Avocado

Skin food rich in monounsturates – fattening – only contains 190 cals in an average fruit. Rich in potassium, Vitamin E, carotene, folic acid, B5, Biotin and vitamin C, plus iodine.

Blueberries

Rich in anthocyanidins – a flavonoid, which helps protect eyes from macular degeneration. Anthocyanidins are present in all berries colour purple/blue. Eat daily.

Brazil Nut

Selenium – deficiency of which is linked to cancer. Boosts immune system and helps healthy thyroid function. Other nuts almonds and hazel nuts plus seeds such as flax, sesame and sunflower.

Cruciferous vegetables

Brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, cress horseradish, kale johlrabi, mustard greens, radish and turnip – contain substances that help liver deal with toxins and cancer protecting. Protects against colon cancer. Try to eat grated raw or juiced.

Brewers Yeast

B vitamins as well as chromium to regulate blood sugar levels

Fish

Rich in protein, minerals and oil fish such as sardines, mackerel, herring, salmon, tuna, shark and swordfish are rich in essential fatty acids.

Garlic

Contains compounds that help prevent cancer and heart disease.

Olive Oil

Extra virgin olive oil contains monounsaturates which are good for the heart.

Quinoa

A grain protein that contains far richer in nutrients than wheat – calcium, iron, B vitamins and vitamin E.

Shitake Mushrooms

Contain lentinan, an immunity booster as well as Vitamin D, calcium, phosphorous and amino acids.

Seaweed

One of richest sources of calcium and minerals.

Soya

Contains beneficial plant oestrogens – phytoestrogens – help prevent breast cancer during child bearing years. In menopause can help make up deficient oestrogen levels. Go for tofu and soya milk.

Tomatoes

Contain lutein and lycopene that particularly help the health of the eyes.

Red wine

Red wine the elixir of life for human cells

Resveratrol and similar compounds, known as polyphenols and found in fruit, vegetables and olive oil as well as wine, appear to activate enzymes, called sirtuins, that have been shown to prolong life in yeast and in roundworms.

Professor David Sinclair, of Harvard Medical School, said that in experiments withhuman cells, the proportion that survived blasts of gamma
radiation rose from 10 per cent to 30 per cent when treated with resveratrol, indicating that it had improved cell repair.

Resveratrol has been famed for its antioxidant properties, which experts believe help it to prevent cancer and clear clogged arteries. But Dr Konrad Howitzer, of Biomol, a biotech company in Pennsylvania, said: “The sirtuin stimulation provided by certain polyphenols may be a more important biological effect than their antioxidant action.”

The researchers said that preliminary work with flies and worms had been encouraging, and studies involving mice were planned. They were also
investigating whether synthetic versions of the molecules had similar effects. In any case, most people would prefer red wine as a life-preserver.
The dark red skins of the grape are particularly rich in the colourings called flavonoids, which are thought to act as antioxidants, delaying the onset of certain cancers. Red wine, especially from grapes such as pinot noir, is rich in resveratrol, which lowers the bad kind of cholesterol and raises the good kind, helping to protect against heart disease.

Yoghurt

Calcium and healthy bacteria to aid digestive flora.