5 Power foods | part 1

Healthy ways to sculpt your body

Power Food #1: Broccoli

In 1992, a study found that broccoli consumption prevented the development of tumors by 60% and it reduced the size of tumors that did develop by 75%.

Broccoli contains more polyphenols than any other common vegetable. It also contains large amounts of indoles, which are potent estrogen blockers.

Other super powers possessed by broccoli include an ability to boost the immune system, build bones, fight birth defects, and to ward of degenerative eye diseases.

Ways to eat them: You might want to consider buying broccoli sprouts when they're available as they're 10 to 100 times more powerful than mature broccoli spears.

How much to eat: 1/2 to 1 cup daily

Power Food #2: Wild Salmon

Go for the wild type!!! I'm talking about eating salmon that were raised in the wild. Farm-raised salmon are fed corn and grain and they develop fatty acid profiles that aren't much different than most of our animal food sources.

In other words, the farm-raised variety is deficient in Omega-3 fatty acids, which is pretty much the whole reason you'd want to eat them in the first place!

Sadly, most of the time when you order salmon in a restaurant, you're getting the farm-raised variety. It's best to ask before you order.

Most of you are well aware of the beneficial effects of salmon oil, but here's a mercifully brief refresher course in case you're not.

Salmon oil reduces the risk of coronary artery disease; controls hypertension; controls inflammation; prevents cancer; prevents degenerative eye diseases, and it may well boost your metabolism, making it easier for you to lose fat.

Keep in mind that the Omega-3 fatty acids in fish are, obviously, marine based, and that the Omega-3 fatty acids found in walnuts and flaxseed are plant based. As such, it's best to include both kinds in your diet.

How much to eat: 24 ounces / day

Power Food #3: Walnuts

People who eat walnuts have fewer heart attacks. One study actually found an inverse relationship between walnut consumption and all deaths.

Walnuts are one of the few rich sources of plant-derived Omega-3 fatty acids (alpha linolenic acid), thus complimenting the animal-derived Omega-3 fatty acids we get from another Power Food, salmon.

They're also high in plant sterols, which reduce cholesterol. Combine that with their arginine-powered ability to keep the insides of blood vessels smooth and you can understand their effect on heart health.

In addition to all that, they're the nut with the highest anti-oxidant activity, and they contain rich amounts of magnesium and copper, two minerals that are typically deficient in the average diet.

How much to eat: 1 small handful a day

Power Food #4: Blueberries

If you can only eat one food from my list, this is the one I'd recommend.

This little berry contains a greater number of antioxidants than any other known fruit or vegetable. Just one serving contains more antioxidants as five servings of carrots, apples, broccoli, or squash.

Just a couple of years ago, the Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that people who ate one cup per day had a perpetual increase in the amount of antioxidants in their blood. Maintaining this physiologic state, they guessed, probably plays a big role in the prevention of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and degenerative eye diseases.

How much to eat: 1 cup a day

Power Food #5: Flaxseeds

Flax seeds are, bar none, the best source of plant-derived Omega-3 fatty acids. Including them in a diet that contains reasonable amounts of saturated fats (about 30% of fat intake), reasonable amounts of olive oil and walnuts (about 30 to 40% of fat intake), and a combination of plant-derived Omega-3 fatty acids and animal or marine based Omega-3 fatty acids (grass-fed beef and salmon) along with a modest amount of Omega-6 fatty acids is probably the perfect prescription.

In addition to being a rich source of plant-derived Omega-3 fatty acids, flaxseeds also contain fiber, protein, and magnesium. They also contain lignins, which are phytoestrogens.

How much to eat: About two tablespoons a day.