Naturalish Super Foods

After almost 2 decades of practicing medicine in women’s health, I fully believe in the placebo effect.  I believe that if you think something in your life is toxic, it is.  If you think something is nourishing it is a good choice.  Popular superfoods come and go. Sometimes the latest and greatest trend is good for you, but oftentimes my clinical perspective is that the trends don’t do much.  It’s usually a little bit of nutrition and a lot of mindset.  Focusing on giving your body extra nutrients that makes you feel vibrant and positive.  That said, there are countless tried and true foods that have been studied or used extensively and we know they have some great benefits

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My Absolute Favorite

My absolute favorite is Beet Powder.  Studies showing the benefits of beetroot are remarkable, from treating hypertension, fatty liver, heart failure, muscle gain, fat loss, and energy level.  Beets can help people who are anemic feel tired the same day, and only a few days of beet supplementation can substantially increase the time and intensity of your workout.  For me, I just love the low level natural energy and high folate content.  I start everyday with a tablespoon mixed into my morning drink.

My Second Favorite

My second favorite superfood is plain wheatgrass powder.  I have at least a tablespoon per day.  Wheatgrass has the remarkable ability to normalize your iron and ferritin levels, which may not sound like a big deal to most people.  Abnormal iron and ferritin balance increases inflammation in the body and is very common in people with autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto’s.  It’s also really common in people who think they are hypothyroid because they are tired, sluggish, thinning hair, spacey, gaining weight, and showing all the telltale signs even though labs are normal.  Lots of us have various reasons for having imperfect ferritin, and it has a tremendous impact on day to day quality of life.  Wheatgrass used daily will normalize iron whether it is high or low, and will gradually increase ferritin over time.  I cannot stress enough that if your ferritin is not over 35, you could feel a whole lot better.  If your iron is high (or low) your brain is not as healthy as it could be.  

My Favorite Nutrient

My favorite nutrient, not really a whole food, is Theanine.  200-800 mg per day in your water bottle can naturally calm your anxiety using the same nutrient your brain naturally uses to make more GABA, it’s calm down chemical.  

Chlorofresh, which is just a minty dark green liquid, is a favorite for detoxing the gut and the skin.  If you have new body odor, rashes, acne, or bad breath, try this first.  The package says it is a natural deodorant because as it cleans up any unwanted organisms in your mouth and gut, you will smell better.  It has also been very popular on social media for weight loss.  I don’t know if it actually promotes weight loss, I think what people are noticing is a substantial improvement in bloating from a healthier microbiome.  Either way, this inexpensive product is a favorite, and especially great for kids who have body odor at an early age.  It’s a wonderful natural way to correct their chemistry.  

Seeds and berries are my favorite restorative ingredients to add to a smoothie, especially for women who are trying to rebuild to become pregnant, recover from childbirth, or strengthen during perimenopause.  I often tell people to add 1 tbsp Black sesame seeds, 1 tbsp Goji Berries, and 1 tbsp Chia seeds.  This combination of fiber, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids are also great for skin conditions.  In fact, black sesame seeds are in most skin formulas in Traditional Chinese Medicine because they are so helpful for healing.  There is an old paragraph in the most used TCM textbook that says 1 tbsp of Black Sesame Seeds per day can cure any illness after one year.  Of course, back then, chronic illness wasn’t so complicated, but the only other food that gets a glowing honorable mention in that enormous and ancient textbook is Wheatgrass.  I have seen both do wonders.  

Additional Tips

A simple solution for gallbladder pain is a quick shot of Sauerkraut Juice.  It can be used daily to help with mild pain or acutely.  You will know when it is time to stop when you have a sour stomach. If you don’t know what that means, you will know if you have one.  This is a lovely way to gently move stones and sludge to avoid emergencies and severe pain.

For people who are interested in using nutrition during a workout to help the body preferentially burn fat and glucose over muscle, a quick dose of about 3000 mg of BCAA’s can act as a super nutritional boost to tell your body to burn stored tissue and save active tissue.  This is one of the few healthy things you’ll see all the bodybuilders doing in the gym.  It’s simple, healthy, and it works.  Finally, my favorite pre-made, flavored, yummy travel foods and supernutrients powders are Mitovive and Greens First .  Throw some in a bag with an immersion blender  or a spoon and mix them up anywhere for a natural, healthy energy drink.  They taste good, they’re great for you, and you don’t have to mix any seeds or earthy powders into your regular diet to get a boost.