By nutritionist Juliette Bryant

We all want to feel good and our food choices can play an important role in helping us achieve this. However, due to our primal urges to seek out fat and sugar (foods in short supply to primitive man) and through clever advertising, we often reach for foods, which although may provide an initial boost are followed by a slump and can lead to disease and weight gain. In this article, I’ll look at some of my top foods that will help you to feel great and get in shape.

Water
Water, after oxygen, is the most vital component of life. Our body is 70% water and our brain is 80%. Often people reach for snacks or caffeinated drinks when they are actually thirsty, both of which exacerbate the problem. Proper hydration through clean water is one of the most overlooked aspects of health. Your body and brain will simply not work properly without it. Drink water throughout the day, especially in the morning after cleaning your teeth. A good tip to increase hydration is to add a small pinch of good sea salt and/or lemon to your water.

Raw Greens
Our body and brain requires numerous nutrients. Unfortunately due to industrialised farming, processed foods and poor preparation of foods, people’s diets are severely lacking in essential vitamins, minerals and enzymes. Greens, such as kale, broccoli, spinach, watercress, spirulina, marine phytoplankton and chlorella are very high in nutrients, especially when consumed raw. Other benefits of raw greens are that they help to detoxify and cleanse the body and alkalise our blood, leading to greater oxygen and life in our cells. Eating a plate of raw greens may seem very unappetising, but there are a number of ways to make them taste great, such as a superfood green smoothie.

Fermented Foods
Our gut biome plays a prominent role in our physical and mental health. It is said that 80% of our immune system resides in the gut, and it is home to billions of neural cells, effectively being our ‘second brain’. A recent study showed how difficult it is to achieve our ideal weight if there is an imbalance of gut bacteria. I recommend regularly having probiotic foods such as sauerkraut, kim chi, miso, kombucha and kefir to help return harmony to the gut. This can improve mood, concentration, digestion, skin health and help us achieve optimum weight.

Garlic
We can put lots of good food into our bodies, but if our gut is overrun with bad bacteria, parasites and fungal overgrowths we are unable to absorb the nutrients effectively. Garlic is one of the most powerful plant medicines for keeping the physical body healthy. It is one of nature’s top antibiotics with 39 known antibiotic compounds. It helps convert LDL (bad) cholesterol into HDL (good) cholesterol. It has anti-parasitical, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, immune boosting and blood cleansing properties. It also regulates blood pressure and improves circulation, especially to the heart. Getting rid of the ‘baddies’ is an essential step in feeling good.

Cacao
Cacao has a very complex and abundant nutritional profile with over 360 active chemicals. If the beans are roasted and combined with dairy and refined sugar (how most of the population consumes chocolate) many of the beneficial properties are destroyed. It is the most bio-available source of magnesium of any food making it useful for heart, brain and hormonal health. Magnesium is one of the most important minerals, needed for over 700 different functions in the body and yet it is estimated 70% of the population are deficient in it. Cacao contains anandamide, called the ‘bliss chemical’ that enhances brain function helping us to feel great. Cacao contains very high level of antioxidants so is great in helping fight disease and premature ageing. It is also a legendary aphrodisiac, opening the heart to love. Cacao can easily be blended into delicious raw creations such as my raw vegan fudge.

About Juliette Bryant
Juliette Bryant presents cutting edge nutritional information in an accessible, dynamic, fun and real way to show people how ‘delicious food can be your medicine.’

She has 20 years experience helping people to better health and happiness and gives talks, workshops and consultations around the world.

Juliette is the author of three books: Divine Detox – A 7 Day Guide To Better Health And Vitality, Divine Desserts – How To Have Your Cake And Eat It and her latest release Superfoods & How To Use Them.