Introduction

American poet, Don Williams, Jr. said, "The road of life twists and turns and no two directions are ever the same. Yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination." In this brief study on becoming the Super You that you can be, we want to be your guides! We have been on a long journey to health ourselves, and along the way, we've been able to help some pretty amazing people. As we share our story and the lessons we've learned through personal experience and professional training, we encourage you to learn from our mistakes and try some things that worked for us. Consider Super You a Wellness 101 course. Our goal is to teach you some great principles that can help you make it to your wellness goals faster and smarter.

Journey To Health

Seven years ago, our family ate a lot like average Americans. We had processed foods in our cabinets, fridge, and freezer- those "non-perishable foods." Drive-thru windows and soda were not off-limits; but we did throw some "healthy" stuff in for good measure! Then we thought "what if our food choices impacted our quality of life?"

Rediscovering Our Roots

When I was a child, my grandparents had a very large garden. It was organic farming, but not because it was trendy. They just didn't understand why anyone would douse their food in chemicals. When we started out on our own as a little family, all of our food came from the grocery store. Processed and "convenience foods" gradually sneaked into our diet. Fresh foods were a small part of our diet, even then, they were chemically treated. We failed to recognize this food change. We failed to realize that this food change could create a problem. I didn't really understand the "organic" or whole foods movement, and felt that it was just a waste of money to buy "fancy" food. Carrots were carrots whether they were sprayed with something or not. Everyone ate processed foods, so it was no big deal. Then I began having many health problems.

The Turning Point

And so began our journey: freedom from fatigue, pain, and prescription drugs. Freedom toward a life of vitality! What is food? What a question; with such a simple answer!

As we began trying to find a way back to better health, I realized that there was a very big between food and "food." Real food that shows up in nature is the substance upon which health and wellbeing are built. Our bodies were made to consume it and were made to be nourished by it.

Processed "food" is the food-like substance that has become the staple of the Standard American Diet (SAD) and the root of our chronic disease problem. Our bodies were made to drink water, not soda. Our bodies can easily metabolize honey, but not high fructose corn syrup. You would never fill your unleaded gasoline car with diesel fuel because it wouldn't be able to function. Filling your body with highly processed foods causes the same problems long-term.

The processed foods in our stores are called "highly palatable" and are engineered to make you want more. I had tried so many times to remove unhealthy foods, but the cravings were just too strong and I would always run back to my comfort foods. We decided instead of doing the same thing again and expecting a different result, we would try a new approach. Instead of eliminating those "highly palatable foods" first, we started by adding healthy foods in. This worked very well, and helped me fight the cravings when I was ready to reduce and eliminate certain unhealthy options. I began to feel healthier eating better food, and I realized that the best thing I could do for my body was to eat the way I'd been raised.

Superfoods?

There are healthy foods, then there are superfoods. Superfoods are nutrient-dense foods found in nature. These foods make an impact on certain disease, including the prevention of cancer. Here are a few superfoods to try:

Berries

Any red, blue, or purple berries contain compounds known to fight cancer. They are loaded with vitamin C and other antioxidants. Enjoy blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, any berry you like; even red wine in moderation!

Cruciferous Vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, and collard greens suppress cancer tumors. Chlorophyllin in kale has been shown to reduce the risk of liver cancer.

Chocolate

Raw cacao (coco) contains the most concentrated antioxidants of any food (with an ORAC score of 95,500!). However, most chocolate is heated during the manufacturing process which ruins many of the nutrients. To get the full benefit, you must eat raw cacao. Raw cacao is very high in magnesium as well as a great source of iron. This is chocolate, people!

Green Tea

Green tea contains powerful antioxidants. The catechins in green tea have anti-cancer properties. Polyphenols found in green tea may help fight prostate cancer and there is even potential with breast, lung, and colon cancer.

Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are very nutritious. They contain five times the calcium of milk and more omega-3s than flax or salmon. Chia seeds are also an excellent source of fiber, trace minerals, and protein. Chia seed can help detoxify because they are gelatinous. When they move through your digestive tract they are great at collecting toxins and moving them out of your body!

Raw Honey

Raw honey is rich in bee pollen. Bee pollen is the most complete food found in nature and has more protein than beef. In addition to containing natural antioxidants, honey contains enzymes, and vitamins and minerals such as calcium, iron, zinc, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, selenium, chromium and manganese. Bee pollen is a natural antidote for fighting allergies such as hay fever and may even counteract the signs of aging.

Acai

The acai berry is not only rich in antioxidants, but also contains omega-3s, fiber, protein, and minerals. Acai has been found to have 300 times the antioxidants of blueberries. A diet high in antioxidants is important to ward off the germs that constantly surround you, fight off cancers, and promote longevity.

Gogi Berries

Goji berries are an excellent source of antioxidants and have more vitamin C than any other fruit. They also contain vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, and E, as well as protein and trace minerals. Their phytochemicals help destroy cancer cells.