But certainly, there are plenty of people who live to be 100, and eat some animal products. It's clear, you can’t have many animal products in your diet, because animal products, especially the animal-product we eat today, because the animal products today are much more polluted than animal products of yesteryears. They’re richer in saturated, unhealthy fat and they’re not raised in the forest. They’re raised on farms, with much more sources of pollution.

And, of course, any diet style, even if you eat a primitive diet rich in animal products, takes away from our diet the phytochemicals and the nutrient densities we would get if we ate a diet richer in the phytochemical-rich food. So just like if you eat a diet richer in bagels and even maybe whole wheat bread, it’s not going to be an ideal diet because you’re not eating enough vegetables, fruits, beans, lots of seeds. In other words, it takes away calories from your plate that could have been consumed as nutrient-rich foods that we can eat a lot of in today’s society. We have to have a high level of these nutrients on our tissues to prevent disease especially in this stressful environment.

Animal products are nutrient poor. There are groups all over the world, like the paleo crowd that would like to debate that and promote cholesterol rich, saturated unhealthy fat and protein rich foods as nutrient rich and simply put, they are not. When you learn the Nutritarian, nutrient rich way to eat you will understand why.

But whether or not you eat animal products is not the only issue when it comes to healthy eating. Many communities make this the central issue of the great food or health debate, and it is a major one, but this debate also takes the focus off of the central issue and one of the most powerful ways of looking at food and that is the nutrient qualities of the food. From this perspective, animal products fall so far short of what meets are needs, it makes no sense to base a diet in these foods or eat them in significant quantities.

A nutritarian or nutrient rich way of evaluating the quality of your diet, is much more inclusive of a broader array of dietary attributes than most other approaches to eating.

A basic nutritional education can help you understand this, like you will get here.

Its exciting and very liberating!

> Part 5 - The Nutrient Rich Way to Eat - Part 5 - The Critics Weight In

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dr. Fuhrman is a New York Times best-selling author, nutritional researcher and board certified family physician specializing in nutritional medicine.  Learn more by visiting his informative website at DrFuhrman.com.

John Allen Mollenhauer is the founder of nutrientrich.com a Nutritional Education Trainer, and leading authority on Performance Lifestyle, which teaches people how to live a healthy lifestyle successfully and develop Your Lifestyle to better achieve your goals.

The post Dr. Fuhrman on Why Nutrient Rich Eating is Unique and Essential to Your Success – Part 4 – Animal Products appeared first on Nutrient Rich.

Why Antioxidants Are Important

The normal process of aging causes cells to breakdown within the body, and our bodies are always replenishing by getting rid of damaged cells and replacing them with new cells. These damaged cells are known as “free radicals,” and they can cause serious health problems such as cancer, heart disease, and numerous other life-threatening illnesses.

As we get older, the body has a harder time keeping up with the cleanup process, which means that we are more likely to be affected by disease and illness. Additionally, if we are following an unhealthy lifestyle, there will be more internal damage that needs to be taken care of because unhealthy lifestyles cause more free radicals to occur.

Luckily, the body has a natural system in place to get rid of the free radicals. When antioxidants are consumed, they work to get rid of the free radicals within your body. Even though damage naturally occurs on a daily basis, a sufficient amount of antioxidants and phytochemical will effectively clean up the free radicals, and even repair damage that has already occurred.

How to Get Antioxidants

The human body is unable to create antioxidants on its own, so it is necessary to eat foods that are high in these nutrients. It is also important to note that when antioxidants are used to get rid of free radicals, they cannot be used again. This means that it is essential for you to constantly re-supply your body with plenty of foods that are high in antioxidants.

Antioxidants are found in plant based foods such as: fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, beans and legumes, and whole grains. Actually, many different types of antioxidants can be gained by eating different types of food, so it is best to eat a variety of these foods on a daily basis. There are not found in animal product or refined foods.

Here are some of the antioxidants that are available in our food… you may be surprised to learn that there are a few nutrients that you recognize: beta carotene, selenium, zinc, vitamin C, and vitamin E. These are just a few of the antioxidants that are available; there are many others that can be gained by eating natural, nutrient rich foods, also known as “nutrient dense” foods.

According to Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s Healthy Times Newsletter No. 32, antioxidants work within the body to locate free radicals and destroy them so that they are harmless. Some of the best antioxidants are available in cruciferous vegetables, and these foods contain phytochemicals that fight the free radicals and actually activate an antioxidant control system within the body that are fueled by these essential nutrients. 

On the other hand, getting antioxidants from a supplement will fight the free radicals one at a time, but the control system is not activated to continue fighting. Sometimes those supplements may cause even more problems, because they create more free radicals within the body. So, the best source of antioxidants is from nutrient rich foods.

The Best Sources of Antioxidants

Some people mistakenly think that they can improve their health by simply taking a supplement or drinking a high quality juice each day. So, they take their supplement in the morning, and then proceed to go about their day eating any kind of unhealthy junk food products that they want. This practice is not beneficial; you will not have health you can count on, if you choose to follow this pattern!

These unhealthy, refined foods are loaded with harmful chemicals, preservatives, and additives. No amount of “super-juice” can make up for the damage that is caused by these products. Additionally, there are so many types of antioxidants that are available in nutrient rich foods, making it virtually, no actually “completely” impossible to get all of the nutrients that you need in a single supplement.

Instead of looking for a supplement to improve your health, your best option is to eat more nutrient rich foods rich in antioxidants and other phytochemicals. Some of the best types of food to eat are the fruits and vegetables that are bright in color. For example, here are a few fruits and vegetables that will provide your body with a good source of antioxidants: any type of green leafy vegetable, berries, bell peppers, oranges, broccoli, carrots, tomatoes, cantaloupe, etc.

Including fresh fruits and vegetables with every meal will protect your health, and provide your body with the nutrients that it needs to fight the free radicals and prevent disease. Remember that every little bit helps, so start eating more fruits and vegetables throughout the day to improve your overall health.

Here at nutrientrich.com you are learning that it's not just a matter of adding more antioxidant rich foods to your diet on top of the typical SAD (standard American diet) foods most people eat, but that for maximum health which yields all the benefits many hear about but never come close to experiencing, you develop an eating plan that is "90% or More Plant-Based Nutrient Rich!"

Talk about getting lots of antioxidants; these foods need to make up the majority of what you eat.

That's how you stay healthy!

The post The Benefits of a Diet Rich in Antioxidants appeared first on Nutrient Rich.

First, on Friday the US Government (I know that can't possible sound that exciting), is getting rid of the old food pyramid and taking a significant "step" towards Nutrient Rich eating, by addressing the obesity epidemic. This is significant, so it's worth a blog post. Tomorrow, they are introducing "The Plate". Read more here.

Second, if you want to discover what healthy eating really looks like and sounds like, on Saturday, you can tune into 3 Steps to Incredible Health with Joel Fuhrman M.D. This is going to be a real momentum builder in this country towards making the switch to nutrient rich healthy eating.

3 STEPS TO INCREDIBLE HEALTH! with Joel Fuhrman, MD is a sixty-minute PBS pledge program that directly addresses the crisis of obesity and chronic disease plaguing America.

Over 65% of Americans are overweight or obese – and that number is growing just like our waistlines!

Dr. Fuhrman will offer a healthy, effective, and scientifically proven plan for shedding weight quickly and reclaiming the vitality and good health we all deserve.
Support Public Television and Dr. Fuhrman.

Click here to see a clip of the upcoming PBS special.

By making a donation during Dr. Fuhrman’s pledge program on PBS, as a gift, you will receive an exclusive Dr. Fuhrman “Incredible Health” combo package – not available anywhere else!* if you are a current member.

Not yet a member of Dr. Fuhrman.com?
Click here.

Be sure to tune in and tell your friends.

By watching 3 STEPS TO INCREDIBLE HEALTH! with Joel Fuhrman, MD on PBS you are helping educate America with Dr Fuhrman’s message. Support your local PBS station by phoning in during an airing and making a pledge.

Be sure to check local listings!

The post Tune into PBS this coming Saturday for 3 Steps to Incredible Health. appeared first on Nutrient Rich.

I received this this morning, from Dr. Fuhrman and it reminded me of a pattern I see over an over again in the world of health; it's when the solution sold is a cause of the very problem it's supposed to solve. In this case, we are talking about taking Biphosphonates (drugs) to treat osteoporosis.

See below:

Osteoporosis Drugs May Be Risky For Bones

The cost of osteoporosis in the U.S. is estimated at $22 billion per year.1 Bisphosphonates (such as Fosamax, Boniva, Actonel, and Reclast) are commonly prescribed by physicians to treat osteoporosis or to prevent osteoporosis in individuals with osteopenia. Unfortunately, bisphosphonates may actually increase one’s risk of mid-femur fractures (the femur is your upper leg bone).

Bone tissue undergoes a continuous cycle of breaking down old bone and rebuilding new stronger bone. Bisphosphonates increase bone mineral density in the short term by reducing bone breakdown, essentially reducing bone loss. However, this is not the same as building natural, healthy bone with exercise. When old bone is not broken down to create new bone, the old bone becomes brittle and fractures easily.

• In individuals with osteopenia, bisphosphonates increased the risk of hip fracture by 85% and wrist fractures by 50%.2

• Long term (4-8 years) users of bisphosphonates have significantly higher risks of atypical hip and leg fractures.3 Most of these fractures are not the result of falls. They occur under minimal stress, often merely walking down stairs or low-energy exercise.4

• An 8-year study of over 88,000 people found that taking bisphosphonates tripled the risk of developing bone necrosis – this means that bisphosphonates caused permanent loss of blood supply to bone, resulting in tissue death.5

Bisphosphonates have been linked with many other side effects, including esophagitis, esophageal cancer, osteonecrosis of the jaw, and atrial fibrillation. They can also negatively affect the musculoskeletal system, gastrointestinal tract, and kidney function.6

Prevention and treatment of osteoporosis does not need to involve potentially dangerous drugs. Instead, osteoporosis should be prevented and treated through physical exercise and proper nutrition, which have been shown to be more effective than drugs and have no negative side effects.7

This same pattern is seen in the world of eating acid forming dairy products to increase calcium intake, when the reality is that an acid forming food can create a negative calcium balance; in other words, actually cause the body to leach calcium from your bones to buffer the acid environment, even though dairy foods have calcium in them.

How about drinking coffee for increased energy; that 's another food stuff sold that is a very cause of the problem of low energy, since all stimulants ultimately exhaust you.

There are many more examples but these three are definitely in the top 5.

Be very careful about what you buy into in terms of "solutions", as many drugs, weight loss programs, energy enhancers, even exercise programs that are not firmly rooted in lifestyle behaviors are not really solutions at all, they are what we call "impotent solutions" that sell you short (literally) because the focus is on such short term results that the so called "solution" never really solves the actual problem and may in fact get you caught up in a pattern that causes the very problem you are trying to solve.

Nutrient Rich eating is a lifestyle solution, with immediate and long term benefits. It is both a quick fix and a long term solution, not one or the other, as any long term solution will also have immediate benefits.

Kale for instance is one of the most nutrient rich foods on the planet, it's tied with mustard green and collars in the top 3 most nutrient rich foods of all. It's got loads of calcium in it and causes a positive calcium balance in the body, not to mention that  it comes packed with all kinds of other nutrients and does not include any substances that the body does not require. This is example of a nutrient rich food.

Kale is a part of the Nutrient Rich Way of eating that is a true lifestyle solution.

The post When the Solution Sold IS a Cause appeared first on Nutrient Rich.