Today’s hectic life requires you to be always at the top, fully focused, and ready to go… but sometimes your body reminds you that to be able to do that, you have to take care of yourself. How?
Regular exercise, proper rest, and a healthy nutrition regime
This time I will focus on the nutrition side of the coin, mainly about certain foods that some of you might not even consider including in your diets, but should consider introducing.
1 – Berries
In any kind of literature regarding healthy nutrition you will find that consuming berries – blueberries, raspberries and all their family members – is among the top suggestions.
- Full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties
- Low in calories and high in nutrients especially for anti-cancer and anti-aging purposes
- Helps maintain low blood pressure
- Anthocyanins in berries improve insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism, important in reducing onset of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome related diseases.
2 – Turmeric
Turmeric is a spice primarily cultivated in India and the Southeast Asian regions. One particular active ingredient of Turmeric, Curcumin, is why turmeric is highly considered for its health benefits. The main difficulty is that Turmeric and its nutrients are not easily absorbed by the body. To improve absorption adding black pepper is recommended due to its active ingredient, piperine, or otherwise taking supplementation such as curcumin tablets.
- Known for good anti-inflammatory properties
- Can protect against heart disease and may help fight certain types of cancer
- Due to its anti-inflammatory properties helps ease symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis
- Scientists have also tested Turmeric to help against depression
- Known to help against diabetes, delay and prevent Alzheimer’s disease, and eye degeneration
3 – Kefir
Kefir is part of the yogurt family and has recently increased in popularity among the healthy seeking population in search for more naturally beneficial foods to consume. Original from the Caucasus Mountains and popular in the Balkan and Russian regions, kefir grains are added to cow, sheep or goat milk, fermented for about 24 hours and strained.
- Has more beneficial probiotic elements than regular yogurts
- A very good option for those who are lactose intolerant.
- Strong antibacterial properties
- Known to improve bone health and reduce risk of osteoporosis
- Known to aid in digestive health disorders
4 – Liver
Many might be surprised but liver – any kind, but most commonly beef and lamb – is one of the most nutritionally dense foods in the world. High in vitamins B and A, iron and copper, a serving of liver (150-200g) can help you meet your daily recommended nutritional requirements and reduce the risks of nutrient deficiency.
- From all the animal parts it is the main store of glucose, iron, vitamins and other essential nutrients
- One of the best sources of vitamins B and A promoting healthy DNA regeneration, production of red blood cells and maintenance of our nervous system.
- Low in calories and high protein content
- The high nutrient levels in liver help maintain healthy body function fighting fatigue and depression issues.
- Due to high levels of vitamin A content, pregnant women are recommended to limit the intake of liver. Also people suffering from Gout are not advised to eat too much liver since it is a source of purines which forms uric acid, a main cause of gout in people.
I hope that this brief insight to these foods might tickle your taste buds and help guide you to healthier nutrition lifestyle decisions.
Until next time Stay Strong, Stay Focused, Stay Safe!
Neville
