Choose to Take the Journey

The last time I went to McDonald’s was about 4 years ago. I had a Big Mac, 10 chicken nuggets with BBQ dipping sauce, and a large order of fries. I don’t remember what my girlfriend got, but I had some of that too. How was it you ask?

I’ll be honest, it was delicious.

But almost immediately afterwards, I felt awful. I could taste a greasy residue in my mouth and the sweat beading up on my forehead felt like oil droplets. I walked out of the “restaurant” heavy and sluggish as if I were wearing 3 layers of clothing and snowboarding pants when I just had on a t-shirt and jeans. I felt absolutely disgusting for the rest of the night.

By now, most people know that greasy takeout can wear you down as easily as nutritious home-cooking can pick you up. As I mentioned before, you literally become what you eat. Feeding your body superior foods will help ward off disease, keep you out of the doldrums, and boost your vitality.

Have you ever heard of ‘google search suggestions’? Just type in “health benefits of” and a whole menu of nutritious choices will pop up. Interestingly, if you check from one day to the next, the same foods keep cropping up. There is very little variation in the top search results for what I like to call…

Google Superfoods

1) Cinnamon

I’m a big fan of cinnamon. It lowers LDL cholesterol, regulates blood sugar, and helps in reducing the proliferation of certain cancer cells. It is anti-clotting, anti-inflammatory, and anti-bacterial. The smell of cinnamon alone can improve memory and cognitive ability. On a side note, did you know that it is virtually impossible to swallow a tablespoon of cinnamon? Just go to youtube and type in “cinnamon challenge”.

2) Ginger

I don’t know what shogaols and gingerols are, but apparently ginger has them in ample supply. These compounds help to control heartburn, nausea, and vomiting. They also help to ward off morning sickness, and to prevent colon cancer. Basically, a chunk of ginger a day will help keep the poop doctor away (aka your gastroenterologist). Ginger is also a great remedy for the cold and flu as it is a natural anti-inflammatory and painkiller.

3) Honey

In addition to cinnamon, I like to flavor my oatmeal with honey. Because oatmeal without some type of sweetener quite frankly, sucks. Honey is an athlete’s best friend. Not only does it help with fat loss, but it also enhances performance by keeping your blood sugar levels steady, recuperating tired muscles, and restoring glycogen. It is anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and has something called nutraceuticals, a type of antioxidant.

4) Beets

I really wished in my heart of hearts that beets would not make the list, but Google kept spitting it out as a top search suggestion, so here it is. Beets are rich in fiber, vitamin C, magnesium, iron, copper, phosphorus, flavonoids, carotenoids, and lutein. It does a ton of stuff. Moving on…

5) Avocados

Ah, my guilty pleasure. In my sandwiches, I like to swap mayonnaise for fresh avocados. Even though they taste fatty, they are actually full of the “good fat” and a chemical called oleic acid which actually lowers your cholesterol. Avocados have been shown to be preventive of prostate, oral, and breast cancer. It’s got vitamin E, lutein, potassium, and a powerful antioxidant called glutathione. Good stuff.

6) Pineapples

One word: bromelain. As far as I know, this super enzyme is only present in pineapples. It helps to digest protein, prevent clot formation, and acts as an anti-inflammatory. Pineapples also contain antioxidants like vitamin C, manganese, and thiamine. Low in calories, and high in many other vitamins and minerals. They taste great, so eating them is kind of a no-brainer.

7) Green Tea

The list of benefits is staggering. Prevention of: cancer, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, dementia, blood clots, atherosclerosis, etc. It also helps to lower cholesterol and burn fat (even the decaffeinated version). I think the take-home message is that green tea aids blood flow. And anything that helps blood flow (like exercise), is an automatic winner in my book.

8) Bananas

High in potassium, and therefore good for the heart, brain, nervous system, kidneys, and bones. Like our friend the turkey (gobble gobble), bananas contain tryptophan which is a natural mood enhancer and mild sedative. Tryptophan gets converted into serotonin, provided you have enough vitamin B6 (for which bananas are also a good source), making you feel just dandy. B6 is also used for making hemoglobin and antibodies. What else? The vitamins and minerals in bananas decrease nicotine levels, helping smokers to quit. No wonder monkeys are so happy and smoke-free!

Well, there you have it. But don’t start chugging green tea and munching on bundles of cinnamon sticks all of a sudden. As always, moderation is key.

Bon appetit!