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Jonny Bowden: The Most Effective Ways to Live Longer

Jonny Bowden: The Most Effective Ways to Live Longer

Fans of natural skin care may be interested to read the eighth and latest book by nutritionist Jonny Bowden: The Most Effective Ways to Live Longer.

According to  Bowden there are 10 very healthy foods we don't eat enough of and some of these may come as a surprise to many people.

Bowden says fat is demonised by many diets but it is an essential building block for many important compounds in the body and this is why Bowden puts grass-fed beef, wild salmon and coconuts, on his top 10 list.

Salmon, in particular, is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, which are associated with heart and brain health as well as bringing down blood pressure and triglycerides, a risk factor for heart disease. Omega-3s have also been found to improve mood and reduce inflammation, says Bowden.

Another food packed with nutritional value is kale.  A member of the cabbage family, which Bowden dubs "vegetable royalty," kale contains indoles, a compound found to fight cancer. Kale is also rich in antioxidants and is also full of sulforaphane, yet another cancer-prevention agent. Kale has calcium, iron and vitamins A, C and K, and two nutrients that are great for the eyes, including zeaxanthin.  Try sautéing it with garlic and butter, recommends Bowden. Or eat it like salad, with pine nuts, cranberries and olive oil.

Next on the list is coconuts, another terribly misunderstood food, according to Bowden.  The fat in coconuts is a particular kind that's good for you. It's called MCT, or Medium-Chain Triglycerides. The body doesn't store MCT as fat, says Bowden, but rather uses it as energy, like a carbohydrate. Coconuts are also high in lauric acid, a fatty acid that tends to kill pathogens. In addition, coconut oil is great for cooking since it has a very high smoke point.

If all that sounds just too much like hard work, consider the 10th food on Bowden's list: dark chocolate. Rich with a phytochemical called flavanol, found by a 2005 study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology to improve cardiovascular health, chocolate with at least 60% cocoa content should be a regular on your shopping list.

Posted by Sarah Smith

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