Monday, January 21, 2013

Benefits of Pomegranates

I love Dr. Fuhrman, this is one of his great articles on the powerful benefits of Pomegranates;


Secrets Revealed: The Powerful Health Benefits of the Pomegranate

One of the oldest known fruits, found in writings and artifacts of many cultures and religions, the pomegranate (punica granatum) is an original native of Persia. This nutrient dense, antioxidant rich fruit has been revered as a symbol of health, fertility and eternal life.
Seeding a Pomegranate
  1. Cut the crown (protruding blossom end) off the pomegranate, removing with it some of the pale-yellow pith. Take care not to pierce the seeds within.
  2. Lightly score the skin in quarters from stem to crown end.
  3. Immerse the scored fruit in a large bowl of cool water and soak for 5 minutes. Holding the fruit under water, break sections apart with your fingers, separating the seeds from membrane. The seeds will sink to the bottom of the bowl.
  4. Discard skin and membranes. Drain the seeds and dry on paper towels.

Antioxidant Rich Smoothie
Serves: 2 Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
8 cups organic baby spinach
1 cup pomegranate juice
1 cup blueberries, frozen
1 cup strawberries, frozen
8 dates, cut in half
2 tablespoons flaxseeds, ground
1/2 avocado, optional
Instructions:
Blend all ingredients together. This is delicious & very healthy!
If you're not familiar with the pomegranate, it is a red fruit with a tough outer layer; only the juice and the seeds inside are edible. Pomegranate juice is available year round, but you can purchase fresh pomegranates in most grocery stores from September through January. When refrigerated in a plastic bag, pomegranates keep for up to 2 months. Try tossing the seeds on a salad for a brilliantly colorful, crunchy, and nutritious addition. Seeding a pomegranate may seem like a lot of work for just a piece of fruit but think again. getting at those seeds may be well worth it. The pomegranate is a nutrient dense food source rich in phytochemical compounds. Pomegranates contain high levels of flavonoids and polyphenols, potent antioxidants offering protection against heart disease and cancer. A glass of pomegranate juice has more antioxidants than red wine, green tea, blueberries, and cranberries.
Amazing Clinical Results
This fantastic little fruit recently made its way back into the news after some spectacular clinical results. Here's what you need to know:
Compounds found only in pomegranates called punicalagins are shown to benefit the heart and blood vessels. Punicalagins are the major component responsible for pomegranate's antioxidant and health benefits. They not only lower cholesterol, but also lower blood pressure and increase the speed at which heart blockages (atherosclerosis) melt away.
Recent medical research studied heart patients with severe carotid artery blockages. They were given an ounce of pomegranate juice each day for a year. Not only did study participants' blood pressure lower by over 12 percent, but there was a 30 percent reduction in atherosclerotic plaque. Just as astounding, participants who did not take the pomegranate juice saw their atherosclerotic plaque increase by 9 percent.1
In other studies, potent antioxidant compounds found in pomegranates have shown to reduce platelet aggregation and naturally lower blood pressure, factors that prevent both heart attacks and strokes.

Read more:
http://www.drfuhrman.com/library/article19.aspx

Monday, January 14, 2013

Juicing for your health

 
Juicing is a great way to get your kids to drink their fruits and veggies. One of my favorite ones is Carrot, apple and Kale, but there are so many combinations to choose from. If you have been thinking about juicing and need recipes, here is one of my favorite websites to visit, I love Drew Canole  :http://fitlife.tv/tag/drew-canole/



Here are some great recipes from Fern's Nutrition-http://www.fernsnutrition.com/juicer_recipes.htm

Classic Green Drink
Carrots 4
Celery 2 Stalks
Parsley 1 Handful
Spinach 4 Leaves
CBS Tonic
Carrots 3
Beets 1/2
Spinach 3 Leaves
   
Citrus Delight
Orange 1
Lemon 1/4
Grapefruit 1/4 (W/O peel)
   
Tip Top Tonic
Apple 1
Carrots 4
   
   
Carrot Cleanser
Carrots 3
Beet 1/2
Cucumber 1/2
   
Ginger Zinger
Apple 1
Carrots 4
Ginger 1 inch
   
Fab Fruit Cocktail
Apple 2
Cranberries 1 cup
Grapes 1 Bunch
   
Tomato Salad Drink
Tomato 1 Large
Parsley 1 Handful
Spinach 2 Leaves
Bell Pepper 1/4
Tropical Envy
Beets 1/2
Carrots 2
Celery 1 Stalk
Cucumber 1/2
Ginger 1 inch
Parsley 1 Handful
Pineapple 2 Rounds
Ruby Begonia
Apple 1
Beets 1/4
Carrots 2
Raspberries 8
Maui Wowie
Ginger 1 inch
Pineapple 2 Rounds
Sparkling Water 1/4 cup
   
Mondo Berry
Apple 1
Blueberries 10
Strawberries 10
Raspberries 8


Fred & Ginger

Apple 1
Carrots 2
Celery 1 Stalk
Ginger 1 inch
Veg-Tang Tonic
Carrots 3
Celery 1 Stalk
Parsley 1 Handful
Garlic 1 Clove
Green Apple Drink
Apple 1
Carrots 3
Parsley 1 Handful
Spinach 3 Leaves
Grape Delight
Grapes 1 Bunch
Apples 3
Lemon 1/4 (W/O peel)
   
Liver Cleanse
Apple 2
Grapefruit 1/4 (W/O peel)
Grapes 1 Small Bunch
Lemon 1/4 (W/O peel)
Beets 1/2
Tomato Surprise
Tomato 1 Large
Carrots 2
Celery 1 Stalk

Happy Juicing!




Sunday, January 13, 2013

Cancer-fighting superfoods

Food is our best chance against cancer, what we eat can either help us or hurt us. 

 “Let food be your medicine, and medicine be your food.” Hippocrates

I found these great tips on cancer fighting superfoods, one of my favorites to eat daily is Kale, in the cruciferous family. Please make time to read the entire article, here are the highlights:

Cancer-fighting superfoods
Some foods contain precious anti-cancer molecules. These include:

green tea
Green tea is a top antioxidant

GREEN TEA
Rich in polyphenols that reduce the growth of the new blood vessels needed for tumour growth, green tea is also a powerful antioxidant and activates mechanisms in the liver which help to eliminate cancerous toxins from the body more rapidly. In mice it has been shown to block the effects of chemical carcinogens responsible for breast, lung, oesophageal, stomach and colon cancer.

TURMERIC
The most powerful natural anti-inflammatory identified today. In the laboratory it enhances the effectiveness of chemotherapy and reduces tumour growth. To be assimilated by the body tumeric needs to be mixed with black pepper and, ideally, it should be dissolved in oil.

GARLIC, ONIONS, LEEKS, SHALLOTS and CHIVES
These all help to regulate blood sugar levels, which in turn reduces insulin secretion and thus the growth of cancer cells. They promote the death of cancer cells in colon, breast, lung and prostate cancer.

mushrooms
Mushrooms stimulate the reproduction of immune cells

MUSHROOMS
Shiitake, crimini, portabello and oyster mushrooms stimulate the reproduction and activity of immune cells. They are often used in Japan as a complement to chemotherapy to support the immune system.

CRUCIFEROUS VEGETABLES
Cabbages, sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower contain powerful anti-cancer molecules. But boiling will destroy them — steam briefly or stir-fry rapidly in a little olive oil.

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES  RICH IN CAROTENOIDS

Carrots, yams, sweet potatoes, squash, tomatoes, apricots, beets and all the brightly coloured fruits and vegetables contain vitamin A and lycopene, which have the proven capacity to inhibit the growth of particularly aggressive cancers.

herbs
Herbs can help reduce the spread of cancer cells

HERBS AND SPICES
Rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil and mint are rich in essential oils of the tarpene family which reduce the spread of cancer cells by blocking the enzymes they need to invade neighbouring tissues.


CITRUS FRUIT
Oranges, tangerines, lemons and grapefruit contain anti-infammatory flavonoids which are also present in the skin. So buy organic, unwaxed citrus fruit and add the zest to salad dressing or steep the skins in hot water or tea.

Make sometime to read the rest of this article, it's really great and helpful:
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-1025497/The-anti-cancer-diet--introducing-healthy-new-way-life.html#ixzz2Ht54cPS5

Monday, January 7, 2013

Reduce Blood Pressure naturaly

This is a great article that I found on reducing blood pressure eating fruit:


The high potassium and low sodium in some fruits helps can help lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease. Selection of right fruits can keep your blood pressure under control.

How does Potassium Help Reduce Blood Pressure?

Potassium is a very important mineral for the proper functioning of all cells of our body. Along with sodium, calcium and magnesium, potassium helps maintain the electrolyte balance of the body. Too much salt or sodium causes water retention in the body. This increases the blood volume and puts pressure on the artery walls resulting in high blood pressure.

Again, low potassium levels and high sodium levels, makes the heart and blood vessels to work harder and therefore increase pressure on the walls. So, keeping the right sodium–potassium balance is important for proper functioning of the body. Increasing the dietary consumption of potassium can help lower blood pressure.

Since our diet is normally high in sodium, it is important that we increase the intake of potassium. And if you have high blood pressure, you need to decrease the intake of sodium and increase the intake of potassium to get better effects.

Fruits that Lower Blood Pressure

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet to lower high blood pressure. The DASH diet plan is high in fruits, vegetables, and low fat dairy products. It is also high in potassium, calcium and magnesium which are useful in controlling high blood pressure.

Data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) indicated that higher dietary potassium intakes were associated with significantly lower blood pressures. The DASH trial provided further support for the beneficial effects of a potassium-rich diet on blood pressure. According to them, consumption of a diet including 8.5 servings/day of fruits and vegetables and 4,100 mg/day of potassium lowered blood pressure by an average of 2.8 /1.1 mm Hg (systolic BP/diastolic BP) in people with normal blood pressure and by an average of 7.2 /2.8 mm Hg in people with hypertension. Increasing dietary calcium intake by 800 mg/day in the DASH trial lowered systolic and diastolic blood pressure still further.

Since fruits contain many essential nutrients, vitamins and anti-oxidants besides potassium, it is one of the best types of food that can help lower your blood pressure. Here are some fruits that are high in potassium content and which help lower blood pressure.

Fruits to Help Lower Blood Pressure

Apricot: Apricot is a very good source of potassium and vitamin A. With 2202 mg (63 percent DV) of potassium in a cup (119 g of cubes) of dehydrated apricot, it is perhaps one of the best foods that have potassium in them. It is very low in sodium content as well as saturated fat and cholesterol.

Avocado: Avocado is rich in assortment of vitamins and high in monounsaturated fat and potassium. It contains a unique fatty alcohol, called avocadene, which has a curative property for a number of ailments including high blood pressure. One cup (150 g of cubes) contains 727 mg of potassium (21 percent of the daily recommended value for potassium) and only 10.5 mg of sodium (zero percent of the daily recommended value [DV]). Avocado is very low in cholesterol and it is a good source of dietary fiber.

Banana: Bananais a versatile fruit – eat a whole banana as a snack or add sliced banana to your morning cereal or make a fruit salad with banana as one of the ingredients. Whatever way you eat it, a medium sized banana will provide 422 mg of potassium and 17 percent of the daily recommended value for vitamin C. With 2.83 g of dietary fiber, this fruit will help you stay full for longer periods of time.

Cantaloupe: Cantaloupe is a fruit that belongs to the melon family. It is an excellent source of vitamin A and vitamin C. A cup of cubed cantaloupe (160 g) contains 494.5 mg of potassium 14.1 percent daily recommended value for potassium. Remember to wash the outside of the cantaloupe before cutting it since bacteria can grow on its surface. Refrigerate if you are not going to consume it immediately.

Oranges and Lemons: Citrus fruits are best known for their high vitamin C content. Oranges are high in nutrition and low in calories. With a potassium content of 326 mg and no sodium, this is one of the best fruits that lower blood pressure. Limes, too, are a good source of potassium, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin A and folate. They contain 2.8 g of dietary fiber.

Grapefruit: This fruit has a distinctive, tangy taste. Select ripe grapefruits for best flavor and quality. The bioflavonoids present in grapefruit and other citrus fruits not only help lower blood pressure but also help lower cholesterol levels. Half a grapefruit (123 g) contains 166 mg of potassium and provides 5 percent of daily recommended value for potassium.

Melons: Melon is a very good source of vitamin A, vitamin C, thiamin and potassium. One cup of frozen melon balls (173 g) 484 mg of potassium and provides 14 percent of daily recommended value for potassium. It is also a good source of magnesium, folate and vitamin B6.

Prune: Prunes are actually the dried version of European plums. They are sweet in taste and have a sticky chewy texture. One cup of pitted prunes (174 g) contains 1274 mg of potassium and almost no sodium. Moreover, prune is a rich source of dietary fiber. A quarter cup of prunes supply 12.1 percent of the daily value for fiber. The soluble fiber promotes a sense of satisfied fullness after a meal as it slows down the digestive process and thus helps with weight loss. So if you have high blood pressure and are overweight too, prunes may be the right fruit for you.

In addition to these fruits, you can also eat raisins, dates, figs and molasses. They too contain a high amount of potassium. According to the NIH, dried fruits normally contain more potassium than fresh versions.