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Sunday, January 24, 2010

Why Should We Eat Fruit?

I think we all know that fruit is good for us but here are some facts about fruit that you may or may not know. First let me say that eating as much organic or locally grown fruit as possible is important. Something you might find interesting: is a study that was done once on 2 groups of women 1 group ate lots of fruit but it wasn't organic and the other ate the same amount of fruit that was organic. Both groups saw an overall improvement especially in their skin, and digestion but the study was looking at the ability for fruit to help to cleanse toxins from the body and especially the liver. Where the first group saw good improvements as mentioned, it was noticed that their liver was actually working overtime showing very high liver enzymes in their blood. The other group that ate organic fruit did not have this same liver reaction in fact they all saw improvement in liver function and overall toxin removal from the blood and bowels. A very good reason to eat more organic produce.
Fruit Facts:
1. It is not usually suggested that people with arthrietis consume alot of oranges or orange juice. It is thought that they will cause inflamation and pain. Well, that is true of most of the oranges you find in a grocery store. The reason is that they are picked Green before the citric acid has had time to convert to fructose sugar, therefore it has very little vitamin C. Also oranges are generally sprayed with red dye and waxed to look fresher and also sprayed with fungicides. Its the high amount of acid that causes the joint pain. It is possible to eat oranges and not experience these bad side effects. You must make sure to eat only oranges that have been rippened on the tree. They are available you just have to look for them you might also stick to organic oranges which have generally been rippend on the tree and are not sprayed with pesticides.

2. Blueberries are known to be full of antioxidants. But they are also excellent brain food, here's why: (Briefly) As we age the stress chemical Cortisol (sometimes called the death hormone) increases and has several negative effects on us. It causes many of the symptoms of menopause, (memory loss, attention span & focus issues, mood swings and impulse control issues, lack of energy and inability to coordinate multiple tasks)
It also causes a drop in dopamine, the pleasure and mobility hormone which also effects our metabolism. This can lead to rapid and unhealthy aging.
Research by Dr. Joseph's at Tufts University has shown that blueberries can increase the manufacture and release of dopamine into our system. Although more research needs to be done it is interesting to find that the popular drug used for Alzheimer's patients has a similar makeup. How cool it would be if eatting just a 1/2 cup of little blueberries a day could help keep the cortisol at bay! :)

3. Did you know that Kiwi have 6 times the vitamin C of oranges and also contain vitamin E.

4. Melons are ususally just enjoyed because they are so good and sweet but they are also full of zinc, vitamin's A, C and potassium which gives you energy.

Hope you enjoyed these few fruit facts. Next time I will talk about vegetables. Alot of this information comes from a book I love to read and re-read by Dharma Singh Khalsa, MD "Food as Medicine"

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

The Big Salt Debate
From the book: Healthy Foods Your Kids Will Actually Eat! And everything you Really Need to Know about a better way to feed your Family by: Charlene Venette

There is one salt that we use in our home called Real Salt by Redmond. As its name implies, Redmond RealSalt® is-well, real salt. "Real salt, as opposed to what?"
Very simply, RealSalt® as opposed to the so-called "salt" most people unsuspectingly use. It may surprise many people, but in its natural form, salt is not sparkly white or free flowing. Actually, the "table salt" and many sea salts most people are familiar with have been bleached, refined, and mixed with anti-caking agents and iodine. Many so-called "table salts" also contain sugar, in the form of dextrose-meant to cover or disguise an otherwise harsh and bitter flavor. In fact, a quick glance at the ingredients label on most "table salt" products might surprise you! In addition to sodium chloride, you'll probably find calcium silicate or sodium silicoaluminate, dextrose, and potassium iodide.

By contrast, Redmond RealSalt® is real salt-unrefined and natural, free from any additives or chemicals of any kind. Real Salt has colored specks in it that may cause some to ask what are these specks? So, I went to their website and this is what I found.

RealSalt's unique "pinkish" appearance and flecks of color come from more than 50 natural trace minerals, including iodine. Other so-called "table salts" are white because of bleaching and refining. RealSalt® comes from an ancient salt deposit near the small town of Redmond, Utah, more than 150 miles south of the Great Salt Lake.

What are the Health Benefits of Salt?
"[S]odium is crucial for maintaining the health of every cell in the human system. It permeates the fluid between cells (often called the ‘extracellular fluid') and potassium exists mainly on the inside of the cells (in the ‘intracellular fluid')...If either of these minerals is deficient or in excess, cell permeability becomes compromised and the health of all the cells suffers.

Besides being a component of extracellular fluid that bathes every living cell, sodium is important in two other ‘salty oceans' in the body-our blood and our lymphatic fluid. It is also necessary for the production of hydrochloric acid, the digestive enzyme secreted by the stomach in order to digest protein. Along with potassium, sodium is required for the proper functioning of our nerves and the contraction of our muscles...
With the many crucial roles sodium plays, it's clear that if we had no sodium, we would cease to exist."
There are other natural un-refined salts available but they are do not have a label with a little girl under an umbrella on them. If you want to find a truly natural salt check out your local health food store, you will be amazed at the many varieties out there.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

So I was thinking the other night when I should have been sleeping that I have all of this knowledge about food, healthy living and nutrition and no where to share it. Then I thought why don't I blog about it.

I started writing a book last year about how to feed your family healthy foods that they would actually eat, you know, a cook book for those that want to eat healthy but are affraid of what it will really taste like. It also includes helpful information about ingrediants, herbs, where to find things etc. so that you can make educated choices for yourself and your family.

Which brings me here. I am writing this blog in order to pass on some of the information and knowledge I have aquired over the years about food, nutrition, natural healing techniques, herbs and anything else I can come up with. I hope someone out there will read this and benefit from it.