Nutrient Dense Foods

[Pat Robinson]

I'm feeling certain that we have the MTHFR gene issue. So, I'm researching the holistic path to opening the detox pathways (from Whome's advanced study links), BEFORE initiating any (expensive!) supplements which only address a single variable, without the bigger picture.

My *trust* is in whole foods as nourishment for the body and am learning about how important the METHOD of food preparation is to nutrient bio-availability. Taking pills which are not bio-available, or not in combination with other essential minerals, vitamins and probiotics seems to be a bandaide approach, in my paradigm. Additionally, it disrupts the natural balance that the body has.

For instance, grinding and soaking whole grains in an acid medium increases the nutrient availability about 400%. Sue Gregg has a 'Blender Batter' method of baking which is so easy and you get whole food benefits. http://www.suegregg.com/recipes/breakfasts/blenderbatterwaffles/ble...
http://www.rebuild-from-depression.com/resources/book/Chapter13.pdf

Homemade bone broths are nutrient rich in the following vitamins and minerals: calcium but also magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur and trace minerals, chondroitin sulphates and glucosamine, gelatin, Hyaluronic acid, collagen, amino acid-glycine, promotes the secretion of HCl in the stomach for digestion- which is critical to B-vitamins, folic acid, calcium and magnesium absorption, sodium, potassium, protein, etc. The minerals in broth are easily absorbed by the body. You can use it to make soups, sauces, cook rice, or even sip it as a tea. Simple to simmer and an ideal food source of nutrients!
http://www.westonaprice.org/foodfeatures/broth.html
http://www.chesapeakegardens.com/articles/brothy.benefits.pdf
http://www.townsendletter.com/FebMarch2005/broth0205.htm

Whole food probiotics. Don't get me started!! But, Kefir and whole food probiotics are an essential aspect to nutrient absorption, ph balance in the body, immune system support, bio-availability of B12, B1, and vitamin K, other B vitamins, such as folic acid, pantothenic acid, and B12, an excellent source of biotin, loads of calcium and magnesium -- both of which are critical for a healthy nervous system, essential amino acid- tryptophan, 37+ major strains of beneficial microbials (probiotics), helps the digestion of lactose, strengthens the immune system, provides amino acids, enzymes, AND is an antioxidant.

http://coproweb.free.fr/kefiranglais.htm
http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?t=203282
http://etd.sun.ac.za/jspui/bitstream/10019/113/1/PowJE.pdf

Green Juices! They are loaded with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, enzymes and complete amino acids (protein)!
http://gotgreensrevolution.com/green-smoothie.html

These are MUCH cheaper and more bio-available sources of nutrition, imo.

The 5-minute Herb and Dietary Supplement Consult
By Adriane Fugh-Berman
http://books.google.com/books?id=UCR3CtwmjHMC&pg=PA196&lpg=...

Everything about amino acids and food sources: http://www.innvista.com/health/nutrition/amino/default.htm

Top 200 food sources of many vitamins, amino acids, minerals, antioxidants, etc.: http://top200foodsources.com/Nutrients/Glycine/516/g

Comprehensive list of vitamins and food sources: http://ezinearticles.com/?Best-Bet-Food-Sources-for-Vitamins&id...
"Nutrition Notebook": http://www.springboard4health.com/notebook/cat_proteins.html

100 World's Healthiest Foods: http://www.whfoods.com/foodstoc.php

30 Essential Nutrients: http://www.whfoods.com/nutrientstoc.php

For more information about healing naturally, keep updated on Facebook  Heal Thyself! 
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Pat Robinson, Wellness Educator

 

 

P.S. Favorite Posts:

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[Pat Robinson]

inositol- Inositol is said to promote healthy hair, hair growth, and helps in controlling estrogen levels and may assist in preventing breast lumps.

Choline should be taken in the same amount as inositol and the best is to take the entire B group vitamins with it, Vitamin E, vitamin C as well as folic acid and linoleic acid is thought to increase the functioning of inositol.

Taking of long term antibiotics may increase your need for inositol, as well as if you consume a lot of coffee. Coffee kills this nutrient.

Inositol is available from both plant and animal sources. The plant form in which inositol is available is phytic acid, which can bind with minerals and so affect their absorption negatively.

The body is also able to manufacture this factor. Inositol is available from wheat germ, brewers yeast. bananas, liver, brown rice, oat flakes, nuts, unrefined molasses, raisins and vegetables. Good sources of inositol include: lecithin, beef heart, beef liver, wheatgerm, soy, eggs, citrus fruits, wholegrains, nuts.

http://www.anyvitamins.com/inositol-info.htm




Pat

[Pat Robinson]

cysteine- Help your body detoxify chemicals and heavy metals. Cysteine also has the ability to breakdown proteins found in mucous that settles in the lungs. As a result, this amino acid may be useful in the treatment of bronchitis and other respiratory problems.


Cysteine is found in a variety of foods including poultry, yogurt, egg yolks, red peppers, garlic, onions, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, oats, and wheat germ.

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=54

Pat

[Pat Robinson]

zinc- - The best sources of zinc include beef, lamb, pork, crabmeat, turkey, chicken, lobster, clams and salmon. Good zinc food sources aside from meats are dairy products such as milk and cheese, yeast, peanuts, beans, and wholegrain cereals, brown rice, whole wheat bread, potato and yogurt. Of all these vegetarian zinc foods, pumpkin seeds offer one of the most concentrated non-meat food sources of zinc.

Whole grains are a better source of zinc than refined grains as they have the ability to produce enzymes that can destroy phytic acid. On the other hand, the zinc you get from eating meat is four times more bio-available than in grain foods.

It has been found that increasing intake of vitamins such as Vitamin C, E and B6 and minerals such as magnesium can increase zinc absorption in the body.

http://www.nutritional-supplements-health-guide.com/zinc-food-sourc...
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=115

[Pat Robinson]

Glucuronidation is a process by which the body naturally detoxifies itself.

Foods high in glucaric acid (a form of calcium D-glucarate) include apples, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and bean sprouts, grapefruit, lettuce, and alfalfa, grapefruit, oranges,.

http://www.jonbarron.org/baseline-health-program/12-16-2002.php
http://www.personalconsult.com/articles/detoxpart2.html
http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2000/nov2000_report_lemix_1.html


Pat

[Pat Robinson]

B6- - What is the function of vitamin B6?

Much of the body's chemistry depends upon enzymes. Enzymes are proteins that help chemical reactions take place. Because vitamin B6 is involved with more than 100 enzymatic reactions, its function in the body is diverse and far-reaching.

Many of the building blocks of protein, called amino acids, require adequate supplies of B6 for synthesis.

Support of sulfur and methyl metabolism

The movement of sulfur-containing molecules around the body is especially important for hormonal balance and elimination of toxic substances through the liver. Because vitamin B6 is able to remove sulfur groups from other molecules, it helps the body maintain flexibility in handling sufur-containing compounds.

Vitamin B6 plays a similar role with respect to methyl-containing molecules. The term "methyl group" refers to a chemical structure that has only one carbon atom and three hydrogen atoms. Many important chemical events in the body are made possible by the transfer of methyl groups from one place to another. For example, genes in the body can be switched on and turned off in this way, and cells can use the process to send messages back and forth.

The attachment of methyl groups to toxic substances is one way of making them less toxic and encouraging their elimination from the body. It is also a way of ensuring that substances like homocysteine, which can build up excessively in the blood and lead to risk of cardiovascular disease, are kept within a healthy range.

Food Sources

What foods provide vitamin B6?

Excellent sources of vitamin B6 include spinach, bell peppers, and turnip greens.

Very good food sources of vitamin B6 include garlic, tuna, cauliflower, mustard greens, banana, celery, cabbage, crimini mushrooms, asparagus, broccoli, kale, collard greens, Brussels sprouts, cod and chard.


http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=108

[Pat Robinson]

Beware: Due to the lack of adequate organic sources of soy lecithin, the USDA allowed the use of non-organic sources when it drafted the national organic standards in 2002. http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/11/gmo-soy-lecithin-out-of-cer...


Pat

[Pat Robinson]

tyrosine- The action of this amino acid in brain functions is clear with its link to dopamine as well as nor epinephrine, but it is also helpful in suppressing the appetite and reducing body fat, production of skin and hair pigment, the proper functioning of the thyroid as well as the pituitary and adrenal gland.

It is also the precursor amino acid for the thyroid gland hormone thyroxin, and a defect in this may result in hypothyroidism. A deficiency may also have symptoms of low blood pressure, low body temperature (including cold hands and feet) and "restless leg syndrome".

L-tyrosine is found in many protein containing foods, such as meats, dairy products, fish, wheat and oats. Both norepinephrine and dopamine are manufactured from the amino acids tyrosine or phenylalanine in the presence of adequate oxygen, vitamins B3, B6, and C, folic acid, iron, and copper. Food sources of tyrosine include almonds, avocados, bananas, dairy products, lima beans, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds.

http://www.healthvitaminsguide.com/aminoacids/tyrosine.htm
http://www.fi.edu/learn/brain/proteins.html
http://www.nutritional-supplements-health-guide.com/tyrosine-foods....


Pat

[Pat Robinson]

Glutathione, the body's master antioxidant and detoxifier, is one of the 14 "Superfoods" listed in SuperFoods Rx : Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life, co-authored by Dr Steven Pratt.

Glutathione levels cannot be increased to a clinically beneficial extent by orally ingesting a single dose of glutathione. (1) This is because glutathione is manufactured inside the cell, from its precursor amino acids, glycine, glutamate and cystine.

Hence food sources or supplements that increase glutathione must either provide the precursors of glutathione, or enhance its production by some other means.

The manufacture of glutathione in cells is limited by the levels of its sulphur-containing precursor amino acid, cysteine.

Cysteine - as a free amino acid - is potentially toxic and is spontaneously catabolized or destroyed in the gastrointestinal tract and blood plasma. However, when it is present as a cysteine-cysteine dipeptide, called cystine, it is more stable than cysteine.

Consuming foods rich in sulphur-containing amino acids can help boost glutathione levels. Here are some food sources and dietary supplements that help boost glutathione levels naturally.
Milk thistle, asparagus, whey protein, Indian curry spice, curcumin (turmeric), Brazil nuts.
http://ezinearticles.com/?Food-Sourc...urally&id=1177



Foods to help Phase 1 Detox:

Beets
Broccoli
Brown Rice
Carrots
Eggs
Garlic
Spinach
Tomatoes
Wheatgerm
Melons and peppers
Tomatillos, papaya, plantains, carambola and guava

Foods to Help Phase Two Detoxification

Broccoli
Cabbage
Eggs
Brazil Nuts
Garlic
Onions
Papaya and Avocado
Mushrooms



Foods for the General Health of the Liver
Soy Beans contain lecithin which helps the liver break down fats and helps reduce high cholesterol levels; lecithin also helps maintain healthy membranes around liver cells.

Cayenne Pepper
Lemon
Walnuts
Caraway Seeds


Pat

[Pat Robinson]

According to "SuperFoods Rx: Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life", some foods will not only improve your life - but may well extend it.

Beans, blueberries, broccoli, oats, oranges, pumpkin, salmon, soy, spinach, tea, tomatoes, turkey, walnuts and yogurt - all rich in nutrients and relatively low in calories - are all credited with preventing, and in some cases even reversing, heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers and dementia.

Not only that, claim "Superfoods" authors Dr. Steven Pratt and Kathy Matthews, but build your diet around them and you'll have more energy and look better, too.

"Foods - the right foods - can actually change the course of your biochemistry," they write. "They can help to stop damage at the cellular levels that can develop into disease . . .


http://www.ruggedelegantliving.com/a/001912.html

[Pat Robinson]

These healthy foods make delicious snacks and accompaniments to meals:

BEANS

Also try: green beans, sugar snap peas, green peas, chickpeas

What they've got: low-fat protein, fiber, B vitamins, iron, folate, potassium, magnesium

Try to eat: at least four 1/2-cup servings per week


BLUEBERRIES

Also try: cranberries, raspberries, strawberries, cherries, currants, purple grapes

What they've got: fiber, folate, vitamins C and E, potassium, magnesium, iron, riboflavin, niacin, phytoestrogen, few calories

Try to eat: 1 to 2 cups daily
.

BROCCOLI

Also try: Brussels sprouts, cabbage (red and green), cauliflower, bok choy, kale

What it's got: folate, fiber, calcium, vitamins C and K, beta-carotene

Try to eat: 1/2 to 1 cup daily


OATS

Also try: wheat germ, brown rice, barley, wheat, buckwheat, rye, millet, quinoa

What they've got: high fiber, few calories, protein, magnesium, potassium, zinc, copper, selenium, thiamine

Try to eat: Five to seven servings a day

ORANGES

Also try: lemons, grapefruit, kumquats, tangerines, limes

What they've got: vitamin C, fiber, folate, potassium, pectin

Try to eat: one serving daily


PUMPKIN

Also try: carrots, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, orange bell peppers

What it's got: alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, high fiber, few calories, vitamins C and E, potassium, magnesium

Try to eat: 1/2 cup daily


WILD SALMON

Also try: Alaskan halibut, canned albacore tuna, sardine, herring, trout, sea bass, clams

What it's got: omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins B and D, selenium, potassium, protein

Try to eat: two to four times a week

SOY

Also try: tofu, soymilk, soy nuts, edamame, miso

What it's got: omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, potassium, folate, magnesium, selenium

Try to eat: at least 15 grams a day

SPINACH

Also try: kale, collards, Swiss chard, bok choy, romaine lettuce, mustard and turnip greens

What it's got: beta-carotene, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins C and E, thiamine, iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc

Try to eat: one cup steamed or two cups raw daily


TEA

Also try: green tea

What it's got: flavonoids, fluoride, no calories

Try to drink: one or more cups daily


TOMATOES

Also try: watermelon, persimmons, pink grapefruit

What they've got: lycopene, few calories, alpha- and beta-carotene, vitamin C, potassium, chromium, fiber

Try to eat: one serving per day


TURKEY (skinless breast)

Also try: skinless chicken breast

What it's got: low-fat protein, niacin, vitamins B6 and B12, iron, selenium, zinc

Try to eat: three to four 3- or 4-ounce servings per week

WALNUTS

Also try: almonds, pistachios, sesame seeds, peanuts, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, macadamia nuts, pecans, hazelnuts, cashews

What they've got: omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins E and B6, magnesium, protein, fiber, potassium

Try to eat: 1 ounce, five times a week

YOGURT

Also try: kefir

What it's got: live active cultures, calcium, vitamins B2 and B12, potassium, magnesium, zinc

Try to eat: two cups daily

[Pat Robinson]

Foods to Help Phase One Detoxification

Beets contain antioxidants such as beta-carotene, other carotenoids and healing flavonoids. Antioxidants help to limit the damage caused by free radicals, thus they have a healing and cleansing effect on the liver; beets also have folic acid which is necessary for Phase One detoxification.

Broccoli contains B vitamins and vitamin C both of which help Phase One detoxification; it also is a source of folic acid.

Brown Rice provides B vitamins and the antioxidant selenium.

Carrots contain beta-carotene and other carotenoids that help to protect the liver.

Eggs supply B vitamins.

Garlic has selenium and glutathione, both of which act as antioxidants.

Spinach provides folic acid and other B vitamins.

Tomatoes have vitamins C and E which are both needed for Phase One detoxification. They are also a good source of the antioxidant lycopene.

Wheatgerm contains selenium and vitamin E and is an excellent source of phytochemicals.

Melons and peppers are good sources of vitamin C.

Tomatillos, papaya, plantains, carambola and guava are good sources of the antioxidants beta-carotene and vitamin C.


Foods to Help Phase Two Detoxification

Broccoli contains natural sulfur compounds which are needed to enhance Phase Two detoxification.

Cabbage like broccoli, contains natural sulfur compounds.

Eggs contain methionine, a sulfur-containing compound needed for detoxification.

Brazil Nuts contain selenium, an antioxidant needed for detoxification.

Garlic has methionine which is needed for detoxification; also contains glutathione, a powerful antioxidant.

Onions have sulfur compounds which are important in both detoxification pathways; also a source of glutathione.

Asparagus and Watermelon are rich, natural sources of glutathione which is important for liver detoxification.

Papaya and Avocado help the body to produce glutathione.

Mushrooms have a lot of glutamic acid which is needed to produce glutathione and help with liver detoxification.


Foods for the General Health of the Liver

Soy Beans contain lecithin which helps the liver break down fats and helps reduce high cholesterol levels; lecithin also helps maintain healthy membranes around liver cells.

Cayenne Pepper contains many phytochemicals including beta-carotene and lutein and is rich in certain B vitamins as well as vitamins C and E. It also aids in digestion.

Lemon is a bitter, acidic food which is helpful for general cleansing of the body.

Walnuts are a source of arginine which helps the liver detoxify ammonia, a waste product in the body; they are also a rich source of glutathione and omega-3 fatty acids.
Wheatgerm has arginine and essential fatty acids.

Caraway Seeds contain many flavanoids and carotenoids which act as antioxidants. Caraway is helpful in liver and gallbladder disease and helps produce glutathione in the body.

http://www.gmhc.org/health/nutrition/liver/food.html

[Pat Robinson]

glutathione food sources- acorn squash, asparagus, avocado, broccoli, cantaloupe, grapefruit, okra, oranges, peach, potato, spinach, strawberry, watermelon, zucchini, apples, carrots, cauliflower, walnuts, garlic, and raw tomatoes.

http://books.google.com/books?id=1lJpWEQ0DyIC&pg=PA176&lpg=...


But cooked foods contained far less or none at all, and highly processed foods contain less than minimally processed cooked foods.


Pat