Dr. Travis was walking a woman through three uncommon foods that could help her maintain her energy and endurance while running across the country to raise awareness about a disease that her mother suffers from over the course of six months.

These three superfoods that Dr. Travis believes to be unfamiliar to his audience are really some of the most typical foods that are eaten daily in other cultures! The doctor stays in his office, instead of traveling to other countries to sample their everyday cuisine that keeps them healthy and out of a doctor’s office and far away from hospitals. So naturally, he wouldn’t realize that these three foods are frequently partaken of by those who are familiar with their properties for the sustenance of energy levels.

Quinoa! The fact is that Quinoa is labeled as a whole grain, yet it is actually a seed. It cooks quickly in boiling water just like couscous and can be seasoned with spices and herbs to add flavor, nutrients, and color. Quinoa is rich in protein and has it’s fair share of complex carbohydrates which makes it an ideal food for those who need to have consistent energy available for long periods of time. This is great for runners, athletes, and those who run daily for six months across the country for a worthy cause. It’s doesn’t take too many minutes to prepare. If you want to dress it up, you can add sauteed vegetables like onion, cabbage, carrots, celery, and scallions. You can enhance it even further by including sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, chopped nuts like cashews or pine nuts, and roasted garlic cloves. We also enjoy drizzling a little toasted sesame oil and a dash of tamari or balsamic vinegar on occasion. We’ve been known to use some thyme, oregano, parsley, cilantro, paprika, and other spices to bring some jazzy flavor to the table! If you are on the run during the end of the day and you want a quick side dish; then Quinoa will work for you.

Soba Noodles are common in Japan and other Asian countries as well as among those of us who enjoy our macrobiotic meals. Soba Noodles are made from buckwheat and they provide a hearty texture that holds up well when veggies and other ingredients are used to complement the carbs that will see you through your long days and evenings. We love to make a miso broth with our Soba Noodles and include braised tofu, onion, shi’itake mushrooms, carrots, celery, and bok choy. Many people will add shrimp or chicken for extra protein and substance. Soba Noodles are eaten for the ‘health of it’ when the bio-energetic conditions of ‘Wind’ causes pain that is not associated with any specific organ in the body. Buckwheat has been used to dispell ‘Wind’ for centuries.

The third food that the good doctor shared with the runner was beet juice. We would hope that you eat the entire beet and also use the juice in vegetable Smoothies. I don’t know that I can agree with Dr. Travis about beet juice supplying nitrates, but I do know that beets nourish the Kidney Meridian at a bio-energetic level and athletes can draw from Kidney Chi when they need energy reserves. The juice of the beets will be utilized by the body in the process of fluid metabolism which does support the lymphatic system. Don’t be alarmed by the ‘tint’ upon elimination, that’s natural and nothing to be concerned about! If you are cooking beets; then add some sea salt with onions and mix in a little vinegar to give some balanced flavor to this colorful food. Beet juice might stain your tongue with the dark pigments, but that’s going to be temporary and is well worth the nutrient value that comes with the territory. If you are planning on drinking beet juice for endurance, then you might benefit from including carrot juice, apple juice, ginger, and sea salt in the blend. This gives a better balance of carbohydrates and calories that can be used by your muscles, tendons, and ligaments when performance counts.

There’s one superfood that Dr. Travis did not mention and may not be aware of that contributes to running a marathon, running across the country, or the demands of everyday life. That would be Chia Seeds. Chia Seeds became popular among the health crowd in the 1970s when we learned that they were used by indigenous cultures when walking or running long distances between villages. The Chia Seeds were chewed carefully and this provided the energy that would sustain and nourish a long distance runner for days at a time.

You can get the same quality of energy and nutrition out of Chia Seeds today in the course of your active and busy Lifestyle. You can use the seeds or get the meal.

Raw Food World Chia Seeds

If you are busy, then your typical day feels like a marathon. You deserve to know about the best whole foods, seeds, and methods for maintaining your energy levels throughout the day.

This entry was posted on Monday, August 23rd, 2010 at 1:29 pm and is filed under Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.