KissMeGoodnight
eRomance Series:
Secrets To Looking Young,
Feeling Young and Being Young
( 17 pages )
FOODS
THAT CAN HELP
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.
 
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