Are Superfoods Really Super?

We have written various articles about certain foods that have been deemed as “superfoods,” such as cinnamon, garlic, raw honey, and others. The internet today is flooded with blogs on the miracles of turmeric, lemon juice and many more. The question is, will eating a specific superfood help you attain the desired results immediately? Probably not. However, they do support your body’s functions, help with healing after exercise, and provide you with energy. That’s why Dr. Budwig taught her patients the value of these foods and urged them to develop a healthy eating “lifestyle.” When eating healthy is our way of life we are continually supplying our body with what it needs to thrive and then superfoods have their chance to shine.

The following are tips to help you incorporate super foods into your diet and live a healthy lifestyle. You will also find the information provided in our Budwig Guide very useful. There is an extensive list of foods to eat and foods to avoid if you are on the Budwig Diet.

Use Apps to Track the Superfoods You Eat

Tracking superfood intake along with exercise is an excellent method for determining which ones give you the most benefit. If your goal is to decide which foods help you best with post-exercise recovery, you can use the MyFitnessPal app to figure out which food works the best, or if a mix of different foods works better. Try superfoods like coconut water, hemp seeds, trail mix, and plant-based protein powder. All of these foods have superior healing properties and are more likely to help you minimize pain and recover quickly after exercise.

Burn Extra Calories While You Work

You probably do a lot of different tasks throughout your workday that keeps you moving. In turn, your body gets used to how much you move and adjusts to burning the necessary calories, but no more. You can turn to the many super foods that have weight-loss properties to help you shed the extra pounds. Some foods like cinnamon, MCT oil, and green tea have fat burning properties, but they don’t boost metabolism to a level that causes rapid weight loss. Others have properties to help you feel fuller for longer and keep you away from the snack machine. However, it’s good to try them to determine if they work for you or not.

An important aspect of weight loss is feeling full. The longer you feel full, the less you eat, and the more fat you burn. Instead of munching on a bag of chips at your desk, drink a supplement that contains whey protein. Whey protein helps with reducing hunger and increases fat burn at the same time.

Get Up and Move More Often

Make sure you get up out of the chair and do some exercises with an exercise app like Stand Up! This particular app is only available on iOS, but Google has a web-based version that has similar features and functions. If you’re working a job that requires a lot of physical activity, make sure to follow accepted ergonomic postures and methods for lifting objects. Prevent strain, so you don’t wind up with a job-related injury and have to take time away from your work.

You might ask what does moving around at work have to do with superfoods? Many superfoods are loaded with energy-rich nutrients that give you a boost when you decide to get up and move. They also help heal the body, reduce inflammation, and protect muscle from wasting. Your body will have extra nutrients to draw from your bloodstream to help heal itself in case you do injure yourself, but superfoods also aid your body in becoming a well-oiled machine.

Maintain Your Musculoskeletal System

Your muscles and skeleton are what get you from point A to point B every day of your life. As you age, it gets a little harder to keep your body in top shape, even with exercise. The musculoskeletal system reaches a peak mass around the age of 30 and begins a slow decline. While that sounds scary, it’s not as dramatic as it sounds. However, it is a good reminder that you should take steps to minimize bone and muscle loss especially if you’re not actively exercising.

Some of the super foods that help support a healthy body include:

• Dark leafy greens such as Swiss chard and spinach
• Berries of all kinds
• Olive oil

These foods are packed with nutrients that the body can draw upon to repair the daily wear and tear on muscles and bone. While they can’t stop the effects of aging on the musculoskeletal system, they can help the body rebuild itself more quickly.

Healing Your Gut for an Improved Immune System

The concept of the gut being responsible for our immune system may sound strange, but it’s a fact: the bacteria in our gut, known as flora, teaches our immune system how to react to changes in our environment. Stress, poor diet, and acid reflux all wreak havoc on the gut flora and can lead to infections and leaky gut. While leaky gut isn’t fully understood, the connection between gut flora and infections is well known. Superfoods can help with both conditions by healing the gut and restoring its flora. An app called Food Intolerances can help you find foods that won’t aggravate your digestive system even if you have few to no actual food intolerances.

Taking probiotics may not always be enough to restore the gut flora. Consuming fermented foods, biotin, and green tea can help with healing the gut and improving the gut flora. Bone broth contains collagen which helps restore the gut lining and increase absorption of the nutrients of other superfoods you happen to be consuming. Focus on eating super foods that are known for restoring connective tissues and help your digestive system work at its most optimal.

Superfoods do have beneficial properties and ones that help your body function at its best. Research the foods that aid you best in your goal whether it be weight loss, post-exercise recovery, or just keeping your body performing optimally. Whatever your goals and objectives may be, you’ll find that eating the right foods will help you feel better and stay healthier.