Superfoods

Why are they called Superfoods?

Foods labeled “superfoods” are certainly high in some amazing antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, compared to their counterparts, but the term is primarily used as a marketing ploy to draw individuals to buy products and justify their high expensive. For example, blueberries are marketed as superfoods for their high antioxidant properties, specifically high vitamin C levels, but in fact 1 cup of cooked (boiled) sweet potato has 42mg of vitamin C, compared to 14.4mg of vitamin C in 1 cup of blueberries.

What are the nutritional benefits of Superfoods?

Superfoods are certainly beneficial for our body and when consumed assist us towards maintaining a healthy lifestyle, benefits include:

Blueberries

• High in antioxidants particularly anthocyanins, and vitamins K and C, reducing risks of cancer and cardiovascular disease

Kale

• High in antioxidants and Vitamins K, A and C, reducing risks of cancer and cardiovascular disease

Acai Berries

• High in antioxidants particularly anthocyanins and essential fatty acids, promoting cardiovascular health

Goji berries

• High in vitamins C, B2 and iron, essential for energy production

Broccoli

• High in polyphenols protective against cancer, and folate protective against birth defects, heart disease and cancer

Flax seeds

• High in fibre and essential fatty acids, promoting cardiovascular health

Chia Seeds

• High in fibre and protein, promoting bowel health, satiety, and weight loss

Next time you see the term superfood down the shopping aisle, take a moment to justify your choice. Focus on consuming fresh organic produce filled with colourfull fruits and vegetables and whole grains, aimed at increasing your antioxidant intake, reducing risks of disease.

Sarah Campbell

Nutritionst at Naed Nutrition

Do you need to get more superfoods in your diet? Book in to see Sarah at our Currambine location for 50% off your initial consult for the month of April only! Call 9304 1000 to book now.

Detox Secrets

I often get asked about detoxing the body: how is the best way to do it & what supplements do I need to take? But first let’s go back to the begging

What is a detox?

A process or period of time in which one abstains from or rids the body of toxic or unhealthy substances; detoxification which is carried out by the liver

How does detoxification work?

Funnily enough your body will naturally do this process if you feed it with clean and healthy foods. Your body unconsciously removes toxins from your body as we ingest & inhale pathogens, toxins, chemicals and allergens. Your liver is the main contributor to the detoxification process. Your liver has 2 detoxification pathways – Phase 1 & Phase 2

Phase 1: Involves taking the toxic chemicals and metals from our food and environment are converted to a much less harmful fat soluble chemical by the enzyme p-450

Phase 2: Involves converting the fat soluble chemicals to water soluble chemicals to be passed out through bodily fluids i.e. bile & urine through 6 conjugation pathways

To improve & promote the detoxification process on your body try to increase these specific nutrients & foods

Phase 1

• ·         High protein foods – nuts, seeds, lentils, beans  meat, seafood, eggs
•           B vitamins – greens, mushrooms, nuts, seeds, dairy
•           Vitamin C – broccoli, cauliflower, blueberries
•           Green Tea

Phase 2

• ·         Cruciferous vegetables – broccoli, cauliflower
• ·         B12  – eggs, fish, poultry, meats
• ·         Glutamine – dairy, meat, poultry, cabbage, spinach
• ·         Garlic
• ·         Iron – red meat,  spinach
• ·         B vitamins – greens, mushrooms, nuts, seeds, dairy
• ·         Folic acid – green leafy vegetables

Having a combination of both phase requirements is import for a balanced detoxification (despite some of the nutrients inhibiting the other pathway)

Reduce the following nutrients that inhibit the detoxification pathways:

Phase 1

• ·         Some medications
• ·         Onions
• ·         Grapefruit
• ·         Turmeric

·          

Phase 2

• ·         Smoking
• ·         Some medications
• ·         Vitamin deficiencies

Complete detoxification from the body includes abiding by the following protocols

Increase

·         Water - Water cleanses the liver and kidneys.

·         Organic intake to avoid exposure to harmful toxins & chemicals

·         Variety of intake (particularly protein)

·         Good fats –fish, nuts, seeds avocado

·         Raw fresh fruit & vegetables (high in B vitamins and vitamin C)

Avoid

·         Large amounts of sugar – creates toxic fat

·         Food & nutrient intolerances

·         Coffee & caffeine (limit intake)

·         Trans & hydrogenated fats

Your body is efficient at detoxing itself providing a balanced intake is in place and undertaking strict detox protocols should always be discussed with your health care practitioner 

Contact Naed Nutrition at admin@naednutrition.com.au to help get your body naturally detoxing with the correct nutritional intake for you

Changing Your Relationship With Food

Food is emotive, food is life. We revolve all our major events around food with family dinners, barbeques with friends, holidays, birthdays, and even than Saturday night in on the couch is about what food you are going to eat. It’s no wonder we have shifted the balance with food from fuel to confidante. So how do you find your way back to viewing food as fuel instead of your emotional support when you have had a bad day?

Habit #1 Food is Stress Relief

You come home from a long day, your boss is on your back, you slept through your alarm this morning & your hair isn’t sitting right so you reach for a chocolate bar

How to break this habit

• Pop your trainers on & go to boxing session, run, walk or whatever exercise you enjoy doing. Nothing relieves stress more than exercise
• Call a friend and have a rant – it’s great to get it off your chest
• Have some retail therapy (guilt free of course) this is purely just to shift your focus & reward yourself WITHOUT using food

Habit #2 Food Feeds Guilt

You feel SOO guilty about what you ate yesterday you are going to punish yourself by eating more bad food

How to break this habit

Negative talk is NOT doing your body any good. You are only one good meal away from getting back on track so take these steps

•  Accept why you ate what you ate
• Think of how you could approach the situation differently next time
•  MOVE ON

Habit # 3 Food is All or Nothing

In order to achieve your goal you have to be 100% strict all of the time, your food as to be perfect & eating healthy means you become a hermit & end up binging anyway

How to break this habit

Let go of the need to be perfect and embrace the need to be consistent. Consistency is the key to seeing long term results so rather than just eating salads for every meal, try to change 1 x habit per week whether it’s adding a cup of vegetables at lunch & dinner, or have an extra 2 x glasses of water per day.

Habit #4 Food is a Time Filler

You’re sitting at home bored, and your tummy grumbles so you head to the fridge, back to the couch, to the fridge and then the pantry and repeat 3-4 times before you decide what you are going to eat. YOU ARE BORED NOT HUNGRY

How to break this habit

•  Have a glass of water & busy yourself for 15minutes, if you still feel hungry then you are actually hungry, if you are not then you were either thirsty or bored
• Fill your time with activity rather than food – go for a bike ride, rearrange your wardrobe, whatever it takes to distract you
• Drink more water – a lot of people cannot distinguish the different between when they are hungry and when they are thirsty so just to be safe drink more water

Habit #5 Healthy Food is Boring

You have the same grilled salad 5 lunches in a row, the same fish and 3 veg each night….of course that is going to be boring. Even in you had a cheese pizza 5 lunches in a row you would be bored of it

How to break this habit

• Get variety – Make a different meal each night & have the left over for dinner
•  Explore foods you may not have tried – i.e. kale
• Salad = does not just meat lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and onion…step outside your box
•  Try one new recipe each week
•  Remember it’s not healthy eating to have meat & vegetables at every meal, it’s regular eating

If you are struggling with your relationship with food simply email naednutrition@gmail.com for more personalised nutrition guidance.