HEALTHY LIVING TIPS FROM
Superfoods: Perfect for summer- or anytime!
Like most people, you’ ve probably heard the term“ superfoods.” Exceptionally nutritious and healthful, superfoods contain powerful ingredients that help reduce – and, in some cases, reverse – your risk of heart disease, lower your cholesterol, improve hypertension and fight cancer and other diseases. Superfoods support a longer, improved quality of life and even put you in a better mood – plus, an added bonus of these“ real” foods: They are delicious!
Here are just a few of those superfoods readily available in your supermarket – and at your local farmstands – that you can add to your daily diet for a super-healthy summer:
• Blueberries: Often the top choice of doctors and nutritionists, these berries are loaded with antioxidants and phytoflavinoids, and are also high in potassium and vitamin C. Lowering your risk of heart disease and cancer, blueberries also work powerfully against inflammation, the initial driver of all chronic diseases.
• Asparagus: Packed with lots of vitamins and minerals, this superfood has plenty of positive effects on the body, which, together, help you lose weight. Asparagus assists your body in expelling toxins and other wastes, also helping with digestion and keeping those beneficial bacteria in your digestive tract.
• Strawberries: Given their amazing combination of phytonutrients, it’ s not surprising to find increasing research interest in the antiinflammatory properties of strawberries. The polyphenols in strawberries show promise in helping regulate blood sugar response. And when total antioxidant capacity is measured, strawberries rank high.
• Broccoli: We’ d be remiss if we didn’ t include broccoli on this list – your grandma was right; broccoli really is good for you. With an abundance of nutrients per serving, broccoli is also packed with fiber, so it helps keep your digestive tract healthy.
• Apples: Low in all those things you want them to be – calories, fat and sodium – they’ re packed full of antioxidants, especially vitamin C. Apples have a low glycemic index and soluble fiber, which helps lower cholesterol levels. The fiber also helps keep you feeling full and keeps things moving along digestively.
• Cinnamon: This gem of an herb helps to regulate blood sugar levels; thanks to the natural compound polyphenol, it staves off hunger signals and can actually help you lose weight. Cinnamon also helps reduce nausea, and serves as an anti-inflammatory.
• Walnuts: Containing alpha-linoleanic acid( ALA), a type of Omega-3 fatty acid, this superfood offers increased heart health when you enjoy just a small handful a day!
For an appointment with a Deborah specialist or more information about how Deborah Heart and Lung Center’ s leading-edge technologies can improve your quality of life, call 800-555-1990, option 4 or request info / an appointment at www. demanddeborah. org.
72 NEW JERSEY COPS ■ JULY 2016