Nutrient-packed therapeutic foods to include in your diet
Seaweeds / Algae
Seaweed and Algae species are great multi-tasking nutrients. The properties contained in ocean plants and algae contain a high amount of antioxidant compounds, protein (amino acids), minerals and carbohydrates, so it’s great for improving energy levels.
Another bonus about supplementing your diet with seaweeds or algae is that it has a cleansing effect on your body by increasing alkalization as well as counteracting the negative effects of a highly acidic diet (high meat, eggs, sugar, processed, etc) which contributes to inflammation in the body.
Some examples of Seaweeds /Algae to supplement with are Spirulina, Chlorella, Dunaliella, and Astaxanthin. These supplements are easy to find in pharmacy or supermarkets in tablet or powder form.
Sulfur rich foods
Including Sulfur rich vegetables in your diet has many health benefits and is an invaluable nutrient in so many bodily processes. Sulfur is an important building block for our body’s proteins and its amino acids, it is also in our bones, skin, and cells. Sulfur is crucial in cellular metabolism and energy production. Most importantly Sulphur boosts our immunity and helps us to fight off infection, as well as protecting us from heart disease.
Try increasing your intake of the following Sulfur-rich foods: Dark green and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, kale, cauliflower, cabbage, bok choy, broccolini, collards, asparagus, rocket and brussel sprouts.
Garlic, onions, leeks, chives, shallots are high in the Sulfur-containing compounds ally sulfide and sulfoxides, which can prevent blood clots and lower cholesterol. These compounds can also repair connective tissue and ease arthritis.
Essential fatty acids (EFAs)
Essential fatty acids (EFAs) – called “essential” by name for a reason as they are crucial for healthy cell functioning and our body cannot make these oils on its own so they must be sourced from the diet. EFAs have anti-inflammatory properties and are also critical for heart health, brain function, and maintaining healthy blood sugar levels.
The obvious way to supplement EFAs is by taking tablets, but not everyone likes to gag down large tablets all the time, so another great way to source EFAs is by including LSA in your diet. LSA is made from ground linseeds, sunflower seeds and almonds, and is an easy, extremely versatile way to add extra EFAs in your diet. It is also high in Vitamin E and minerals such as Zinc.
You can purchase LSA from the health food section in most grocery stores and it should be kept in the fridge in an airtight container once opened.
Try adding a spoonful of LSA to muesli or other breakfast cereals, smoothies, yoghurt, or to muffins or homemade muesli bars.
You could also try including things like Flax seed oil on salads, and nut butter like Almond butter, as well as eating cold water fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna, herring, and sardines)
Selina Mithen.
Research and Development Manager at MT Dermaceuticals.
