Healthy Food
While we have discussed certain foods high in fiber, we haven't even scratched the surface of foods that can help you battle the aging process.
Plants. Nope, not the philodendron hanging in your kitchen window, but the treasure you find in the fruit and vegetable aisles of your supermarket. If there is one single piece of advice you can get from studying the aging process, consuming more fruits and vegetables are among the most important.
When you eat food made from plants, you are receiving the benefits of a small army marching off to combat the aging process. This army is comprised of agents known as phytochemicals.
These are completely separate from the vitamins provided by the vegetable themselves but may be even more valuable.
Science used to believe that phytochemicals were absolutely useless. However as more experts delve into the study of plants they have found that they appear to help fight off cancer, heart disease and stroke even though they don't understand why. In fact over 200 studies conducted show that a diet high in fruits and veggies substantially cut the risk of cancer. That alone becomes increasingly important as you get older and the risk of disease increases.
Some of these phytochemicals are simple to detect. The bright orange color of carrots, sweet potatoes or yams are obvious. The pungent whiff of phytochemicals is apparent in garlic. However, most are undetectable.
The chemicals are there to actually protect the plant. It is believed that they evolved to protect plants from oxygen, wind, insects and weather. Remember that plants feed on carbon dioxide and oxygen is actually waste.
Without protection from the ultraviolet rays of a hot sun plants would shrivel and die. In the dirt where bulb plants grow, they are subjected to the hazards of bacteria and insects.
Edward Miller, Ph.D., professor of biomedical sciences in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at Baylor College of Dentistry in Houston states that, “We can save more than 150,000 lives a year, right now, with no treatments, no medical costs, no long-term recovery – if people would just eat the foods that protect them.”
Worldwide studies have proven that phytochemicals protect against, but there is no one phytochemical or any other substance that you can take or eat for protection.
Eating plant foods does give you a lower risk for cancers that attack the lungs, bladder, cervix, mouth, larynx, throat, esophagus, stomach, pancreas, colon and rectum. Laboratory studies show that phytochemicals prevent cancer forming substances and defective cell that can turn into cancers, from gaining a foothold or spreading.
Phytochemicals also help to keep your heart healthy. The 60 to 80 age group that has a higher risk of heart disease than younger people do, can substantially reduce the risks by eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables.
Plant foods also combat free radicals. Many phytochemicals do double duty as anti-oxidants. They neutralize the free radicals which are unstable molecules that damage or destroy healthy cells.
In addition to the free radicals that your body produces routinely, they also find their way into your environment through other means like cigarette smoke, pollutants, medications, pesticides as well as household cleaners.
They have also been linked to more than 60 medical problems and diseases. In addition to the obvious disease like heart disease, cancer and stroke, they can also manifest as premature aging, stiff joints, wrinkled skin, arthritis, diabetes and cirrhosis of the liver.
The study of phytochemicals in plants is a relatively new field, but here is a list of those that appear to provide the most protection:
Organosulfur compounds. These are foods that we recognize mostly by their pungent odor and flavor. Garlic, onions, leeks, chives and shallots are organosulfur compounds. You can also find these compounds in vegetables like broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower.
Foods that are rich in organosulfur are sometimes referred to by some members of the medical community as dietary anti-carcinogens. They help the body block and eliminate cancer causing agents before they do their damage. They are also instrumental in fighting heart disease and stroke.
The best methods to derive the most benefit from organosulfur compounds is to eat them raw or lightly cooked. Puree vegetables into a healthy soup and be sure to add garlic and onion.
Isothiocyanates are plant chemicals found in leafy green vegetable like watercress, arugula, cabbage, brussel sprounts, Chinese cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower. These compounds help rid the body of cancer causing substances and actually act to remove the trash. Isothicyanates make it difficult for cancer causing substances to target the DNA of healthy cells and in laboratory experiments have actually kept tumors from forming.
The most benefit you can receive from isothiocyanates in your food is to eat some of the vegetables raw. The compounds are released when chopped and chewed. Eat them as fresh as possible and eat plenty of them.
Indoles go with isothiocyanates like salt and pepper complement one another. Indoles protect against breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men. Indoles stop the growth of small virus caused tumors. You can best benefit from indoles by eating the equivalent of a quarter head of cabbage a day or an equal amount of broccoli, Brussels sprouts or cauliflower.
Isoflavones are a group of plant estrogens that are found in soy products. To help increase your soy consumption, try tofu. It is far less bland when it absorbs the taste of spices and other foods that are cooked with it. Try more Asian recipes or drinking soy milk. When you are baking trade off 25% of your regular flour for soy flour. You'll get all the benefit with little or no difference in the recipe.
Lignans. Little is known about lignans as it is a newer area for research. What is known, however, is that lignans seem to prevent breast cancer at lest in the laboratory. As antioxidants they may help prevent damage from LDL cholesterol which, as we know, lays the groundwork for heart disease.
Add lignans to your diet by including flax. Some baking companies add a trace amount of flax or linseed to add a slightly nutty flavor. You can find flax in health food stores, but use it very sparingly as adding it to your diet too quickly can cause intestinal distress.
Carotenoids are evidenced in the bright red, orange and yellow pigments displayed in some plants like carrots, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, winter squash, parsley, green peas, pink grapefruit, swiss chard, spinach, beet greens, pumpkin, watermelon, broccoli, mangoes, oranges, papaya and tangerines. You will also find them in okra, red peppers leafy green vegetable and even in fish liver oil.
Diets rich in carotenoids fight disease and in one study a high carotenoid diet actually helped reduce the risk of lung cancer in nonsmokers. One particularly powerful carotenoid is lycopene. Lycopene is found in tomatoes and everything made from them including pizza sauce and ketchup. You will also find lycopene in watermelon guava and pink grapefruit.
Include them in your diet along with a little bit of fat as they are fat soluble. Most carotenoids are not damaged by cooking. The color is the most important key in identifying fruits and vegetables that will provide the most benefit. You might be surprised to know that red leaf lettuce has more carotenoids than iceberg lettuce just as there is more benefit from pink grapefruit than white.
Flavonoids are a serendipity because they are found in just about every plant from apples to onions and soy and even black and green tea contain flavonoids that help fight cancer.
Get the most benefit from flavonoids try these tips:
Sip wine. Drinking a little wine each day as well as tea. Have your cup of coffee first thing in the morning, then switch to tea for the remainder of the day. Combine fruits and make a fruit salad (fresh only). Buy a variety and vary different combinations. Add finely grated orange or lemon peel to fruit drinks, carbonated drinks and on salads, vegetable and even meats.
Tannins are not just colorful substances used in dying, making ink or tanning leather. Ellagic acid, one form of tannin, is in foods that stain. Strawberries, raspberries and blackberries. Get more tannins into your system and fight cancers, heart disease and stroke. Skip juices and go for the whole fruits. Check the labels of your jams and jellies and select according to which have a higher content of real fruit. This is more than likely the premium brands. Top off your food with a few berries to work them into your daily eating habits. Sprinkle them over cereal, pancakes and desserts.
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