Superfoods

We're excited to share this blog post about Superfoods from Rachel Schwartzman, ND who will be joining us on Sunday October 21st for our Brunch & Learn about Superfoods.  Check out the events tab to learn more and sign up to join us.

Superfoods. Just the name makes them sound amazing. A "super food" is a nutrient rich food considered to be especially beneficial for health. While there are so many, I narrowed it down to my top 5, and am sharing them on the blog. 

If you are able to attend my talk on October 21st at Logan and Finley we will chat about a variety of superfoods, sample some of these delicious food items, and discuss how to include them, easily, into our daily routine. 

Here are some of my favourites!

1. Blueberries. This nutrient dense food is indigenous to Canada, and is packed with the highest concentration of anti-oxidants when compared to over 80+ other food items. Not only are they delicious, they are known for their anti-cancer, and anti-aging properties. Add frozen berries to your morning smoothie or oatmeal, toss them into your yogurt snack, or eat them as is. You cant go wrong with these tasty gems. 

2. Avocado. Who doesn't love this creamy fruit. It even has it's own emoji!  Known for it's healthy fats, it supports heart, joint and skin health. This monounsaturated fat has even been shown to increase our basal metabolic rates by about 5%. That means you can enjoy this delicious food, without the fear of gaining weight, in fact it  just might help trim up your waist-line. Hop on the avocado toast train, mix it into your salad, or toss some chunks into that smoothie.

3. Garlic.  A potent food that has been used for thousands of years for the treatment of illness and disease. It is anti-viral, bacterial, fungal, you name it, garlic does a great job of killing it. Research shows people that eat 1-2 cloves daily have fewer colds, and when they do get sick, it's for less time. If eating it raw is too much for you to handle, try adding it to salad dressings, bean salads, or quickly mince into your greens. This is one food item worth getting your taste buds used too.

 Green Tea. This just might be one of the healthiest beverages we have. Loaded with polyphenols, these potent antioxidants have tons of health benefits. Green tea also contains L-Theanine, an amino acid well known for it's anti-anxiety and sleep promoting properties. It supports cognitive function, and reduces blood sugar levels. The list goes on. Skip that afternoon coffee and grab a green tea instead. 

5. Turmeric. Curcumin the active ingredient in the Indian spice turmeric has been part of the Ayurvedic medical system for thousands of years. It is a powerful antioxidant, detoxifies the liver, and has anti-inflammatory properties. Add a teaspoon into the pot of rice when cooking, into stews, soups, and chicken marinade. If you are yet to try a turmeric latte, don't wait, its delicious!

Hope you are inspired to try some of these food items into your daily routine. We'd love to hear how it goes. Looking forward to meeting you on Oct 21st.

In Health, 

Rachel

Rachel is a board certified and licensed naturopathic doctor,  acupuncturist and birth doula. She graduated from The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, 4 year medical program in 2005 and has maintained a general family practice since then. She practices naturopathic family medicine and has a special interest in pediatric medicine and women's health, particularly in the area of hormonal health, fertility, pregnancy and prenatal care.