A Healthy Paradim Shift

With are focus today on disease prevention being inoculations it behoves me to think that we are ignoring an original assistant, Super Fruits.  In my 20 + years of practice I have witnessed a number of health challenges that may be avoided or helped by these nutrient rich miracles of nature.

Over the decades there has been countless studies surrounding Super Fruits most of which occurred in their area of origin.  While studying these documents I pick three Super Fruits which seem to offer the most bio-available properties to the human anatomy.  Each one of these provided specific nutrients lacking in most North American diets today. Sea Buckthorn, Mangosteen and Goji where the 3 exotic fruits explored and found to have the benefits needed to provide a healthy lifestyle.

Sea Buckthorn which originates in the Himalayas in southern China is a small tart berry containing over 190 phytonutrients.  This bush like plant grows to about 3 meters and is resilient in handling poor weather conditions. The berry has been revered for centuries because of its amazing health and healing properties.  The oil from sea buckthorn is extremely beneficial to the mucus membranes; skin, hair and circulatory system due to the Omega fatty acids it contains.  This is the only known plant source of Omega 3, 6, 7 and 9 each having a unique attribute.  Sea buckthorn could be considered to be the rejuvenation super fruit because of all these easily utilized vitamins, minerals, polyphenols, fatty acids and phytochemicals.

Thailand’s mangosteen grows high a top of trees in the tropical rain forest.  This small fruit has a hard inedible exterior protecting it from nature’s pests. The natives work hard to harvest the fruit enjoying the unique flavours of the meaty flesh.  Historically the rind of the fruit when prepared in a paste has been used to cure open soars and wounds.  Until recently, the early 1950’s, we began to understand that this fruit contains some miracle elements called Xanthones.  Mangosteen has 40 different Xanthones each one having unique properties. Although the fruit has minute levels most of these are available in the inedible pericarp of the fruit.  A few companies in the US have scientifically found a way to extract these Xanthones from the pericarp and mix them in with the mangosteen fruit juice making an enjoyable liquid juice supplement.  These Xanthones have to shown to have amazing antioxidant properties protecting us from free radicals which lead to disease.  Consumers of the mangosteen juice seem to have increased energy, less muscle and joint pain and an overall healthy feeling.

Goji berries also know as wolfberry is native to China where it has been cultivated along the fertile plains of the Yellow River for more than 600 years. These small fruits have been consumed for centuries by the Chinese touted to offer longevity and wisdom.  In North America we have identified the macro and micro nutrients of Goji berries which are seemingly high.  This berry has 81 identified nutrients including minerals, vitamins, polysaccrides, monosaccharides, amino acids, carotenoids and a number of other nutritional factors unique to this fruit.  Having all 18 essential amino acids the juice is sometimes referred to as ‘Steak in a Glass’.  The health benefits being suggested by a number of the Goji Juice companies is protection of the liver (lowering cholesterol), improved eyesight, improved sexual function, healthier immune system and balance sugar levels.

We must remember that unlike processed foods and pharmaceutical medications these fruits carry no toxic side effects.  The human anatomy can recognize and utilize the entire bio-nutrient package offered by these exotic fruits.  These Super Fruits when provided in a liquid juice supplement makes assimilation easy and stress free. Every cell in the body benefits just as nature intended.

Dr. J. Michael Drabiuk

Created on 03/23/2006 09:44 AM by rrecemethcom Updated on 11/23/2009 04:07 PM by penny