The Cellular You

One of the greatest forms of cellular education, in my opinion, was a movie called Osmosis Jones.  Chris Rock was the voice of character, Osmosis "Ozzie" Jones. Ozzie is a crime fighting white blood cell in the body of  unhealthy character, Frank (played by Bill Murray), who refuses to live a healthy lifestyle. Ozzie, with the help of Drix (a cold pill) help fight off killer cells and save Franks life. The movie, for me, does a great job in describing how the body works on a cellular level. When ever I take a look inside, I cant help but imagine these characters as the inner workings of the body.

In reality, cells are a whole body and life form in itself. Each cell works in it's own way and forms a whole internal city of sorts.  Some are helpers, some are builders and yes, even some are crime fighters. All of those "workers" work together to form homeostasis. In order to keep your cellular self in a homeostatic state, you must take care of you by eating healthy and exercise. Always thinking of how everything is working on a cellular level will keep you in check.  

Everything we are surrounded by is made up of cells.  Your body, food, the home you live in, the soap you wash with. Everything. Look around. Can you see it? By simply breaking down the process of the body and everyday items by thinking on a very small level like with Osmosis Jones, you can easily change your daily habits.

 Now, think of the foods you are putting into your body. They are millions of different cells put together to form a large unit. You put the food in your mouth and start to chew. As you do this, the cells get broken down and carried off by many different workers in your mouth. They then go down the throat and into the stomach to be broken down some more and then carried off via the internal highway (aka blood stream). All those different cells are dropped off in many different places of the body and then used for many different things, such as energyworkers (proteins, sugars, oxygen for entire body use ), Crime fighters (the many cells of the immune system), heavy equipment operators ( cells of the muscles), electric company workers (salts, calcium, oxygen, potassium, ect in the heart) masonry workers (cells of the body tissues and bones) and waterworks (O2 and carbons of the blood), just to name the basic few.  

Along the internal highway, your internal workers help discard and replace old used up cells with new ones in as little as 20 hours or as long as 120 days. So, when you think of it, you are literally a new person everyday and depending on what building blocks you placed in your cellular self will determine what you are and how healthy that cellular self is. So, that brings us to the question, what are you? What did you have to eat today to make a strong you?

Lets take a look at some foods that are so packed full of goodness that I like to call them "Super Foods". These Super Foods will help your cellular crime fighters keep your body healthy and strong.

•     Salmon – This freshwater fish is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. This particular food can help lower the risk of heart disease, prevent memory loss and even reduce depression. Since salmon is also a low-calorie, low-fat choice, it’s one of the best sources of Omega-3. Other options include walnuts, herring, fortified eggs and flax seed.
• Blueberries – This simple berry is simply loaded with antioxidants, phytoflavinoids (compounds that help our bodies with stress), vitamin C and potassium. This powerful combination makes blueberries an excellent choice to work into regular dietary routine. Blueberries not only help provide proper nutrition, but they can also reduce cancer and heart disease risks and may even help reduce inflammation.
• Fiber – Any food that is high in fiber and low in fat is considered a super food because it can serve multiple purposes. Fiber rich foods are excellent for use in weight loss efforts and they also help reduce cholesterol levels.
• Broccoli – This green vegetable packs a lot of punch into each spear. Broccoli is a strong source of vitamins C, A and K. It also offers a fair amount of fiber, which is great for losing weight and helping to control cholesterol levels.
• Sweet potatoes – Replace a standard baked potato with one of these and you’ll have a powerful source of vitamin A, calcium, potassium and vitamin C. This is a major multitasking vegetable that offers a sweeter flavor than its yellow or white cousins.
• Kiwi – This food with a funny name is considered one of the most nutritionally sound fruits going. Kiwis are rich in antioxidants and also boast a high content of vitamins C, A and E. They are also high in potassium and fiber.
• Beans – Black beans, pinto beans, great northern beans and other legumes are considered super foods because they pack a lot of nutrients into each bite. Beans are an excellent source of fiber, they are low in fat and many are fantastic sources of protein, carbohydrates, magnesium and potassium.

There are many more great Super Foods out there to make a healthy you. I have a saying that I love to use when people ask me what and how to eat. "If God didn't make it, you shouldn't eat it."