Eat Green Superfoods for a Long Life

Green leafy vegetables are considered green superfoods by any standard. Recent research shows that specific chemicals in foods — such as sulforaphane, a phytochemical in broccoli — work with your genes to ratchet up your body’s natural defense systems, helping to inactivate toxins and free radicals before they can do the damage that leads to cancer, cardiovascular disease, and even premature aging. As we grow older, so many things happen in our body.

Our body naturally has to deteriorate. The 2nd Law of Thermodynamics is a universal law of decay. Material things are not eternal – “the ultimate cause of why everything ultimately falls apart and disintegrates over time“. The only thing we can do about is to prolong the aging process with green superfoods. Eating the right food is the best approach but using supplements helps a lot.

And the hope for the future is to be able to tell someone what diseases or maladies they are might be genetically predispositioned to early on, so their diets can be focused accordingly. We’ll know which ones to add, which ones to avoid, and be able to take a proactive role in preventing or deterring a genetic disease. In the meantime, many foods have been determined to pack a punch to the aging process.

What Are Green Superfoods?

Green superfoods are those that are basically veggies in nature. These are nutrient-filled foods that are good for the human body. They maintain a healthy body and keeps one away from serious diseases.

Superfoods are mostly raw foods. They are rich in enzymes, replete of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and phytochemicals, which help protect us from diseases. Full of antioxidants they have broad therapeutic potential and anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Are Green Superfoods Good For You?

Reduce Risk For Cardiovascular Disease With Green Superfoods

Lycopene, the pigment that makes tomatoes red, also appears to reduce risk for cardiovascular disease, some cancers, and macular degeneration. It’s also been associated in greater self-sufficiency in elderly adults. While fresh tomatoes have a good hit of lycopene, the most absorbable forms are found in cooked tomato products, such as spaghetti sauce and soup and prepared salsas. Pink grapefruit, guava, red bell peppers, and watermelon are also rich in lycopene.

Medical researchers found out that lycopene helps a healthy prostate. The more reason, older men population should eat more of these superfoods. Supplements are also advisable to take as long as you consult with your doctor first.

Not eating superfoods rich in lycopene complicates prostate conditions into kidney failure.

Eating at least two cups of orange fruits like sweet potatoes, squash and carrots boosts intake of beta-carotene, which converts to vitamin A, essential for healthy skin and eyes, and which may also reduce the risk of some cancers, cardiovascular disease, and osteoporosis. Lutein and lycopene, also found in orange produce, also help reduce the risk of macular degeneration and may protect skin from sun damage and even reduce wrinkling as well. Mangos and cantaloupes are also beta-carotene endowed.

Eat Dark Green Leafy Vegetables

And if you don’t do anything else to change your diet, eat your dark leafy greens or green leafy vegetables. They have been showed to significantly reduce your risk for heart disease and may also save your eyesight. Dietary guidelines advise at least three cups of greens a week. Frozen or bagged is as good as fresh.

Don’t forget the mental aging process either. The heart-healthy omega 3 fatty acids have also recently been shown to keep your brain sharp. A recent study found that a higher intake of fatty fish significantly reduced mental decline. If fresh fish isn’t an option, go for canned tuna, salmon, and sardines.

Green Superfoods for a Healthy Prostate

As aforementioned, green superfoods have various health benefits. We will specifically deal with a prevention that is prevalent in men – prostate cancer.

The prostate gland has a reputation as a health destroyer. Hypertrophy of the prostate gland, which affects nearly every elderly male, strangles the urethra. This troublesome condition makes urination difficult and increases the risk of bladder infections and kidney damage. However, there are many superfoods that may already be a part of your everyday diet that can help thwart the onset of prostate problems.

Tomatoes, watermelons, red grapefruit, papaya and red berries are all great sources of lycopene, a health-promoting plant pigment known for its cancer-battling ability. It also promotes a strong immune system and helps support prostate health in men. Though fresh are always an excellent option, the lycopene in cooked tomatoes is actually absorbed more readily by the body. It’s also your ally in the battle against heart disease.

Avoiding Prostate Cancer

Quercetin, a flavonoid that forms the backbone of many other flavonoids, may have positive effects in combating or helping to prevent many different types of cancer, including prostate. It also acts as an antihistamine and has anti-inflammatory properties, which may be helpful in relieving the pain of an inflamed prostate.

Foods rich in quercetin include apples, black & green tea, onions, raspberries, red wine, red grapes, citrus fruits, broccoli & other green leafy vegetables, and cherries. Quercetin can also be found in honey and sap, including the type from eucalyptus and tea tree flowers.

It’s important to remember to get a healthy balance of foods to keep your prostate healthy, including antioxidants, vitamin E from nuts and seeds, and drink plenty of clear fluids to help flush the bladder. Try to avoid caffeine, alcohol, and spicy foods. Keeping your weight in check will also help maintain a healthy prostate.

Green Tea Health Benefits

In addition to the green superfoods that we eat, compliment these foods with a healthy drink – green tea. Green tea can be the reason for cancer prevention and even the treatment of disease. It can result to decreased risk of heart attacks and heart diseases by reducing thrombosis formation.

These are just a few examples of the benefits of green tea.