Every day we come in contact with air pollution, tobacco smoke, radiation, sunlight, X-rays, herbicides, pesticides, and solvents found in cleaning fluids, paints and furniture polish. These contain environmental toxins that cause damage to cell membranes and make the body more susceptible to diseases such as, cancer, heart disease, arthritis, cataracts, and allergies. Fried, barbecued and charbroiled foods can have the same effect.
Disease prevention begins with eating a diet rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants protect the body against cell membrane damage that can lead to disease and they slow the aging process. In addition to eating an antioxidant-rich diet, reducing the amount of exposure to sources of environmental and dietary toxins is also important.
The major antioxidant nutrients and their dietary sources are:
Vitamin A (beta-carotene)
cantaloupe, fresh or dried apricots, mangoes and persimmon
broccoli, carrots (and juice), leafy greens (spinach, kale, mustard, collard, swiss chard), pumpkin, sweet potatoes, squash
Vitamin C
blackberries and raspberries, citrus fruits and juices (oranges and grapefruits), melons (especially cantaloupe), papaya, kiwi, mangoes, strawberries
cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, cabbage),
leafy greens (mustard, turnip, kale, collard), red and green peppers, sweet potatoes, with skin, tomatoes and tomato juice
Vitamin E
avocados, leafy greens (fresh spinach, kale, collard)
mango, apricot
fish and shellfish
nuts, seeds, wheat germ
wheat germ, corn, sunflower, and soybean oils
Selenium
brazil nuts, cashews, sunflower seeds
garlic, blackstrap molasses
eggs, halibut, oysters, salmon, tuna, scallops, snapper, clams, ground beef, chicken breast
Source: Bastyr Students
For more information on healthy foods you can pick up a copy of ”The Encylopedia of Healing Foods” by Drs. Murray and Pizzorno:
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Dr. Nicole Sundene is the editor-in-chief of Kitchen Table Medicine. A graduate of Western Washington University for her undergraduate degree, and Bastyr University for her Naturopathic Physician degree, she also spent eight years working as a Medical Assistant for the world renowned leading institute Virginia Mason Medical Center. Throughout her education she had the invaluable opportunity to work side by side with many talented physicians specializing in Family Practice, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Otolaryngology, Cardiology, Dermatology, Urology, and Urgent Care. Her alternative medicine education along with training at Virginia Mason combined with the many years spent talking to patients as a telephone triage “nurse” have given her a diverse perspective on health care in America.
That list is great! It makes it easy to incorporate these items into meals and lunches!