When my mother passed away four months after discovering she had a brain tumor, I knew I had to take ownership of my own health. Since then I have been on what I call a “health and longevity” journey discovering foods that lift my spirits, give me energy, and at the same time help me lose unwanted fat. I am more aware now than before about what I eat and question every food, every meal I eat while noting my body’s reaction.
When the body has too many toxins it becomes compromised. This causes the body to become more susceptible to various infections, complications, and in some cases to cancer. That is why it is so important to take action and explore the ways to nourish our bodies for strength and vitality.
I have been on this journey for five years, and I feel great! Following are my discoveries:
• Salads. A diet made of fresh leafy green raw vegetables, raw nuts, sprouts and a little fruit is not only nutritious, but helps put the body into an alkaline environment. The body needs a good balance of both acid and alkaline levels. Bodies that are more acidic than alkaline can increase the risks for disease and other ailments of the body.
• Cruciferous Vegetables. If raw vegetables are unappealing, then lightly steam or blanch vegetables to preserve live enzymes. Preserving live enzymes and vitamins will help to digest food, and force you to chew them. Chewing raw vegetables produces 4 times the serotonin and helps you to relax. The best vegetables to cook are cruciferous vegetables because they don’t breakdown as easily at low temperatures, and still maintain its nutrients. According to various sources, the top 3 are broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts.
• Vegetable Juice. I feel fantastic every time I have a glass of fresh vegetable juice. It gives me energy and keeps me from wanting sweets. Drinking vegetable juice is the best way to get live enzymes. I recommend investing in a high powered juicer to make your own juice. A can of V8 will not produce the same benefits because it contains a lot of sodium. See for yourself when reading the label. Juicing only takes a few minutes of your time, but will produce an abundance of live enzymes that will be easily absorbed and reach down to the cellular levels within 15 minutes of consuming. Consider juicing vegetables that are not eaten often such as green cabbage, celery, carrots, beets, etc.
Try and add these discoveries to your existing diet and enjoy the health benefits.