Superfoods And The Process of Tonification

When seeing patients for their intitial evalution my goal is to build a strong foundation, identify obstacles to health and bring balance. A strong foundation is created by a process of tonification. To tonify means to conserve or increase available energy, just the opposite of the more familiar - detoxification, the process of forcing the body to eliminate toxins via expansion of energy. Common side effects of doing a cleanse or a detox, like fatigue, malaise, and light-headedness occur precisely because of a deficiency in energy and need for tonification.

On a biochemical level, tonification is achieved by maximizing consumption of nutrient-dense and calorie-sparse foods. These foods have rightfully earned the name superfoods. How do they tonify? Well, superfoods contain nutrients that are cofactors in biochemical energy production pathways in the body. A body that is deficient in nutrients will be deficient in energy.

Here's my menu of superfoods:

Pumpkins (kabucha is my favorite)

Berries 

Nuts and seeds (beware of chemically treated and pasteurized almonds)

Green leafy vegetables

Sea vegetables
Cruciferous vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprouts, purple cabbage)

Wild cold water fish (salmon, sardines)

Fruit oils (olive, avocado)

Pasture raised organic eggs
Spices (turmeric, ginger, cinnamon)
Teas (green tea)
Mushrooms (shitake, maitake.... even white button mushrooms help to prevent cancer)
Gee or clarified butter, home-made raw milk butter, coconut oil
Sprouted foods

What's on your superfoods menu?