"We dig our grave with our teeth." This old saying sounds funny and odd, but unfortunately it is true. We are told from the time we are young that food provides calories or energy. But there's so much more to food nutrition than that. Foods can make you feel healthier and younger - or they can make you deathly ill.

It is important to eat healthy with today's hectic lifestyles. Nutritious foods can help prevent heart disease or allow it to happen. The right foods can help you lose weight or get fat. Some foods even keep your hair and skin healthy and young looking well into your golden years - or allow them to fall out. If you think genetics is responsible then consider this - the nutrition you consume determines which genes are activated and which genes are dormant.

Making healthier food choices can help you look and feel healthier and younger while cutting the risk for disease. These changes may help cut your health care costs and lessen the chance of becoming dependent on medications as you age.

Many of us know which foods to avoid, such as junk food. In fact, the more processed a food is, the less nutrition it may contain. The real question is - what can we eat? To get you going, here is a partial list of high nutrition foods to help keep you healthy and young.

Bananas contain vitamin c, magnesium and potassium and are a good source of fiber. They can strengthen the stomach lining against ulcers and since they are very high in potassium, they can help regulate high blood pressure.

Barley has long been well known in the Middle East as a heart medicine. It can help reduce cholesterol levels and is full of antioxidants can help your body fight cancer. Dried barley grass is a healthy, green super-food used by many for it's high content of vitamins, minerals and proteins.

Beans are a great source of fiber which also helps to reduce cholesterol levels by up to 10%. In addition, these high protein sources may also help regulate blood sugar levels.

Blueberries can work as a powerful antibiotic. They help keep infectious bacteria from attaching itself to the lining of your urinary tract, helping to prevent bladder infections.

Cinnamon has been shown to stimulate insulin activity so may be helpful for those with adult-onset diabetes. Other studies have proven that it may help prevent blood clots.

Chili Peppers help your blood flow freely through your circulatory system helping to lower the risk of stroke and heart attack. They contain capsaicin, a substance that fights inflammation. Capsaicin is currently used for pain relief from arthritis and even psoriasis. Fitness enthusiasts have long used chili peppers to help fight fat by speeding up metabolism.

Dates are packed with minerals including iron, manganese, potassium, phosphorous, calcium, copper and magnesium as well as being high in fiber. These treats also contain a substance that acts as a natural aspirin.

Garlic is one of the most well-known foods that heal. stimulates the immune system and is a known to be anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial. In addition it helps your body cleanse by killing parasites and eliminating toxic substances such as lead and zinc. It is being studied by the National Cancer Institute for its anti-tumor properties.

Ginger is a proven to relieve nausea. It also helps to relieve inflammatory pain and swelling caused from rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. In Denmark, researchers found that ginger can block the effect of substances that cause inflammation of the brain leading to migraines. Research has also discovered that it has a similar effect as aspirin does on thinning blood clots.

Parsley is a great source of antioxidants that help fight carcinogens, including those found in tobacco smoke. It has long been known to cleanse the body by absorbing toxins and helping to move them out of the body.

Tea is loaded with polyphenols. These antioxidants have been shown to protect from free radical damage as much as many fruits and vegetables! In addition, a recent study showed that just 2 cups of tea daily may lower the risk of ovarian cancer by 46%. Include it as part of your health regimen, because it is also known to help shed belly fat.

Adding many of these foods to your daily program is easy. Research is showing how powerful foods can be. Remember Hippocrates, the father of medicine, called on all physicians to let food be your medicine.

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