Some of you may have heard of these but for those that haven't, superfoods are the most healthy foods to eat. They are the ones that can protect your body from disease. The last two weeks I have been doing my own research on food.
Hubby has a high cholesterol problem that is genetic and sadly his father passed away when he was 62 years old, probably related to high cholesterol. Our dear son has had a blood test that shows he has it too, and it has a name, Familial Hypercholesterolemia. He is required to have a blood test every twelve months to monitor it. Scary stuff as we all know high cholesterol can cause all sorts of health problems. A lot is said about bigger people being more at risk but hubby is of slight build and weighs only 71.5kgs. Our son is small build as well, so don't think because you have a small frame that you won't have cholesterol problems. I have never had my cholestorol checked but have had my gall bladder removed about 9 years ago and which I have since learned that gall stones are made up of cholestorol so one would pressume that I have high cholesterol also.
A couple of weeks ago I experienced some chest pain and went up to the hospital to get my heart checked on the ECG machine. To my relief it showed up as normal, but it did give me a real scare. A good reason to get my life back on track.
Since that day I have been experimenting with different recipes that include the superfoods and have collected my own list of superfoods which I will put in this post. I have also started walking briskly for 4kms when the weather permits, I hadn't walked since last Thursday but fitted one in today while the weather was so nice. Hubby comes along with me when he can which is good because he makes me push myself to walk faster.
My weight before I started was 73.5kg, and before that I had weighed up to 78kg which was very depressing. Somehow I managed to get some of the weight off by watching and recording what I ate. I have been having trouble with varicose veins in my left leg so I figured if I could lose some more kilos my legs and feet would thank me for it. So far I have got down 71.5kg.
Usually the food for my day consists of :
Breakfast
Porridge and a dash of Manuka honey, freshly squeezed oranges and grapefruit juice. Soon after breakfast I enjoy a cup of tea.
About 11 o'clock I have another cup of tea and a low fat snack like sakata crackers.
At around 12.30pm if hungry I will have ryvita crackers with varied toppings and a tub of soy yogurt
or a piece of fruit.
I snack on almonds and fruit whether dried or fresh throughout the day. I sometimes drink hot water with lemon juice added instead of tea.
I use a side plate size for my dinner time meal. Amazingly I don't feel hungry by eating a smaller amount. I have cut out desserts, except for tonight I made a chocolate pudding.... naughty, naughty, I did only have a very small bit! Call it a reward!
(the following information taken from Cut your Cholesterol by Dr Sarah Brewer)
THE SEVEN SUPERFOODS
are:
FISH - one portion(115g/4oz) four times a week reduces heart disease due to the omega-3 fatty acids that thin the blood and stop abnormal heart rhythms.
FRUIT AND VEGETABLES (excluding potatoes) - 400g/14oz daily (at least five servings) reduces blood pressure due to the antioxidant content.
ALMONDS - a handful (70g/2.5oz) per day significantly lowers total cholesterol levels due to the monounsaturated fats present in almond oil.
GARLIC - two to three cloves every day may not win you any friends, but garlic is a source of allicin, a substance that lowers cholesterol, reduces high blood pressure and makes the arteries more elastic.
A DAILY GLASS OF WINE - 150mls/5fl oz) cuts your risk of coronary heart disease due to its high antioxidant levels. Although the scientists did not specify what colour of wine to drink, research suggests that the antioxidants found in red wine make it superior to white wine.
Although wine is often considered a health no-no, omitting the daily glass of wine had the strongest negative effect on the so-called Polymeal's beneficial effects, lowering the reduction in heart disease risk from 76% to just 65%.
DARK CHOCOLATE - yes, chocolate! Enjoying 100g/3.5oz dark chocolate per day (one small bar) can lower our blood pressure even more than fruit and vegetables. Chocolate is a rich source of the same type of antioxidant polyphenois that give red wine and green tea their heart friendly reputations.
Surprisingly, olive oil was not included in the Polymeal, as the researchers did not find enough sold evidence to support it as a single ingredient rather than a s part of the Mediterranean diet!
My list is made up like this:
Red wine, water, green tea, avocado, broccoli, onions, capsicum (peppers), soy, spinach, sprouts, hot peppers, leeks, radishes, acai, apples, blueberries, pomegranates, pumpkin, kiwi fruit, oranges, tomatoes, salmon, tuna, mackeral, turkey, eggs, beans, barley, seeds, nuts, lentils, oats, walnuts, beans, walnuts, yoghurt, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, buckwheat, cinnamon, dark chocolate, garlic, honey, extra virgin olive oil (cold compressed), sea salt, bok choy and other Asian greens, basil, rosemary, oregano, green herbs, almonds, grapefruit, tea, ginger, flax seed, sweet potatoe.
I am adding to this list as I go along.
xTania
These pics were taken yesterday afternoon at 2pm... the sky went dark and orange....
