Food Synergy, Disease Go

Foods that synergy will increase the absorption of nutrients which of course beneficial to health. "The synergy that occurs when two or more nutrients work together to obtain health benefits that can not be generated when the nutrients alone," said David R Jacobs, PhD.

Professor of epidemiology at the University of Minnesota, United States, it then gave an example of synergy between tomatoes and broccoli in the soup. Combined the two disease-fighting chemicals from the food to help prevent prostate cancer more effectively than when they consumed on their own.

There are about six pairs of foods that can provide optimal health benefits for us.

1. Calcium and vitamin D, Spouse of the healthy bone
We already know that calcium can strengthen bone. Only, calcium can not work alone. To be able to generate healthy bones, vitamin D is needed, phosphorus, or phosphates.

"The formation of bone with good will happen if the ratio of calcium to phosphate balance, and vitamin D. All of these substances present in foods, "said Dr. Abas Basuni Jahari, MSc, nutritionists from the Ministry of Health Nutrition Research Center.

Without the presence of excess calcium phosphate will only be discarded useless. And vice versa. When excess whereas calcium phosphate content is less, the shortcomings will be taken from the bones so that the amount in the blood balanced. This condition is certainly not good for the bones.

Steven Pratt, MD, author of SuperFoods HealthStyle: Proven Strategies for Lifelong Health mentioned that vitamin D is a major regulator of calcium absorption. This means, without the availability of vitamin D, bones will not get maximum benefit from calcium-rich foods. According to Susan E Brown, PhD as Director of Osteoporosis Education Project, without enough vitamin D, calcium the body absorbs 65 percent less.

Fortunately for Indonesia, which gets sun all year round. Exposure to sunlight for 10-15 minutes could help processing provitamin D in our body to vitamin D so the need for this vitamin is fulfilled. Sun exposure is best at 6 a.m. to 09:00 o'clock.

Unfortunately, this lifestyle make Indonesian people tend to avoid sunlight. Indonesian people are afraid to linger in the sun. As quoted by Dr. Bambang Setiyohadi, SpPD-KR, konsulen Rheumatology at the RSCM, "The Indonesian population is now more often to avoid sunlight for fear of black."

Try a combination of salmon and yogurt. Carol Fenster, PhD, author of Gluten Free Quick and Easy, recommending a combination of calcium-rich yogurt with salmon which is a source of vitamin D to help the formation of bone.

2. Carbohydrates and protein, couples the restoring muscle
Monique Ryan, sports nutritionist and author of Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes, explains that research shows that eating foods containing carbohydrates and protein, followed by sports will speed up muscle repair and healing. "It also prevents decrease in body resistance," Ryan said, as quoted Alternative Medicine.

Synergistic effect that makes the higher insulin levels that make your muscles quickly suck nutrients such as amino acids and glucose, so ready to be used to run on the treadmill or practicing yoga.

Try tempeh and potatoes. Potato is a high glycemic index foods. Thus, said Ryan, the compound would be transported by muscle cells to enhance the recovery process faster.

Meanwhile, Tempe derived from fermented soybeans became a very good source of protein. In Tempe contained essential amino acids that can improve the muscle, such as those found in meat. However, tempeh has a surplus, which contains calcium, magnesium, and potassium more.
Furthermore, as a product of fermentation, tempeh contain intestinal bacteria that benefit the most similar to yogurt. These bacteria improve digestive system and endurance.

Fenster said, "For me it was like a meat tempeh. My coating with spices and then baking it. "When served with boiled potatoes or mashed potatoes and salad, this could be the food after exercise.

3. Iron and vitamin C, the pair vegetarian
If you are a pure vegetarian vegan alias, you must rely on knowing, legumes, and spinach for iron. On the one hand, you save yourself from saturated fat from meat, but actually only 20 percent of the body absorb iron from plant nutrients called nonheme. This absorption can be improved if you ask for help.

"Ascorbic acid which is popularly known as vitamin C to improve the availability of nonheme iron two-to three-fold. This vitamin plays a role in producing an enzyme associated with the change of nonheme iron into a form that is more easily absorbed, ie, ferrous iron, "says Georgianna Donadio, PhD, Program Director for the National Institute of Whole Health in Massachusetts.

Because of the good iron status may improve memory, increase foods rich in vitamin C in food that has been enriched in iron to help you have a better memory.

This pair can be obtained from quinoa and bell pepper. George Mateljan, author of The World's healthiest Foods, explained, "quinoa not only unique, but also a good source of iron containing proteins terkonsentrat and complete."

Quinoa is a kind of whole grains, like wheat. Add the peppers are rich in vitamin C when cooking quinoa will increase iron absorption.

4. Fat and carotenoids, the prevention of cancer
Do not directly accused ringleader of fat as a health problem. Not all fats are bad. Unsaturated fat, according to Donadio, facilitate the growth of healthy cell membranes that make life easier for carotenoid vegetables to enter the cell.

Studies at the Ohio State University and Iowa State University showed that adding good fats, such as olive oil, into the salad bowl you can increase the number of cancer-fighting, namely carotenoids heart-protective antioxidants, such as lutein, lycopene, and carotene.

To obtain the lycopene content, you can eat pizza. This is because there are tomatoes in the pizza packed with lycopene. Lycopene is an antioxidant that decreases the risk of prostate cancer, breast, lung, and others. Lycopene also has a protective effect against heart disease. Research shows that lycopene absorption is best when cooked tomatoes with olive oil.

A study proves, the combination of tomatoes and broccoli is more effective in slowing tumor growth than the consumption of tomatoes or broccoli alone. To obtain more benefits, try to reheat the pieces of tomato and broccoli with olive oil.

Alternatively, try flax oil and tomatoes. Green oil is excellent thanks to a balance of omega-6 fatty acids, omega-3, and some vitamin E. Add flax oil on pieces of fresh tomatoes to absorb the entire likopennya.

5. Folate and vitamin B6, couples in a healthy heart.
Both folate and vitamin B folic acid include, namely B9, soluble in water. Both were the same. What distinguishes only bentukannya. Folate is found naturally in green vegetables and fruit. Folic acid is a synthetic form of folate which is used as a supplement or added to food.

"Every day, every person needs a 600 meg folic acid," said dr Noroyono Wibowo, Sp OG (K). According to the obstetrics and gynecology specialists from the Faculty of medicine, about 200 meg of folate obtained through food intake, namely vegetables and fruit. Unfortunately, only about 45 percent of folate are absorbed by the body. The rest must be met through supplements or fortified foods.

Folic acid deficiency affects not good, especially in pregnant women. According to Division Chief of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fetomaternal FKUI / RSCM, the fetuses of pregnant women at risk of deficiency of folic acid neural tube defect (NTD).

By nature, women can mengasup folate than green leafy vegetables, nuts, grains group, oranges, bananas, and liver. Beef liver contains the highest folate than other sources. In 84 grams of beef liver contains nearly 200 micrograms of folate. This is because according to Dr. Joseph Bernard Venn, a senior researcher from the Department of Human Nutrition, University of Otago, New Zealand, the heart is a place of deposit of folate in animals.

Only, more than 80 percent of folate in foods is often lost during cooking and can not be easily absorbed than synthetic folic acid. Not to mention the content of folate in vegetables is not too high. This differs from folic acid which can be found in milk and supplements.

In order to obtain better results, folic acid must be supplied with vitamins B6, B12, C, E, and zinc. Combined folate and vitamin B6, B12, and other components will reduce the elevated levels of homocysteine.

High homocysteine levels contribute to the incidence of heart disease, macular degeneration, Alzheimer's, and osteoporosis. Folate and vitamin B6 plays an important role in solving these metabolic byproducts. The results from the Nurse's Health Study showed that higher intake of both nutrients is associated with the incidence of heart disease and breast cancer is lower.

Try the spinach and avocado. In spinach contained folate and vitamin B6 quality and substance called betaine and homocysteine can be lowered.
Add the avocado in a spinach salad. You will get an extra folate and vitamin B6. Avocados also contain monounsaturated fat that will help absorb the beta-carotene and lutein spinach eye protection.

6. Elagik acid and quercetin, the prevention of cancer (again)
Gee, what's this? Do not wince once. He did sound a little strange. However, modern science has actually identified more than 5000 different bioactive phytochemicals in fruits, vegetables, and grains. Research shows that cancer-fighting chemicals will work better together. Investigation Journal of Nutrition showed, the more acid elagik strengthen quercetin, the killer of cancer cells.

Try apples and raspberries. According to Mateljan, apples and raspberries contain quercetin and acid elagik very large. When you've put in spinach and avocado salad, Fenster recommends that you also add a sweet taste with apple slices and fresh raspberries. "You can add this fruit when making muffins so sweet," he said. @ Diana Yunita Sari