Change Your Diet = Change Your Life

The human body can be compared to any great building or monument. The materials used to build it and how well it was built are key.

In his new book “How Not To Die”, Dr. Michael Greger poses the following question: “Do you want to go the cheapo route and build quick and easy, or do you want to invest in building with the best materials that you have?” In this book, Dr. Gregar goes over the possibilities of many foods to heal and prevent illnesses.

Dr. Greger explains that,

“Diseases are caused by lifestyle choices… We can actually do something about it. We have tremendous control over our bodies.”

Nutrition became a huge field of interest for Dr. Greger after his grandmother miraculously recovered from terminal heart disease. How’d she recover? She subscribed to a healthy diet and the disease went away.

This event was a huge inspiration for Dr. Greger, who now resides in the nation’s capital. He goes on to say,

“She inspired me. That’s why I’m a doctor and practice what I do… I see the value of lifestyle intervention.”

Miracle Foods To Start Consuming

Are you feeling inspired? Seeking to change your lifestyle habits to live healthier? Perhaps you’re looking to live a longer healthier life and not always be looking you’re your shoulder for killers like cancer and heart disease? No matter what you’re looking to do, Dr. Greger has provided the following lists of miracle foods that you should be consuming NOW.

Beans

Dr. Greger explains that, “They’re the one food most tied to longevity… The American Institute for Cancer Research recommends that we eat legumes with every meal.” Dr. Greger follows that recommendation to a T and actually stores black beans in his fridge and adds them to whatever meal he’s eating.

Berries

According to Dr. Greger, “They’re the healthiest fruit and can protect against cancer, guard the liver and brain and boost immune function.” This is due to the fact that berries are very antioxidant-rich. In fact, blackberries have up to 650 units of antioxidants per cup. Other berries, such as blueberries have impressive amounts too, coming in with a nice 380 units per cup. In comparison, a banana contains a meager 40 units per cup.

Red Cabbage

The good doctor states that, “Cruciferous varieties have this unique compound called sulforaphane… The benefits are primarily anticancer.” Both kale and broccoli are fine choices, but red cabbage takes the cake as it pertains to getting the most for the money spent. “It has more antioxidants per dollar than any other common food,” Dr. Greger explains. Red cabbage also almost triples the antioxidant power per dollar of the aforementioned blueberries.

Greens

When it comes to greens, Greger says that,

“They have the highest nutrition per calorie… If we only have 2,000 calories a day to consume, how do we want to use those calories? Every time you put something in your mouth, there’s an opportunity cost, because that means you can’t put something healthier in your mouth.”

Did you know that you can reduce your chances of getting a heart attack or stroke by up to 20% by just consuming an extra helping of greens? That’s a good enough reason to actually eat momma’s spinach.

Mushrooms

Of mushrooms, Greger informs us that,

“They have unique nutrients [such as an amino acid called ergothioneine that could possibly slow down cell death] that aren’t found anywhere else in the plant [and fungi] kingdoms.”

Flaxseeds

“They have more of a cancer-preventing compound called lignans than anything else on the planet,” Dr. Greger states. He continues by saying, “If you don’t eat flaxseeds, you’re missing out on the benefit.”

Here’s a bit of advice: Be sure to ground flaxseeds before consumption, as they have very hard outer shells that will prevent them from being digested unless they’re ground up first.

Nuts

What causes more death globally than overdosing on crack cocaine, heroin, and every other illegal drug combined? Not consuming a sufficient amount of nuts. Yup, your chances of getting cancer or having a stroke can be significantly lowered by just eating walnuts on a regular basis. This is due to their rich concentration of omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants that might have cancer suppressing properties. When talking about nuts, Dr. Greger exclaims,

“You can cut your risk of stroke in half by adding nuts to your diet… That’s amazing! Why don’t we hear about this? Maybe the walnut commission doesn’t have the money to blast it out there.”

Turmeric

Dr. Greger remarks, “If turmeric were a drug, they’d be making billions off it.” Consider the implications of that for a second. Turmeric has this pigment called curcumin that has various miracle properties, including the possibility of stopping lung disease, brain disease, and even cancer from developing. What’s more, it also can help speed up post-op recovery and even cure rheumatoid arthritis. What are you waiting for?! It’s time to start eating a ¼ teaspoon of turmeric every day.

Whole Grains

Those who consume a lot of whole grains have statistically shown to live much longer. On top of that, consuming whole grains potentially diminishes the chances of developing coronary disease, type-2 diabetes, obesity, and stroke. The doctor puts it as simply as he can: “People think it takes forever to make brown rice, but now there’s precooked brown rice and quinoa in pouches… Just heat it up.” Another bit of advice: If you’re purchasing packaged foods such as bread, take a look at the nutrition label first. Ensure that the ratio of grams of carbohydrates to grams of fiber is less than or equal to 5. If it’s not, find an alternative that has that ratio.

Tea

Did you know that green tea and white tea have the potential to shield you from various severe illnesses? If not, you do now. Use that knowledge to start making it a habit to drink one of those teas on a daily basis. Your body will thank you later when you’re older and not ailing from a debilitating cancer. Not to mention that these teas can also shrink your levels of blood pressure, cholesterol, and body fat. And you really shouldn’t just be drinking it, either. Dr. Greger suggests that,

“You should eat the tea leaves, either by drinking matcha or by opening the tea bag and throwing them into a smoothie… Otherwise you’re missing out on nutrition.”

Buyer beware: Do not buy your teas from China. Your product might contain lead (which will pretty much destroy all of the good you’re doing by following this list… because it kills you). Just ensure that your product is coming from Japan.

And there you have it, 10 life-saving foods that you’d be dumb to not start eating NOW.