Tag Archives: vitamin C

Cantaloupe – a sweet fruit that protect our sight.

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Cantaloupe is a strange word for a fruit, but when we consider that cantaloupe was first cultivated in the Italian village Cantalupo, around AD 1200, it makes more sense.

This fruit, with his bright colors, belongs to the same family as the cucumber, squash, pumpkin, and gourd . It contains strong compounds that not only helps to protect your sight, but also controls your blood pressure. lowers your cholesterol level, keeps your blood running smoothly, and protect you against cancer.

“Cantaloupe is one of the few fruits or vegetables which are rich both in vitamin C and beta-carotene,” says John Erdman, PhD, professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Illinois in Urbana.
These antioxidant compounds have been shown to protect against cancer, heart disease and other age-related health problems, such as cataracts.

Cantaloupes are loaded with carotenoids, the pigments that give fruits and vegetables their bright colors and provide strong health protection. A study in the Netherlands found, that eating carotenoid-rich fruits caused a 35% less risk of developing age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of irreversible blindness in developed countries.

Cantaloupe gives also protection for another aspect of sight problems: cataracts. Another study found that women who got the most vitamin A through their diet had a 39% reduced risk of developing cataracts. Once beta-carotene is inside the body, it is converted to vitamin A. Another study found that people whose diets included the most vitamin A, cut their risk of cataract surgery in half.

Cantaloupe is a rich source of two potent antioxidants: vitamin C and beta-carotene. As I wrote before, antioxidants are compounds that neutralize free radicals, which can cause cellular changes that can lead to heart disease, cancer and cataracts.

Vitamin C, like potassium, helps to keep the arteries clear and blood moving smoothly by preventing bad LDL cholesterol from oxidizing and clogging the artery walls. Vitamin C is also used by our body to produce collagen, a protein that makes up skin and connective tissue.

Cantaloupe is an excellent source of vitamin C and beta-carotene. One cup contains 68 mg vitamin C, which is 113% of the Daily Value for this vitamin. Half a cantaloupe provides 5 mg beta-carotene, which is about half of the daily amount recommended by most experts.

Important Tips
Cutting cantaloupe under water keeps it longer fresh. Scientists from the USDA found that when you cut cantaloupe under water, it short-circuits the signals plant cells send to each other when they detect an injury, like being sliced.

Buy them ripe.
The riper the cantaloupe, the more beta-carotene it contains. The challenge is that melons are often picked while they are still unripe so that they can make it through the shipping process undamaged. To check for ripeness, tap the melon and listen for a hollow sound. Then lift the fruit to make sure that it’s heavy for its size. Finally, smell the fruit to make sure that it exudes a sweet, musky odor. (The smell shouldn’t be too strong; an excessively strong smell indicates an overripe fruit.) If there is no smell, put it down and try another one.

There should be no stem.
Mature cantaloupes will only have a smooth, symmetrical basin where the stem once was and flesh that yields slightly to pressure.

Leave a firm cantaloupe at room temperature for several days to allow it to become softer and juicier. Once’s it’s ripe, put it in the fridge.

Eat it straight away.
When exposed to air, vitamin C degrades quickly. So it’s important to eat cantaloupe fairly soon after cutting, says Dr. Erdman. This is particular necessary when the fruit is cut into small pieces, which significantly increases the amount of air to which it’s exposed. Research found that cantaloupe cubes lost 25% of their vitamin C content and 10-15% of their carotenoids after being exposed to air for 6 days.


Preventing of Memory Problems

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Many researchers have discovered that when people are low in certain nutrients, their mental performance drops. Many people are fine as long as they meet their nutritional needs. Even not getting enough water can cause the mind to get fuzzy.
The thirst mechanism slows down as we get older, as a result, we’re not always aware right away that we need water. However, not all memory problems are caused by your diet, but when nothing else is wrong it may be what you eat that is slowing you down.

Vitamin B for the Brain
The vitamin B complex are probably the most essential nutrients to keep your mind sharp. Your body needs the B vitamins to transform food into mental energy and to manufacture and repair brain tissue. “Deficiencies in thiamin, niacin and vitamin B6 and B12 can all cause mental dysfunction”, says Vernon Mark, MD, author of Reversing Memory Loss.
In fact, pellagra, a niacin deficiency, used to be a leading cause of admissions into mental hospitals,” he explains.
Research has shown that when children are given 5 mg thiamin instead of the Daily Value of 1.5 mg, they achieve remarkeble higher scores when they are given tests of mental functioning, Dr. Mark adds.

Today, many cereals, breads and pastas are enriched with thiamin and niacin, so that most people are getting enough of these vitamins. Niacin deficiencies have become extremely rare, especially in this country. But in older people or those who frequently drink alcohol, levels of thiamin can drop low enough to cause memory problems, says Dr. Mark.

The easiest way to make sure you get enough brain-boosting B vitamins is to eat foods that contain enriched grains. One cup of enriched spaghetti, for example, has 0.3 mg of thiamin, or 20% of the Daily Value (DV), and 2 mg of niacin, or 10% of the DV.
Meat is also a good source for getting these nutrients. Three ounces of pork tenderloin,
for example, provide 0.8 mg of thiamin, 53% of the DV, while 3 ounces of chicken breast deliver 12 mg or 60% of the DV for niacin.

As we get older, it’s not so easy to get additional amounts of vitamin B6 and B12, because it’s harder for the body to absorb them. After the age of 55, it’s common to be low in these vitamins, because the lining of the stomach is changing.
When you get older, it’s a good idea to get more than the DV of both of these nutrients.
Vitamin B6 is abundant in baked potatoes, bananas, chickpeas, and turkey.
One baked potato provides 0.4 mg of vitamin B6, 20% of the DV. and one banana provide 0.7 mg or 35% of the DV. For vitamin B12, meat and shellfish are good choices.

Maintaining the flow to the brain
In order to avoid memory problems there should be sufficient blood flow to the brain.
When adequate blood flow is not maintained, the brain and memory begin to perform poorly.
The lack of blood to the brain is often caused by the same problem that leads to heart disease and stroke: a buildup of cholesterol and fat in the arteries.
This condition is not only preventable through diet, it is even at least partially reversible.
The primary cause of cardiovascular disease – clogged arteries in the heart and the brain – is too much saturated fat in the diet. Keep your intake of saturated fat low by cooking with small amounts of liquid oils, such as olive or canola oil. instead of margarine or butter and by minimizing your intake of fatty foods, such as full-fat mayonnaise, rich desserts and fatty meats.

Getting plenty of fruits and vegetables is also important. Fruits and vegetables are packed with antioxidants, compounds that block the effects of harmful oxygen molecules called free radicals.This is important because when free radicals damage the harmful low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, it becomes stickier and more likely to stick to artery walls.

Studies have shown that antioxidants in fruits and vegetables can help prevent Alzheimer’s disease. In 2002, researchers studied nearly 5,500 people and found that those who ate diets rich in antioxidants, vitamin C and E, lowered their risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.Citrus fruits, kiwifruit, sprouts, broccoli, and cabbage are packed with vitamin C. While whole grains, nuts, milk and egg yolks contain vitamin E.

The combination of reducing fat in your diet and eating plenty of fruits and vegetables will help to keep your arteries clear, including those leading to your brain. In fact, it may even help restore blood flow through arteries that have already begun to close up.

Coffee can Improve Memory Function
It’s not without reason that millions of Americans jump start their day with steaming cups of coffee. The caffeine in coffee has been shown to improve mental functioning, including memory.

In one study, Dutch researchers used a chemical to block short-term memory in
16 healthy people. They found that giving these people 250 milligrams of caffeine –
about the amount of 3 cups of coffee – quickly restored their powers of recall.
However,too much coffee can be bad, if only the java buzz wears off within 6 to 8 hrs.
For some people, at least, the after-coffee slump can result in mental fogginess.

Everyone has different reactions to caffeine. For people who rarely drink coffee,
having a cup or two can definitely improve performance and memory.
But if you drink coffee throughout the day, you quickly build up tolerance and you
won’t get the same benefits. In fact, too much caffeine can make you jittery and
reduce your concentration.

Don’t kill your brain cells
“Killing brain cells is not the best way to get a high score in the memory department.
Yet that’s exactly what many of .us do to our grey matter every day. Alcohol is
drinking too much alcohol can cause a significant decrease in memory function.”
In fact, even small amounts of alcohol can damage cells in the brain responsible
for memory.

Many doctors recommend abstaining from alcohol all together to keep your mind
at its sharpest.At the very least, it’s a good idea to limit yourself to one or two drinks –
meaning 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine or 11/2 ounces of liquor – a day.
When you do drink, choose red wine. It contains resveratrol, a compound that may
keep your brain young.

Optimal Diet for your Brain
You can’t prevent Alzheimer’s disease and dementia altogether, but you can keep
them at bay longer with a heart-healthy diet that focuses on the nutrients that have been
found to be critical for brain function and aging.

Aim for a body mass index of 23 to 25
Being overweight increases your risk for diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and hypertension,
which leads to vascular disease and brain damage.

Choose Dairy
Eat one serving of low-fat, low-sugar dairy once a day, such as milk, plain yogurt,
cottage cheese or ricotta cheese.Epideemiologie studies show that people who drink milk
are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease.

Toast to a young brain
Drink one glass of red wine or 4 ounces of purple grape juice or pomegranate juice a day.
They contain resveratrol, a compound that doctors believe activates a gene that is
associated with longevity.

Buy berries
When you eat one cup of berries a day, it gives your brain resveratrol, and other flavoniods, that strengthens your resistance against the development of chronic diseases associated with aging.

Drink some juice
Drink 8 ounces of fruit juice high in vitamin C daily. Three times a week, substitute a glass of vegetable juice that you buy or make on your own for the fruit juice.
Antioxidants and other compounds in those juices help protect the brain from dementia.

Include fish oil in your diet.
Omega-3 fatty acids are powerful agents for a healthy heart and arteries.
When you eat oily cold water fish such as sardines or mackerel you will ensure that you get enough omega-3. You can also substitute with 2,000 to 3,000 mg of fish oil or flaxseed oil per day.Walnuts are also rich in omega-3. Eating 8 to 10 walnuts per day or using walnut oil in your salads of darrk green vegetables will help protect your brain.

Drink green tea every day.
Green tea is rich in antioxidants and has proved to reduce the risk of dementia.
Experts recommend drinking one to two cups a day.

Multivitamins
To include those in your diet is particularly important for older, inactive adults whose’s
calorie intake doesn’t supply the micronutrients that they need.
Choose a multivitamin without iron or reduced iron if yo ‘re not anemic or menstruating.

Consider supplementing with vitamin D
Vitamin D is a new shining start in the role of brain development and function and many
people are deficient without knowing it.
We get about 95% of our vitamin D from sunlight, but young people who work long
hours and eldery adults who are homebound often don’t get enough sunlight to fill their
vitamin D requirements.

Avoid omega-6 fats
The omega-6 fatty acids in corn- safflower- and sesame oils aren’t as healthy as
omega-3’s found in olivve and canola oil. So use those oils sparingly.

Nourish Your Brain
An overall brain-healthy diet is low in refined carbohydrates, (Found in sugars,
baked food, candy, and other sweets, for example), red meats and trans fats.
It’s high in fatty fish, poultry, soy protein, fruits, vegetables and legumes.

Foods that Fight Colds & Flu Infection

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Since ancient times people have been victims of cold and flu and tried to find a cure for them without success. The common cold is one of the most prevalent causes of illness in the world.
Most adults will have an average of two to four colds each year. During each infection you can expect to spend approximately between 8 to 10 days coughing, sniffling, sneezing, and feeling miserable in general.

The cause of the common cold is the invasion of one of the 200 cold-causing viruses into the cells of your nose and throat. These tiny viruses are practical indestructible.
Antibiotic drugs that destroy bacteria have no change with viruses. Medicines strong enough to kill most cold-causing microbes would probably kill you also in the process, says Dr.McAllister.

The flu, which is also caused by a virus, affects 5 to 20% of the people in the United Sates, of which 36,000 die each year. Fortunately, there is a flu shot that, according to studies, is effective in 70 to 90% of healthy people under age 65, as long as the match between the vaccine and circulating virus is close.

According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta), among people over age 65, who are living outside of nursing homes, the flu shot is 30 to 70% effective in preventing hospitalization for the flu, and also for pneumonia. And for people over age 65 who are living in nursing homes, the flu shot is 50 to 60% effective in preventing hospitalization for the flu and pneumonia, and 80% effective in preventing death from the flu.

One of the best strategies you can do is to eat all the best immune-boosting foods you can find, and there are plenty to choose from. According to research, some of the foods we daily eat contain powerful compounds that can help stop viruses from taking hold. Even when you’re already sick, choosing the right foods will ease the discomfort and possibly help you to get better sooner.

You only need a few viruses into your system to start colds and flu. Once they are inside, when your immune system don’t stop them early on, they multiply quickly to enormous numbers, and that’s when you start feeling sick.

One way to stop this invasion is to eat yogurt that contains Lactobacillus recuteri, which is only found in the US in a brand called Stonyfield Farm. Researchers in Sweden gave 262 people either a supplement containing this bacteria or a placebo. After taking the supplement or the placebo for 80 days, the researchers found that people who took the supplement were 2 ½ times less likely to have caught a cold than the ones that took the placebo.

The other, less surprising way to stop the microbial invasion is to eat more fruits and vegetables.
These foods contain a variety of compounds called glutathione, that strengthen the immune system and stimulates it to release large numbers of macrophages, specialized cells that seize viruses and destroy them before they make you sick.

Avocados, watermelons, asparagus, winter squash and grapefruit are all rich in glutathione.
Okra, oranges, tomatoes, potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, cantaloupe, strawberries, and peaches are also good sources.

Another powerful compound in many fruits and vegetables is vitamin C. Doctors are debating for years and are still debating, whether vitamin C can help to prevent colds. When you’re already sick, however, taking extra vitamin C has been proven to relieve cold symptoms and help you get better sooner.
Vitamin C appears to strengthen white blood cells, which are essential for fighting infections.

Researchers in Finland found that by taking 1,000 mg vitamin C per day can reduce cold symptoms and shorten the duration of illness by 23%.

To get enough of this important nutrient you have to eat a lot of oranges, broccoli and other foods rich in vitamin C. Drinking orange juice, which contains 61 mg in a 6-ounce serving, is probably your best choice, but cranberry and grapefruit also contain lots of vitamin C.

Benefits from Red Wine
To put up an even stronger defense against the flu, consider filling your glass with red wine instead of juice. A study conducted in Rome found that resveratrol, the polyphenol found in red wine, actually stopped influenza cells from replicating. The best wine to pick for this is Pinot Noir from California, which has the most resveratrol, according to a research at the University of Mississippi.

It’s important to keep in mind, however, that alcohol can come with some unwanted effects. For example, drinking heavily can raise blood pressure and have other damaging effects on your health. So if you do drink, drink in moderation.

Healthy Bulbs
Garlic has always been used for treating virtually every type of infection.
There is also growing evidence that it can help protect against colds and flu.
Garlic contains dozens of chemically active compounds. Two of them, allicin and alliin,
have proved to kill germs directly. Garlic also seems to support the immune system,
by releasing natural killer cells, which destroy even more germs.

However, to get the benefits from garlic you have to eat a lot of it, as much as a whole bulb a day to combat colds and flu, says Elson Haas, MD.director of the Preventive Medical Center of Marin in San Rafael, California, and author of :”Staying Healthy with Nutrition.”

Unless you have developed a taste for it, you probably can’t eat that much garlic.
Microwaving or baking garlic till it’s tender, however, will take away some of the burn and sweeten the taste, says Irwin Ziment, MD, professor emeritus at the University of California, Los Angeles. “The softened garlic seems to be still quite potent ,” he added.

Hot drinks can help
According to research, two traditional treatments for cold and flu – a cup of hot tea and a steaming bowl of chicken soup – are two of the most potent home remedies.
Both of these, besides chile peppers and other spicy foods, contain compounds that can relieve congestion and keeps the immune system strong.

Tea, for example, contains a compound called theophylline, which help break up congestion. Tea also contains quercetin, a compound that may help viruses from multiplying.Instead of black tea, though you may want to sip chamomile. Researchers in London (where else?!) found that people who drank 5 cups of chamomile tea a day for 2 weeks, had increased blood levels of polyphenols. These plant based chemicals have been associated with antibacterial activity.

Chicken soup is another folk remedy that has been proven to be effective. In fact, having a bowl of chicken soup is one of the best ways to relieve stuffiness and other cold and flu symptoms. In laboratory studies, researchers at the University of Nebraska, found that chicken soup was able to prevent white blood cells from causing inflammation and congestion in the airways.

You may also like to try a hot pepper. Jalapenos, ground red pepper (cayenne), and their fiery kin contain a compound called capsaicin, which is similar to a drug used in medications against cold and flu, will help you to breath easy again.
Capsaicin also can stop sickness before it starts. You can get plenty of capsaicin from hot peppers and they don’t need to be fresh to get the benefits. Mixing 1/4 teaspoon of ground red pepper in a glass of water and drinking it can be very effective, “it’s heating but not irritating”, says Dr Haas.

Cancer Prevention from Cherries

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The hard little pits from cherries give a bit more work to eat than most other fruits.
But research suggests that this fruit, which contains a compound called perillyl alcohol,
is worth the bother.

According to Michael Gould, PhD, professor of oncology and medical physics at the University of Wisconsin Medical School in Madison, “perillyl alcohol is about the best thing we’ve ever seen for curing mammary cancer in laboratory animals”
In fact, it shows so much promise that it’s being tried in cancer patients at the University of Wisconsin.

Perillyl alcohol belongs to a group of compounds called monoterpenes. Limonene, which is found in the peel of citrus fruits, also belongs to this family. These compounds have been shown in studies to block the formation of a variety of cancers, including those of the breasts, lungs, stomach, liver, and skin. Expectations from perillyl alcohol are high, mainly because it is 5 to 10 times more potent than limonene, which itself has been proven to be very effective.

It’s not yet known how much perillyl alcohol there is in cherries, but even a small amount of the compound probably has some beneficial effects. So cherries, when eaten as part of a well-rounded diet, can play a small but important role in helping the body ward off cancer.

Vitamin C +
In addition to exotic new compounds, cherries also contain a variety of antioxidants.
Researchers have found that 1 cup of sweet cherries has more than twice as many antioxidants as green tea.

Additionally, a half-cup of sour cherries has 5 mg vitamin C, about 8% of the Daily Value (DV) for this vitamin.
Sour cherries also provide vitamins A and E, and more than in sweet cherries.

The vitamin E in cherries is of particular interest, since one study of postmenopausal women found that those who consumed the most vitamin E had the least risk of heart disease. And there was an interesting twist. The women who got their vitamin E naturally- solely from food -had less risk than women who were taking vitamin E supplements.

The problem with vitamin E is that it is difficult to get the DV of 30 IU from food alone.
In facts, the only foods with a lot of vitamin E are high-fat cooking oil and nuts, but you can’t eat a lot of them.
Cherries are one of the better food sources for vitamin E.

Finally, cherries contain a compound called quercitin.Like vitamin C and other antioxidants quercitin helps to prevent damage caused by free radicals.

Relief from gout and other forms of arthritis
Folklore is full of stories about people who relieved the agonizing pain of gout by eating cherries or drinking cherry juice daily. Although the Arthritis Foundation still says that there’s no absolute evidence to suggest that cherries really can ease the ache of this form of arthritis or any other, many gout sufferers swear by them.

The results of several studies showed that natural compounds in cherries may reduce the painful inflammation from arthritis.The first study conducted at the University of California, Davis, instructed 10 healthy women to eat 45 fresh Bing cherries one day for breakfast. The women were asked not to eat other fruits or vegetables or to drink tea or red wine for the two days before the cherry breakfast, because the researchers were concerned that these other high-oxidant foods would interfere with the results. The researchers measured the women’s plasma urate, a marker for gout, before and after the cherry breakfast. The researchers found that the women’s urate levels decreased significantly after eating cherries, which suggest that cherries might play an important role in fighting gout.

A survey by Prevention magazine found that 67% of readers who tried cherries for gout had good results. Steve Schumacher, a kinesiologist in Louisville, Kentucky, enthousiastically recommends them. He advises people with gout to quit eating red meats and organ meats and also to drink two to three glasses of cherry juice daily. He recommends using pure black-cherry juice diluted with an equal amount of water. “All who have followed this diet faithfully have all gotten results, some within 48 to 72 hours, and some within a week, depending on the severity,” Schumacher says.

Some tips when buying cherries
Fresh cherries are at their best during the summer months.
When buying cherries, check the stems, they should be green with fresh cherries.
Cherries are highly perishable, even when properly stored in the fridge.
So plan to buy only what you’re going to eat right away.
It’s best not to wash them, but store them dry. it’s important, however, to wash them
thoroughly. Cherries arre often coated with a mixture of insecticides, anti fungal oils,
and moisture seals that producers use to keep them fresh.
When you’re tired of munching cherries, you may want to try some juice.
Simply wash, stem, pit, and crush the sherries. Heat them in a saucepan, then
press the mixture through a strainer. Refrigerate several hours, then pour off the
clear juice and add sugar to taste.

The Great Disease Stopping Power of Brussels Sprouts

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Have you ever wondered how Brussels Sprouts are growing on a farm?
Brussels Sprouts grow in bunches of 20 to 40 up and down the sides of a central stalk that is several feet tall. You may have some other misconceptions about Brussels Sprouts.

You may have unpleasant memories about Brussels Sprouts from your childhood as having a strong and bitter taste, but today their taste has changed.
It’s time to have a fresh look at this vegetable with its undeserved bad reputation.
Today’s Brussels Sprouts taste better than they used to do in the past, and researchers have discovered that they may contain great disease stopping power.

Brussels sprouts are related to cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli. In recent years, Brussels sprouts growers have developed varieties that are sweeter and milder than those you may remember from your childhood. Also, if you are careful to store and cook them properly,you can maximize their tastiness.

Cancer protection
As Brussels sprouts belong to the family of crusiferous vegetables, they are loaded with natural plant compounds called phytonutrients, which may help protect against cancer.
These compounds may be particularly effective against common cancers, like breast and colon cancers.

One of the key protective compounds in Brussels sprouts is sulforaphane. Research from test tubes to lab animals to humans shows that this component can interfere with cancer at many stages of its development. It can keep cancer-causing chemicals from becoming activated in your body; it may trigger cancer cells to spontaneously die; it can prevent new blood vessels from growing to a tumor to feed it; an it may help prevent cancer from metastasizing, or spreading to new locations.

A study which reviewed 80 studies looking at the relationship between consumption of brassica vegetables (such as Brussels sprouts0, found that most showed a link between higher consumption of these vegetables and a lower risk of cancer. The results were most consistent with cancer of the lungs, stomach, colon, and rectum.

Brussels sprouts contain another protective phytonutrient called indole-3- carbinol, or I3C.
This compound works as an antiestrogen, that means it helps break down your body’s estrogens before they contribute to the growth of cancer cells. It also helps boost the production of certain enzymes that help clear cancer-causing toxins from the body.

Lab tests have shown that I3C inhibits the growth of a variety of types of cancer cells, including breast, prostate, endometrial, colon, and leukemia.

In one small study, researchers in the Netherlands found that people who ate more than 10 ounces of Brussels sprouts (about 14 sprouts) a day for one week had levels of protective cancer-fighting enzymes in their colon that were, on average, 23% higher than people who did not eat Brussels sprouts.

There are also well-known vitamins, minerals and other substances that can help fight off cancer, heart disease, high cholesterol, and a host of other health problems.
Topping this list is fiber. Brussels sprouts are a decent source of fiber, with about 3 grams in a half-cup serving.That’s more than you get in a slice of whole-grain bread.

When you eat your daily portion of Brussels sprouts it will help you to avoid all the conditions that a diet rich in fiber is known of to prevent : constipation, hemorrhoids, and other digestive complains.

A half-cup of Brussels sprouts also provides 48 mgs of vitamin C, more than 80% of the DV for this vitamin. It also provides 47 mgs of folate, about 12% of the DV. Folate, a B vitamin, is essential for normal tissue growth, and studies show that it may protect against cancer, heart disease, and birth defects. Women who are on birth control pills often have low levels
of this important vitamin.

Tips on how to cook Brussels sprouts.
To allow the tough stems to cook as quickly as the leaves, make an “X” on the bottom of each stem, using a sharp knife. Then steam them for 7 to 14 minutes, until they’re just tender enough to poke with a fork.

The big sulfur smell thrown off by these little cabbages discourages some people from taking advantage of their healing power. Add a celery stalk to the cooking water, it will help to neutralize the smell.

Use them quickly.
Although you can keep them for a week or longer in the refrigerator, they start to get bitter after about three days, Which may discourage you and your family from eating them and reaping their benefits. Buy only as many as you need in the next couple of days.

The Healing Power of Vegetarian Diets

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In the 1960’s chefs started to experiment with cooking without meat.
But the meals were often tasteless. But now-a-days after experiencing
for more than a quarter of a century, cooks are combining fruits, vegetables
grains, and legumes in exciting new ways. The tastes are so good that even
large restaurants are now offering meatless meals.

As a result, more than 30 million Americans, including one in three teens,
have tried vegetarian meals, according to the American Dietetic Association.
They like the health benefits and how good the food tastes.
Vegetarian diets have changed, but one thing stayed the same: a plant based diet ,
which is low in saturated fat, high in fiber,vitamins, antioxidants, and a powerful
array of protective chemicals. This is the ultimate prescription for a longer and
healthier life, according to Virginia Messina, MPH, R.D. a dietitian in Port Townsend,
Washington, and coauthor of The Vegetarian Way.

Research results have showed that vegetarians have lower rates of cancer, heart
disease, high blood pressure, type two diabetes and obesity than people who eat meat.
According to British researchers, vegetarians have a 20% lower risk of fatal heart
disease and a 40% lower risk of cancer.

Other studies found more positive facts. Fifty years ago a large study of 27,530
Seventh-Day Adventists, whose religion advocates a vegetarian diet, provided the
first scientific link between vegetarian diets and better health.
Researchers were amazed to discover that among the vegetarian Adventists,
death rate from cancer were 50 to 70% lower than among other Americans.
Since then, study after study has confirmed the benefits of vegetarian eating.

In China, where people eat little or no meat, diseases such as heart disease,
breast cancer and diabetes, are far less common than in the United States.

Naturally lean
Something that makes vegetarian meals so healthy is that they don’t have all the
saturated fat and cholesterol that comes from meat. In fact, while most Americans
get about 36% of their total calories from fat, vegetarians get less, usually
between 30% and 34%. And most of the fat they get is the healthier polyunsaturated
and monounsaturated type – and not the dangerous saturated fat that comes from
animal foods.

In one study, researchers put 500 people on a vegetarian diet. After twelve days,
cholesterol levels had dropped an average of 11%.

Besides the fact that vegetarian meals don’t contain saturated fat that makes
vegetarian meals so healthy, they also contain the “good” fats.
According to studies, both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, which are
found in olive oil, canola oil, nuts, seeds, and many other plant foods, can lower
the level of cholesterol when they’re used to replace saturated fat in the diet.
And the omega-3 fatty acids found in some plant foods, such as walnuts and
flaxeed, can further protect against heart disease by helping to keep artery walls
flexible and supporting the electrical “system” within the heart that regulates
a healthy heartbeat.

The Power of Plants
Doctors in the US have been pleading with Americans for years to eat more fruits,
vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, the same foods that vegetarians eat in
abundance. Most plant foods are loaded with antioxidants, like beta-carotene and
vitamin C and E. They are essential to protect you against diseases.
Also, plant foods contain an abundance of phytonutrients, which are natural plant
compounds that have been shown to lower the risk of cataracts, heart disease,
and many other serious problems.

In another study researchers found that people who got the most carotenoids,
the plant pigment that are found in dark green and deep orange, yellow, and red
fruits and vegetables, had half the risk of developing macular degeneration
(the leading cause of irreversible vision loss in older adults) as people getting less.

Vegetarian diets cut the risk of breast, colon, ovarian, and prostate cancer in a
number of studies. The magic ingredients include a number of cancer-fighting
phytochemicals. The naturally lower levels of saturated fat in most vegetarian diets
(except those that rely heavily on cheese) avoid a problem which is connected
with meat-rich diets: High-saturated fat diets seem to promote the production of
a form of estrogen called estradiol, which is linked to breast cancer.
In a study it showed that women who ate the most animal fats had a one-third
higher risk of breast cancer than those who ate the least.

Another study found that vegetarians have higher levels of “natural killer cells” –
special white blood cells that attack cancer cells – in their bloodstreams.

But even if you took all the nutrients out of plant foods, the vegetarian diet
would still have an edge, because of all the dietary fiber it contains.
The average American gets only 12 to 15 grams of fiber per day,
while vegetarians are getting as much as three times that amount.

It is almost impossible to exaggerate the importance of getting enough dietary
fiber. because it isn’t absorbed by the body, fiber passes through the
digestive tract, adding bulk to stools and helping them to move more quickly.
This does more than preventing constipation. The more quickly stools
and any harmful substances they contain move through the colon,
the less likely they are to do cellular damage that could lead to cancer.

Also, one type of fiber called soluble fiber, forms a gel in the intestine that
helps to prevent fat and cholesterol from passing through the intestinal wall
and into the bloodstream. In a study of more than 43,000 men, for example,
researchers found that those who added just 10 grams of fiber a day to their
diets – about 25% of the amount vegetarians get each day – decreased their
risk of heart disease by almost 30%.

Vegetarian diets also guard against other health issues, like kidney stones,
gallstones, and asthma. Because high-protein diets with much meat prompt
your body to excrete more calcium, oxalate, and uric acid – which are the
main building blocks of kidney stones. Diets with a lot of meat increase
the change of getting gallstones in women and could threaten bone density
by prompting the excretion of calcium.

In a Swedish study of 24 women and men, vegetable-based meals cut
the frequency and severity of asthma attacks.

Balance is the Key
A vegetarian diet can provide all the nutrients your body needs, including protein.
This is even true for strict vegetarians, who may avoid eggs, milk and other
animal foods all together. The proteins in meat are complete, that means they
contain all the amino acids your body needs.
The proteins in legumes and grains, however, may be low in one or more of the
amino acids, but because legumes and grains contain some amino acids, eating
a variety of these foods throughout the day will provide the proper balance.

However, vegetarians have the risk of vitamin B12 deficiency, which the body
needs to make red blood cells. It’s only found in animal foods.
People who don’t get enough vitamin B12 feel weak and tired.
You can get plenty of vitamin B12 by eating foods which are fortified with this
nutrient, such as fortified cereals, or/and you can take vitamin B12 supplements.

Why don’t you try Vegan Cooking? It’s one of the best things you can do for your health!
Try it here!

Prevention of Neuro-degenerative Diseases

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Have you ever thought about your ability to think? Thinking about thinking –
what a concept! When you search back into your memory banks and remember
a vivid childhood experience or that special moment with your family, do you
ever marvel at how you can remember even some of the smallest details?
Stop reading for a moment and take a look outside your window.
Have you ever thought about how amazing your colored, wide-angled, binocular
vision is? This is all possible with the brain, one of God’s marvelous creation.

The brain is our most precious organ. Without its full function, we humans
simply exist, unable to relate to the world around us.
The ten billion nerve cells of your brain process such uncountable amounts of
information each second, they make our most advanced computers look like
children’s toys.
Your brain controls everything, from the merest wiggle of toes, to the moment
to moment balancing of hundreds of hormones, to the microscopically regulated
metabolism of all the thirty trillion cells that enable you to think, feel, and behave
as a human being. When even a few thousand brain cells get damaged or die,
your whole body suffers.

However the brain (central nervous system) and our nerves (peripheral nervous
system) are not out of the reach of oxidative stress. This common enemy has been
strongly implicated in a variety of diseases that wreak devastating damage
on the brain and nerves, known as neurodegenerative diseases.
Some of these include Alzheimer’s dementia, Parkinson’s disease, ALS
(Lou Gehrig’s disease), multiple sclerosis, and Huntington’s chorea.
There are several reasons why the brain and the nerves are especially vulnerable
to oxidative stress:

* Relative to its size, the brain experience an increased rate of oxidative activity,
which creates a significant number of free radicals.

* The normal activity, which various chemicals create to establish nerve conduction
is a major producer of free radicals.

* The brain and nerve tissue contain relatively low levels of antioxidants.

* Millions of nonreplicable cells make up the central nervous system.
This means that once they are damaged, they are most likely dysfunctional for life.

* The brain and nervous system are easily disrupted. a small amount of damage
in a critical area can cause severe problems.

The brain is the most important organ of our body. Our thoughts, emotions,
our ability to reason and communicate with the outside world are all in danger
if something damages our brain. How can we best defend this most precious asset?
It’s not just a matter of trying to avoid the devastation of neurodegenerative diseases,
but first and foremost, it’s a matter of protecting our ability to think and reason.

Aging of the brain
Oxidative stress is the leading cause of the aging process. Nowhere is evidence
stronger for this concept than when it comes to the actual aging of the brain.
Several scientific studies have shown oxidative damage to the mitochondria
(the furnace of the cell) and to the DNA of the brain cell.
This can lead to the malfunction and even death of these very sensitive brain cells.

Brain cells do not have the ability to regenerate themselves. So as we lose more
and more brain cells throughout our lifetime due to this oxidative damage,
the brain simply does not function as well as it did when we were younger.
In medical terms this lead to what is called loss of cognition.
In lay terms this is a decrease in our ability to think or reason.
Therefore, oxidative damage to our sensitive brain cells is the greatest enemy
to the functioning of our brain.

Aging of the brain is essentially the first stage of degeneration of these very important
cells in our body. Just as we don’t contract other degenerative diseases out of
the blue, people don’t wake up one day and have Alzheimer’s dementia or
Parkinson’s disease. These diseases represent the final stages of oxidative damage
to the brain. They are part of a progression that begins with the aging of the brain.
When eventually enough brain cells are damaged, a disease manifests.

When a patient is first diagnosed as having Parkinson’s disease, more than 80%
of the brain cells in a particular part of the brain, called the substancia nigra,
have already been destroyed. The same is true for someone who develops
Alzheimer’s dementia. These neurodegenerative diseases have actually been
developing over a period of ten to twenty years.
Let’s look at some of these diseases individually.

Alzheimer’s Dementia
Alzheimer’s dementia affects more than 2 million Americans and is the major cause
for admission in nursing homes.Alzheimer’s patients not only don’t know what day
it is, they don’t even recognize their own families.

Nothing is more devastating than losing the ability to think.Most folk who become
senile, develop Alzheimer’s, or other irriversable forms of brain degeneration know
it is happening. Their anguish is far worse than physical pain.
Progressive senility is living death, turning the most brilliant professors, the greatest
athletes, the most gifted artists, into dribbling zombies. The worst of it is, we do
most of the damage to ourselves.

Anyone who has had to deal with Alzheimer’s dementia within his family understands
just how tragic this is.If you have a loved one who suffers from Alzhemer’s,you
appreciate the fact that it’s the quality of life, not the quantity, with which most of us
are concerned.
The passage of another birthday becomes an empty and painful event for those
suffering from Alzheimer’s dementia and their families.

Numerous studies have shown evidence that free radical damage as the cause of
Alzheimer’s dementia. Recent findings by researchers at Case Western Reserve
University concluded that increasing oxidative stress with age most likely accounts
for all aspects of Alzheimer’s disease. Strong evidence exists that patients with
Alzheimer’s disease have significantly depleted levels of antioxidants in their brains
as well as high levels of oxidative stress.

There is now great interest in the therapeutic benefits that Alzheimer’s patients
could receive from antioxidants. The New England Journal of Medicine
reported a study showing that high doses of vitamin E could significantly decrease
the progression of Alzheimer’s dementia.
Other clinical trials in which patients with Alzheimer’s dementia used various
antioxidants, such as vitamin C, vitamin A, zinc, selenium, and rutin ( a bioflavanoid
antioxidant) have also been encouraging.

Parkinson’s disease
A stooped posture, slow voluntary movement, rigidity, and a “pill rolling” tremor
that causes the hands to move back and forth in a “rolling” action characterize
Parkinson’s disease. Public appearances by Muhammad Ali have made us all
more aware of effects of this debilitating disease.

A wide variety of studies support the role of free radicals as the underlying cause
of Parkinson’s. The actual cell death (approximately 80%) in the area of the brain
called the substantia nigra leads to decreased production of dopamine,
a substance that allows the brain to function normally.

Studies indicate that patients with early Parkinson’s disease who received high
doses of vitamin C and vitamin E were able to slow down the progression of
their disease. They actually avoided taking any medication for their disease for
approximately two years longer than the control group.
Glutathione and N-acetyl-L-cysteine (both antioxidants) were also effective in
protecting the nerves in the substania nigra from further damage by oxidative stress.

Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple Sclerosis affects more than 250,000 Americans and is about twice as
common in women as in men. Unlike Alzheimer’s dementia and Parkinson’s
disease, in which the brain cells are actually damaged, this disorder affects
the myelin sheath (the insulation around the nerve). This breakdown of the myelin,
called demyelination, results in impairment of the function of the nerve.
It is like an electrical wire that shorts out because of a breakdown in the insulation
around the wire, and is responsible for the clinical symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

Investigators have stated the fact that oxidative stress was significantly higher in
patients with MS during a flare-up when compared to MS patients who were stable.
MS differ from the other forms of neurodegenerative diseases in that the mechanism
of injury to the central nervous system and peripheral nerves is the immune system,
rather than outside toxins. When one’s own immune system attacks the myelin sheath,
this creates oxidative stress that then damages the nerves.

Multiple sclerosis responds amazingly well to cellular nutrition. The body does have
the potential to repair damage to the myelin sheath. Placing MS patients on potent
antioxidants is critical.

If we are going to have any success decreased risk or delayed progression of neuro-
degenerative diseases, we must research the effects of antioxidants that cross over
into the brain easily. Researchers are not studying antioxidants that can smoothly pass
through what is known as the blood brain barrier.

The Blood Brain Barrier
The brain needs a barrier that separates it from the blood to permit complex nerve
signaling. The blood brain barrier is a thick lining of epithelial cells that are present in
the small arteries that course through the brain. This lining is designed with very tight
junctions, which makes crossover of nutrients into the brain cells particularly difficult.

Important nutrients needed by the brain actually have specialized transporting proteins
available that allows them to cross this barrier. At the same time, toxic substances,
infectious organisms, and most other nutrients, have difficulty passing through this barrier.
This keeps the brain isolated with only the most essential nutrients to be able to enter.
Our brain has significant protection from the dangers of the outside world.
God created this amazing defensive barrier for the protection of this very sensitive area
of our body.

What has gone wrong in the case of aging of the brain and neurological disease?
The neurology department of the Rabin Medical Center in Tel Aviv concluded that
as a result of today’s environment, the brain is exposed to significantly increased amount
of toxins, such as heavy metals, and thus oxidative stress.
The antioxidant defense system is no longer completely effective in protecting this vital
organ. They believe that additional antioxidants, which particularly need to be taken in
as supplements, have the potential for reduce or even preventing the damage from
increased oxidative stress. They stress, however, that the antioxidants must be able to
readily cross the blood brain barrier.

The Right Antioxidants for the Brain

Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant which is very important in the protection of brain
and peripheral nerve cells. It has some difficulty crossing the blood brain barrier and
need therefore to be supplied in high doses. This vitamin is important to protect the brain
cells but probably not the best one for this purpose.

Vitamin C
Vitamin C can concentrate in the tissue and fluid around the brain and nerves.
It is able to pass through the blood brain barrier, and in fact, vitamin C levels are 10 times
higher in this tissue than in the plasma. When you realize that vitamin C is not only a great
antioxidant but also has the ability to regenerate vitamin E and glutathione, it becomes
a very important nutrient in protecting brain and nerve cells.

Dr. M. C. Morris reported a study showing that vitaminC and vitamin E given as
supplements to normal patients over the age of sixty-five actually decreased their risk
of developing Alzhemer’s dementia. This was only a small study, but larger and more
aggressive studies need to be done.

Glutathione
Glutathione is the most important antioxidant within the brain and nerve cells.
But this nutrient is difficult to absorb from oral supplements, and its ability to cross
the blood brain barrier is not yet clear.
The best strategy at tis time is to supplement the nutrients the body needs to make
its own glutathione (N-acetyl-L-cysteine, niacin, selenium, and vitamin B2).
You also need to have those antioxidant nutrients available that regenerate glutathione,
so it can be used again and again ( vitamin C, alpha-lipoic acid, and QoQ10).

Alpha-lipoic Acid
The medical community is recognizing alpha-lipoic acid more and more as an important
antioxidant. It is both fat- and water-soluble and it has also the ability to cross over the
blood brain barrier. It can regenerate vitamin C & E, intracellular gluthacione and CoQ10.

Another important property of this antioxidant is that it can attach itself to
toxic metals in the brain and help eliminate them from our body.
Heavy metals, such as mercury, aluminum, cadmium, and lead have been implicated in
increasing the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases.
These metals tend to deposit themselves in brain tissue because of the high amount of fat
concentrated in that part of the body.These metals can cause an increased amount of
oxidative stress and are extremely difficult to remove from the central nervous system
once they are there. Antioxidants that not only are potent but have the ability to help
remove these toxic heavy metals will become more and more important in the prevention
and treatment of these diseases.

Coenzyme Q10
Coenzyme Q10 is a very potent antioxidant as well as one of the most important nutrients
for the production of energy within the cell. Clinical studies have shown that oxidative
damage in the mitochondria (this is where CoQ10 works) is an important aspect in the
developing of neurodegenerative diseases.

As we age, the level of CoQ10 in our brains and nerve cells decreases significantly.
CoQ10 may be a missing link in the prevention of diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
disease. However, more study in this subject is necessary. How well QoQ10 passes
through the blood brain barrier is not yet been fully evaluated.

Grape-Seed Extract
Studies show that grape-seed extract crosses the blood brain barrier quite easily.
It is an exceptionally potent antioxidant, and the mere fact that high concentrations can be
obtained in the fluid and cells of the brain and nerve tissue makes it an ideal antioxidant
for the brain.

Serotonin and memory
Professors Eric Kandel and James Schwartz at the Center of Neurobiology at
Columbia University have shown that memory storage can be increased by putting
additional serotonin into the neuron. In humans also, we know that periods of additional
serotonin release improve memory storage.

Acetylcholine and memory
As memory declines with age, so does acetylcholine. This biochemical deficit is especially evident in the post-morton bains of people who had suffered the severe
memory problems of premature senility or Alzheimer’s disease.

Studies using drugs to block acetylcholine synthesis in the brain, provide further strong
evidence that optimum acetylcholine levels are crucial to good memory.

Acetyl-l-carnitine
The big discovery about the brain is that much of the damage to brain cells occurs
by oxidation. In addition to the antioxidants we have discussed previously, European
research shows that the amino acid acetyl-l-carnitine maintains brain function partly by
antioxidant action.

More than 50 controlled studies show that this remarkable nutrient has profound effects
in addition to antioxidant action. It improves memory, prevents brain cell loss, boosts
intelligence, and restores acetylcholine metabolism. It is used in millions of doses of
1000- 2000 mg per day throughout Europe, for treatment of Alzheimer’s, depression,
and memory loss in the aged, and for improvement of cognition in normal folk.

Protecting our most precious asset
Everyone desires to maintain and protect the ability to reason and to think.
In fact, losing this ability is probably the number-one fear of most people.
As we age, we all have this concern at one time or other.

The principle of optimizing our own natural antioxidant defense system is paramount
when it comes to protecting the cells in our brain against our common enemy:
oxidative stress. Remember, we must focus on prevention and protection, because
once a brain cell is destroyed, it is not readily replaced.

There are two main concepts to keep in mind.
Firstly, we must use a cocktail of antioxidants that will work in synergy while readily
crossing the blood brain barrier.
Secondly, we must avoid any excessive exposure to the heavy metals, and other toxins
in our environment.
Balance is th. key, and we must work on decreasing our toxic exposures as well as
building up our body’s natural defenses.

It is quite obvious that the proper function of our brain and our nerves is an essential
aspect of our health, and we now realize that the main enemy to this central part of
our body is oxidative stress. It is paramount that we protect these sensitive cells from
being damaged in the first place.
Supplementing our diet with potent antioxidants that readily cross over the blood
brain barrier can effectively protect us against these horrible diseases.

I believe the evidence in the medical literature is strong enough to advice people
to supplement a healthy diet with antioxidants at optimal levels.
Such a regimen can only help!

How to Speed Up Wound Healing

Health & Nutrition, , , ,

Everyone during his or her lifetime gets cuts and scrapes along the way.
Americans are getting more than 12 million cuts and other wounds every year,
according to doctor’s estimation.

The skin is usually able to heal itself by showing signs of quick regeneration.
But you have to eat the right foods for healing to occur.
Nutrients like Vitamin C, protein and zinc are the building blocks for new skin.
If you don’t get enough of them in your diet, it takes longer for wounds to heal.

Protein
Protein is essential for healing cuts and wounds, but it isn’t always available
where you need it most. Only about 10% of the body’s protein is found in the
skin, and the rest is used elsewhere in the body.
Protein is used for energy before it goes to healing.
The need for protein can double,when your body goes into healing mode.
For example, when you get 50 grams of protein per day, you have to increase
this to 100 gram per day, when you have burned yourself.

The amount of protein you need depends mainly on the severity of the wound.
If you are recovering from massive burns, for example, you may need to increase
your protein intake by stirring non-fat dry-milk into milk, cereal, soups, and
graves, having desserts made with eggs, such as pudding or gustard, and adding
shredded cheese to vegetable dishes.

Meats are one of the best sources of protein. A 3-ounce serving of flank steak
for example, has 23 grams of protein, which is about 46% of the Daily Value.
If you are not a meat eater, you can also get protein from fish, beans, nuts,
and grains. Tofu is also an impressive source of protein. A 4-ounce serving
has more than 9 grams, which is about the same you get from 11/4 ounces of
ground beef.

Vitamin C
Orange juice is a favorite home remedy against colds, because the vitamin C
it contains helps to strengthen your immune system. Vitamin C helps for wounds
as well. If you’re not getting enough vitamin C in your diet, you are more
susceptible to infections.

Also, vitamin C is essential for strengthening collagen, the tissue that helps
to hold skin cells together.
When there is not enough vitamin C in your diet, collagen gets weaker and
it takes longer for wounds to heal. Tissue integrity, the actual strength of the skin,
relies on vitamin C.

Whether you have a cut, a burn, or any other kind of wound, it’s a good idea
to get at least 500 milligrams of vitamin C per day. Or about 8 times the recommended
Daily value of 60 milligrams.
In fact, you can take even more than that – up to 1000 milligrams a day.
This is especially true for older people and smokers, because these people often
don’t have enough vitamin C

Strawberries, broccoli, cantaloupe, tomatoes, bell peppers and potatoes.
For example, a half-cup serving of red bell peppers has 95 milligrams of vitamin C,
or 158% of the Daily Value, while an orange has nearly 70 milligrams, or 116%
of the Daily Value. For a superb vitamin C kick, grab a guava. One guava
contains 165 milligrams of vitamin C, or 275% of the Daily Value.

Honey
If you saw a jar of honey in a doctor’s black bag, you’d just assume that he packed
in the dark. But as it turns out, doctors have been using honey for centuries.
“Up until World War II, honey was used commonly to treat skin wounds”, says
Dr. Molan. With the introduction of antibiotics in the 1940’s, honey was taken
out of doctor’s bags and returned to the kitchen. But today, doctors are trying to
bring it back into circulation as a medicine. “We’re finding that doctors are starting
to use honey where modern medicine have been tried – and have failed – to cure
sskin wounds.” according to Dr. Molan.

Honey contains three ingredients that make it ideal for treating wounds.
Because it’s high in sugar, it absorbs much of the moisture inside wounds, making
it hard for bacteria to survive, Dr. Molan explains. In addition, many honey varieties
contain large amounts of hydrogen peroxide, the same medicine you can use at home
to disinfect cuts and scrapes. Finally, some honeys contain propolis, a compound in
nectar that can kill bacteria.

Zinc
Many people don’t get enough zinc,a mineral that helps grow tissues and repair
themselves. In fact, slow wound healing is often s sign that you’re not getting enough
of this important mineral.
The Daily Value for zinc is 15 milligrams. This doesn’t sound a lot, but getting
enough zinc can be tricky, since only 20% of the zinc in foods is absorbed during
digestion. However, eating zinc-rich foods along with protein from animal foods
will help the absorption of zinc.

An excellent source of zinc are oysters, with 1/2 cup providing 8 milligram, or 54%
of the DV. Wheat germ is also good, with 1 2/3 tablespoon containing about
2 milligram, or 13% of the DV.

Water keeps your skin hydrated, which is important while helping to heal burns.
Drink eight 8-ounce glasses per day.

Focus on omega-3 fatty acids.Fat helps your body tto build new cells, and they
become part of every cell membrane. Choose oily fish, walnuts and flaxseed.

Get a full range of vitamins and minerals. If your diet is not always up to par
(and nobody is perfect), consider taking a multivitamin, preferably one from USANA,
as an insurance policy against a shortfall of essential vitamins and minerals,
Dr.Gottschlich suggests.These include B vitamins, which help your body use
energy from carbohydrates to rebuild tissue; vitamin K, which helps blood clot;
and vitamin A, which help collagen from supportive nets and skin cells reproduce.

Celery: A Strong Protector

Health & Nutrition, , , , ,

As a member of the parsley family, these stalks contain compounds that may help
lower blood pressure and perhaps help prevent cancer.
Celery is also a good source of insoluble fiber as well as some essential nutrients,
like potassium, vitamin C and calcium.

Lower bad cholesterol
Laboratory tests with animals shows the ability to lower cholesterol.
In a study conducted at the National University of Singapore, laboratory animals were
fed a high-fat diet,plumping them up for 8 weeks and raising their cholesterol.
Then they gave some of the animals celery juice. The animals that drank the celery juice
had significantly lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol than the animals that didn’t
received any celery juice.

Lower Blood Pressure
Celery has been used in Asia as a remedy for people with high blood pressure.
In the United States, a man named Mr. Le with mild high blood pressure and persistence persuaded
researchers at the University of Chicago Medical Center.
Rather than cutting back on salt as his doctor advised, he began eating four stalks of
celery per day. Within a week, his blood pressure had dropped from 158/96 to 118/82.

An assistant professor of medicine and pharmacological and physiological science
at the University of Chicago, W. J. Elliott, MD, PhD, decided to put celery at the test.
Test animals were injected with a small amount of 3-n-phthalide, a chemical compound celery
that is found in celery. Within a week, the blood pressure of the animals dropped an
average of 12 to 14 percent.

“Phthalide was found to relax the muscles of the arteries that regulate blood pressure,
allowing the vessels to dilate.” according to Dr. Elliott. In addition, the chemical reduced
the number of “stress hormones” called catecholamines in the blood.
This may be helpful because stress hormones typically raise blood pressure by causing
blood vessels to constrict.

If you have high blood pressure and would like to give celery a try, use this strategy
recommended by Asian practisioners. Eat four to five stalks of celery every day for
a week, then stop for three weeks. Then start over and eat celery for another week.
But don’t overdo it and eat celery by the pound, warns Dr. Elliott.
Each celery stalk contains 35 milligrams of sodium, and for some people, this can cause
blood pressure to go up instead of going down. “Eating a ton of celery can be dangerous
if you have salt-sensitive hypertension.” says Dr. Elliott.

Preventing Cancer
Celery contains compounds that may help prevent cancer, according to research.
Firstly, celery contains compounds called acetylenics, which proved to stop the growth
of tumor cells.
Secondly, celery contains compounds called phenolic acids, which block the action of
hormone like substances called prostaglandins. Some prostaglandins are thought to encourage the growth of tumor cells.
Thirdly, celery contains compounds called coumarins, which help prevent free radicals
from damaging cells. That gives celery a one-two-three punch against cancer.

A Skin Stalker
As celery is such a sweet, succulent stalk, it has to produce its own pesticides to
protect it from hungry fungi.
These compounds protect the celery, however, they could do humans some harm.
For some people, getting these compounds in the diet, or even through the skin,
can make their skin very sensitive to sunlight. So much so that they can get sunburns
after they have spent even a short period of time in the sun.

If you begin having skin problems after eating celery, stop eating it.
You have to wash celery thoroughly before you eat it . That way you remove any fungi
that may have formed on the plant, which sometimes causes the production of those
compounds.

Protect the Flavonoids
Don’t be tempted to cut up celery to eat later. It’s best to eat the celery soon after
you cut it. After only 24 hours in the fridge, the flavonoids are consider ably
decreased, according to researchers in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Save the leaves
While celery stalks are certainly a healthy snack, however, the leaves contain the
most potassium, vitamin C and calcium.

Eat it the way you like it.
While many foods lose nutrients during cooking, most of the compounds in celery
are staying on during cooking. Eating a cup of celery raw or cooked, provides about
9 milligrams of vitamin C, which is 15% of the Daily Value; 426 milligrams of potassium
of 12% of the Daily Value, and 60 milligrams of calcium, or 6% of the Daily Value.

The Healing Power of Currants

Health & Nutrition, , , ,

Currants are a favorite fruit in various countries.
The British love currant jams and jellies. The French consider black currant liquor
as their favorite. Until the turn of the previous century, Americans enjoyed fresh currants,
as well as currant jellies and sauces.

Today, fresh currants are hard to find in the US. (Don’t be fooled by the black “currants”
sold in supermarkets, they are really zante grapes.
What caused the end of our craving for currants? In the early 1900s, the USDA banned
the cultivation of currants because the shrubs harbored a fungus that was destroying
white pines. Even though the ban was lifted in the 1960s, currants never really made
a comeback. This is unfortunate, because currants, the forgotten fruit are a superb source
of vitamin C and fiber. What’s more, they contain a compound that present a powerful
cancer fighting potential.

Alzheimer’s Disease Prevention
It’s ironic that the forgotten fruit might prove to be helpful in keeping your memory sharp.
Researchers in New Zealand found that substances in currants could help prevent
Alzheimer’s disease. Two compounds in the currants, anthocyanins (which give them
their deep red color) and polyphenolics ( which is also abundant in red wine and chocolate),
where found to protect the brain cells of rats against the kind of damage that occurs in
people’s brains afflicted by Alzheimer’s disease.

Anthocyanins as well as polyphenolics are powerful antioxidants that provide protection
against free radicals.These highly reactive oxygen molecules can damage the brain and
other tissues if left to run amok. Much more research is needed to see if these results
would actually translate to people too.

Cancer Protection
Besides the fact that currants are extremely high in vitamin C content – a half cup of black
currants for example, has 101 milligrams of vitamin C, which is 168% of the Daily Value
and three times that of oranges – there is another thing that gets researches excited.
It’s the fact that berries contain a compound called ellagic acid, which has the ability
to prevent cancer from starting.

Ellagic acid belongs to a disease-fighting family of compounds known as polyphenols.
(Cranberries, raspberries, strawberries, and grapes also contain polyphenols).
It has been shown in laboratory studies to be a powerful antioxidant that helps neutralizing
free radicals, according to Gary Stoner, PhD, professor and cancer researcher at Ohio
State University in Columbus.
Free radicals try to replace their missing electrons by stealing electrons from healthy cells,
causing cellular changes that can lead to cancer.

It may surprise you that researchers found that currants are a much higher source of
antioxidants than blueberries, long regarded as the antioxidant champ.

Ellagic acid also has the ability to block the effects of cancer-causing chemicals in the body
at the same time that it stimulates the activity of enzymes that fight cancer growth.
This two-pronged approach makes this compound a powerful alley for blocking cancer.

Another antioxidant that has been found in currants is quercetin. In general, the most
common sources of quercetin are onions, tea, apples and red wine.
That’s for most of us anyway. The Finns, however, commonly eat certain types of berries
that contain quercetin – currants, lingonberries, and bilberries.
Researchers in Finland reasoned that these berries may be an important source of quercetin
in that country. The scientists divided 40 healthy men into two groups.
Half of the men ate their usual diets, but the other half 100 grams of black currants,
lingonberries and bilberries every day. After 8 weeks, the researchers found that the men
who ate the berries had blood levels of quercetin 32 to 51% higher than the men who ate
their regular diets. So the researchers concluded that these berries are a good source of
quercetin.

Like ellagic acid, quercetin has long been considered important in possibly helping to
prevent cancer. In test tube studies, it inhibits the growth of cancer cells, including those
from breast, colon, prostate, and lung tumors.

Protection against Digestion and Heart disease
Like most berries, currants are also high in fiber. The black, red, and white types all provide
about 2 grams, or 8% of the Daily Value. Apart from controlling digestive problems like
constipation and hemorrhoids, fiber also helps to deal with more serious health problems,
like high cholesterol and heart disease.

From a study of 21,930 Finnish men it showed that those who got just 10 extra grams of
fiber a day were able to reduce their risk of dying from heart disease by 17%.
Eating one or two servings of currants a day , along with extra fruits and vegetables,
will provide all the fiber you need to help keep your circulation in optimum form.

The only problem with fresh currants is that they are hard to find, since most supermarkets
don’t stock them. Your best change to find them is to check out roadside stands or farmers’
markets, as growers sometimes sell small amounts of these homegrown favorites.

When you are lucky enough to get your hands on fresh currants, you will get the most
out of them by storing them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. That way you will
be able to keep them fresh for 2 to 3 days. Or you can freeze them for use throughout
the year.