People are coming to realize that the old fashioned way of doing things seemed to better for our bodies and that Whole Foods Benefit the Cells and Skin Health. A renewed interest in health has led to diet trends like the Virgin Diet, the Paleo Diet, and an overall emphasis on raw foods. So, is this just another diet craze that will fade into oblivion by the end of the decade?The Internet has allowed us to find scores of information on our health and diet. People are starting to stand up and take notice that when they eat unprocessed foods that only have natural carbohydrates and sugars they feel better and their bodies respond much better.

On the other hand processed food will weigh you down and drain you of your energy, even though, you are often consuming far more calories than you would with a similar meal made from scratch at home. This is because they are not energy foods, and their calories are empty calories, which serve no purpose, except to turn into fat in our bodies.

Why Are Whole Foods Better For Me?

I love the saying that my doctor told me and it is a good point of reference for knowing the majority of good foods from the bad ones. He told me “If you can get it in a box, a bag, or pick it up in a drive thru, your body can not process it correctly.”

Our bodies were made to process plants and animals without modifiers, preservatives, hormones, and other chemicals that are regularly pumped into our food supply. That is Mother Nature’s way.

Also to maintain costs and freshness much of your processed food has a majority of its nutrients blasted away before you even enter your grocery store. Your body’s cells perform better when they are getting all the nutrients that they need.Processed foods often give your body calories but starve it of necessary nutrients, leaving you to feel tired, sick, and often will make you gain weight because your cells are unable to metabolize the food properly.

In the end processed foods are not worth all of the trouble that they cause to our bodies. To reinforce my doctor’s point I have also heard it said that when you shop at the supermarket to stick to the products along the walls or the periphery of the store and avoid the middle aisles because that is where the processed foods lurk.

 

Cell Health

What is a cell?

Cells are the fundamental units of life, you can think of them as the bricks from which all the tissues and organs are built. They are also the smallest living organisms in the body.

The cells are constantly communicating with each other and responding to what you do, and the signals they receive from you as to how your body should respond. This include, thoughts, movement of arms and legs and many hundreds of involuntary processes in the body.

When cell health is compromised the functioning of tissues and organs that are built on cells will not perform at their best and this will impact your health and can lead to chronic disease.

Nourishment is therefore key to optimal cell health. Also, with the exception of brain cells, body cells are replicated each day to replace cells that have died off, and this process requires raw material to work properly that comes in the form of proper nutrition.

Essential nutrients that support cell health are also required to protect them from damage so they can go on to do their job in protecting your good health.

Nutrients For Cell Health

Our bodies have high nutrient demands that with a whole food diet and some added supplements can easily be met.

Water

While it is not a nutrient exactly, water is a vital component for your body to work properly. Your body is composed primarily of water and must be hydrated to perform at peak condition.

However, the majority of Americans are chronically dehydrated, even though we literally have hundreds of drink options when we hit the grocery store. While nearly every drink option you have is water based, the caffeine content of many soft drinks and energy drinks on the market today actually work to dehydrate your body.

You need at least 64 ounces of water a day. When you hear 8 glasses of 8 ounces of water per day that sounds like a large amount of water, but, when you think about it 64 ounces is only 4 full bottles of the standard water bottles and 2 glasses of the large 32 ounce cups that you can get at most fast food chains. Getting enough water is much easier than most people want to believe.

Antioxidants

The other nutrients that your body needs for cell health are antioxidants called, B vitamins that allow you to perform with energy, and protect the cells from damage that results from free radicals.

Other important antioxidants include, the vitamin E family compounds that are prominent in whole grains and Vitamin C found in citrus foods, as well as, carotenoids that come from vegetables and protect your DNA from free radical damage.

The cells also need amino acids and healthy fats, such as, Omega-3 Fatty Acids that help to build and support their protective membranes and play a key role in building and repair.

Without this wide range of nutrients, the cell membranes can become brittle and develop holes at which point they will not function properly and can cause mutations of DNA, which can lead to a decline in normal cell function and cancer.

How To Get These Nutrients

These important nutrients that you can find in fresh whole foods will give you a better quality of life, more energy, disease prevention and overall better health.

You can find multivitamins that have the entire or a portion of the FDA recommended daily dosage of each vitamin or mineral that you need, though, real food is always the best way to get vital nutrients into your body.

If you find some foods unappealing, but, still want to reap the nutrient benefits many health companies are now creating nutritional supplement drinks that are loaded with vitamins and minerals and often taste more like a milkshake than a nutritious meal.

Make sure to check ingredients and ask your doctor to be sure that you are not ingesting unnecessary salt and sugar that may be included in these meals.

Best Whole Foods for Skin Health

These days, cosmetic skin care procedures are growing more and more popular. Women often rely on medical procedures, like laser wrinkle removal, expensive facials, and other methods to enhance their skin health, not to mention the fact that they spend a ton of money on very expensive facial creams.

But, did you know that you can take of your skin by simply changing your diet?

Whole foods for instance, hold the key to long lasting skin health without the added costs of going under surgery or purchasing expensive creams and skin care products. The consumption of whole foods not only promotes skin health, but, also allows the body to receive nourishment in a natural way.

Can Whole Foods Improve Skin Health?

If you want to keep your skin looking vibrant, and deter the effects of aging, then consider adding these whole foods to your daily diet. These foods contain essential nutrients that keep the skin healthy, glowing and looking younger.

Best Whole Foods For Skin Health

• Blueberries – a daily dose of these tiny tasty treats will keep wrinkles away from your skin. Blueberries are exceptionally rich in antioxidants that rid the body of harmful toxins that cause rapid aging. Antioxidants are responsible for preventing cellular damage caused by free radicals. The fact that antioxidants come from whole food like, blueberries it is important to include them in your diet every day.

• Almonds – these nuts are rich in magnesium, almonds optimize blood flow to the skin. They are also a rich source of vitamin E, which is quite known for its anti-aging benefits. Almonds are also filled with antioxidants that complements the vitamin E, making the consumption of almonds twice as good for skin health.

• Kale – kale is a super food that has a plethora of health advantages, and if you wish to improve your skin health, then this is a must have diet addition. Kale is enriched with vitamin K which is responsible for the suppression of inflammation. Consuming Kale every day will keep your skin taught and tight.

• Avocado – who doesn’t love guacamole? Avocadoes contain a lot of healthy fat, including, Omega 6. These fatty acids are responsible for keeping the skin moisturized naturally. If you’re fond of eating avocadoes, you could skip those moisturizing creams because you simply won’t be needing them any time soon. Avocadoes also contain lecithin which keeps blood cholesterol levels down.

• Parsley – although parsley is mainly used to garnish dishes, there’s more to it than a nice meal addition. Parsley contains a combination of chlorophyll, vitamin A, and vitamin C, which heals the skin.Our skin sheds dead skin cells daily, and when then body does not have enough nutrients to replenish new skin cells, it becomes dull looking and easily damaged. The nutrients found in parsley can aid the skin in its rejuvenation process making it easier for the skin to heal.

 

Also, if you wish to keep your skin healthy, drink plenty of water every day to improve hydration and keep it looking fresh, young and glowing.

Remember to add a variety of whole foods to your diet to keep your skin looking radiant and your overall health at its best.

 

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