Health benefits of Watercress

I didn't know about watercress, but I was amazed how great it is for you. I found this great article on it's benefits:

(NaturalNews) If watercress is served as a garnishment in a restaurant, don't throw it out. Eat it with the food served. It will help you digest your meal and provide many more health benefits than most know about. As a matter of fact, you'd be wise to mix it in salads or juice it with other veggies often.

Watercress Details

Watercress is a leafy green cruciferous that's been around for a long time. It gets its name from the fact that it originally grew wild along the banks of streams and slow moving rivers. Essentially it is a water plant. They have long green stems with small roundish bright green leaves.

The early Romans and ancient Persians used watercress as a brain food, a nerve tonic, and an aphrodisiac. Perhaps they overdid the latter. It is often used as a throw-away garnish. But its nutrient value is so high its bitter peppery tasting leaves deserve to be eaten uncooked often.

Naturally, raw leaves offer the highest nutrient value. But watercress can be juiced with other vegetables or even used for soups. For soups, place watercress in the water after reaching a boiling point to avoid destroying the nutrients by overheating.

Once you find a good source of organic watercress, you can wrap the leaves around grapes or pineapple chunks and snack with them. You can mix raw watercress leaves with other greens for salads. Many consider watercress too bitter to eat alone. Try it that way first then decide.

Health Benefits

Watercress is considered an anti-aging food, as good as or even better than many herbs used for that purpose. It contains a lot of lutein, which helps improve or maintain eye health despite aging. Watercress is very high in naturally occurring iodine. So high that it is not advised for anyone with hyperthyroidism.

However, hyperthyroidism is rare these days. Hypothyroidism is much more prevalent because iodine nutrients are not common in most modern mineral deficient diets. Hypothyroidism causes lethargy, depression, goiter, and poor metabolism leading to obesity. So unless you're specifically diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, eat as much watercress as you can.

The high iodine content gives watercress a nutritional breakaway value from other cruciferous vegetables. Cruciferous veggies all have cancer preventative nutrients. They are all high in phytonutrient compounds containing different sulfur molecules. Some of those sulfur nutrients assist the liver in its phase two detoxification process.

Cruciferous vegetables also contain enzymes that help the liver manufacture and transfer glutathione to our bodies' cells. Glutathione is considered the master antioxidant because it replenishes and recycles spent antioxidants for more activity to protect cells from oxidative damage.

Don't confuse oxidation or oxidative damage with oxygenation, without which cancer takes over healthy cells. Oxygenation is part of a healthy cell's function to properly metabolize cellular activity and growth while creating energy.

So with sufficient antioxidants preventing cellular damage, whatever enhances oxygenation is welcome. Watercress provides both antioxidant activity and oxygenation. Its high chlorophyll content provides what's essential for oxygenation and red blood cells.

Rotating watercress with other organic cruciferous uncooked or lightly steamed veggies ensures your daily intake of many anti-aging cancer inhibiting nutrients.

Watercress is very low in calories too. You can use it in a cheese sandwich for balancing out all those other calories.


Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/033548_watercress_cruciferous_vegetables.html#ixzz2eW0ZrycB

Cruciferous vegetables for Cancer prevention

There are so many great vegetables with great nutritional values,  in my fight against cancer, besides my juiced veggies, I try to eat 4 or 5 servings of vegetables at dinner time and I mostly choose cruciferous vegetables. Kale is at the top of my list, I juice kale everyday at least twice a day. I have read over and over how great they are in cancer prevention; I found this article from the National Cancer Institute, I was surprised to find that radishes and wasabi are part of the cruciferous family:

1. What are cruciferous vegetables?

   Cruciferous vegetables are part of the Brassica genus of plants. They include the following vegetables, among others:
   

   Arugula  Bok choy   Broccoli  Brussels sprouts Cabbage  Cauliflower  Collard greens

   Horseradish Kale Radishes Rutabaga Turnips Watercress Wasabi

2. Why are cancer researchers studying cruciferous vegetables?

   Cruciferous vegetables are rich in nutrients, including several carotenoids (beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin); vitamins C, E, and K; folate; and minerals. They also are a good fiber source.
   In addition, cruciferous vegetables contain a group of substances known as glucosinolates, which are sulfur-containing chemicals. These chemicals are responsible for the pungent aroma and bitter flavor of cruciferous vegetables.
   During food preparation, chewing, and digestion, the glucosinolates in cruciferous vegetables are broken down to form biologically active compounds such as indoles, nitriles, thiocyanates, and isothiocyanates (1). Indole-3-carbinol (an indole) and sulforaphane (an isothiocyanate) have been most frequently examined for their anticancer effects.
   Indoles and isothiocyanates have been found to inhibit the development of cancer in several organs in rats and mice, including the bladder, breast, colon, liver, lung, and stomach (2, 3). Studies in animals and experiments with cells grown in the laboratory have identified several potential ways in which these compounds may help prevent cancer:
   
   • They help protect cells from DNA damage.
   • They help inactivate carcinogens.
   • They have antiviral and antibacterial effects.
   • They have anti-inflammatory effects.
   • They induce cell death (apoptosis).
   • They inhibit tumor blood vessel formation (angiogenesis) and tumor cell migration (needed for metastasis).
   Studies in humans, however, have shown mixed results, as described in Question 3.

3. Is there evidence that cruciferous vegetables can help reduce cancer risk in people?

   Researchers have investigated possible associations between intake of cruciferous vegetables and the risk of cancer. The evidence has been reviewed by various experts. Key studies regarding four common forms of cancer are described briefly below.
   
   • Prostate cancer: Cohort studies in the Netherlands (4), United States (5), and Europe (6) have examined a wide range of daily cruciferous vegetable intakes and found little or no association with prostate cancer risk. However, some case-control studies have found that people who ate greater amounts of cruciferous vegetables had a lower risk of prostate cancer (7, 8).
   • Colorectal cancer: Cohort studies in the United States and the Netherlands have generally found no association between cruciferous vegetable intake and colorectal cancer risk (9-11). The exception is one study in the Netherlands—the Netherlands Cohort Study on Diet and Cancer—in which women (but not men) who had a high intake of cruciferous vegetables had a reduced risk of colon (but not rectal) cancer (12).
   • Lung cancer: Cohort studies in Europe, the Netherlands, and the United States have had varying results (13-15). Most studies have reported little association, but one U.S. analysis—using data from the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals’ Follow-up Study—showed that women who ate more than 5 servings of cruciferous vegetables per week had a lower risk of lung cancer (16).
   • Breast cancer: One case-control study found that women who ate greater amounts of cruciferous vegetables had a lower risk of breast cancer (17). A meta-analysis of studies conducted in the United States, Canada, Sweden, and the Netherlands found no association between cruciferous vegetable intake and breast cancer risk (18). An additional cohort study of women in the United States similarly showed only a weak association with breast cancer risk (19).
   A few studies have shown that the bioactive components of cruciferous vegetables can have beneficial effects on biomarkers of cancer-related processes in people. For example, one study found that indole-3-carbinol was more effective than placebo in reducing the growth of abnormal cells on the surface of the cervix (20).
   In addition, several case-control studies have shown that specific forms of the gene that encodes glutathione S-transferase, which is the enzyme that metabolizes and helps eliminate isothiocyanates from the body, may influence the association between cruciferous vegetable intake and human lung and colorectal cancer risk
   (21-23).

4. Are cruciferous vegetables part of a healthy diet?

   The federal government’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 recommend consuming a variety of vegetables each day. Different vegetables are rich in different nutrients.
   Vegetables are categorized into five subgroups: dark-green, red and orange, beans and peas (legumes), starchy, and other vegetables. Cruciferous vegetables fall into the “dark-green vegetables” category and the “other vegetables” category. More information about vegetables and diet, including how much of these foods should be eaten daily or weekly, is available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture website Choose My Plate.
   
   Higher consumption of vegetables in general may protect against some diseases, including some types of cancer. However, when researchers try to distinguish cruciferous vegetables from other foods in the diet, it can be challenging to get clear results because study participants may have trouble remembering precisely what they ate. Also, people who eat cruciferous vegetables may be more likely than people who don’t to have other healthy behaviors that reduce disease risk. It is also possible that some people, because of their genetic background, metabolize dietary isothiocyanates differently. However, research has not yet revealed a specific group of people who, because of their genetics, benefit more than other people from eating cruciferous vegetables.
   
   http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/diet/cruciferous-vegetables

Lose weight by making healthy choices and a lifestyle change

It took a lot of convincing and courage to show my picture at my worse weight, but if it encourages anyone, my mission is accomplished. Not just for losing weight, but battling disease with nutrition, it is amazing what nutrition can do for us. What we put in our mouth can really mean life or death. My cancer battle has not been officially over, but with God's help and a healthy lifestyle I'm hoping to be cancer free soon.

 I had been battling with my weight and high cholesterol for years, I tried all kinds of diets to lose weight, but as soon as I got off the diet the weight always came back, plus more. I was addicted to sugar, pastries, fast, fried, and processed foods. I was diagnosed with breast cancer December 2010 and that’s when my life changed forever. With God’s help I made a commitment to do everything in my power to learn how to battle cancer. I learned about a lifestyle change called “Plant Base Foods” through the China Study, Forks Over Knives and the importance of juicing for our health. I decided to make a lifestyle change. I lost 50 lbs without trying or going hungry, just by making healthy choices. Basically, going back to the original diet plan for our lives; if God made it, I eat it and if man made it I stay away from it. Now I eat to live and not live to eat, it was the best choice I have ever made for my health. I feel great, look better than I have in years, my blood tests show great results, my cholesterol is perfect and I get to enjoy playing with my 5 beautiful grandchildren. I have kept the weight off and as long as I follow the same plan, I will keep it off. 
Diets fail, Lifestyle changes work. If I did it, anyone can do it.

Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. Genesis 1:29

Here are the links to some great information on nutrition and a plant-based diet:

http://www.tcolincampbell.org/ 

http://www.forksoverknives.com/ 

http://www.fatsickandnearlydead.com/ 

http://www.drmcdougall.com/ 

http://www.drfuhrman.com/

http://www.nealbarnard.org/ 

http://nutritionfacts.org/about/ 

http://fitlife.tv/tag/drew-canole/ 


These is where I post everything I have learned:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Natural-health-and-healing-Gods-way/318117131539136 
 

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”
―Hippocrates

 

Treat PCOS with a Vegan Diet (Polycystic ovarian syndrome )

 I found this great article from Neal Barnard, M.D. posted by Alicia Silverstone, who is a vegan herself;

Apr 24, 2013 by Alicia Silverstone

I’ve seen a few of you kind-lifers asking about PCOS in the forum. I wanted to ask expert Dr. Neal Barnard to weigh in on this syndrome and how a vegan diet can help. Read his insight below…

Plant-Based Diets for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
By Neal Barnard, M.D.

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a disorder involving excessive hormone production by the ovaries and the adrenal glands. It affects approximately 5 percent of women in the United States and usually begins during puberty. Although PCOS has no specific cure, weight loss, medical treatment, and dietary changes such as a implementing a low-fat plant-based diet can usually control most symptoms.

Common PCOS symptoms include obesity, hirsutism (growth of thick hair in areas where hair is normally minimal or absent, such as the face, chest, and breasts), and absence of menstrual periods. Affected women generally have multiple ovarian cysts and may be infertile. They often have diabetes, male-pattern baldness, and acne.

The cause of PCOS is unknown. But it appears to be, in part, related to diet and lifestyle factors, particularly those that influence body weight and insulin. Although weight loss is an accepted treatment, even relatively lean women may develop PCOS, and diet changes may affect the outcome of this disorder even in the absence of weight change.

A diet that addresses cardiovascular risk factors is appropriate for women with PCOS. Roughly half of women with PCOS are obese, and losing as little as 5 to 10 percent of weight results in a resumption of menstrual periods and a decrease in androgen hormones.

A plant-based diet is the best option for women with PCOS. The majority of women with PCOS also suffer from insulin resistance. If insulin isn’t working properly then hormones get out of kilter, among other mishaps. Fiber helps tremendously with hormone issues, and of course fiber is only found in plants!

There are several additional reasons why a diet low in fat and high in fiber and whole grains (aka a vegan diet) is superior to other weight-loss treatments. Such a diet helps reverse diabetes, which affects 50 to 70 percent of women with PCOS. Low–fat, high–fiber diets also reduce body weight and effectively address unhealthy cholesterol levels.

http://thekindlife.com/blog/post/treat-pcos-polycystic-ovarian-syndrome-with-vegan-plant-based-diet

Regain your health and take control of your life

Please take the time to read this, it is amazing! This is the program I have been following to stay cancer free. Dr. McDougall is awesome and has shared his program here for free. He is not about making money,  he really wants people to be healthy and he has proven that by posting his program for everyone to follow. If you want to prevent disease or have a loved one battling a disease, you should really read his Free Program. He lists all the foods you should eat, the foods you should avoid and even better, there are recipes you for each day of his program.

This instructional material offers you a real opportunity for rediscovering your health and appearance. However, diet is powerful medicine. Do not change your diet or start an intense exercise program if you are seriously ill or on medication unless you are under the care of a physician knowledgeable in nutrition and its effects on health. Do not change medications without professional advice. When appropriate, share this message with your doctor.
The McDougall Program uses a pure-vegetarian diet based around starchy vegetables with the addition of fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables. If you follow the diet strictly for more than three years, or if you are pregnant or nursing, then take a minimum of 5 micrograms (mcg) of supplemental vitamin B12 each day.
Even though this instructional material is quite complete for changing your life, there is much more information to be found here on the McDougall web site in the McDougall books. Altogether with the web site and books you have over 2200 recipes to choose from. One of the most helpful and inexpensive experiences you can have is to view one of the sets of the McDougall DVDs. However, those of you desiring serious change in your health and medical care should consider becoming involved in one of the many programs at the McDougall Health Center. The 10-day live-in McDougall Program is where you become a patient of Dr. McDougall's. This is the controlled and comfortable environment where you will progress rapidly to become medication-free, feeling great, trim, active, and in excellent health
  You can regain your health and take control of your life. All the good things that you associate with health – enhanced appearance, optimal weight, great vitality, restoration of normal function, positive moods, and a deep feeling of well-being – can be yours. And you can accomplish these wondrous goals using the simplest method imaginable – eating the wholesome, fresh foods that our Creator intended.
The McDougall Program consists of the following:

• A diet of plant foods, including whole grains and whole grain products (such as pasta, tortillas, and whole-grain bread), a wide assortment of vegetables, and fruit
• Plenty of spices and usually small amounts of sugar and salt to enhance the flavor of food
• Exercise as simple as a daily walk
• The exclusion of animal foods, including red meat, poultry, dairy products, eggs, and fish – all of which provide toxic levels of fat, cholesterol, protein and, very often, infectious agents and harmful chemicals
• The exclusion of ALL oils, including olive oil, safflower oil and corn oil. Oils, which are nothing more than liquid fat, increase body fat stores (obesity), depress immune function, and contribute to most common chronic diseases

By making these profound changes, you will experience an almost immediate improvement in your health. And, while I know it sounds difficult at first, taken step by step and over the course of just 12 days, it will become a way of life that is so natural and so simple, you won't believe how easy it is.

Please go to this Link to follow his program;

 http://www.drmcdougall.com/free_1.html

Alkaline Lifestyle

This is a Great article by Drew Canole on an alkaline lifestyle

Believe it or not but our bodies are packed with harmful toxins, like heavy metals, pollutants in the air, and pesticides and chemicals. According to many researchers the incidence of various cancers and diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s are linked to these harmful toxins.
But don’t worry, there’s things that you can do to limit your risk. Here are some tips on how to detox your body from these toxins.
1. Alkaline Lifestyle
For your body to function properly or in homeostasis, systems in your body need to be functioning at a steady state – this is usually at an alkaline state.
The alkaline lifestyle consists of eating clean and keeping your body’s pH level where it needs to be (neutral pH). Drinking fresh vegetable juice, eating dark green leafy greens and keeping hydrated are some of things that you can do to keep your body at an alkaline state.
When your body is at an alkalizing state and you’re nourishing it with foods that are healthy,  your body’s pH is neutral. It’s not acidic and it’s not basic, it’s the right pH (around 7 in a 0 -14 scale). And when the pH of your body is aligned with the foods you eat then you feel and look healthy.
Processed foods are usually more acidic than naturally produced foods. The pH of blood is around 7.30 – 7.45. When you eat more naturally produced foods and avoid acidic foods your blood is more likely to stay in the right pH zone which is beneficial for your overall health.

For some amazing alkalizing juice recipes, click here <—
2. Go Organic
When you’re trying to prevent disease and eliminate toxins from your body, you shouldn’t be eating foods that are covered with chemicals and pesticides. Juicing inorganic fruits and vegetables is not good as well. The juice is instantly absorbed and when you juice non-organic fruits and vegetables, the pesticides and chemicals gets quickly absorbed by your body.
Here are some tips on how to save money while juicing <—
3. Add Chlorophyll 
Chlorophyll is amazing. Chlorophyll is more than just a phytonutrient that’s responsible for the dark green pigment in green foods. Chlorophyll is one of the best things for the body and you can get it in many ways. Juicing dark green leafy vegetables is a great way to get chlorophyll into your body. When you juice fresh vegetables, your body quickly absorbs the nutrients and you get amazing results. Another way you can get your dose of chlorophyll is through liquid chlorophyll.
Chlorophyll is packed with antioxidants. Antioxidants protect our cells from oxidative damage and free radicals. Chlorophyll also increases red blood cell formation and improves the body’s overall circulation. When you consume dark leafy vegetables you decrease your risk of cancer. Besides all these benefits chlorophyll helps with bad breath.
Click here to read more about the benefits of chlorophyll <—
Vegetables with highest chlorophyll are those that are dark green.
4. Juice Cilantro
Cilantro is one of my favorite herbs. Cilantro is great for detoxifying the body because it removes heavy metals (mercury, aluminum, and lead)  from the body and the best part is that organic cilantro is inexpensive. So you have no excuse as to why you shouldn’t juice cilantro.
The compounds that are found in cilantro bind to toxic metals and loosen them from tissues.
Researcher and Doctor Yoshiaki Omura found that individuals who consumed a Vietnamese soup with large amounts of cilantro had a higher levels of mercury in their urine. He followed by giving cilantro to patients with high mercury levels and found that cilantro actually eliminated mercury from the body.
To read more about his research click here. 
5. Juice!
Juicing itself is a detox process.
Here’s why:
1. Many people ask me why they should juice when they could eat the vegetables or fruits. When you extract the juice from the vegetable all you are left with are beneficial micronutrients. Since your body doesn’t have to break down any components like insoluble fiber, your body is quickly absorbing micronutrients, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and much more from the juice. That’s why often you get instant energy after having a juice!
2. Juicing also allows you to consume the needed vegetables and fruits that your body craves and needs for optimal health. If you find it difficult eating raw vegetables and fruit, then juicing is perfect for you. With juicing you are also getting a wide variety of different vegetables into your daily intake.
3. Juicing is a way to change the way you eat and will change the way you live. After you juice for a week, you will see and feel instant results. Often after the first week of the Alpha Reset, my clients tell me how much more energy they have, how their skin has improved and how much overall mental clarity  they have. Also, a juice detox program like the Alpha Reset, can help you change your taste buds and quit bad habits like smoking.

http://fitlife.tv/heavy-metals-detox/

Benefits of Lemon

I had forgotten about the great benefits of lemon until someone reminded me this week and I found this great article, for me, balancing my pH level is very important, but so is everything else on this list:

1. Boosts your immune system
Lemons are high in Vitamin C and potassium. Vitamin C is great for fighting colds and potassium stimulates brain and nerve function and helps control blood pressure.
2. Balances pH
Lemons are an incredibly alkaline food, believe it or not. Yes, they are acidic on their own, but inside our bodies they're alkaline (the citric acid does not create acidity in the body once metabolized). As you wellness warriors know, an alkaline body is really the key to good health.
3. Helps with weight loss
Lemons are high in pectin fiber, which helps fight hunger cravings. It also has been shown that people who maintain a more alkaline diet lose weight faster. And, my experience is that when I start the day off right, it's easier to make the best choices for myself the rest of the day.
4. Aids digestion
The warm water serves to stimulate the gastrointestinal tract and peristalsis—the waves of muscle contractions within the intestinal walls that keep things moving. Lemons and limes are also high in minerals and vitamins and help loosen ama, or toxins, in the digestive tract.
5. Acts as a gentle, natural diuretic
Lemon juice helps flush out unwanted materials because lemons increase the rate of urination in the body. Toxins are, therefore, released at a faster rate which helps keep your urinary tract healthy.
6. Clears skin
The vitamin C helps decrease wrinkles and blemishes. Lemon water purges toxins from the blood which helps keep skin clear as well.
7. Hydrates the lymph system
This cup of goodness helps start the day on a hydrated note, which helps prevent dehydration (obviously) and adrenal fatigue. When your body is dehydrated, or deeply dehydrated (adrenal fatigue) it can't perform all of it's proper functions, which leads to toxic buildup, stress, constipation, and the list goes on. Your adrenals happen to be two small glands that sit on top of your kidneys, and along with your thyroid, create energy. They also secrete important hormones, including aldosterone. Aldosterone is a hormone secreted by your adrenals that regulates water levels and the concentration of minerals, like sodium, in your body, helping you stay hydrated. Your adrenals are also responsible for regulating your stress response. So, the bottom line is that you really don't want to mess with a deep state of dehydration!
Read more;
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4769/Why-You-Should-Drink-Warm-Water-Lemon.html