7 minute read
Health
5 Super Foods For A Healthy, Energetic Body
By Angie Lewis
Advertisement
Would you like to know about some super foods that will get you healthy and your body energized? That’s what I thought. Some of these foods you may already eat and that’s great. It’s not hard getting healthy. What makes getting healthy difficult is the motivation factor and making eating healthy a lifestyle.
Are we relying too much on vitamin supplements rather than the real thing? Did you know that many of the nutrients we receive from the foods we eat come from raw fruits and vegetables? Therefore, it is very important to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables in our diet to ensure nutritional balance.
Mega Vitamins from Food and The Sun * Grow your own sprouts / wheat grass – alfalfa sprouts are
super foods. They are packed with life-giving nutrients. Alfalfa sprouts taste good in salads and sandwiches. Some sprouts such as the wheat berry sprout can be mixed with dried fruit, and because of their nutty flavor, make it a perfect nutritious, energy filled snack.
Tip: There is strong evidence to support that wheat grass juice (sprouts that have grown into grass) eaten daily while on a macrobiotic diet can prevent disease and heal certain cancers.
* Eat a dark leafy green salad
once a day - whether you eat spinach greens, kale, Swiss chard, collard greens, broccoli, and mustard greens it doesn’t matter. What matters is the greens are raw or only lightly steamed. Never boil greens! Once you boil greens, I would compare it to taking a vitamin supplement. Dark greens are best for health when eaten raw. They have vitamins A, C, and K, iron, calcium, and folate. They are also great sources of fiber. * Juice fruits and vegetables – juicing fruits and vegetables is an excellent way to get mega amounts of antioxidants. Investing in a good juicer is well worth the money and I highly recommend anyone who is interested in taking care of his or her health to buy a juicer. If your budget is not ready to buy a brand new one, then you can find a used juicer at thrift stores for around $5 dollars.
Tip: add a couple of cloves of garlic to the juicer and you will prevent sickness. (Garlic is a natural antibiotic) * Eat a handful of nuts and seeds daily – raw almonds, coconuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, pecans, walnuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds are nutritionally packed with goodness. These nuts are very nutritious and have good fat (monosaturated) the body needs for lowering cholesterol.
Tip: Pairing nuts with dried fruits such as raisins, figs, prunes, and dates, make a delicious energybased snack for anyone on the go. Vitamin supplements? Who needs those? * Eat two or three pieces of whole, organic raw fruit a day – this isn’t as hard to do as you might think. Bring fruit with you to work. First thing in the morning eat a piece of fruit or a handful of grapes or other berry. At midday have another piece of fruit and right before bed.
Tip: Always eat fruit on an empty stomach. Pomegranates, berries, grapes, apricots, and the seeds of these fruits are full of antioxidants and disease prevention properties. Juice the seeds right along with the skins. * Get plenty of sunshine on your skin – This is the best way, and in my opinion, the only way to receive Vitamin D into our system properly. Why are we so afraid of the sun? Because people have abused it, and now we’re afraid of it. We absolutely NEED sunshine on our skin. Stop wearing sun-
SHOP AT YOUR LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED GNC STORES FOR HEALTH & WELLNESS
Vitamins • Supplements • Sports Nutrition Weight Management • Immunity Products
GNC Mandeville 985-674-2535 #2 St. Ann Drive #2 Mandeville, LA 70471 GNC Hammond Square Mall 985-543-3581 514 Palace tDrive Hammond, LA 70403
GNC Picayune 601-779-3775 231 Frontage Road Picayune, MS GNC Hardy Street (USM) 601-336-8103 3317 Hardy Street Hattiesburg, MS
GNC Elmwood 504-345-2918 1130 S. Clearview Pkwy. Ste. C Harahan, LA 70123 GNC Westgate 504-287-4177 8847 Veterans Blvd. Ste. D Metairie, LA 70003 GNC Juban Crossing 225-380-1888 27306 Crossing Circle, Ste. 260 Denham Springs, LA 70726
See SUPER FOODS on Page 32
The 5 Best Probiotic Foods For Good Gut Health
A simple way to improve your digestion is by eating more fermented foods. That’s because they contain probiotics that:
Encourage the right balance of good bacteria in your digestive tract so it can filter out harmful toxins, chemicals, and waste
Offset bad bacteria caused by poor diet, lack of sleep, stress, and environmental toxins to maintain a healthy gut barrier
Research also shows probiotics can support a healthy immune system and may have protective effects against everything from IBS, constipation, and bloating to autoimmune disorders like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis [1,2,3].
CHOOSE THESE BEST PROBIOTIC FOODS FOR A HEALTHY GUT
You can reap the benefits of probiotics every day by eating the following best probiotic foods. They’re rich in that good bacteria needed for a healthy gut!
FERMENTED VEGETABLES
The best way to get probiotics and fiber is from whole, fermented vegetables. Sauerkraut and kimchi are the best low-carb choices.
SAUERKRAUT
Sauerkraut is fermented cabbage high in organic acids and enzymes. It contains probiotics, fiber, vitamins B, C, and K, iron, manganese, folate, copper, and potassium, all important for gut health and overall wellness.
KIMCHI
Kimchi is a reddish cabbage fermented with salt, garlic, vinegar, chili peppers, and other spices. A very popular condiment in Korea, kimchi is rich in probiotics and has lots of benefits.
Besides supporting your gut with healthy bacteria, several studies have shown eating fermented kimchi may significantly decrease blood pressure, BMI, weight, total cholesterol, fasting, and more [4,5,6].
Note: Eat sauerkraut and kimchi in small, condiment-sized portions, as large amounts may cause bacterial imbalance.
MILK OR WATER KEFIR
Kefir is fermented and cultured drink made from a combination of yeast, bacteria, and either milk or water. Kefir is great for healing gut and digestion function.
Although kefir initially contains sugar, its bacteria eat up that sugar, making it a keto-friendly food. It also contains calcium and protein (if made with milk), B vitamins, and potassium.
UNSWEETENED YOGURT
Yogurt can be a great probiotic keto snack. But make sure it has no added carbs from sugar or fruits, as these will take you out of the Keto Zone!
Look for full-fat, organic and/or grass-fed yogurt from cows, sheep, or goats as much as possible. These options are more nutritious and less likely to contain pesticides, antibiotics, or hormones along with that beneficial bacterium.
LOW-SUGAR KOMBUCHA
Kombucha is a fermented black or green tea full of probiotics, enzymes, and beneficial vitamins and minerals for gut health.
Kombucha has a range of health benefits for your digestion, immunity, joint health, and detoxification. Make sure the kombucha is:
A low-sugar brand, as many kombucha varieties have a lot of sugar that will kick you out of the Keto Zone (check the sugar and net carb grams to be sure)
Packaged in a dark glass bottle, as too much UV light can kill the good bacteria inside
Organic, raw, and unpasteurized (pasteurization kills the friendly probiotics!)
If you can’t find low sugar kombucha, probiotic vinegar is a good alternative that’s still highly beneficial.
Boost your gut health daily by
See GUT HEALTH on Page 32
Your Life Matters!
HAVE OPIOIDS DESTROYED YOUR FAMILY?
Help Is Here • Call Today
985-231-3288
www.ruthclinic.com 1770 Highway 59 • Mandeville
• We have 8 locations to conveniently serve you! • Providing you with quality healthcare, Fast! • Open 365 days a year • We offer telehealth appointments! Virtually see our doctor from the comfort of your home. • We accept Medicaid, Medicare, & Tricare for Veterans. • Physicians on site • X-ray technician & X-ray machine in all locations. rapidurgentcare.com info@correctcareinc.com
