Herb Joyner-Bey, N.D.

Omega-3 fatty acids in flax and fish oil:

• Helps maintain healthy low inflammation
• Help maintain healthy blood pressure levels
• Reduce risk of heart attack or stroke
• Reduce tendency for asthma attacks

Lignan fiber:

• Helps protect against breast, uterine, and prostate cancers
• Decreases risk for diabetes 
• Helps maintain healthy blood pressure levels
• Protects against cardiovascular disease

It is bold to assert that one can identify the top foods that a human being must eat regularly in order to optimize wellness, retard aging, and maximize longevity. At the risk of infuriating readers by omitting some of their favorites or including others they find distasteful, I wish to identify what 35 years of experience and consultation with many distinguished colleagues in the field have revealed as most beneficial to human health. I will assume appropriate intake of protein and calories to sustain life. Also be mindful that each of the following foods is a powerhouse of wholesome good food value and can be prepared in deliciously exciting ways, pleasing to even the most

finicky palates.

1. Essential fatty acids, especially omega-3s. Volumes have been written (including my own book, The Healing Power of Flax, published by Freedom Press) on omega-3s as building blocks for all cell membranes, as raw materials for local

hormones, and on their wide-ranging effects—reducing inflammation, reducing cardiovascular risk, supporting mental functioning, reducing depression, and more. Every single cell in your body can suffer from omega-3 deficiency and benefit from optimal omega-3 intake. What are our best sources? The most concentrated sources are flaxseed oil (e.g., Barlean’s Organic Flaxseed Oil) and fish oil (e.g., Barlean’s Fresh Catch Fish Oil). Judicious blends of essential fatty acid sources (e.g., Barlean’s Total Omega) are also available.

2. Fiber. Sugars and starches are merely the simplest members of the carbohydrate family. Fiber compounds, native to the whole range of whole organic plant foods, are far more varied and underappreciated missing components of the modern refined diet. For example, lignans, found in oil seeds, especially flaxseed (e.g., Barlean’s Forti-

Flax), have demonstrated remarkable benefits in reducing risk for breast and prostate cancer, cardiovascular disease, complications from diabetes, and liver damage from chemical insult.

3. Greens. Now we begin discussing the value of brilliantly pigmented foods.

We’re talking about more than just romaine lettuce here. Except for people who are culturally rooted in the American Southeast, the wide range of green leafy vegetables

(collards, kale, turnip and mustard greens, chard, etc.) seems to be foreign to many American dinner plates. This is tragic because greens are

teeming with micronutrients (folate, magnesium,

potassium, antioxidants, etc.). Greens must be

micronutrient powerhouses because they have

sustained virtually all species of herbivores since

the dawn of time on earth. To make them more

palatable, use healthful culinary accoutrements—

onions, garlic, fresh ginger, balsamic vinegar, or

curry powder—to upgrade the taste. You can

power up your intake of an enormous range of

nutrients to a whole new level by taking a greens

concentrate (e.g., Barlean’s Greens) with water or

juice every day.

4. Carotene-rich foods. Of the hundreds of

members of the carotene family of compounds,

the body can convert some into vitamin A.

Although carotenes are found in greens, people

are more aware of the bright yellow, orange, and

red fruits and vegetables rich in these compounds, such as carrots, sweet potatoes,

squash, and apricots. Carotenes are powerful antioxidants and support visual acuity, integrity of skin and mucous membranes (lungs and gastrointestinal tract), and immune function, while reducing the risk for cancer.

5. Flavonoid-rich foods. The flavonoids are an even larger family than the carotenoids. In addition to green leaves, flavonoids are found in the dark red, purple, and blue vegetables and fruits like red beets, dark berries, and dark cherries. But

flavonoids are also found in such diverse foods as onions and apples. Invaluable functions of flavonoids include slowing the aging process, antioxidant protection

supporting integrity of connective tissue (the most abundant tissue in the body that holds us together), reducing cardiovascular risk, reducing inflammation tendency, and optimizing the way tissues respond to environmental and lifestyle challenges. Unsweetened berry concentrates (as in Barlean’s Berry Greens) can be excellent sources of flavonoids.

6. Nuts and seeds. Long before agricultural development of grains and legumes, nuts and seeds were important parts of the human diet among strong, vigorous hunter-gatherer peoples. In addition to being great sources of high-quality

fiber (including lignans, most abundant in flaxseed), nuts and seeds are also premier sources of essential fatty acids, minerals (zinc and selenium), and vitamin E.

7. Culinary herbs and spices. These include onions, garlic, ginger, turmeric, basil, oregano, parsley, and cilantro. Why are these and other natural flavoring agents important to health? Spices and cooking herbs contain a wide range of

antioxidants. Fresh onions, garlic, and ginger

also help reduce abnormal blood clotting tendency that can lead to heart attack or stroke. A pigment in turmeric, a major ingredient in curry

powders, is an excellent botanical anti-inflammatory. Cinnamon helps control blood sugar. So even what we use to add flavorful zest to our foods can be good for us.

8. Raw plant foods. It has been observed that patients with malignancies and other disorders seem to do better on a diet of raw food. We are speaking mainly of plant foods. Of course, research is needed to confirm this observation. What is the advantage of eating at least some raw food every day? Cooking damages some enzymes and polyunsaturated, heat-sensitive nutrients in plant foods. There is great controversy surrounding microwave cooking as the most damaging. Animal foods may need to be cooked to prevent exposure to parasites. Yet, raw plant food is safe if food hygiene is adequate (not so in many nations of the world) and if a person is not in a state of immunesystem compromise. Prefer eating uncooked those foods that are safe and palatable in that state—for example, fruits, some vegetables, fresh juices, nuts and seeds, and fresh oil (such as Barlean’s Organic Flaxseed Oil).

QUALITY IS EVERYTHING

Where your health is concerned, there is no substitute for quality. Insist on whole organic foods, including products by Barlean’s Organic Oils. Why Barlean’s? Barlean’s is the winner of numerous industry awards for producing what retailers consider some of the finest and best-selling products in the field. Barlean’s commitment to quality ingredients and sensitive manufacturing techniques

assures products of optimal potency and excellence that command the respect of professionals and are truly worthy to serve your health needs. 

Omega-3s and Cancer Risk

It is still not common knowledge that the omega-3 fatty acids—alpha-linolenic acid (LNA), as in flaxseed oil, and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), as found in fish oil—have a major role to play in reducing risk for several types of cancer. For example, in lab experiments, LNA and EPA have demonstrated the ability to prevent the manifestation of breast cancer despite an inborn genetic tendency toward breast cancer and an administered cancer-causing agent. LNA also reduces risk for breast cancer metastasis.

Although we have heard much over the years about fiber reducing risk for colon cancer, it may surprise some readers to be informed that omega-3 fatty acids may be just as protective. Lab experiments have demonstrated the ability of omega-3s to reduce the number and size of colorectal tumors induced by a cancer-causing agent. Why do omega-3s have a protective effect against some malignancies? It may be due to the effect cell membrane fatty acids have on signaling that modulates DNA function and cell multiplication.