EAT YOUR G-BOMBS
When it comes to an vital part of life, food, are you interested in getting more bang for your calorie buck? Do you know that our very food choices can make you either: think better, or cause you to live in brain fog; feel happier and more peaceful, or angry and depressed; and feel better physically, or suffer?
In his book, “The Fast Food Genocide,” M.D. Joel Fuhrman, discusses how focusing on eating micronutrients, phytochemicals, and nutrient dense foods (such as G-BOMBS) can change our quality of life as well as our bodies. Consider that eating more G-BOMBS could give you a clearer brain, brighter emotions, and a healthier body.
To start with, here are a few definitions that focus on this lifestyle:
NUTRIENT DENSITY: the ratio of micronutrients to calories in food. “It’s all about nutrient bang per calorie buck.”
MICRONUTRIENTS: consist of vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. A diet rich in micronutrients supplies your body with 14 different vitamins, 25 minerals, and 1000’s of phytochemicals that have a profound effect on your cells, DNA, and immune system.
PHYTOCHEMICALS: non-caloric compound in plants that promote health and prevent disease. They help repair cells and DNA and have powerful anticancer effects. Phytochemicals also positively affect the brain and nerve cells. They slow down aging, strengthen immune function, and protect against cancer.
EFFECTS OF FOOD:
On the brain:
When you have micronutrient deficiencies, it targets the brain. Unhealthy eating, (junk food, processed foods, and fast foods) causes huge changes in the brain. Your dopamine neuroreceptors plummet (they are responsible for your motivation, pleasure, cognition, memory, learning, and fine motor control). More and more scientists are coming to the conclusion that eating fast food can lead to changes in the brain chemistry that increase addiction and drug-seeking behavior.
In contrast when you have abundant micronutrients you can increase your brain power, memory, motivation, pleasure, and fine motor skills.
Your emotions and well-being:
Your emotional well-being, will power, determination, work ethic, level of patience, concentration, creativity, memory, and intelligence all depend on nutrients. Deficiencies in phytochemicals leads to chronic anger, chronic mild depression, mental inflexibility, brain bog, depression, mood swings, anxiety, aggression and a tendency towards violence.
“People who consume an unhealthy fast food diet have less self-control, a reduced ability to control food intake, and also are more hostile and easily angered.” – Joel Fuhrman
The unhealthier you eat, the more you experience intense cravings and the less self control you will have as a result of it. Most people overload on calories because they don’t eat enough nutrients. Nutritional inadequacy magnifies food addiction and the desire to overeat. Your cravings feel overwhelming and also cause you to eat too frequently. Nutrient dense foods curb food addictions and emotional eating.
Fast food changes structures in the brain that make people more apathetic, lonely, compulsive, and aggressive. In contrast, the right food choices lead to higher intelligence, emotional stability, and happiness.
Your body:
Processed and fast-foods seriously damage our health right down to our very genes; blood vessels and organs are damaged, it causes changes in DNA which lead to cancer, and also can diminish your sense of smell and taste.
Diabetes, obesity, heart disease, stroke, and dementia are almost totally preventable through superior nutrition. People who eat the most vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains have the lowest risk of heart disease, strokes, diabetes, and cancer.
Phytochemicals, nutritional diversity, and omega-3 fatty acids elevate serotonin levels and regulate neuroreceptors which can improve mood, eliminate the need to eat for emotional reasons, and helps the cravings to go away.
Eating more plants and fewer animal products increases our lifespan.
WHAT ARE G-BOMBS?
Each of these foods has a high level of phytochemicals, is micronutrient dense and has significant cancer-fighting effects according to science. When you regularly include all of these in your daily intake, the effect is compounded.
The G-BOMBS acronym stands for:
G = GREENS and Cruciferous vegetables
Greens and cruciferous vegetables contain more micronutrients per calorie than any other food. These veggies reduce inflammation due to their high level of antioxidants (inflammation is part of every chronic disease). They contain plant proteins, phytochemicals, folate, and calcium. They detoxify and remove carcinogens, kill cancer cells, and prevent tumors from growing.
Greens and cruciferous veggies include: arugula, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, lettuce, red cabbage, spinach and turnips.
Add them to soups, stews, salads, eggs, and lean meat dishes.
B = BEANS
Beans are high in phytochemicals, high in protein which have a high satiety effect, and they are low on the glycemic index which means they help to stabilize blood sugars. High glycemic diets lead to 6 different types of cancer (colon, breast, endometrial, lung, pancreatic, and prostate)
Beans include: lentils, black beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, fava beans, and pinto beans.
Add them to chilli, soups, stews, Mexican food, salads, and lean meat dishes.
O = ONIONS
Onions and their cousins, are extremely high in anti-oxidants with a high level of anti-inflammatories. They have extraordinary cancer fighting properties and help reduce depression.
Onions include: red, white, and yellow onions; leeks; garlic; chives; shallots; and scallions.
Add them to soups, stews, salads, eggs, and lean meat dishes.
M = MUSHROOMS
Mushrooms are loaded with nutrients, high in antioxidants, give you a healthy heart, help form red blood cells, repair your DNA, fight cancer cells, improve your digestive system, they are great for your skin, and have a high satiety factor (they make you feel fuller longer).
Mushrooms include: White, cremini, Portobello, oyster, shiitake, maitake, and reishi.
(It is important to always cook mushrooms before you eat them).
Add them to soups, stews, eggs, stuff them, grill them and put in wraps, and use mushrooms in place of meat dishes.
B = BERRIES and red fruits
Berries and red fruits have the highest nutrient to calorie ratio of all fruit, they are packed with antioxidants, help improve blood sugar, and decrease inflammation.
Berries and red fruits include: Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, goji berries, blackberries, cherries and pomegranates.
Add them to yogurt, cereals, salads, have them as a snack or dessert.
S = SEEDS and Nuts
The high content of Omega 3’s in seeds and nuts protects your heart (verses omega 6 – which if consumed in excess are harmful to you and cause great inflammation).
Seeds and nuts are powerful antioxidants and help regulate blood pressure.
Seeds and nuts include: Sunflower seeds, flax seeds, chia seeds, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, almonds, walnuts, pecans, peanuts, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, cashews.
Add them to yogurt, cereals, salads, veggies, eat various types of nut butters, or have them as a snack.
Based on all these powerful affects, couldn’t we all benefit from eating more G-BOMBS?
