Sugar Blossom

Eat Your Veggies (and More) for Optimal Nutrition Part 2

Eat More Dark Chocolate. Of note, ?avonols in chocolate and cocoa have been shown to prevent fatlike substances in the blood stream from oxidizing and clogging the arteries, acting similarly to low-dose aspirin in promoting healthy blood ? ow and a lesser risk of strokes and heart attacks. A typical cup of hot cocoa (with two tablespoons of pure cocoa powder) contains twice the ? avonols as red wine, two to three times more than green tea, and ?ve times as much as black tea. Given that Dr. Sheri is a “chocoholic” herself, she would much rather eat dark chocolate (in moderation, of course) or drink hot cocoa for her heart health than take an aspirin.

Tea’s Antioxidant Qualities. Water aside, tea is the most common drink worldwide, so it’s fortuitous that it carries with it a lower risk of colon and rectal cancers and heart disease. Teas are full of anti­oxidants, even though they have a lesser amount than cocoa. Both green and black varieties contain a phytonutrient called catechin, but green tea contains more antioxidants than black due to differ­ences in their processing. Black tea is produced by allowing the tea leaves to ferment and oxidize, but the green variety is less processed and unoxidized. Steep your tea for at least ?ve minutes in hot water to fully release its catechins. Don’t rely on instant iced tea, though, as it contains only negligible amounts of these antioxidants.

Alpha-Lipoic Acid: The Super-Antioxidant? Alpha-lipoic acid is a strong, free-radical scavenger that has clearly been identi? ed as the most effective natural treatment for diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage), and it may also reverse memory dysfunction in people with Alzheimer’s disease. For these and other reasons, Dr. John recommends that anyone having memory problems consider tak­ing 600 mg of this supplement daily. If you’d rather get it naturally (albeit in a lower dose), try to consume more of the vegetables that contain larger amounts of it, such as spinach (raw or cooked), broccoli, tomatoes, potatoes, green peas, and brussels sprouts. It remains uncertain whether alpha-lipoic acid should also be taken in an attempt to slow down or reverse the aging process. Controlled research trials are necessary to prove whether this compound is truly an important antiaging drug or merely a powerful placebo.

Prevent Nutritional De?ciencies in Your Diet

Micronutrient de?ciencies can occur at any age when the diet is inadequate or the body’s absorption of them is limited (which can worsen over time). Fad diets are seldom nutritionally sound, and other aberrancies in your eating patterns can contribute to suboptimal nutrition. If you are eating small quantities and a less varied diet, you’re at risk for de? ciencies. Moreover, eating fewer than 1,200 calories per day is probably not suf?cient to meet all of your nutritional needs, unless you are very careful with your food selections. Getting older affects how well your body absorbs and uses certain nutrients in food, such as calcium, and your nutri­tional needs at your current age are likely different than they were a decade ago, regardless of how young or old you are. Being aware of how to take in adequate nutrients for optimal health regardless of your age is a strong step in the right direction.

The importance of having adequate vitamins and minerals in your diet can’t be overstated. By way of example, vitamin D de? ­ciencies are now considered to be widespread, a consequence of the excessive use of sunscreens to block ultraviolet (UV) rays in sunlight and of more time spent indoors in general. A lack of this vitamin has been linked to everything from the development of brittle bones to diabetes and certain types of cancer.