Say Yes to NO - Nutrition

Say Yes to NO - Nutrition


The subject of food is truly one of the most perplexing to me. So many people exhibit common sense in most areas of their lives, yet when it comes to food they seem to become totally irrational. The prevailing attitude, especially in the United States, seems to be that the sole purpose of food is flavor and comfort. Many people choose foods that are flavorful and satisfying in the moment, totally disregarding the true needs of their bodies. With so much well-publicized evidence that our choice of foods is critical to our health, there is no excuse for this attitude.
When it comes to NO production, proper nutrition makes a huge difference. As with most things in life, the key to maintaining your heart health through functional foods – especially when they are synergized with the nutritional supplements I recommend – is moderation. A major goal of the Say Yes to NO program is to show you that your body performs best when you feed it the nutrients it requires through the synergistic combination of supplements and the foods you choose to eat.

The best foods for NO production contain the amino acids L-arginine and L-citrulline, which work together to be converted into NO in the blood vessels.

A sampling of these foods is:
Red Meat (in moderation!)
Salmon
Almonds
Peanuts
Soy

There is much more to heart-healthy nutrition than just NO production, although in the end if it’s good for any aspect of your health, it also supports the production and action of NO. In practice, you should avoid certain types of foods that can be harmful to your health and increase your intake of others that have specific benefits.

You should avoid saturated fats, such as contained in fatty meats, poultry skin, whole milk, and ice cream. These fats can lead to elevated levels of LDL or “bad” cholesterol. Similarly trans fats, which are contained in foods including packaged cakes, cookies, butter, margarine, potato chips, and commercial salad dressings, can also lead to higher LDL cholesterol levels. These types of foods should be avoided, because increased cholesterol leads to decreased NO.

There are some fats that are good for your heart. These heart-healthy fats, including the monounsatured fats in olive and canola oils, and the polyunsaturated fats in corn, sunflower, and safflower oils, can help to reduce LDL cholesterol. There is even evidence that olive oil can help reduce blood pressure.

Another key class of foods you should have in your diet is fresh fruits and vegetables, which contain a variety of different antioxidants that provide specific benefits.

A few examples include:

Lycopene – found in the red pigment of tomatoes, lycopene helps prevent cardiovascular disease and several types of cancer.

Lutein and Zeaxanthin – carotenoids found in dark green, leafy vegetables like spinach, avocado, collard greens, and green peas. Lutein and zeaxanthin specifically target the eyes, reducing the risk of macular degeneration and retinal damage.

Alliin – contained in garlic. Alliin has multiple benefits for the immune system, it helps reduce cholesterol, and it supports the health of the digestive system.

Grapes – antioxidant effects are due to containing an array of polyphenol phytonutrients like resveratrol, anthocyanins, catechins, and quercetin. The phytonutrients in grapes are at the bottom of the “French Paradox”, in which drinking moderate amounts of wine and/or grape juice has been shown to protect the heart and blood vessels against oxidative tissue damage.

There is much more to say about the Say Yes to NO nutritional program than space permits here. In order to digest it properly your best bet is to grab a copy of NO More and dig in. I do want to leave you with a key message: my nutrition program is not about rigid, restrictive diets that are hard to follow and which make you feel like a failure no matter what you do. Instead, I am advocating a scientifically-proven, common sense approach consisting of moderate steps that anyone can take without difficulty. The big benefits to your health are worth the small effort you will make!