The Strong Link Between Nutrition and Erectile Dysfunction (ED)

Have you ever wondered why there seem to be so many advertisements for erectile dysfunction (ED) medication - Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra - on television and in the magazines you are reading?  I did, and began an investigation that would ultimately become my Doctoral dissertation.  The reason is quite simple – there is a lot of erectile dysfunction (ED).  Over 30 million men in the United States suffer from it.  ED affects over 50% of men between the ages of 40 and 70 and the incidence of complete ED triples between those ages.  Even more disconcerting, experts expect cases of ED to more than double over the next 25 years.

Erectile dysfunction imposes significant social costs.  It impacts a man’s satisfaction with his life and his relationship with others.  Studies show that sexual intimacy is desired by older adults.  A study in 29 countries consisting of 27,000 men and women aged 40 to 80 found less than 20% of the respondents agreed with the statement “older people no longer want sex”.  Due to the rising incidence of erectile dysfunction many couples will not be able to enjoy healthy sexual relations in their later years.

Why is erectile dysfunction on the rise?  Many researchers, including me, believe it is a direct result of poor dietary habits and lifestyle choices.  For many years it was thought that ED was mostly psychological, but recent studies have shown that over 80% of ED is due to physical causes.  For the erectile process to function correctly several systems of the body need to be healthy – blood needs to be flowing smoothly and unobstructed throughout the body, nerves need to be firing and sending messages between the brain and the relevant body parts, and libido needs to be present to encourage sexual interest.  All of these systems require proper nutrition to correctly function.

To better understand the causes of ED we can look at the scientifically documented risk factors.  Risk factors related to lifestyle choices include alcohol consumption, diet, hormone levels, inflammation, obesity, sedentary (lack of exercise) lifestyle, cholesterol levels, use of prescription drugs, tobacco smoking, stress, and (yes) motorcycling.  There is also a strong association between ED and the medical diagnoses of depression, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS).  Studies show that most men with ED suffer from these conditions which are often a direct result of the same lifestyle choice risk factors previously listed.  In fact, the connection has been made that ED is often a warning sign for cardiovascular disease.

So, how is this all related to diet and nutrition?  For the body to operate optimally it needs the right nutrients.  Many studies have shown the connection between a poor diet and all the risk factors and conditions listed above.  Diets that are high in sugars, refined grains, processed meat and dairy; while low in fruits, vegetables, protein and healthy fats produce these conditions.  Once men are placed on healthier diets, their symptoms of ED are reduced and often completely eliminated.  Through proper nutrition, regular exercise, and sometimes with the help of specific supplements proper erectile functioning can be restored.

Many people will ask, “What’s wrong with using medications”?  My answer is while the medications will work in most cases, there are side effects, some of which can be quite dangerous.  But even more important, the medication is not repairing the underlying condition.  Erectile dysfunction is your body telling you that something is not quite right and needs your attention.  It is your warning sign to take action before a more serious or life threatening event occurs.

Bernard Rosen, PhD is a Nutrition Consultant and Educator. He works with individuals, groups, and at corporations to create individualized nutrition and wellness programs. He is an expert in the field of Nutrition and Erectile Dysfunction. His office is in Mequon, WI. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, e-mail at bernie@brwellness.com, call (262) 389-9907 or go to www.brwellness.com.

Announcing Viggor.com - a new health education website

Never underestimate the power of networking! Several months ago I was introduced to David Guinther by a mutual friend in Madison. David is an awesome guy. In a nutshell he is a prostate cancer survivor who now devotes significant energy to helping other men live healthier. He offers education and information to both help prevent prostate cancer and to support those who are currently battling it. While we don’t hear much about it, prostate cancer will impact 1 in 6 men at some point in their life.

David has several health ventures going. One of them is Viggor – which David calls, “… a guiding light on your journey to improve your health and quality of life. Our Expert panel is driven by a common desire to freely share their training, experience, research, insights, and knowhow with you…” We are just up and running, but check it out; there is something there for everybody! http://viggor.com/

In addition to David and myself there are two more contributing experts. Meet Dr. Geo Espinosa, a naturopathic doctor recognized as an authority in integrative management of urological and prostate conditions. Dr. Geo is the founder and director of the Integrative Urology Center at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City. 

Together, David and Dr. Geo created XYWellness a company focused on integrative approaches to improving the health of men diagnosed with serious urological conditions. David and Dr. Geo have been inspirational and supportive in getting me back on track in writing my book on men’s health. You’ll be hearing more on that in coming months.

The fourth contributor/expert at Viggor is David’s wife Amy Guinther. She is an acupuncturist and owns Madison Acupuncture and Complimentary Medicine.

Check us out http://viggor.com/

The Suprising Truth about Vitamin Studies

Among the most common questions I receive in my nutrition consulting practice are those relating to vitamins and supplements.  “If vitamins are supposed to be good for us, why do I read in the paper and hear on television reports they are not?” 

Earlier this year there was a new study that looked at several prior research studies and concluded that vitamin supplementation was not helpful (and in fact some suggested it could be harmful).  There were no significant differences in positive outcomes between people taking vitamins and those not taking them.  A study released last year found similar findings specific to Vitamin E and “antioxidant” supplementation. It went one step further saying that those taking the supplements experienced  worse outcomes (more heart disease and cancer) than those not taking the supplements. 

For years we have been told by alternative health practitioners and the vitamin and supplement industry that Vitamin E and “antioxidants” are supposed to protect against heart disease and cancer. This appears to be counter-intuitive. Can they both be right?

The surprising answer is yes, they can both be “right.” It all depends what was being tested and understanding the basic principles behind vitamin metabolism in the human body. Vitamins appear in nature as part of a complex composed of several biochemical factors . For example, in nature Vitamin C is in an orange and Vitamin E is in wheat germ and leafy green vegetables. However, this is not what was “studied” in the research. What was used were alpha tocopherol as Vitamin E and ascorbic acid as Vitamin C.  You see the government allows you to say these are the same things. But they are not. Ascorbic acid and alpha tocopherol are produced in laboratories. For example you can combine sulphuric acid and sugar and get ascorbic acid.  That doesn’t sound like an orange or a lemon to me!  

Without going into all the details let’s take a simple example of how this works in the human body, not in a test tube.  Scurvy is a Vitamin C deficiency disease.  The British sailors successfully used lemons and limes to prevent scurvy on their long ocean voyages.  Guess what happens if you give ascorbic acid to someone with scurvy?  Their condition will not improve.  They need the full Vitamin C complex as it is in nature, as the British sailors used, not the fractionated part made in a lab.  

So, when we provide only the fractionated, synthetically produced “vitamin” we are not getting the true vitamin as nature intended. Logically it will not work as the full complex will and therefore the outcomes will not be positive.  What is actually happening in the body from being barraged with extra antioxidants?  In real life these antioxidants are oxygen inhibitors and we need oxygen for life! You may say that you’ve used antioxidant supplements and they make you feel better.  Well, that may be true for a short period of time.  Antioxidants drive oxygen from the blood to the tissues.  In the short term this benefits the tissue (making you feel better), but in the long term it creates a shortage of oxygen in the blood (leading to the negative outcomes as found in long term studies).

The lesson of all this. Yes, buying cheap, synthetic, fractionated vitamins is likely a waste of money.  You may have experienced this yourself  when you have noticed bright yellow urine after taking a “B-Complex” vitamin.  Your body can’t use the stuff, so it is getting rid of it.

However, eating real food and using supplements that have been made from real whole foods will provide you with the promised health benefits. This is based on real research. The original studies and identification of vitamins was done with real foods and seeing the effects of removing these foods from animal diets. Specific diseases (the vitamin deficiency diseases) that humans were experienced were reproduced in animals based on the real foods.  So, it is real.  Specific vitamins do support specific functions in the body but only do so when they are delivered in the natural form in which the body was designed to utilize them.

Bernard Rosen, PhD is a Nutrition Consultant and Educator. He works with individuals, groups, and at corporations to create individualized nutrition and wellness programs. His office is in Mequon, WI. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, e-mail at bernie@brwellness.com, call (262) 389-9907 or go to www.brwellness.com.

Eat These Too! Ten More Foods to Nourish Your Body

In my last article I talked about my ten favorite healthy foods and received lots of positive feedback.  The truth is there are many healthy foods to eat.  So, I decided to discuss another ten foods to include in your healthy diet.  Again, they are in no special order.  They are all healthy foods that I recommend you eat on a regular basis, unless you are allergic. 

Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable.  Other crucifers include cabbage, cauliflower, kale, bok choy, and Swiss chard.  They are all good for you.  Broccoli is a great source of protein, fiber, potassium, calcium, vitamin C, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, beta-carotene, and vitamin A.  It contains isothiocynanates that fight cancer and carotenoids that reduce macular degeneration.  Also, it is one of the vegetables least contaminated by pesticides, so you don’t have to buy it organic.

Garlic is a wonderful herb to add to foods.  Not only does it keep away vampires, but it has been shown to lower cholesterol, prevent blood clots, protect against cancer, and can be useful in weight control.  According to Jonny Bowden in his book The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth, over 1,200 studies have shown garlic to be fat-lowering, anti-clotting, antihypertensive, antimicrobial, antiviral, antiparasitic, and an antioxidant.

If you are going to eat a starchy vegetable sweet potatoes are the ones to have.  They are a great source of fiber, antioxidants, vitamin A, potassium, and calcium.  One sweet potato contains one-half of the daily requirements of vitamin C.  They also contain quercetin, a strong anti-inflammatory.  As a starchy vegetable they will raise blood sugar levels, so diabetics or pre-diabetics, are advised to limit their consumption.

Eggs, yes eggs, and yes the whole egg.  They are a great source of protein containing all nine essential amino acids.  “Essential” in nutrition talk means your body does not make it so you must eat it.  They have vitamins and minerals that help the eyes, brain, and heart.  They have also been found to be protective against breast cancer.  Don’t worry about the cholesterol – but that is for another article!

Whey protein comes from milk. It is a dairy product, so some people may be sensitive to it.  I have it almost every morning as part of my nutritious breakfast.  However, you must be very careful with your selection of this product.  You want a good quality whey protein.  Look for whey protein isolate as opposed to whey protein concentrate.  Also, you’d like the whey to come from cows that were not given growth or other hormones and fed on natural grass pastures.  Many “health” powders contain artificial flavors and artificial sweeteners – so beware.

Looking for healthy drinks?  Of course water is number one, but I also like unsweetened cranberry juice and tea.  One of the country’s leading nutritionists, Ann Louise Gittleman utilizes unsweetened cranberry juice at the core of her Fat Flush diet.  The key here is unsweetened.  It contains many vitamins and is helpful in relieving urinary tract infections.  How does it do this?  It prevents bacteria from adhering to bladder cells.  Tea is another healthy drink.  Both green tea and black tea are known for fighting cancer, while black tea improves blood vessel function and can lower cholesterol.

Olive oil is a healthy fat.  It is best used in salad dressings along with vinegar.  Please buy extra virgin olive oil, it is the healthiest form.  “Extra virgin” means it is from the first pressing and has limited processing.  Olive oil is high in healthy fats, particularly oleic acid, which is good for the heart. 

Brown rice is a whole grain and a healthy alternative to white rice.  I also like the pasta made from it – a healthy alternative to refined and processed white pasta.  As a whole grain it is a great source of fiber, the B vitamins, vitamin E, magnesium, and selenium.

For a red meat alternative try free-range buffalo.  It is an excellent source of protein and has less fat than beef.  And, being free-range there are no hormones, antibiotics, or chemicals added.  Being grass fed, it is source of omega-3 fatty acids, ideal for those of you who aren’t fond of fish.

So, there you have it, ten more foods that are part of a healthy diet.  If you’d like more ideas about healthy foods I strongly recommend Jonny Bowden’s book that I referred to above.  He also has a great newsletter.  You can subscribe at www.jonnybowden.com. 

Bernard Rosen, PhD is a Nutrition Consultant and Educator.   His office is in Mequon, WI.  To learn more or to schedule an appointment, call (262) 389-9907, e-mail bernie@brwellness.com or go to www.brwellness.com.

Ten Foods to Enjoy and Nourish Your Body

My theme for this summer is simplicity.  My last article was three simple things you can do to improve your health.  Today let’s answer a simple question – what should I eat?  I’ll keep the answer simple – eat these ten foods (and as a bonus I throw in a few more!)  The ten are in no special order.  They are all healthy foods that I recommend you eat on a regular basis, unless of course you are allergic.  These foods emphasize what lacks in many American diets – vegetables and fruit for vitamins and minerals to fuel our metabolism, and healthy fats that are sources of Omega 3’s and vitamins A, D, E, and K.

Blueberries taste great and are loaded with vitamins and minerals.  Blueberries have been found to have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.  They are low in fructose.  From previous articles you know while fruit is healthy, we still need to watch it.  “Natural sugar” is still sugar.  A healthy target is less than 25 grams of fructose per day.  Blueberries freeze well so you can stock up while they are fresh during the summer and use them year round.  All berries are great, so include strawberries, raspberries, and cherries in your diet as well.

We all know the old saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”  In addition to vitamins and minerals, apples are a great source of pectin which helps to lower cholesterol and regulate blood sugar.  When I talk about apples, I mean the whole fruit.  Apple juice is mostly sugar, lacking the fiber you get from the whole fruit.  Soon will be a great time to get our local apples – fresh and delicious!

Kale is a leafy green vegetable loaded with Vitamin K, calcium, iron, Vitamins A and C, protein, and fiber.  It is best steamed or lightly stir fried.  Leafy greens should be a staple in your diet.  Others to try are Swiss chard, beet greens, mustard greens, collard greens, and spinach.

Quinoa (keen-wah) is a gluten free whole grain (actually a seed) so it is an excellent choice for those who have gluten allergies or are gluten intolerant.  It can be made into flour and used in cereals, breads, and pastas.  It is loaded with minerals that we need for a healthy metabolism - calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, potassium, manganese, zinc, and iron.  And a great source of fiber.  Quinoa is unique in the land based plant world as it is the only one that is a complete protein, so it is great for vegetarians and others who are trying to reduce their meat intake.

Almonds are a healthy source of good fat, protein, and dietary fiber.  They make an excellent snack (please, just a handful).  The main nutrients are phosphorus, Vitamin E, and magnesium.  Other nuts for your short list are walnuts and pecans.  And men, don’t forget your pumpkin seeds – a great source of zinc for prostate health.

Wild salmon is the way to get our Omega 3 essential fatty acids.  Omega 3’s are anti-inflammatory.  Salmon is a great source of protein as well.  Avoid farm raised or Atlantic salmon.  What makes wild salmon healthy and red in color is what it eats in the wild – krill and shrimp that are loaded with antioxidants.  Farm raised salmon is not naturally red, a food dye is added.  Other good fish sources include sardines, mackerel, eel, and tuna.

Avocado is a fruit, and one of the few fruits that contains fat.  It has oleic acid, better known as Omega 9, which lowers blood levels of triglycerides and cholesterol.  It also has lutein which is great for eye health.  Avocado is a great source of fiber, potassium, folate, Vitamin A, and beta-carotene.

Kefir is one that you may not have heard of.  It is a lacto-fermented dairy product.  Think of it as drinkable yogurt.  Similar to yogurt it contains beneficial bacteria which aid our digestion.  Your best bet is to buy plain versions and add your own fruit.  If you have a dairy allergy you can use coconut milk or coconut water kefir.

Coconut oil is a healthy saturated fat and the best oil to use when cooking food.  It maintains its properties from high heat.  Most other oils oxidize from heat and when we eat them they increase inflammation.  Coconut oil is a medium chain fatty acid.  That means it is metabolizes faster and is used for energy by the body, and not stored as fat.  It also contains lauric acid which is anti-bacterial and anti-microbial, and is known to be good for the thyroid gland.

Butter is also a healthy saturated fat, particularly when it is organic and comes from a grass fed cow.  It contains the fat soluble vitamins E, K, and D.  It also has CLA (conjugated linolenic acid) that helps fight weight gain and butyric acid which is anti-viral and anti-cancer.  For those with an allergy to the dairy protein casein, ghee (clarified butter) is an equally healthy option.

Three Simple Things You Can Do To Improve Your Health

While you may not be ready to follow my advice 100% of the time (even I don’t follow my advice 100% of the time) here are three simple things you can do which will have profound effects on improving your health and how you feel on a daily basis.

Make Water Your Beverage of Choice

Making water your beverage of choice has two significant impacts.  First, most people simply do not drink enough water.  Water is essential to life.  Our body is made of lots of water and our body utilizes it in many complex chemical reactions that are the basis of life.  Of course this leads to the next logical questions – how much and what kind?

How much water should you drink?  That will vary with how much water you eat (yes vegetables, fruit, and even meat contain water).  My rule of thumb – if you are running to the bathroom every 30 minutes you are probably drinking too much water!  What kind of water should you drink?  Yes, we hear about the chlorine, fluoride, chemical, industrial waste, antibiotics, and hormone residues in our drinking water supplies; the BPA in the plastic bottles; and all the different kinds of water systems you can have installed in your house (reverse osmosis, oxygenated, etc).  It can become overwhelming.  

 My advice is to just drink water and not necessarily worry about all that stuff.  I really don’t think too many people have gotten ill and died from drinking too much water on a regular basis.  The heart of the issue is more likely all the other toxins we consume which eventually overwhelms our body’s ability to detoxify itself.  Yes, filtered water that you drink from a glass container is probably optimal, but the simple first step is to drink more water.

The second benefit of water as your choice of beverage is that you drink less of other unhealthy choices such as: soda (both diet and regular), fruit juices (yes, even those with “no added sugar” are still loaded with sugar), and some other ones that I won’t mention here as they are more controversial (okay, I’ll mention them – soy, other processed “milks” and pasteurized milk as well).  Perhaps some of you will even drink less alcohol. 

Make Your Own Sweet Treats

While it would be best to eliminate sugary treats at least if you make them at home you can avoid among the worst ingredients being used in commercial baking – white sugar, white flour, and trans-fats.  You can substitute with raw cane sugar, maple syrup, or stevia for white sugar; you can use organic butter or coconut oil rather than margarine, soybean oil, vegetable oil, or other trans-fats; you can use almond flour, coconut flour, gluten-free or whole wheat flour rather than white flour; and you can use organic pastured eggs.  

Among the unhealthiest foods you can consume are white sugar, white flour, and trans-fats which are prevalent in commercial baked goods.  While I am not advocating mass consumption of the alternative I suggested, at least it is healthier, and you can control the ingredients.

Alternate Omelets (eggs) and Protein Shakes for Breakfast

As I’ve written in previous articles protein is an extremely important nutrient due to the many functions it serves.  While it is presented in the main stream that Americans eat too much protein, the actual truth is that most do not eat sufficient protein.  One of the main reasons for this is what our food manufacturers have decided to call breakfast foods – cereals, waffles, pancakes, bagels, muffins, and a whole variety of other processed foods.  These products (notice how I won’t call them foods!) are typically all carbohydrate and no protein.   

Therefore, to start the day in a healthy manner and to provide your body what it needs, I recommend a breakfast based in protein.  Protein shakes made with fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and oils or omelets (eggs and vegetables) are the ideal foods to “break the fast.”

Once again we see two benefits here - one from inclusion and one from exclusion.  Inclusion is eating the healthy and body building proteins.  Exclusion is not eating high sugar and fat storing carbohydrates.

Bernard Rosen, PhD is a Nutrition Consultant and Educator. He works with individuals, groups, and at corporations to create individualized nutrition and wellness programs. His office is in Mequon, WI. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, e-mail at bernie@brwellness.com, call (262) 389-9907 or go to www.brwellness.com.

 
 

The Antioxidant Myth

We are all familiar with the antioxidant story.  We develop all kinds of diseases because we don’t get enough antioxidants.  Those evil particles called free radicals cause us to age and become diseased.  However, by taking antioxidant supplements we can kill the free radicals and not get sick.  In fact, we can even cure our disease with these miracle pills.  We are also told that vitamins are antioxidants.  For example, Vitamin C and Vitamin E are often mentioned in this manner. 

Well, what if this wasn’t quite true?  As you probably guessed, since I’m writing about this topic – it isn’t!  It is another nutrition myth that has become ingrained in our thinking.  If you think about it oxygen is probably the most important nutrient on the planet.  Without it there is no life!  Why would we want to consume something that is anti-oxygen?  If I have three people and one will get no food, one no water, and one no air for the next day which one do you not want to be?  Yes, the answer is rather obvious.

Our story begins in 1954 with Dr. Denham Harman and his free radical theory of aging.  He was conducting research on the effects of free radicals produced by radiation.  He concluded that these free radicals accelerated cell death (aging) which contributed to cancer, heart disease, and a host of other diseases.  Further experiments in test tubes showed that antioxidants, such as Vitamin E (alpha tocopherol) and Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), could slow down this aging process. 

However, this is where the story goes off course.  We must understand that even though the government allows you to say so, alpha tocopherol is not Vitamin E and ascorbic acid is not Vitamin C.  Alpha tocopherol and ascorbic acid are fractions of the full vitamin complex as they appear in nature.  They are produced in laboratories.  Without going into all the details here I’ll make this simple.  We all know that scurvy is a Vitamin C deficiency.  The British sailors used lemons and limes to prevent scurvy.  Well, guess what happens if you give ascorbic acid to someone with scurvy?  They will die.  They need the full Vitamin C complex as it is in nature, not the fractionated part made in a lab.  The tocopherols and ascorbic acid are actually a preservative whose role in nature is to protect the complete vitamin complex.

To repeat, real vitamins are complexes found in nature in real food (animal and plant).  Synthetic vitamins act as preservatives.  This has nothing to do with a nutrient.

So what then is the purpose of the free radical?  It is designed to fight an infection.  Free radicals do not damage tissues, infection does.  Free radicals are designed to kill bacteria and fungi, not human tissue.  In fact, the body is producing free radicals to protect itself.

Many researchers have attempted to show the benefits of antioxidants and have discovered the exact opposite results.  In specific studies:

1.      Antioxidants did not prevent gastrointestinal cancers and increased overall mortality.

2.      High dosage synthetic Vitamin E supplementation increased all cause mortality.

3.      Long term synthetic Vitamin E supplementation did not prevent cancer or heart disease and increased the risk of heart failure.

4.      Use of beta carotene (synthetic Vitamin A) increased stroke risk by 62%.

5.      Use of alpha tocopherol (synthetic Vitamin E) increased risk of cerebral infarction by 113%.

6.      Use of alpha tocopherol increased risk of head and neck cancers.

Why these results?  Because in real life these antioxidants (these isolated fractions from vitamins produced synthetically in laboratories) are oxygen inhibitors and we need oxygen for life!

You may say that you’ve used antioxidant supplements and they make you feel better.  Well, that may be true for a short period of time.  Antioxidants drive oxygen from the blood to the tissues.  In the short term this benefits the tissue, but in the long term is creates a shortage of oxygen in the blood.  This is why the above results were found in long term studies.

Hopefully I’ve done this justice.  Special thanks to Mark Anderson from Standard Process West for communicating this information.

Bernard Rosen, PhD is a Nutrition Consultant and Educator. He works with individuals, groups, and at corporations to create individualized nutrition and wellness programs. His office is in Mequon, WI. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, e-mail at bernie@brwellness.com, call (262) 389-9907 or go to www.brwellness.com.

What's All The Hype About Superfoods?

It seems as if every day the next “superfood” is introduced.  It is usually from some exotic locale; it has just recently been discovered by someone and saved their life; it will cure all diseases known to man; and it is featured in the latest and greatest multi-level marketing program that is guaranteed to make you a millionaire.  Also, it is generally rather expensive to buy!  Some of the most recent examples include: goji berries, acai berries, Mona Vie juice, chia seeds, seaweeds, spirulina, dark chocolate, and of course all kinds of superfoods combined in green, red, orange, or purple powders to mix in your smoothie.

Please, don’t get me wrong.  I’m in no way saying that these foods are not good for you.  I’m sure they have many of the “super” qualities being touted.  I’m only suggesting that there are many other foods that are probably just as “super” but do not have multi-million dollar marketing campaigns promoting them and will not take as huge a bite out of your wallet.  Also, many of these products claim to cure or reverse aging, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, etc.  While they may contribute to improved health these claims are likely stretching the truth to some extent.  

Wikipedia has the following definition, “Superfood is a term used in various contexts. For example, it is sometimes used to describe food with high nutrient or phytochemical content that may confer health benefits.”  We are also told, “They are superior sources of anti-oxidants and essential nutrients - nutrients we need but cannot make ourselves.”

Here’s the part I like the best, “The term is not in common use by dietitians and nutrition scientists, many of whom dispute that particular foodstuffs have the health benefits often claimed by advocates of particular superfoods. There is no legal definition of the term and it has been alleged that this has led to it being misleadingly used as a marketing tool.”  This is exactly my concern.  Terminology is being thrown around without any agreed upon definition of what exactly a “superfood” is, should be, or should do!

So, are there really “superfoods?”  My answer is yes, but you don’t have to travel all over the world to find them nor do you have to surrender your whole paycheck to buy them.  Superfoods are real foods.  Most of them are located in a grocery store or farm near you.  For example, you don’t have to buy exotic berries.  Blueberries, strawberries, or blackberries work just fine.  

What does my list of “superfoods” look like?  This is In no special order.  The best fruits are berries.  Raw nuts and seeds are a great source of protein and fat.  In the vegetable family it is the dark leafy greens (such as kale, collard greens, Swiss chard, mustard greens, and beet greens) and the Cruciferous family (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and cabbage).  In the animal family there is grass fed beef, antibiotic and hormone free chicken and turkey, and fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines which are high in Omega 3’s.  For more details on my list of top foods to eat, click here http://brwellness.blogspot.com/2008/08/ten-foods-to-have-in-your-healthy-diet.html and here http://brwellness.blogspot.com/2008/10/ten-more-foods-to-have-in-your-healthy.html .

Bernard Rosen, PhD is a Nutrition Consultant and Educator. He works with individuals, groups, and at corporations to create individualized nutrition and wellness programs. His office is in Mequon, WI. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, e-mail at bernie@brwellness.com, call (262) 389-9907 or go to www.brwellness.com.