10 Health Benefits of Leafy Greens
As a teenager Dr. Brooke Goldner was diagnosed with Lupus and told she would never have children, and probably be paralysed by the time she turned 40. By adjusting her lifestyle, she began to see a change. One of the adjustments she made was to include a lot more leafy greens in her diet. Eventually, her strengthened immune system could overcome the diagnosis. She has been free from the disease and her diagnosis for more than 20 years.
By making simple changes in her diet and lifestyle, she was able to reverse a chronic illness and reset her life allowing her to live longer than anyone thought she would. If you’re inspired, try some of her green smoothie recipes.
Over the years, I’ve witnessed first-hand and heard of many other medical battles that were fought and won by the change of lifestyle and eating habits.
Enjoy the benefits of leafy greens
Think of leafy greens as one of the best ways to include much-needed micronutrients, phytochemicals and fibre into your body, while not loading it with extra carbohydrates, sugars, and unwanted calories.
There are an array of flavourful leafy greens available on the market, find the ones you enjoy and include them in your meals, soups, smoothies, and breakfasts wherever you can. The darker the greens are in colour, the more nutrient-dense they are. Look out for Swiss chard, Kale, Spinach, Watercress, Microgreens (sprouts of broccoli, sunflower seeds and carrot seeds, be creative), Collard greens, Bok Choy, and more, and enjoy some of the benefits below.
1. Improve Cognitive Function
Studies show that adding a cup of leafy greens to your meals each day can help to prevent cognitive decline. Getting your daily dose of greens protects your brain health and reduces your risk of degeneration, which can lead to diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Dementia.
Organic leafy green vegetables contain high levels of folate which help to produce and manage the messengers between your brain which are responsible for mood regulation, concentration, cognitive function, memory and more.
2. Boost Your Immune System
Leafy greens significantly boost your immune system. It is full of vitamins C and K, folate, fibre, and superpower micronutrients.
When it comes to health, we can at times over complicate it. Simple changes, such as adding leafy greens to your diet, can improve well-being drastically. Change your health with the practical tips to strengthen your immune system and fight disease found in my book.
3. Stimulate Methylation And DNA Repair
Because leafy greens are so high in magnesium, B vitamins, and micronutrients they support a biochemical process that happens in every cell, called Methylation. One of the jobs of Methylation is to repair and maintain DNA and gene expression. This has a major impact on everything from mood to brain health up to cancer prevention.
4. Improve Gut Health
I once had a patient who struggled with ongoing parasites. She was treated with the standard protocols in allopathic medicine which was unsuccessful. We then followed with strong herbal medicine against parasites and the parasite problem persisted.
What eventually made the difference was when she started having green smoothies in the way recommended by Dr. Brooke Goldner (75% greens and max 25% fruit, water and chia or flax seeds.
This is a wonderful example of how enjoying your greens each day boosts the balance of good and bad bacteria in your gut microbiome, keeping you healthy and full of energy.
5. Chlorophyll In Greens Binds Gas And Toxins
You may remember learning about chlorophyll if you took Science or Biology as a subject at school. It’s the pigment that gives leaves their green colouring turning light into energy in the plant.
When you eat leafy greens, this chlorophyll helps with bloating and discomfort in the gut. It binds the gas and toxins bringing relief. This elimination of toxins can help to fight cancer, improve liver function and improve digestion.
6. Boost Energy With Leafy Greens
Leafy greens are loaded with micronutrients such as Magnesium and B vitamins, and other energy giving plant chemicals. This adds to your resilience.
7. Look After Skin Health
If you look at leaves in autumn and how they change colour from greens, to orange, reds and yellows, you will realise that they also contain the same things as orange and yellow vegetables. These beta-carotene and vitamin A add to the glow in your skin, leaving it clear, clean, and nourished.
8. Manage Weight And Blood Sugar Balance
Leafy greens are naturally low in calories and they therefore support healthy weight management. As low GI (glycemic index) foods, leafy greens can help with weight management. This makes them a top nutrient-dense, low-carb, and easy blood sugar stabilising superfood.
Balanced blood sugar helps with weight management, and so does a healthy gut, making leafy greens a top choice for every household.
9. Maintain A Healthy Fatty Acid Profile
Improve your fatty acid profile by having greens every day. Studies show that they significantly boost your Omega 3 profile, which reduces your inflammation and your risk of a host of diseases. It’s strange to think that a green smoothie can boost your fatty acid profile, but it does.
10. Fight Against Disease
Last but not least, due to a multitude of health-giving compounds leafy greens are one of the best cancer-fighting foods available. You can add it to your salads, use it in your smoothies, steam it with your veggies and in stir fry.
The expense of leafy greens in the shops is also friendly to most household budgets. They are not overly expensive, which means that many of us have access to these health-promoting superfoods each day.
If you’re feeling stuck in your current lifestyle and would like to make changes for better health or you’d like to improve your energy, mental clarity, and well-being, then consider joining my next three-week detox course.
