Health and Exercise

Remember in school, your teacher taught you the pyramid of foods to eat for a healthy diet? A few years ago, it was changed completely as more and more research and studies showed that eating less meat and dairy and more fruits and veggies are healthier for us. In fact, strong research consistently indicates that increased overall fruit and vegetable consumption – especially vegetables – can prevent an estimated 10 to 20 percent of breast cancer cases.

Now it’s not enough to just eat 4-8 servings of fruits and veggies a day but Dr. Daniel Nadeau, author of The Color Code: A Revolutionary Eating Plan for Optimum Health, recommends that we eat a variety of foods from four basic color groups: Red, Blue-Purple, Orange-Yellow, And Green. Each of these foods contain phytochemicals (pigments which give plants their bright colors) that help guard against chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease and even cancer.
Carotenoid substances are found in deep green and orange vegetables and fruits, like broccoli, carrots and cantaloupe, kale, spinach and other cooked greens), alpha-carotene (in carrots and pumpkin) and beta-cryptoxanthin (in oranges, peaches and papayas).

Powerful sources of antioxidants can be found in the red group such as, strawberries, cranberries, cherries, red grapes, beets and red peppers. Cranberries fight ulcers and cherries reduce inflammation. They also contain a large amount of Vitamin C and ellagic acid. Ellagic acid destroys carcinogenic substances and makes cancerous cells self-destruct.

Foods in the orange-yellow group such as oranges, grapefruits and other fruits with citrus peel reduce skin cancer risk and carrots are one of the top cancer fighting foods.
Green vegetables like avocados help to lower cholesterol and spinach protects the eyes from cataracts.

Blueberries may improve memory. Blue foods reduce stress and help eliminate free radicals. Grape juice stops plaque formation in the blood vessels, keeps arteries elastic and inhibits clot formation. Want more information? Visit the New Century Spine Centers website in San Diego for more great nutrition information.

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