Do you make wise decisions on what you put into you and your family’s diet? It can be challenging when we are bombarded with unhealthy food choices all the time or options that claim to be healthy, but really aren’t.
Beginning when I was pregnant with my first child, I became more and more interested in nutrition. I realized that before all the man-made drugs that we currently have on the market to fight illnesses, people turned toward nature to cure their ailments. And, newly pregnant, I wanted to provide the best nutrition for me and my child and receive all the benefits I could from eating healthy foods. After pregnancy, I continued to research the best foods that would increase my energy while breastfeeding and aid in losing the baby weight, and also help my child grow healthy and strong.
There are many healthy foods to eat that can reduce certain symptoms, lower risks, or eliminate ailments. Did you know that flax oil can help with ADHD and salmon and sardines with depression? Did you know that certain types of nuts have been shown to aid in weight loss for women?
It’s true, certain foods do have medicinal properties that can improve your life. Three, among a few others, are acai, hazelnuts, and barley. These foods are beyond just adding variety to your diet. They are actual “power house” foods that can improve the way you feel and help fight off illness.
The physical stress that the body encounters on a day to day basis is more protected by consuming acai on a regular basis, and acai is high in antioxidents which can help increase the immune function of the body. It comes in pulp, juice, or smoothie form and is imported from Brazil, where it is a food staple in Amazon communities.
Hazelnuts also contain an array of beneficial antioxidants including Vitamin E and other phytonutrients that help the immune system remain strong. There are actually many ways you can add hazelnuts to your diet. You can sprinkle diced hazelnuts on salads or in yogurt, add into baking or stir-fry, or roast in your own conventional oven and add to a trail mix.
The last of the three healthy foods to eat is Barley. Containing beta-glucans, this food can increase your immune function as well as lower cholesterol. Barley has been around for 10,000 years and commonly used in beer-making; however, you can add barley into your diet in a few ways. You can make soups, stews, add to salads, grind into flour for baking, or make it into a hot cereal for breakfast.
These are just three of the many healthy foods to eat that can benefit your life AND improve your immune function. Also, all of them can be found in your local grocery or health food store.
