Give Me Greens!

By Philippa Norman, MD, MPH

In the South, collard greens are a staple.  In Greece, sun-drenched spinach is eaten almost daily.  Aryuveda advises us to eat greens to give us prana (life energy). Now, Western science has gone goo-goo for greens, espousing them for their nutrient-power: greens are loaded with calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin B1 and B2, vitamin C, folate, lutein and beta carotene. Greens taste good and are good for you too!

Helps repair DNA  

Nutrients from the food you eat circulate in fluid within and around your cells.  When you eat greens and other antioxidant-rich foods, your cells have antioxidants readily available. This is extremely important not only for cell function but to counteract environmental chemicals that are also present in cells.  Greens are loaded with phytonutrients and antioxidants that help DNA repair itself after damage. When DNA is not able to repair itself, cell death or disease can result.

Greens contain high amounts of folate, a tiny molecule with only one carbon that drives one of the most powerful chemical pathways in the body: methylation.  Methylation aids detoxification and also helps "hide" genes containing codes for disease, from the DNA-scanning proteins that read and carry out DNA's instructions. Undermethylated DNA is known to be a contributor to Alzheimer's disease and cancer.
       

Greens for Teens

Teens are on a fast growth curve, and need plenty of calcium and magnesium to form a strong bony matrix.  Sufficient calcium can also help prevent leg cramps.  Furthermore stress, phosphates in carbonated drinks, and excessive sugar consumed by some teens depletes calcium stores, increasing their requirements.  In addition to the calcium in greens, vitamin A and carotenoids help teens maintain healthy skin. Folic acid and vitamin A are critical in maintaining healthy cells of the cervix (tip of the uterus) in teen girls and younger women, who are especially vulnerable to HPV infection (human papilloma virus), a sexually transmitted virus which can cause warts, cervical dysplasia or cervical cancer.  Folic acid has been shown to thwart the attempts of this virus to invade the DNA of healthy cervical cells, and even to reverse pre-cancerous changes in the cells of the cervix, in some cases. Teen girls (and women) need a hefty portion of dark leafy greens several times a week! Teen girls, who often develop anemia, can also benefit from the iron content of greens.
   

Dandelions and Detox

Green drinks are used in virtually every natural healing regimen due to their multiple health benefits.

So… whether you are eating a spinach salad, sautéing your cabbage, or drinking a glass of kale and apple juice, enjoy your greens!  Truly, they are the elixir of life!