In 2003 I was living in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and putting the finishing touches on a travel book I was preparing to publish. I was focused solely on that task; so much so that I hardly noticed a sudden and unexplained loss of weight, combined with some strange digestive issues.
At the time I was eating a lot of delicious and healthy Thai food. But I was also energizing myself with a few cans of Coca Cola each day, and scarfing down cinnamon rolls from my new favorite bakery around the corner. And, of course, indulging in a lot of incredible, freshly-baked bread from that same bakery. I mean, what is life without bread?!
I had no idea what it meant to be healthy, what it meant to eat healthy. Going back a few more years to the late 90s, I recall eating nothing but processed sliced turkey on white bread for several weeks. Neither contained any fat. So I thought THAT must be healthy. Though it was probably better than my standard Taco Bell diet during that period. And when you’re in your 20s, you can get away with a lot.
Back to 2003. I was exercising each morning, as my apartment complex had a nice fitness center on the ground floor. But still, I wasn’t working out that hard, and certainly not hard enough to account for a weight loss of 45 pounds in 2 months. I’ve always been thin, even when carrying a bit of extra weight, so 45 pounds was much more than I could afford to lose. And those digestive issues continued to worsen.
My uncle died of colon cancer at a young age, so at my mother’s insistence I finally went to my friendly neighborhood Thai hospital for a barium enema. It should go without saying that this was an unpleasant experience. And, according to my Thai doctor, it yielded no clues about my condition, as he found nothing in the X-ray of my colon that he considered alarming. However, by this time, I knew something was seriously wrong.
I flew back to the U.S., with my X-ray in tow, and scheduled an appointment with an American doctor who could surely help me. Ironically, my American doctor was Thai American. He took one look at my X-ray, then looked back at me and said, “Your colon is so inflamed it’s nearly closed.” He contorted his index finger and thumb into a circle to demonstrate the opening of a healthy colon. Then he closed that opening almost entirely to demonstrate the condition of my colon. And then he diagnosed me with Crohn’s disease.
He told me there’s no cure for Crohn’s disease. He also told me that no one knows how you get Crohn’s disease. Then he told me I’d have to go on prednisone, a steroid, and remain on it for the rest of my life. He also said there was a very good chance my condition would require surgery. In short, he (along with the entire medical profession) knew nothing at all about my wonderful new disease, but he felt very confident on how to treat it. That was the first and last time I saw that doctor. Or any doctor, for that matter.
His recommendation sounded normal, of course, when you grow up in a society dependent on modern medicine for your health and survival. But instinctually, in a place I couldn’t quite pinpoint, I felt there had to be another way. Though I had no idea what that way would be or look like. So I decided to investigate.
I became a voracious researcher and reader. I learned so much in those first few months following my diagnosis, then spent years refining that knowledge and building upon a base that seemed all-too simple yet profoundly logical. And intuitively, it felt right in a way that steroids and surgery never did.
A funny side note: One of my sister’s friends at that time was a doctor. When she heard that I decided to treat my Crohn’s disease with food and herbs, rather than take a more “modern” approach, she told my sister, “Well, you’re brother’s an idiot!”
As it turned out, I felt pretty darn smart. And I felt pretty good physically as well, after making a few simple dietary changes. One thing was for certain – I was hooked! I wanted to know more, learn more, share it all with family and friends, and spread the word that there existed a better way. A more natural way.
There were three books that I remember reading early on that helped me tremendously, and each in a different way. The first was Dr. Joseph Mercola’s Total Health, (though I’d now recommend his more recent book – Effortless Healing.) It made so much sense that I felt dumb for never coming to those conclusions on my own. And although I cannot remember how I stumbled upon it, that book literally saved my life, as it started me down this long and winding natural health road.
Another book, one that helped me realize the almost magical connection between mind and body, is Spontaneous Healing by Dr. Andrew Weil. It explores the incredible power that the mind has on our physiology, and the role it plays in keeping us healthy.
The third book I recall from those early days is The Metabolic Typing Diet by William Wolcott. Of course, there are things all of us should avoid like sugar and processed foods. However, as individuals with individual biological needs, I felt like there could be some fine tuning to account for this. And that’s what this book delves into. Because one size never does fit all.
At this time I’d like to mention a few things. First off, this book attempts to rank the best superfoods, which even now feels a bit ridiculous for various reasons. I could have put them into alphabetical order, however, I do feel that some are better than others, and while some of that is subjective, much of it is also based on hundreds of hours spent pouring over research studies and clinical trials. So those superfoods at the top of the list, I do believe are the superest of all superfoods.
You may notice that some superfoods are missing. I wrote in-depth articles on 70 superfoods, then whittled that down to 25. But even those original 70 didn’t account for some very healthy foods that I consume on a regular, if not daily, basis. In other words, this ebook is not the definitive word on all superfoods. There are obvious omissions like coconut oil, goji berries, flax seeds, ginseng, and many others. This list, more than anything else, represents my favorite superfoods based on my research.
Also, reading through thousands of research studies and clinical trials meant learning a new language – one called science. I tried to simplify and explain in English as best I could, however, I didn’t want to dumb it down so much as to make it unsubstantial. There’s nothing I dislike more than finding a webpage saying blueberries are good for brain health without giving any substantial reasons why. I’ve also included links to numerous studies and trials, because, well … I love proof that something works. I hope you do, too. All links, by the way, worked at the time of publishing, but the online world is always changing. My apologies if any of the links no longer work by the time you read this.
Secondly, while incorporating superfoods into your life will no doubt have profound changes on your health, there are other aspects of natural health I want to quickly mention. What you add to your diet is probably less important than what you eliminate. Not sure what those foods are, begin where I did by reading Total Health or Effortless Healing. But obviously, replacing processed foods with organic whole foods is a great place to begin.
Exercise is another component to being as healthy as possible, and as far as I’m concerned (and many others) high intensity interval training, also called Peak 8, should be the cornerstone of any cardio exercise program. I would also add in some yoga or stretching for flexibility, and some resistance exercise to build stronger muscles, ligaments, tendons, joints, and bones.
Also, you can’t be healthy without finding natural ways to relieve stress. In that regard, my two favorites are meditation and EFT. Meditation was impossible for me, until I discovered Brain Sync, which combines guided meditation and/or subliminal messages with brainwave audio technology. It’s a game-changer. And if you haven’t heard of EFT, it’s the goofiest and most effective way to manage your emotions in the absolute shortest amount of time possible. It’s truly miraculous. And it’s free!
And finally, how natural is your lifestyle? What toxins are you exposed to on a regular basis, and what can you do to eliminate those? Some toxins you won’t be able to do anything about, as we now live in a very toxic world. But some, like you’ll find in household cleaning supplies, personal hygiene products, and cookware, can easily be eliminated. Many of the articles in It’s Only Natural will provide healthier, Do-It-Yourself options for many of the products you currently use.
The third and last thing I want to mention is that all of the recommendations I make I do so because these products, or books, or programs have worked for me. These are products I believe to be of the highest quality from companies I trust. These are the same recommendations I make to my parents and other family members.
Having said that, many of the links in this book are affiliate links, meaning if you click on them and make a purchase, I will make a small commission. This in NO WAY influenced my decision to include them in this book. These affiliate links are how this book, along with another I have in the works, will remain free to all. It’s also how my natural health newsletter – It’s Only Natural – remains free as well. Producing a weekly newsletter, and books, requires a tremendous amount of time and effort. Which is why I believe that receiving commission on products I would recommend anyway really does benefit us all.
If you received this ebook by signing up at best-adaptogens.com, then you are probably already subscribed to receive the newsletter. If you received it another way, I would urge you to follow the link above and sign up for It’s Only Natural. Each issue, delivered every Sunday morning, includes two short articles on some aspect of natural health, a shorter health tip, and one healthy and delicious recipe. It’s extremely informative, but also practical.
One last thing I want to add is how important it is to Doctor Yourself. What I mean by that, is take responsibility for your own health. Do some research. Spend the time. Take the initiative. After all, what is more important than your health? Those of you struggling with a disease or health condition know exactly what I’m talking about. Those of you who aren’t, I urge you to be proactive. Don’t wait until your health is compromised like I did.
And remember, you can’t have natural health, without the Natural. So if ever in doubt or conflicted about something, just ask yourself – Is this as nature intended?
Wishing you Super Health,
Nick Mistretta
