What are you putting in your mouth…

Monday 09 July, 2012 at 7:21 pm

“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.” ~ Jim Rohn

What is scary to me is how trusting we are as people. If someone recommends something to us to help lose weight, or gain muscle, or increase our energy, or even optimize our health, we tend just to take their advice and try it. The question is do we really know what we are putting in our mouths and why? I wanted to take 6 (Calcium, Coenzyme Q 10, Vitamin D, Alph Lipoic Acid, Resveratol, Lutein)of the top nutrients needed to help your body’s defense against something we all struggle with, aging. I could spend the time here write that all of these nutrients can be found in Shakeology, but I wanted to talk about their benefits first.

Calcium, as we all know has many benefits. Calcium plays an important role in building durable, dense bones as well as keeping these bones strong throughout our life. The first source of calcium that comes to mind is from dairy.If you are Vegan, like myself, or have an understanding how difficulty these foods are to digest effectively, you may wonder where else to get your calcium from. A better choice would be to get calcium from raw almonds, kale, figs, broccoli, hazelnuts, pistachios, beans and my favorite, quinoa.

What is CoQ10 anyway? The short explanation is that it is an fat-soluble vitamin like compound, used in allowing us to convert food into energy. It also helps keep our heart healthy and is a powerful antioxidant. A lack of CoQ10 is associated with heart disease. You may see heart-conscious people taking addition Fish oil supplements. This is because CoQ10 is found in oily fish, organic meats and whole grains.

The best natural source of vitamin D is exposure to direct sunlight. I begin with that statement because so many negative stigmas are attached to the idea of direct exposure to the sun. Other sources of vitamin D are fatty fish, fortified milk and other dairy products. (You already know my opinion on dairy.) A sufficient amount of vitamin D in one’s body can lead to heart, mental, brain and eye health.

ALA, or Alpha Lipoic Acid helps convert glucose (blood sugar) into energy. Found mostly in green leafy vegetables and red meat, ALA has been linked to reducing the risk of Type 2 diabetes by working to keep blood sugar levels at a healthy rate and also working to combat extra abdominal fats, low “good” cholesterol, high triglycerides and hypertension.

Another powerful antioxidants produced by plants is Resveratol. This antioxidant protects cells from free radical damage and promotes heart and vascular health. It also aids in building our immune systems. The best part is, resveratol is found in peanuts, dark chocolate and the in red grape skin. This is why red wine is associated with some health benefits. However, the amount of the nutrient present in the flesh of the grape is small. Tip: Eat the WHOLE grape.

I bet you didn’t know where your macula is? It is a small spot in the back of your eye that is responsible for “central, high resolution vision.” Basically, it is a pigment that allows the eyes to safely absorb damaging light. It can also help us see when lighting is poor. Eating kale, spinach, collard greens and turnip greens provide us with this antioxidant.

Notice the pattern I have presented here…antioxidants, ANTI-aging. Let’s face it, we are all aging. I do not plan on aging gracefully. I plan on aging beautifully. Eating a plant based or Vegan diet, drinking Shakeology everyday (which now comes in vegan tropical strawberry and vegan chocolate), and exercising 6-7 days a week, I know my insides will look and feel as good as my outsides.