My Top Ten Favorite Healing Foods

Let me make something perfectly clear; I am not a health food nut.  Associating with people who preach about the benefits of their raw food, vegan, whole food, blood type, coconut, cabbage soup, or grapefruit diet get on my nerves in no time.  If your diet removes you from associating with other members of a normal society, it may be time to rethink your eating habits.

Eating healthy does not have to involve driving 50 miles to a farmer to get “fresh” foods.  Everything here should be available at your local supermarket and none would be considered expensive.

If you are eating well, five or six days a week, consider yourself in the top 5% of the population. Ninety five percent of the population in the United States grab a quick breakfast that usually involves sugar and caffeine; hit a drive through or have leftovers for lunch; and enjoy a large, saturated fat-filled and carbohydrate-loaded dinner.  And people wonder why the number of people with high blood pressure, type II diabetes, and high cholesterol are increasing?

We all know how good junk food tastes.  Do not deprive yourself of enjoying all the wonderful flavors and textures that are out there in food land.  Just limit yourself to one day a week at the most to go hog wild.  By not allowing some dietary cheating, you are almost certainly setting yourself up for failure.

If you are invited out to dinner with friends, go and have a good time.  If guests come to the house, don’t worry about the carrot cake dessert and a couple glasses of wine.  When the boss buys pizza for the staff, indulge yourself in the rarity of a free lunch.   Just remember when that next meal comes, you must return to a health way of eating.

Another mistake many dieters make is jumping into a new way of eating suddenly.  Slowly work your way into a healthy eating lifestyle.  You may not enjoy certain new foods.  Begin with a healthy breakfast for a week.  Then add a healthy lunch, followed by a healthy dinner.  Before you know it, you will be adding quality years to your life.  By easing your way into it, you can develop your own plan with flavors you like.

The benefits of incorporating these foods into your regular eating are numerous.  In the brief description, you will learn just a small part of their overall health characteristics.

Avocado
– contain beneficial monounsaturated fat
– contain a high amount of potassium and vitamin A
– used both in prevention and treatment of prostate and breast cancers
– scientists have proven that a substance in avocados kills the cancer cells
– oleic acid in avocado can be used to lower cholesterol
– has good antioxidant properties

Blueberry
– highest antioxidant capacity because of their large anthocyanin concentration
– improve the integrity of support structures in the veins and entire vascular system
– improve nighttime visual acuity
– high in the soluble fiber pectin, which has been shown to lower cholesterol
– promote urinary tract health

Broccoli
– has twice the vitamin C of an orange
– better absorbable calcium than milk
– contains selenium that has been found to have anti-cancer and anti-viral properties
– has antioxidant properties

Celery
– best vegetable source of naturally occurring sodium, also high in potassium
– an easy way to reduce grains in your diet is to spread peanut butter on celery rather than bread

Green Beans
– contain vitamin A, B-complex vitamins, calcium and potassium
– are a natural diuretic and have been studied to treat diabetes

Kale
– eases lung congestion and is beneficial to the stomach, liver and immune system
– contains lutein and zeaxanthin, which protect the eyes from macular degeneration
– contains substances which may protect against colon cancer
– excellent source of calcium, iron, vitamins A and C, and chlorophyll

Onions
– contain anti-allergy, antiviral and antihistamine properties
– sulfur compounds in onions help to detoxify the body
– source of quercetin, a potent antioxidant
– should be eaten raw or lightly steamed to get the most benefits

Parsley
– useful as a digestive aid
– helps to stimulate the bowels
– contains three times as much vitamin C as oranges and twice as much iron as spinach
– contains vitamin A and is a good source of copper and manganese

Pumpkin Seeds
– high in zinc which is good for the prostate and building the immune system
– contain fatty acids that kill some parasites
– should be eaten raw to get the most benefits
– roasting the seeds damages the fat and causes an increased chance of plaque in the arteries

Sweet Potato
– excellent source of antioxidants
– contain calcium, thiamine, and are high in vitamins A and C
– digest slower than the white potato and do not cause a spike in blood sugar and insulin

Tomatoes
– contain lycopene, flavonoids and other phytochemicals with anticarcinogenic properties
– excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B-complex, potassium, and phosphorus
– grow great in a garden

Zucchini
– contain vitamins A, vitamin C, potassium, and calcium
– grow great in a garden