The Natural Way

A good book is SuperFoodsRx written by Steven Pratt MD, and Kathy Matthews. The idea behind this book is hardly provocative but is good enough to fill 336 pages.

The authors write with authority that some foods are dramatically better than others for our health and longevity. No big duh here.

Foods they choose won't surprise you but the strength of the book is in the recipe section and in replacement selections just in case you absolutely hate a veggie such as spinach. They give you a list of other dark green leafies such as romaine lettuce or orange bell peppers. The book even includes suggestions on the selection of meat.

Foods written about in detail and suggested to be the "fourteen foods that will change your life" are: beans, blueberries, broccoli, oats, oranges, pumpkin, wild salmon, soy, spinach, tea-green or black, tomatoes, turkey, walnuts and yogurt-active culture.

Anyone who has visited with me knows I have been suggesting this food selection for a long while. As long as there is good kidney function and no gout, this South Beach style of eating is just plain good for you whether you are six or 60 years old.

A strength of the book is that Dr. Pratt leads you away from the 20th-century world of macronutrients (proteins, fats and carbs) into the 21st-century of micronutrients, phytonutrients, carotenoids and antioxidants. In a very detailed way he supports choosing your veggies according to the shortest distance from the garden to your table. I say we should seek organically grown, non GMO food and strongly support our Farmers' Market.

My only disagreement is that like many MDs, Pratt is far too conservative about the use of nutritional supplements. Even though the doctors have ample and powerful evidence to the contrary, many undervalue supplementation.

Maybe Granny knew something he doesn't.