Summary

In this revolutionary guide, leading nutritionist David Grotto shares everyday foods that will help to remedy health issues large and small. From headaches to joint pain, acne to anxiety, chronically cold feet to depression,101 Optimal Life Foodstakes on thirty of the most common health issuesand shows you how to introduce healing fare to your diet through delicious, easy-to-prepare recipes. Inside you'll discover that Chocolate, tea, and dried plums reduce the signs of aging skin. Combining walnuts and cherries can lead to the best sleep of your life. Artichoke leaves bring relief from common stomach ailments. Oysters can alleviate the effects of crippling migraines. Wasabi helps treat bad breath. More than twenty-five years of clinical experience have shown Grotto just how powerful food can be in the lives of his patients. Now his individualized meal plans make it easy for you to incorporate healing foods into your own diet, using such tempting recipes as Cherry Zinger Smoothie, Tropical Fruit and Shrimp Gazpacho, and Mediterranean Grilled Bluefish. By combining the most flavorful, nutritious foods in the world with the latest breakthrough research, Grotto will help you become the healthiest you've ever been in your life!

Author Biography

David Grotto, RD, LDN, is the national media spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, and president and founder of Nutrition Housecall, LLC, a nutrition consulting firm that offers personalized at-home and group dietary guidance. Formerly the director of nutrition education at the Block Center for Integrative Cancer Care in Evanston, Illinois, he continues his private practice. Grotto lives in Elmhurst, Illinois.

Acknowledgments	p. xi
Foreword	p. xiii
Introduction: Are You Living Optimally?	p. xix
Thirty challenges to an Optimal life	p. 1
The skin you're in	p. 3
Aging and Damaged Skin	p. 3
Eczema	p. 11
Psoriasis	p. 17
Acne	p. 22
Go with the flow	p. 33
Cold Feet (and Hands)	p. 33
Leg Cramps	p. 40
House of Pain	p. 47
Migraine Headaches	p. 47
Muscle Pain	p. 56
Nerve Pain	p. 63
It's all about performance	p. 71
Mental Performance	p. 71
Cognitive Decline	p. 71
Depression	p. 79
Stress and Anxiety	p. 89
Insomnia	p. 98
Physical Performance	p. 104
Fatigue	p. 104
Sexual/Reproductive Performance	p. 116
Erectile Dysfunction (ED)	p. 116
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)	p. 123
Infertility	p. 131
Female Libido	p. 140
Menopause	p. 146
Check Your Plumbing	p. 153
Constipation/Diverticular Disease	p. 153
Diarrhea	p. 64
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)	p. 172
Halitosis (Bad Breath)	p. 179
Gas	p. 186
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)	p. 195
Urinary Tract Infections (UTls)	p. 201
A Good Flundation	p. 209
Osteoporosis and Osteopenia	p. 209
Arthritis	p. 221
Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD)	p. 233
Eyes Oh the Future	p. 241
Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Cataracts	p. 241
Optmal Living Recipes	p. 251
Selected Resources and Bibliography	p. 373
Index	p. 403
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

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Excerpts

Thirty Challenges to an Optimal Life

Part 1

The Skin You’re In

Aging and Damaged Skin

That Youthful Appearance

Did you know . . . the effects of aging on the skin can be visibly apparent as early as the twenties?

Optimal Food/Nutrient Highlights

Vitamin A–, E– and C– rich foods, chocolate, apples, beans, tea, olive oil, vegetables, dried plums.

What Is Aging and Damaged Skin?

The skin is the body’s first line of defense against environmental damage and foreign invaders such as harmful bacteria. Yet for all the protection the skin’s three layers provide, if the skin isn’t well cared for, the wear and tear of a well-lived life can leave one looking ravaged—not ravaging. Collagen and elastin form in the skin’s middle layer, called the dermis. These two proteins give the skin firmness and the ability to stretch and bounce back into shape. The signs of aging become noticeable as collagen and elastin diminish and change over time.

Though skin cells constantly regenerate, the combination of genetics, environmental stressors, lifestyle, and the quality of our nutrition ultimately affects the rate at which our skin ages. The aging process begins around our mid-twenties, as collagen production slows and the elastin begins to lose its “spring.” The rate of skin aging varies from individual to individual. As you and your skin age, you may begin to notice fine wrinkles; thin and transparent skin; loss of fat underneath the skin, which gives a “hollowed cheek and eye socket” appearance; sagging skin; or dry, itchy skin.

What Causes Premature Aging of the Skin?

Enemy #1: Sun exposure. Most premature aging of the skin is attributed to extrinsic or external factors over which we may have some influence. Repeated ultraviolet (UV) exposure breaks down collagen, impairs the synthesis of new collagen, and breaks down elastin. Not only do these processes cause the skin to become loose, wrinkled, and leathery, but UV exposure is associated with skin conditions like age spots, spider veins, and skin cancer.

Sun exposure is the biggest concern, yet there are other, unavoidable natural factors that can speed up wrinkling of the skin:

Repetitive facial expressions. What was once thought to help sagging facial muscles may actually lead to fine lines and wrinkles. As the skin ages, it loses its elasticity, and the “smile lines” that once disappeared when the smile went away can now show up as fine lines and wrinkles on the face. This is no excuse not to smile, because experts agree that nothing looks worse than a sad, boo-hoo face!

Sleeping position. Wrinkles can develop from sleeping on your side with your face on the pillow. Change your sleeping position if you can.

Gravity literally drags skin down over a lifetime.

Lifestyle. The choices that we make in our daily lives contribute to prematurely aging skin. The top three culprits are smoking, poor sleep habits, and poor or improper diet.

•Smoking. Like overexposure to the sun, smoking can cause the skin to age rapidly. Several studies compared people who smoke ten or more cigarettes daily for at least ten years with nonsmokers. The results showed that the ten-a-day smokers’ skin tended to be more deeply wrinkled and leathery.

•Poor sleep habits. Insufficient or poor-quality sleep is most noticeable on the face with dark circles and baggy eyes. In most cases, this appearance can be lessened by improving your sleep habits.

•Poor or improper diet. The skin requires adequate nutrition and hydration to keep it healthy in appearance and function. Optimal Life Foods

Vitamins A, E, and C help the skin heal and repair itself and also help protect it from the ravages of ultraviolet light. Vitamin C is also essential for collagen production, whic

Excerpted from 101 Optimal Life Foods by David Grotto
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