Today, my wife requested that we eat breakfast at the restaurant of her choice, and it turned out to be a pleasant surprise. I chose pumpkin pancakes off the menu, which I had never eaten before, and I quite liked them. I wouldn’t mind a return visit to that breakfast spot.

Back when I was a medical student, we didn’t pay much attention to food. Nobody thought nutrition was really important in those days, and as a consequence, we didn’t study it much, or apply any good principles to our own diets.

I have to say that over the last several years I have picked up more information about nutrition and good diet routines than I ever did during the time when I was a full-time physician. When I got home from breakfast this morning, I remembered a book I read a several years ago which focused on “superfoods.”

Pumpkin is considered a superfood. No…it’s just not for carving at Halloween. And is it a vegetable, or a fruit? Most people think it’s a vegetable, but it’s actually a fruit, a member of the gourd family.

It’s inexpensive, available year round, (canned), high in fiber, and low in calories. Pumpkin packs an abundance of disease fighting nutrients like potassium, pantothenic acid, magnesium, and vitamins C and E.

One of the main reasons that pumpkins are such an important superfood is that they contain carotenoids in a synergistic combination. I could go on and on about carotenoids, but what’s most important is that they are extremely heart-healthy.

Take a look at this list of other superfoods. These foods, in combination with other healthy eating habits, will definitely help you shrink that gut you might be developing.

And the superfoods are: Tomatoes, Turkey, Broccoli, Yogurt, Oranges, Oats, Spinach, Green or Black Tea, Salmon, Beans, Blueberries, and Walnuts.

And then, there is a critically important ultra pure, pharmaceutical grade fish oil, which comes with it’s own superpowers. So there is yet another formula for you: 13 + 1. 13 superfoods, PLUS the powerful omega-3 fatty acids, found in my pharmaceutical grade fish oil.

And here’s an extra fat-fighting tip: add a little cinnamon and garlic to your diet.

The key to weight loss is synergy. You have to eat healthy food, exercise consistently, get enough sleep, and take a good fish oil product. Do all of the above and your spare tire will become a thing of the past.