Eat to live

High in nutrients, rich in antioxidants and boasting medicinal properties, superfoods will help you feel good and look great.

If you choose a wide variety of the freshest, most vibrant organic fruits and vegetables, ensure dry goods (such as nuts, grains and pulses) aren’t stale, and buy the best quality fish and meats, you can rest assured that you’re getting just what the doctor ordered.

In 40 years I’ll still be able to touch my toes with ease. I’ll walk five kilometres without assistance and, should I have any, I’ll romp about with my grandchildren. Well that’s my plan. It’s a great idea, but in a world of increasing disease and ill health how am I to achieve these outcomes? I know I can positively affect my health and longevity by sleeping at least eight hours a night, exercising daily and eating a well-balanced diet. Getting to bed early and moving my body are one thing, but when it comes to eating, how do I determine whose version of ‘well-balanced’ I should adhere to? The possibilities are endless: there are the high protein, low fat, no salt, fruitarian, vegaquarian, and caveman diets. Then there are all the diets endorsed by doctors, celebrities and others. How are we supposed to choose and, once we’ve committed, feel confident in the decision we’ve made?

I recommend the ‘no diet’ diet! Instead, choose a wide range of natural ingredients that provide high concentrations of vital nutrients, such as enzymes, vitamins, minerals, chlorophyll and antioxidants. These ‘superfoods’ help our bodies neutralise the potentially harmful effects of free radicals, and provide the power we need to function efficiently and effectively, while enjoying the ride. In the same way a car requires fuel to operate, our bodies require food. The higher the octane level of the fuel, the better the car’s performance – the same goes for our bodies and superfoods.

Embracing antioxidants
Antioxidants are one or more substances contained in a food that slow down cell damage caused by oxidation. Perhaps the best-known antioxidant is vitamin C – others include vitamins A and E, and the minerals selenium, manganese, zinc and coenzyme Q10. Antioxidants help protect our bodies from the harmful effects of free radicals, which are highly reactive molecules containing oxygen. A by-product of normal chemical reactions, free radicals take electrons from undamaged cells to neutralise their own charge, causing cell damage in the process. We are constantly exposed to free radicals via pollution, stress and cigarette smoke, which is a particularly concentrated source.

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