Good Foods That Protect You

Wakame seaweed, kombu, umeboshi salt plums — these are only a few of the unusual foods in my diet that I've come to love. Slowly over the years as I continue my explorations in macrobiotic theory and practice, I'm learning more about the nutritious, preventative, and protective properties of special foods that for most of my life had been foreign or unusual to me. 

I've come to find out that not only are these foods nutritious and alkalyzing for your body, but they also help to eliminate harmful elements from your body. For example, whenever I know that I'm going to get an xray done (2 to 8 mrems of radiation) or a mammogram (100 to 200 mrems of radiation), I'll make sure to eat plenty of barley miso soup with wakame seaweed, onion, carrot or daikon root, and kale on the days surrounding the procedure. 

If I were to ever have a CT Scan done or a surgery to remove kidney stones, I would be prepared to be exposed to at least 1,000 mrems of radiation and most likely more than that because of the additional xrays the doctor may need to take before and during the procedure.

More than three years ago on March 11, 2011, Japan had a major earthquake and then a nuclear disaster. Following the event there was concern about the effects of radiation fallout, which can cause radiation sickness and cancer. Julia Ferre wrote a very useful and informative article called "Surviving Harmful Radiation" in the May/June 2011 issue of "Macrobiotics Today." Her article brought things into perspective, calming my initial fears and appealing to my common sense. 

All along I've been eating these foods in small quantities and moderation as part of my daily diet to strengthen and fortify my body. And from reading Julia Ferre's article, I realized that they are also very good for me to eat for every day that I'm out and about in the world exposed to radiation from the sunshine, the power lines, the television, and my computer!

Here's a list of some very special foods:

Leafy Greens
• Kale — Green Curly, Dinosaur (Lacinato), Rainbow
• Collard Greens (Collards)
• Mustard Greens
• Turnip Tops

Fats and Oils
• Avocado
• Coconut Oil

Miso
• Barley Miso 
• Brown Rice Miso

Sea Vegetables
• Kombu
• Mekabu
• Wakame

Salt Pickles
• Cucumbers, naturally fermented (no vinegar)
• Cabbage sauerkraut, naturally fermented (no vinegar)
• Umeboshi Plums

Fatty Fish
• Sardines
• Wild Salmon


Related Blog Articles:
Whole Grain Barley Miso (March 2, 2011)
Adapting Our Diets To The Situation (March 18, 2011)