Thursday, January 22, 2009

Healthy Foods to Eat: Three to Improve Overall Health!

By Angela Brunno

We are so bombarded with food choices that are unhealthy that it can be challenging to make wise decisions when selecting foods and preparing meals for our family. What kind of choices are you making? Are you choosing the best and most optimum foods for you and your family?

Beginning when I was pregnant with my first child, I became more and more interested in nutrition. I realized that before all the man-made drugs that we currently have on the market to fight illnesses, people turned toward nature to cure their ailments. And, newly pregnant, I wanted to provide the best nutrition for me and my child and receive all the benefits I could from eating healthy foods. After pregnancy, I continued to research the best foods that would increase my energy while breastfeeding and aid in losing the baby weight, and also help my child grow healthy and strong.

Did you know that you can reduce certain symptoms, eliminate illness, and lower risks for diseases by choosing specific healthy foods to eat? For example, flax oil can help reduce the symptoms of ADHD while sardines and salmon can help with depression. Certain types of nuts have even been shown to help women lose weight.

It's true, certain foods do have medicinal properties that can improve your life. Three, among a few others, are acai, hazelnuts, and barley. These foods are beyond just adding variety to your diet. They are actual "power house" foods that can improve the way you feel and help fight off illness.

Grown mainly in Brazil, Amazon communities consider Acai a food staple. Because the actual berry cannot be imported, it is available in juices, smoothies, or as frozen pulp. Acai can help protect the immune system from physical stress, which is no surprise given its high antioxident properties.

Hazelnuts can easily be added to your diet. You can put them into your baked goods such as breads and cookies, add them to your stir-frys, put them into your pancakes, throw them on a salad or into yogurt, or just eat plain or roasted. They are also high in antioxidents including phytonutrients and Vitamin E which help the body repair itself and strengthen the immune system.

The last of the three healthy foods to eat is Barley. Containing beta-glucans, this food can increase your immune function as well as lower cholesterol. Barley has been around for 10,000 years and commonly used in beer-making; however, you can add barley into your diet in a few ways. You can make soups, stews, add to salads, grind into flour for baking, or make it into a hot cereal for breakfast.

Acai, hazelnuts, and barley are three foods you can add to your diet. They may make you feel better, help fight off common ailments, and benefit you nutritionally as well. Your local grocery or health food store should carry all of the items as well. - 16955

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