Melissa Cotton is the creator of this series of posts, published monthly, entitled Exploring G-BOMBS and will be teaching us about how these powerful foods impact our health and wellness.
This blog will bring the G-BOMBS series to a close. Dr. Fuhrman says that we have a unique opportunity in human history to do even better than people living in the Blue Zones. We have tremendous power to achieve nutritional excellence because we have access to so many nutrient dense foods all year round. The ideal diet to promote longevity and prevent disease is also therapeutically effective to reverse disease. A Nutritarian diet includes eating G-BOMBS daily because they are the most health-promoting, anti-cancer superfoods on the planet. I hope this blog series has supported you wherever you are on your plant based journey. Health comes from healthful living. It is not something that is handed to you, you have to earn it. YOU have the power with your feet, fingers, and forks to determine your health destiny! YOU CAN DO THIS!
Have you ever wondered how a handful of nuts or seeds can transform your health? These small yet mighty foods play a crucial role in providing essential nutrients while supporting overall wellness. This month, I will be focusing on the letter S in Dr. Fuhrman’s G-BOMBS (Greens, Beans, Onions, Mushrooms, Berries, and Seeds). These six foods have the most evidence that support their incredible immune-boosting, anticancer, and longevity promoting effects. - Melissa
Why does Dr Fuhrman want us to eat seeds and nuts every day?
● Nuts and seeds are linked in numerous scientific studies to a slimmer waistline and longer life span, especially for prevention against heart disease and cancer. (1)
● Walnuts have been linked to a suppression of breast cancer. Eating 2 ounces of walnuts daily for as little as two weeks significantly changed gene expression in confirmed breast cancers. (1)
● Nuts and seeds contain fewer calories per tablespoon than oil. One tablespoon of oil is 120 calories. The fat content of oil is all absorbed, but not all the fat content of nuts and seeds are absorbed. (2)
● Some of the fats in nuts and seeds stay behind, get stuck to the fiber, and pass through into the toilet bowl. The rest of the fats that do get absorbed are absorbed very slowly, 100 times slower than oil. (2)
● Oil is stored as fat, nuts and seeds are burned by your body for energy. (2)
● Seeds give you all the advantages of nuts, plus more. They are generally higher in protein than nuts. Seeds also have many important nutrients in them, like omega-3 fatty acids and anti-cancer lignins. (2)
● Walnuts, hemp seeds, chia seeds, and flax seeds have the most favorable omega-3 content. (2)
● Walnuts improve cardiovascular parameters, enhance brain viability with aging, reduce cardiovascular death, reduce cancer death, and extend human lifespan. (2)
● When nuts and seeds are used in conjunction with dietary exposure to greens, onions, mushrooms and beans, dramatic reductions in cancer are possible! (1)
Wisdom from Dr Greger about Seeds and Nuts
● “Like whole grains, nuts are linked to lower inflammation in population studies, as well as lower risks of death from inflammatory disease and all causes put together.” (4)
● “Sometimes it feels like there just aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done. So instead of trying to make your day longer, why not make your life longer by an extra two years? That’s about how long your life span may be increased by eating nuts regularly—-one handful (or about a quarter of a cup) five or more days a week. Just that one simple and delicious act alone may extend your life.” (5)
● “Which nut is healthiest? Normally, my answer is whichever you’re most willing and able to eat regularly, but walnuts really do seem to take the lead. They have among the highest antioxidant and omega-3 levels, and they beat out other nuts in vitro in suppressing cancer cell growth.” (5)
● “My personal favorite is to use nuts as green-light sources of fat to make rich, creamy sauces. Whether in a cashew Alfredo, a ginger-peanut sauce, or a tahini-based green goddess dressing, nuts and seeds can maximize nutrient acquisition by both improving absorption and increasing your total intake of vegetables by adding some creamy cachet.” (5)
Nutritarian Tips:
● Enjoy the delicious texture and flavor of whole nuts and seeds and use them to make dressings and sauces, which taste even better than the oil-based dressings and sauces.
● Dr. Fuhrman recommends that about half of your nut and seed intake should come from the higher omega-3 nuts and seeds, specifically flax, hemp, chia, and walnuts.
● When you include some nuts with your meal, you are getting more benefit because you are absorbing 20-50 times as much of the anti-cancer phytochemicals in the vegetables you are eating!
References
1 Fuhrman, Joel. Eat for Life: The Breakthrough Nutrient-Rich Program for Longevity, Disease Reversal, and Sustained Weight Loss. HarperOne, 2020.
2 Dr. Fuhrman. Eat to Live Masterclass. Accessed October 15, 2024. https://www.drfuhrman.com
3 Fuhrman, Joel. The End of Dieting: How to Live for Life. HarperOne, 2014.
4 Greger, Michael. How Not to Age. Flatiron Books, 2023.
5 Greger, Michael. How Not to Die. Flatiron Books, 2015.
About Melissa Cotton
Melissa is a first grade teacher with a double major in Elementary Education and Early Childhood. She also has a Master’s Degree in Education Administration. After reading T. Colin Campbell’s book, The China Study, she stopped eating the Standard American Diet (SAD) and has been eating a nutrient-rich, plant-based diet. In December 2023, she earned Dr Joel Fuhrman’s Nutritarian Coaching Certificate. Melissa is an active member of the National Health Association (NHA).
Melissa is the writer/creator of our blog series Exploring GBOMBS. Her love for teaching and learning will support others on their journey for optimal health and wellness.
About Exploring G-BOMBS blog series
Are there specific foods that boost immune function, prevent cancer from developing, and promote longevity? The answer to this question is YES! Dr Fuhrman uses a simple, yet powerful acronym, G-BOMBS (Greens, Beans, Onions, Mushrooms, Berries, and Seeds) to help us remember these six nutrient-dense foods. Over the last few months, I have been sharing a series of blog posts, diving deep into the benefits of G-BOMBS. Do other plant based doctors share Dr Fuhrman’s confidence in the scientific research about these specific foods? - Melissa
Be well
Stop.Breathe.Focus.Move.Flow.
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