Good Nutrient-Dense Foods for Disease Prevention to Stay Healthy

Nutrient-Dense Foods for Disease Prevention have linkage. A good diet always helps to fight chronic infections.

Hippocrates Advice

Everybody is in search of guide to healthy life these days. Hippocrates first described medicinal properties of foods and is famous for his well-known maxim “Let Medicine by Thy Food and Let Food be Thy Medicine”. Hippocrates suggested people to use high-density nutrients for treating and preventing chronic illnesses.

Nutrition and Disease Prevention in Healing Philosophies

Traditional Chinese Medicinal and Ayurvedic healing philosophies are centuries old that teach us that illness and diseases are preventable. We can achieve protection from chronic health issues through healthy diet plans as a powerful tool to fight infections.

According to these healing therapies, food is one of the most indispensable aspects in our lives. As compared to anything else, foods we eat regularly determine our fate of becoming sick, longevity and healthy aging.

Traditional Chinese medicine is 3,500 years old healing philosophy and involves use of herbal medicines as treatment modality. The underpinning philosophy uncovers the fact that our body has several vital energy channels through which energy circulates through our bodies. Natural foods are vital sources of healthful nutrients that provide energy and help fight chronic diseases.

Relationship between Nutrition and Disease

Recent research indicates that nutritional deficiencies and toxicity due to consuming junk/nutrition-deficient foods may cause inflammation in body which is the main culprit for majority of lifestyle disorders of modern era.

How Does Healthy Eating Prevent Diseases

Body is complex machinery and various physiological processes in our bodies govern the functioning of body. Foods have vital nutrients which play significant roles in disease prevention owing to these effects:

• Minimizing inflammation
• Hormonal balancing
• Alkalization of body
• Detoxification and toxins elimination

Superfoods Examples

• Raw/fresh vegetables
• Bone brother and organ meat
• Healthy fats and omega-3 fatty acids
• Fiber-rich foods
• Antioxidant-rich foods
• Probiotic foods

What are the Food That Protect us From Disease?

We face decline in appetite over years with aging. As we get older, we consume less calories and hence, food choices have vital significance. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of USA also signifies that both caloric intake and nutrient absorption decease as we get aged.

Moreover, rate of onset of chronic illnesses, such as cancer and heart diseases also increases with aging and we lose our body’s ability to cope these lifestyle disorders. This necessitates to explore natural dietary alternatives to boost immunity, detox our body, improve nutrient absorption, reduce free radicals burden, increase vital organs performance, fight infections, clarify waste and toxins, and regulate metabolism, respiration and endocrine hormonal imbalance.

For combating nutritional deficiencies and decrease risk factors of illnesses, keep an eye on every calorie you consume and its source. Superfoods help to improve overall well-being include the following food groups.

Raw/fresh vegetables

Veggie greens have myriad of kinds including spinach, kale, sprouts, sea vegetables and vegetable smoothies etc. are some of the healthiest superfoods as rich sources of vital nutrients. These natural reservoirs of healthful nutrients slow down the aging and mitigate degenerative changes in our bodies.

These help to maintain optimum body pH, make up nutritional deficiencies which is helpful in disease prevention through body detoxification. Veggies are the lowest caloric foods loaded with plenty of healthful nutrients like antioxidants, minerals vitamins especially vitamin C and vitamin K as well potassium, magnesium, fiber and iodine.

Plant Foods Antioxidant Potential

Amazingly, the antioxidants are the most versatile and potent protective agents as chemical scavengers. Plants contain a wide variety of antioxidants compounds like polyphenols and carotenoids which help to protect plants from damaging effects of toxins, pests, ultraviolet radiation and environmental pollutants.

Nutrient-dense foods for disease prevention is a strategy in alternative and traditional medicine. As natural shielding agents, phytochemicals also provide color, flavor and aroma to plants and when we eat these vital antioxidants, we get the same benefits of protection of DNA and membranes from harmful chemicals and free radicals.

Disease-Friendly Environment in Acidic Body

We as human beings are susceptible to various diseases in our lifespans. Almost all diseases, such as cancer, osteoporosis, seasonal infections, and lifestyle disorders are results of thriving in an acidic environment of our bodies. Increases acidity in our bodies increase the chances of onset of these diseases whereas, alkalization of bodies by natural ways helps to prevent cellular and DNA damage.

Greens like vegetables and fruits are the best natural sources to alkalize our bodies especially the fresh veggies are wonderful to scavenge free radicals and reduce their damaging effects.

Reduction in free radicals load helps to control inflammation. Furthermore, veggies also provide prebiotics that increases the populations of beneficial probiotic bacteria in intestine and colon, and probiotics help to fight infections and increase immunity and have a role in life extension and healthy aging.

Bone Broth and Organ Meat Nutrients

Certain meat types like beef and chicken liver are one of the most nutrients-loaded foods which can eat to improve our ability to fight infections and boost immunity.

Vitamin B12 is one of the most vital nutrients our body needs for proper functioning. Vitamin B12 deficiency is common in people of different age groups especially elderly. Among vitamin B12 foods, organ meat and liver are significantly important and provide rich amounts of zinc, iron, vitamin A, vitamin B12 and so many others.

It may not seem to you attractive at first, but, our ancestors have been using animals to complete their nutritional requirements since centuries so organ meat and liver are good to consume for health benefits.

You can also get vital nutrients from animal sources by making bone broth. Viscera (discarded parts like skin, bones and ligaments) are also good sources of collagen, glucosamine and trace elements that are hard to find in purified form these days from natural sources.

These vital nutrients help to protect us from several diseases like irritable bowel syndrome, allergies, gut problems, anemia, chronic fatigue, joints pain and arthritis.

Probiotics Foods

Whatever we eat, it has to be digested ultimately in stomach and after digestion, the nutrients become absorbed in our bodies through the bloodstream which carries nutrients to all cellular destinations. Therefore, optimal digestion is crucial to maintain health and well-being.

Moreover, immunity is the most significant contributor to protect from chronic illnesses and infections. According to Dr. Axe Josh, the digestive system is the second-largest component which our neural system controls and commands. Digestive system, gut health and 80% of entire immune system link to each other.

Poor gut health is at the root of wide range of diseases like chronic fatigue, joint pain, thyroid issues, allergies and infections. Read the detailed article at this link regarding probiotic foods good for gut health.

Beneficial microbes residing in gut and intestines have roles in weight reduction, appetite regulation, improving cognitive functions and synthesis of neurotransmitters. In simple words, this means majority of body’s physiological processes ranging from metabolism, energy levels, moods and ability to prevent seasonal cold and flu get influenced by gut health.

Beneficial gut microbes thrive better when we consume healthful prebiotic and probiotic-rich superfoods. Important prebiotic foods include artichokes, asparagus and chicory. Use healthy probiotic-rich foods lie cultured vegetables, pickle, yogurt kefir, and kombucha for improved gut health.

Omega-3 Foods

High good-fat diets are essential to keep inflammation in control. Furthermore, good fats consumption also helps to improve cognitive health, hormonal regulation, weight loss, cancer prevention and cellular healing. Omega-3 fatty acids ae natural anti-inflammatory compounds that are effective mitigate the pro-inflammatory effects of omega-6 fats.

Modern-day diets including fast and junk foods are high in omega-6 fats and increase inflammation in our bodies.

Best food sources of beneficial omega-3 fats include seafoods like wild-caught fish, such as tuna, mackerel, sardines, salmon, etc. Plant-based omega-3 fats sources include chia seeds, flaxseed and walnuts. Avoid consumption of solidifying hydrogenated fats like Vanaspati, Trans fats and omega-6 vegetable oils like canola and soybean oils.

Mediterranean Diet

Not all fats are harmful. Certain good fats are loaded with densely-packed nutrients that lower bad cholesterol and play roles in repair and maintenance of hair, nail, body tissues, nervous system, and so many other physiological processes. Nutrient-dense foods for disease prevention is the key concept of Mediterranean diet. Some of the good fats include:

• Grass-fed butter
• Coconut oil
• Extra virgin olive oil

Recent research published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that saturated dietary fats are not a risk factor for coronary heart disease or cardiovascular disease.

Moreover, study on lifestyles of Mediterranean people revealed their famously known Mediterranean diet which is one of the key factors that increases lifespan and promote healthy aging. Mediterranean diets are full of healthy fats from sea foods or olive oil.

High fat low-carb diet is helpful in weight and bad cholesterol reduction and improves health status. Superfoods as nutrient-dense foods for disease prevention is wonderful modality and has been famous for centuries.

Antioxidant-Rich Foods

High generation of free radicals in body cause accelerated aging effects. Antioxidant-rich foods help to decrease free radicals burden inside body and bright-colored foods supply power antioxidants like resrveratol, flavonoids, carotenoids, glutathione peroxidase and so many others. Such foods include:

• Red wine
• Berries
• Leafy greens
• Cocoa, Cruciferous vegetables
• Spirulina

High-Fibre Foods

The number of fiber-deficient people are increasing and dietary intake needs more attention to pay for optimal health. Fibre consumption has several benefits for the digestive system, heart health, immune system and gut health.

Adequate fibre intake promotes beneficial gut microbes and help in preventing insulin resistance.  Recommended daily fibre intake is 25-40 grams per day. Foods rich in fibre include starchy vegetables, nuts, seeds, berries, sprouted legumes, cruciferous veggies and avocado, etc.

Conclusion

In alternative and traditional medicines, nutrient-dense foods for disease prevention is a strategy. Eating a healthy diet enriched with superfoods prevent the onset of diseases and helps to treat disease naturally. Each person’s preference may vary, but eating a following a balanced and well-nourished diet plan mitigates aging effects and increase longevity.