A recent study has found that eating broccoli can protect the lungs from damage.
Researchers have discovered that a substance sulforaphane in broccoli increases
the activity of a gene (NRF2) responsible to lung health.
When toxins build up in lungs, this gene is responsible for activating the mechanisms that remove these toxins. Smokers and people who have a pulmonary disease, cells in the lungs are insufficiently protected by this gene.
By eating broccoli, the activity of NRF2 increases, helping to remove toxins from lung. In addition to this, broccoli has many other health benefits. Broccoli has many basic nutrients such as vitamin C, A, Ca and fibers more than a well-known sources of these nutrients.
The same amount of broccoli has more vitamin C than orange and three
times more fiber than wheat bread. Broccoli also contains a number of potent
cancer-fighting substances such as sulforaphane and isothiocyanates.
These chemicals have been shown to stimulate the body's production of its own
cancer-fighting enzymes. If you don’t like broccoli, try broccoli sprouts. They
contain up to 100 times more of these chemicals.
To maintain our body temperature, brain function, voluntary and involuntary muscle activity we need to get energy (calories). Daily norm of calories depends on age, gender, and physical activities. For instance 19 year old male needs in average 3000 calories a day while female needs 2000, assuming both having the same level of physical activity.
Food is a mixture of carbohydrates, fat, proteins, vitamins, minerals and fibers derived from plants, animals, fungus and fermented products. For proper function, growth, repair and heal our body needs these components in appropriate proportions.
Healthy eating is keeping proportions of nutrients and controlling the daily calories. There is no ideal or universal formula for that. If we want to look healthy we have to know the basics of healthy eating and observe the rules. Healthy eating can reduce the risk of many chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, osteoporoses, and different types of cancer. In addition, it can help regulate blood pressure and cholesterol.
