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I'm talking about real food, you know that comes from the ground, plants, wholefood, not the processed stuff you get in a packet or can. I'll start by saying, our fruit and vegetables that most of us eat from the store are not what we used to eat 30, 40 years ago. You see the soil now is depleted of nutrients which means the plants have nothing to absorb, so guess what, the plant isn't packed with nutritional value. The way large agriculture farm, has depleted the soils, with herbicides and pesticides upsetting the balance of beneficial microorganism robbing the soil of essential nutrients, not giving back what has been taken out, where would the plants get their nutrients from. Besides that, once vegetables and fruit have been picked, it could be months before it gets to your table which is the next problem, once a fruit or vegetable is picked the nutrients start to deplete. It only takes 72 hours from being picked for a lettuce to lose 50% of its nutrient load. Can you see the importance of supplementation. Supplementation is just that, supplementing something we don't get or don't get enough of from our main source, which in this case is nutrients from food. Our bodies need a variety of nutrients to perform well, if we are lacking we can feel tired, lethargic and have more potential to fall sick and eventually disease. Everybody is different, everybody eats differently which states that we all have different needs for supplementation. Our bodies are smart and find a way to keep going, but with the right nutrients it will work better and longer.
Macronutrients and micronutients. There are macro nutrients, which are put in 3 different categories, Protein, Fats and Carboyhdrates. If you've ever tried dieting you would have heard of macro nutrients, you would have probably put each one of these in a percentage depending on you goals. 40% of daily intake comes from protein foods, 30% Fats and 30% Carbohydrates as an example. Now we have Micronutrients which are the nutrients held in these macronutrient foods. These are what the body uses for its functions. Example: Spinach is a good source of Niacin and Zinc, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Vitamin K, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium, Copper and Manganese. But whether the plant is nutrient dense or not depends on what we discussed above, if the soil can offer enough to support the production of these nutrients to the plant and how long it has been from harvest to table. Now spinach can be classed as carbohydrate or protein food as they are approximately equal. But each food does offer different nutrients and is why we are told to eat various fruits and vegetables and proteins. Where is a great place to start? A great starting point is eating foods mainly that are whole, that come from the ground, your fruits and vegetables are always better than any processed food that is sold in a packet or a can. Organic is favourable if you can afford it but if you have the time, home grown vegetables that you can eat almost straight after picking would be best. Sure a little education on soil regeneration, perhaps composting would go a long way, and the best part about growing your own produce, apart from the taste, (Taste will be stronger and fuller because it is nutrient dense)if more people did it and relied less on agriculture, it would help the earth.(Less packaging, regeneration of the soil, helping the ecosystem)Win Win! As I mentioned, fruit and vegetables bought from shops are more than likely nutrient deficient but better than processed foods, if you can't or don't grow your own produce, this is where supplementation comes in. Now, if your diet isn't mainly eating wholefoods and you are eating alot of fast food, processed foods and think you can rely on supplements, you're probably wasting your money. So get your diet in order first as suggested above, which I believe is more important to start with. Then move on to supplements. Which Supplements. 1. A quality Green Superfood powder would be a great start, Greens powders often contain most of the same nutrients that you'd find in whole greens, like B vitamins, vitamins A and K, calcium, iron, and antioxidants. Since these powders don't contain as much fibre, they won't fill you up the way, say, a kale salad would, why eating wholefoods is important, they provide fibre. Great to take first thing in the morning in water. 2. A Red Superfood powder provide powerful antioxidants help to fight off or neutralise free radicals and oxidative stress that can have a wide range of negative effects on your body . Two of the most notable and talked about phytonutrient categories of a red superfood powder are called polyphenols (chemicals that naturally occur in plants.) and carotenoids (plant pigments, natural chemical compounds) . which have strong antioxidant capabilities. Superfoods high in these nutrients fight inflammation, limit free radicals, slowing the aging process, and helping to protect your body from the environment while boosting your immune system. Free radicals are unstable compounds that form as a result of factors like stress, pollution, and an unhealthy diet. They can build up in the body and cause damage to your cells inhibiting your body to operate effectively causing early aging. Writen by Ken Dickerson
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