. Studies have shown soybean’s significant role in preventing cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis, promoting gastrointestinal health; lowering the chances of getting breast and prostate cancer and stabilizing blood sugars at healthy level as well as lowering BP and LDL.

2. Walnuts

Walnuts rank among the top dry fruits. They teem with health benefits such as cutting cholesterol levels, reducing risk of CVD, improving cognitive function etc. The Omega -3 in walnuts helps stabilize cardiac arrhythmia and prevents blood clotting within arteries. It prevents the hardening of arteries. Walnuts are rich in I-arginine – one of the essential amino acids that help blood vessels to relax. Not the least, walnuts boost your power to fight infections of the skin, asthma and arthritis.

3. Broccoli

Broccoli is packed with Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Calcium, Magnesium and Iron. In addition to that, broccoli is loaded with indoles and the very potent cancer fighting chemical sulforaphane and beta-carotene. This chemical produces enzymes that fight colon, bladder and ovarian cancers effectively. Broccoli also helps detoxify your system by removing free radicals that damage the heart. By the same virtue, it also protects the skin and helps maintain a healthy stomach flora. How’s that for a single vegetable!

4. Spinach

This leafy green is loaded with beta-carotene, B2, B6, A, C, K, iron and chlorophyll. It is also a good source of folate, magnesium, potassium, zinc, protein, dietary fiber, calcium, phosphorus, omega-3 fatty acids, niacin and selenium. Spinach protects against osteoporosis, heart disease, colon cancer, and arthritis, strengthens bones, purifies blood vessels, increases blood haemoglobin, cures bile related problems, and removes toxins from intestines.

 5. Olives

This bitter Mediterranean food is a power fighter. Its sulforaphane boosts the body’s detoxification enzymes. Olives give cellular protection against free radicals. The Vitamin E present in olives work as anti-oxidants that neutralize free radicals. It also protects against heart diseases and supports gastrointestinal health. It is known to reduce cholesterol and chances of colon cancer. Apart from this, the polyphenols in olives may also help reduce the severity of asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Olives are famous for their anti-inflammatory property.

There are many more foods that I have not included such as oats, tomatoes, capsicums etc. Though the foods I have mentioned have multiple benefits, they could harm those who are allergic to them.

Eat right and stay fit!

Ten Surprising Nutrition Facts

 

The American diet circa 2007 is a disaster – but positive change has begun. Those were the twin themes of the "Fourth Annual Nutrition and Health Conference" held in San Diego, Calif., May 14-16, 2007. The conference was sponsored by the University of Arizona’s College of Medicine in conjunction with the Program in Integrative Medicine (PIM); PIM was founded and is co-directed by Dr. Weil. 

The three-day event brought together leading nutrition researchers from around the world, bearing plenty of both bad and good news. Some highlights:

 

Bad News:

 

1. Hunter-gatherers in the Australian outback today live on 800 varieties of plant foods. Modern Americans live principally on three: corn, soy and wheat.

   From the presentation, "Phytonutrients: Nature’s Bonus from Plant Foods" by David Heber, M.D., Ph.D. Professor of Medicine and Public Health and Director, UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

2. One third of Americans get 47 percent of their calories from junk foods.

   USDA" Trends in the United States – Consumer Attitudes and the Supermarket, 2000. From the presentation, "Phytonutrients: Nature’s Bonus from Plant Foods" by David Heber, M.D., Ph.D. Professor of Medicine and Public Health and Director, UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

3. The average American is eating 300 more calories each day than he or she did in 1985. Added sweeteners account for 23 percent of those additional calories; added fats, 24 percent.

   Putnam et al. USDA. From the presentation, "Cultivating the Common Ground of Food, Nutrition and Ecological Health," by David Wallinga, M.D., Director, Food & Health Program, Institute for Agriculture & Trade Policy, Minneapolis, Minn.

4. Vitamin D deficiency is widespread. The following health problems have been linked to vitamin D deficiency: type 1 and 2 diabetes; multiple sclerosis; rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, periodontal disease, increased susceptibility to infection; osteoporosis, low birth weight infants; low seizure threshold; cancers of the breast, prostate, colon, pancreas and ovary; non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma; hypertension, myocardial infarction, stroke, congestive heart failure; wheezing in childhood, and compromised muscle strength and falls in the elderly.

   From the presentation, "Vitamin D Deficiency: The Cause of Everything?" by Louise Gagne, M.D., Clinical Assistant Professor, Dept. of Community Health and Epidemiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.

5. In real dollars, the price of fresh fruits and vegetables has risen nearly 40 percent since 1985. In real dollars, the price of soft drinks has dropped 23 percent. The reason unhealthy foods tend to be less expensive on average than foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables has much to do with American farm policy.

   Condensed from "Food without Thought: How U.S. Farm Policy Contributes to Obesity" Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, Environment and Agriculture Program, from the presentation, "The Omnivore’s Dilemma: Searching for the Perfect Meal in a Fast-Food World," by Michael Pollan, Knight Professor of Journalism, University of California, Berkeley, Calif.

           Hopeful News

6. Ten cups per day of green tea delayed cancer onset 8.7 years in Japanese women and three years in Japanese men.

   From the presentation, "Beef or Broccoli? Nutrition and Breast Cancer" by Victoria Maizes, M.D., Executive Director, Program in Integrative Medicine, Assoc. Professor, Clinical Medicine/Family & Community Medicine, the University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, Ariz.

7. Three meta-analyses of randomized, placebo-controlled trials found a 5-12 percent decrease in cholesterol levels in hyperlipidemic patients after at least 30 days’ treatment with 600-900 mg of garlic extract.

   Warshafsky S., et al Ann Int Med 1993; 19;599-605; Silagy C, et al. JR Coll Phys Longdon 1994; 28:2-8; Ackermann RT, et al. Arch Intern Med 2001: 161: 813-24. From the presentation, "The Medicinal Spices" by Tieraona Low Dog, M.D., Education Director, Program in Internal Medicine, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Medicine, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz.

8. Maternal limitation of seafood consumption to less than 340 grams per week during pregnancy did not protect children from adverse outcomes. In contrast, this observational study [Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children] showed beneficial effects on child development when maternal seafood consumption exceeded 340 grams per week, with no upper limit of benefit…

   Hibbeln et al., The Lancet, 17 Feb., 2007. From the presentation of Joseph Hibbeln, M.D., Senior Clinical Investigator, Sectional of Nutritional Neurosciences, Laboratory of Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, Md.

9. "I see a lot of hopeful trends, including the rise of alternative agriculture: organic, local, biodynamic…There are now over 4,000 farmers’ markets in the U.S. The number has doubled in 10 years."

   From the presentation, "The Omnivore’s Dilemma: Searching for the Perfect Meal in a Fast-Food World," by Michael Pollan, Knight Professor of Journalism, University of California, Berkeley, Calif.

10. Chocolate…may have a mild hypotensive [blood-pressure lowering] effect.

    From the presentation, "The Medicinal Spices" by Tieraona Low Dog, M.D., Education Director, Program in Integrative Medicine, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Medicine, The University of Arizona, Tucson. Ariz.

 

Heatlh Diet

 

Why should I try to have a healthy diet?

Having a healthy diet is one of the most important things you can do to help your overall health. Along with physical activity, your diet is the key factor that affects your weight. Having a healthy weight for your height is important. Being overweight or obese increases your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, breathing problems, arthritis, gallbladder disease, sleep apnea (breathing problems while sleeping), osteoarthritis, and some cancers.

You can find out if you’re overweight or obese by figuring out your body mass index (BMI). Women with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 are considered overweight, whereas women with a BMI of 30 or more are considered obese. All adults (aged 18 years or older) who have a BMI of 25 or more are considered at risk for premature death and disability from being overweight or obese. These health risks increase as the BMI rises. Your health care provider can help you figure out your body mass.

Having a healthy diet is sometimes easier said than done. It is tempting to eat less healthy foods because they might be easier to get or prepare, or they satisfy a craving. Between family and work or school, you are probably balancing a hundred things at once. Taking time to buy the ingredients for and cooking a healthy meal sometimes falls last on your list. But you should know that it isn’t hard to make simple changes to improve your diet. And you can make sense of the mounds of nutrition information out there. A little learning and planning can help you find a diet to fit your lifestyle, and maybe you can have some fun in the process!

 

What are the most important steps to a healthy diet?

The basic steps to good nutrition come from a diet that:

1. Helps you either lose weight or keep your BMI in the "healthy" range.

2. Is balanced overall, with foods from all food groups, with lots of delicious fruits, vegetables, whole-grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products.

3. Is low in saturated fat,trans fat, and cholesterol. Keep total fat intake between 20 to 35 percent of calories, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.

4. Includes a variety of grains daily, especially whole-grains, a good source of fiber.

5. Includes a variety of fruits and vegetables (two cups of fruit and 2 1/2 cups of vegetables per day are recommended for a 2,000 calorie diet).

6. Have a small number of calories from added sugars (like in candy, cookies, and cakes).

7. Has foods prepared with less sodium or salt (aim for no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day, or about one teaspoon of salt per day).

8. Does not include more than one drink per day (two drinks per day for men) if you drink alcoholic beverages.

 

How can I follow a healthy diet if I eat out a lot?

1. Ask the server to make substitutions, like having steamed vegetables instead of fries.

2. Pick lean meat, fish, or skinless chicken.

3. Make sure your entrée is broiled, baked, grilled, steamed, or poached instead of fried.

4. Ask for baked, boiled, or roasted potatoes instead of fried.

5. Order lots of vegetable side dishes and ask that any sauces or butter be left off.

6. Ask for low-calorie salad dressing or a lemon to squeeze on your salad instead of dressing.

7. Order fresh fruit or fruit sorbet in place of cake, pie, or ice cream desserts.