Archive for the ‘Health Tips’ Category

Squash is a member of one of the oldest vegetable families in the world. It is a very versatile vegetable that can be used in soups, stews, purees, desserts and pies. There are also many kinds which are just decorative.

There are 2 Categories of Squash:

Summer Squash, which have bush vines, tender skin and are eaten when small and immature.

Winter Squash which are hard skinned and good for storage.  Summer squash is a tasty offering savoured by people from around the world. Its nutty flavour and moist texture enrich a vast array of dishes, ranging from dumplings to salads.

Summer squash

 

Summer squash has an abundance of manganese and vitamin C, and also magnesium, vitamin A, fibre, potassium, folate, copper, riboflavin, and phosphorus. It also has omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, calcium, zinc, niacin, and protein. So you see it is a very healthy food.

Zucchini: still dominates as the best known summer squash.  It has thin skin that is usually green but can be yellow or striped or speckled. Being tender it cooks fast and it has edible flowers are often used cooking.

Other Summer squashes are:
Crookneck and Straightneck Squash:  usually have a yellow skin and sometimes a green skin. Crookneck squash is partially straight with a swan-like neck. It was genetically altered to produce its straightneck cousin that is shaped as its name implies.

Pattypan Squash: a small saucer shaped squash with skin of either pale green or golden yellow. Its flesh is more dense and a little sweeter than the zucchini.

Winter Squash

Winter squash has a high amount of Vitamin A (beta-carotene), with vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber and manganese. It also has folate, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B1, copper, vitamin B6, niacin-vitamin B3 and pantothenic acid.

Butternut squash: Tan colour with small seed cavity. This squash stores well and has a good flavour. Fairly dense golden flesh, makes an excellent puree.

Pumpkin: Good in sweet and savoury recipes. 

Acorn squash:  A deep black-green colour with a rich orange thick flesh – Delicious! Good for baking in the skin.

Spaghetti squash: Has a fibrous flesh which looks like spaghetti when cooked.

Doody or white pumpkin: Has pale greenish-white flesh and a delicate flavour.

Buttercup:  Dark green colour with a deep orange flesh. This extra dry squash has a sweet flavour.

Delicatta:  A creamy colour with green stripes. This squash is like a Sweet potato squash.

Spaghetti: Creamy colour with an oblong shape. The Flesh resembles spaghetti when cooked. Top with your favourite sauce!

Small Wonder: Light orange colour vegetable spaghetti looks like a soft ball in shape. It has more flavour than spaghetti squash. Great with salt, pepper, and butter.

White Acorn: A creamy white on the outside, pale yellow on the inside. It has a delicate nutty flavour.

Kabocha:  A pumpkin shaped winter squash. It has a rich, sweet flavour and when cooked its texture resembles that of a tender potato. Kabocha squash weighs an average of three pounds and has spotted or blotchy dark green skin. It can be baked, steamed, stuffed or pureed. Works well as a substitution in recipes that call for pumpkin or sweet potatoes. Kabocha is generally available all year round. (this is obvioiusly my favourite!)

When selecting a winter squash, do not select those that are soft or show pitting. Also, check that the stem is intact and looks fresh. Store up 1 – 3 months in a cool dry location that has good air circulation.

In upcoming posts we will get into the BENEFITS and nutritional components and RECIPES of squash!  Don't miss it by opting into our newsletter.

Feel free to share this information with others.  Twitter and other links below. …

 

There is much confusion about fats and oils in our diet.

I work hard at staying on top of the information but even I have had to rethink a few points recently.

 The Saturated Myth

Saturated fats have a bad public image but this is because of excessive consumption. Remember when they told us to eat margarine instead of butter?  It turns out butter is fine when used in moderation.

DO YOU KNOW …The difference between margarine and butter?   All margarine is made from assorted vegetable oils that have been heated to extremely high temperatures making the oils rancid.

Facts about Margarine: 
 1.  Margarine is extracted from used plant oils with chemical solvents. This leaves residues and strips away nutrients.
2.  It may say that there are zero grams of trans fats, but it still contains small amounts of this bad fat. (Trans fats are carcinogenic, triple risk of coronary heart disease and increases bad cholesterol and lowers the good cholesterol)
3.  Deodorants are added to cover the unpleasant smell of rancid vegetable oils.
4.  Artificial coloring to cover up the grey color.

And I still see these big tubs of this stuff in people’s homes .

Butter has been used for thousands of years. It is a real food. The trouble is that it tastes sooo good we overeat it ! 

Benefits of Butter:
 1.  Rich in Vitamin A, has Vitamins E, K, D and Calcium.
2.  Has anti-oxidants that protect against weakening arteries.
3.  Saturated fats in butter have strong anti-tumor and anti-cancer properties.
4.  Cholesterol found in butterfat is essential to children's brain and nervous system development.

Another form of butter is Clarified butter or ghee. It is butter oil, without the lactose and milk solids. It is made by gently heating butter until it becomes a clear golden liquid.  Ghee has been used as the ultimate healthy cooking oil in India for thousands of years. 

Benefits of Clarified Butter or Ghee:
 1.  It increases the potency of certain herbs
2.  Has Vitamin A E, K and D
3.  Has a high ‘smoke point’ so it is a good oil to cook with.
4.  Ghee does not spoil easily; does not need refrigeration.

Then there is the wonderful Olive oil that many of us know and love in our salad dressings. It is made from crushing and pressing olives…..for at least 5,000 years. …..

Possible Benefits of Extra Virgin Olive Oil:
 1.  Contains- vitamins E, K, and A  plus antioxidants
2.  Helps lower bad cholesterol and raising good cholesterol
3.  Reduces colon, breast and skin cancers.
4.  Lowers the incidence of gallstones.

Remember to store oil in a tightly sealed jar in the refrigerator, and do not heat as it has a low smoke point…add olive oil to foods immediately after cooking.

One of my favorites is Sesame Seed Oil as it has a high ‘smoke point’ making it good oil to cook with. Sesame oil has vitamins A, B and E and the minerals iron, calcium, magnesium, copper. 

Studies have shown Sesame Oil to:
 1.  Be useful in unblocking arteries.
2.  Inhibit the growth of skin cancer
3.  Maintain good cholesterol (HDL) and lower bad cholesterol (LDL ).

The Myth about Coconut Oil

For decades it was considered bad because it is saturated oil which is said to raise blood cholesterol and cause heart disease.  This idea was based on a study done 40 years ago that used hydrogenated coconut oil.

In tropical climates like Polynesia, Sri Lanka and the Yucatan where they have a diet high in coconut oil, the people are healthier, have less heart disease, cancer and colon problems than unsaturated fat eaters. It is now accepted that there is good cholesterol and there are good saturated fats. 

    Interesting fact:      Unsaturated oils in cooked foods become rancid within a few hours, even in the refrigerator. Once fresh unsaturated fats are inside the body, they oxidize (turn rancid). Coconut oil does not go rancid even after one year at room temperature.  Most of the saturated fat in coconut oil is easy to digest and converted into quick energy so people are less likely to become obese as the fat is not stored.

To quote Dr. Mary Enig: "The research over four decades concerning coconut oil in the diet and heart disease is quite clear: coconut oil has been shown to be beneficial."  Coconut oil has been used as cooking oil for thousands of years.

Benefits of Virgin Coconut Oil (cold pressed):
1.  To be Thyroid-Stimulating
2.  Lowers cholesterol 
3.  Causes weight loss
4.  Has anti-cancer effects
 
Conclusion:

• Use extra virgin olive oil, cold pressed for salad dressings
• For cooking use clarified butter, sesame oil and virgin, cold pressed organic coconut oil. 

No matter how good the oil sounds…..it is still a fat, with 120 calories per tablespoon. Anyone who regularly consumes a high fat diet will become overweight and that is just not healthy! 

  

Are there better options than bags full of vitamins and pills?

 

One-third of Americans (and an even higher percentage of Canadians) takes vitamin and mineral supplements each day. Reasons include:

1. Our new understanding of the body's requirements for particular chemical nutrients. For example, Vitamin C helps reduce free radical damage in cells.  It's easy to take Vitamin C in capsule form and to assume that it will give you the same benefits as a glass of orange juice. 
2. Our food supply is not as nutritious today as it was in the past.  This is due to large-scale farming which focuses on quantity, shelf life and profit rather than quality and nutrition. 
3.  Our modern lifestyle makes eating a balanced diet more difficult.  Increased stress has also boosted our need for certain nutrients.
We now assume that a vitamin pill will fill in these ‘gaps’ in our nutrition.  It may seem like a simple solution, but they often don't do enough.  And sometimes they just DON'T WORK.  Why is this?

A report in the December issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association concludes that the formula for optimal health isn't in the supplement aisle of a health-food store but in the FOOD AISLE. The American Dietetic Association is the largest organization of professionals that deals directly with your diet. It also has access to the most data and research in the field. So why do they state that foods are better than supplements?

5 Reasons To Use a Food Based Approach

1. Vitamin supplements are limited to what is written on the label. If it lists 20 chemical isolates, that is all you get. In comparison, every whole food has thousands of different micro and macro nutrients. This is why the better (and the more expensive) the supplement, the more factors it has in it.  But the best supplements are whole foods.  An orange, for example, has not only vitamin C but bioflavonoids, beta-carotene, folic acid, fibre, magnesium potassium and many other valuable nutrients. 

2. Foods contain nutrients we don’t fully understand.  Nutritional science is still young. Each day it discovers new phytonutirents which have profound influences on the body. More importantly, nutritional science is only just discovering the relationships between the various nutritional factors: how one factor influences another and how different ratios of nutrients affect the body.  The ‘facts’ of nutrition may change tomorrow, so why should you depend on them today?

3.  Each person has UNIQUE nutritional requirements. These requirements will change over time and in different environments.  If you take this into account and try to prescribe isolated vitamins and minerals it becomes very complicated very quickly. The ‘gaps’ are constantly changing.  You would need expensive professional help to pinpoint the best nutrients for your body.  And they can only determine what your body needs at a single point in time while your needs will change from one day to the next. 

4.  The body absorbs foods best.  Mere decades of nutritional research cannot compete with millions of years of natural evolution. The body evolved to eat real foods. Isolates found in artificial supplements are poorly absorbed and are often eliminated by the body before they can be used.  Many isolates are not recognized by the body as food, and may even be interpreted as toxins. Although certain higher quality supplements offer superior absorption, again, they usually do so just because they are closer to real food.  Unfortunately, they still can't compare with whole foods. Why not give your body what it deserves and eat food instead of pills?

5. Foods have LIFE.  There is something about the aliveness of food that makes it instinctively attractive. Fresh food is always more attractive than leftovers.  People have recently discovered the value of raw foods. This value can be measured in terms of enzymes and specific nutrients, but also in qualities that are harder to measure like energy and vitality.  All of these qualities are important for our physical and mental well-being.  

Health with Real Foods is the Wave of the Future: 

Right now, it is easier than ever to embrace whole-food based nutrition. New knowledge is helping people along this path to health, and we are here to share it with you. Many grocery stores are stocking a greater selection of high-quality foods in their organic sections and new supplements are emerging that are based on whole foods. Some of these supplements will have higher quality and value than the dead pills of the past.  But they still imitate what nature has already perfected.

I don’t know one person whose life has been radically changed by buying a bottle of vitamins or pills.  I do know thousands whose lives have become healthier and more energetic by changing their APPROACH to food.
This approach involves eating more whole, fresh, raw and organic foods as well as eating them in the proper combinations. These are the principles we teach individuals in our various programs that help them achieve healthier lives.

To be fair, the American Dietetic Association did recommend that a few isolated groups could benefit from targeted supplementation. Pregnant women, nursing mothers, people with certain health conditions, and elderly adults may need to fill dietary gaps. But if you are in one of these groups, many of these gaps (like higher iron intake for women) can also be achieved with whole foods.  One just needs to know what to eat, and to be motivated enough to want to improve their health. 

And there’s the rub.  It's hard to know where to look and to put in the effort to make healthier choices.  It's so much easier just to take a pill—one that contends to solve all of your nutritional problems.  But it isn't that easy. Sometimes the harder road is the wiser one; it is the road to better health.  

Feel free to comment on these ideas (below) and share this information with others.

Edited by Michael Fisher

What I usually find with date squares is that they are too sweet. So I have made my own version which are less sweet and taste even better. Find it hard to stop at only one.

DATE SQUARES Wheat-Free

Ingredients:
1 large apple finely chopped
2 cups dates, chopped
1 cup water
Juice of ½ lemon
½ cup vegetable fat or butter
1/3 cup rice syrup
1 tsp. salt
1 ¾ cups rolled oats
¼ cup potato flour
¾ cup Brown Rice flour

Directions:
1.   Simmer apple water till soft.
2.   Add dates and simmer till soft.
3.   Mash well.
4.   Add lemon juice and set aside.
5.   In a separate bowl, mix vegetable fat, rice syrup and salt.
6.   First add flour; mix in.
7.   Then add oats, mix well.
8.   Pat 2/3 of the mixture into an 8 X 8 pan.
9.   Spread the date mixture on top of the oat mixture.
10.  Then sprinkle the other 1/3 of oat mixture on top of the dates.
11.  Lightly press down.
12.  Bake in preheated oven at 400º F. for 25 to 35 minutes.

• Oats have lots of manganese, are a very good source of selenium, vitamin B1, dietary fiber, magnesium, protein & phosphorus.
• 1 bowl of oatmeal a day (3 grams of soluble oat fiber) typically lowers total cholesterol by 8-23%.

As I had promised to share this recipe right away I am posting it before I normally would. These have a dryer texture then the ones with wheat in them and I will be fine tuning this recipe. We will post below this one the Wheat Hermits soon.  Both cookies are not overly sweet which is why we like them.
 

Ingredients:
¾ vegetable fat
4 tbsp sucanat
1 tbsp molasses
¼ tsp stevia
4 tbsp soy flour
1 cup water
1 cup white rice flour
¾ cup brown rice flour
¼ cup potato flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp cloves
¾ cup walnuts
¾ cup sultanas

Directions:
1.    Preheat oven to 400 F.
2.    Combine butter, sucanat, stevia, and molasses until creamy.
3.    Stir in soy flour and water
4.    Then mix in other flours, baking powder, salt, and spices.
5.    Mix in fruit and nuts.
6.    Roll into 1 inch balls and flatten with a fork on a greased baking sheet.
7.    Bake for 10 to 15 minutes.

Cinnamon is one of the oldest known spices. The darker the cinnamon the better it is.

Benefits of Cinnamon:
•    In traditional Chinese medicine, cinnamon is used for colds, nausea, diarrhea, and painful menstrual periods.
•    It can improve energy, vitality, and circulation.
•    Recent studies have shown that cinnamon maybe have a beneficial effect on blood sugar.

Its never too late to do the right thing!

Wow!!! It actually is 2010.  Can you remember when 2010 seemed so far away?  Now it’s almost mid January.  Were you part of the 40-45% of the population that made resolutions in the first few days?  They probably included goals like eating better, exercising more, and losing weight.

Setting goals like this increases the chances you will actually make it to 2011 in better shape than today. Obviously you want to succeed but how can you make sure you will succeed?  How can you not break the resolutions? How to not give up?

These are valid questions because 97% of resolutions are never fulfilled.  Early failure rates varies from 30% in the first week to 25% in the first month (depending on which study you are referencing) The good news is that if you are still on target right now you are way ahead of the game and even if you already stopped or never started – you can still start today.  Here’s 4 mistakes that cause people to fail and 7 suggestions how to succeed.

Mistake No. 1.   Magic Bullet thinking.   Everyone of course wants to have more energy and look better but just having that desire or writing it down doesn’t magically make it happen. It requires skill and daily perseverance. You have to have a PLAN to make it work on a daily basis. 
 
Mistake No. 2.  Absolute or “all-or-nothing” thinking. People congratulate themselves for being “good” when they're eating well and exercising regularly. But then, the slightest slip can seem like a failure so they feel bad about themselves and the process and give up.  Better to have smaller incremental goals and a plan that acknowledges there will be mistakes made.

Mistake No 3.  Unrealistic expectations 
People commit to making too many big changes at once, something that's incredibly hard to do considering habits seem to be hardwired in our brain. It is easier to make smaller changes but oddly enough Studies have shown that it’s best to change multiple behavior patterns at the same time rather sequentially. This is because each little action that you take reminds and reinforces the other actions.

Mistakes No 4.  Not having a support system. Thinking that you will succeed just by your own dominating force of will has been shown to increase failure. It’s SO much easier when you are being reminded and encouraged by others. This could be as simple as subscribing to this newsletter or joining a group specifically set up to achieve goals (like our 5 week Radiant Energy and Healthy Slimness Course). Sometimes too you need someone that you can relate your troubles to. You can even contact us on this too.  We have certainly been in that situation before and are glad to help.

7 Super Simple Tips to Keep You On a Healthy Track

1. Keep a food diary

Do you have a pen and some paper? Can you write?  It’s that simple.

This was the very first homework we asked participants to do on our Radiant Energy course. We were using it as a teaching tool but writing down what and how much you eat provides awareness, focus and motivation. It clarifies what foods are in your diet and what's missing. You can’t change or improve what you are NOT aware of. One or two weeks is enough.

2 Increase your vegetables (just little more every day)
Do you want to lose 5 pounds?  Eat more vegetables! Do you want to lose 20 pounds?  Eat even more vegetables.  If you want to lose 50 pounds … you get the idea. There is nothing more simple than eating MORE vegetables to lose weight, cleanse and alkalize and balance your systems. Starting off your day with a green smoothie is a fast delicious way to get leafy greens in your system.  Then with a one or two salads and few serving of cooked vegetables you are all set.

3.  Have vegetarian dinners lunches once a day.  Find some bean and tofu recipes that you will enjoy and are easy to prepare. There are some on this site. You will be increasing fibre and reducing saturated fat when you eat less meat.
Here are a few tips that will help:
•    Replace meat with beans or tofu in a meat recipe. Serve tacos with black beans instead of ground meat. Serve vegetarian chili or vege burgers for dinner. Add cubes of firm tofu in stir fries.
•    Make a large batch of minestrone, split pea or lentil soup to have for lunch the next day or freeze it in serving containers for during the weeks to come.

4. Have fruit washed and available.
An apple or a banana is so healthier for you than a bar or a muffin. You know that but you won’t eat it if the bar is easier to get at or you are at work and there is nothing else. Think ahead- it shows you have one!

5. Drink more water
Water is an essential part of a healthy diet. It helps flush waste products from the body, keeps us hydrated and can stave off hunger. Women on average need 2.2 litres (9 cups) a day and men require 3 litres (12 cups). While all beverages count (except alcoholic beverages), choose plain water over sugary drinks, fruit juice and diet soft drinks.
Train your body to drink more water. Drink one glass first thing in the morning, before you brush your teeth. Keep a glass of water next to you when you're at your desk. Drink from it regularly as you're working. Resolve to drink one more cup of water today than you did

6.  Listen to your body

Your body knows itself better than your brain does. Being aware of its messages can help prevent you from consuming too many calories or the wrong foods. Before your meal ask yourself what foods are you attracted to and what tastes. During the meal keep checking in to see if you are still hungry.  Your goal is to stop eating when you no longer feel hungry – you should feel satisfied, not full. A traditional saying is "one third food, one third liquid, and one third empty".  You will digest much better this way and thus be thinner and healthier. Many small meals a day is better than overeating once or twice.

7.  Reward Yourself
 If you don’t reward yourself in some way till you are completely finished your goal – you might not get there. Remember this is a process and you need to enjoy the path too. If its all just struggle maybe you need help in adjusting your plan.  The health systems that have been successful for thousands of years suggest  you should NOT deprive yourself completely– it only causes stress which is bad for your health.   If you find you're starting to slip back into old habits, pull out that food diary to refocus your efforts.  

What are Your Health Goals for 2010?  Feel free to share below.

Feel free to share this article with anyone you feel would benefit.

Keep Your Cells Healthy Like a Baby's Cells

Every day in your body 432 billion cells die and are replaced with new cells. This is the key to regenerating your body and staying young. Because of this you could have a better functioning body next year if you want, skinnier, with less pains and more energy ….if you take the right steps.

That 432 billion number is a just a scientific guess by the way. Cells are so small and there are so many in your body (somewhere between 60 -100 trillion) that no one could ever count them individually. This is also why you don’t notice your body renewing itself all the time….but it is.

Examples of a New Body:
•    Cells in our digestive system, from the stomach to the large bowel are replaced every 5 minutes. 
•    The liver is replaced every five months. 
•    A new covering of skin happens every four weeks. 
•    Our heart is replaced every six to nine months.
•    Your liver is capable of renewing and repairing from as little as 25% of its tissue.

 Regeneration is all in the Balance!
We know that we will be getting a new body; the question is whether our new body will be a healthier or an unhealthy one?  The quality of the new cells is dependant on the raw material and environment, on the balance of food and energy  when the replacement cells were being formed.  If you balance these factors properly we call this regeneration. If you feed the body poorly; the result will be cells of an inferior quality this is degeneration. 

The Big 5 Regenerators (Good Guys):

1. Fresh Vegetables – filled with vitamins & minerals, good source of phytochemicals that protect the body from disease & aging. Eat    LOTS. They are the heavy weights in regeneration.
2. Fresh Fruit - filled with vitamins & minerals, good source of phytochemicals that protect the body. 
3. Whole Grains (Brown Rice, oats, buckwheat, barley, millet, quinoa) – great source of vitamins, minerals, some protein & of good fibre.
4. Drink lots of pure water - needed for digestion, circulation of body fluids & joint lubrication.
5. Sleep –Not getting enough sleep may increase the risk of high blood pressure & heart disease.

As you body starts functioning on a healthier basis you might naturally tend to slow down on those things that can interfere with the balance of the body.  Your body can better handle the imbalance . 

The Big 5 Degenerators (Bad Guys):

1. Processed Foods -dead food with calories but almost no nutrients! – fills your liver and body with chemicals.
2. Sugar – depresses the immune system, overworks the digestive system and pancreas, and is full of calories. It’s also highly addictive (as many of us know).
3. Alcohol – toxic to the liver, depletes B Vitamins, depresses the nervous system, and inhibits the bone marrows job of regenerating blood cells. You can have fun and be silly without it.  Again most of us know this.
4. Caffeine (highly addictive) – puts stress on the adrenal glands, negatively affects the nervous system, as a diuretic depleting calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous, increases blood pressure.
5. Rancid Fats and Oils (deep fried foods, baked goods) – create free radicals which injure cell membranes, enzymes and DNA.  Stresses the digestive system and liver. Raises blood cholesterol. More calories.

You might notice that the big 5 actually cost a lot less than the degenerators  and some are entirely free. 

The nice thing about regeneration is that you don’t have to think about what your body is doing.  All you have to do is set up the proper conditions and your body will take care of everything else.  A healthy body has the  ability to heal itself of all (or almost all) problems if properly nourished.

The above article is base on a article in a magazine I write for http://www.holistic-health-solutions.com go there to get a subscription.

    

 Copyright © Diana Herrington  You are welcome to share this article with anyone who you think may benefit from this information as long as you give credit to Real Food for Life by including the link to the home page www.RealFoodforLife.com  or the direct link to this post.  

    

5 Reasons Why You should Cut down on Pop….and 6 Easy Delicious Replacements

 

The day I wrote this I was in the grocery store and saw this person checking out with the biggest load of pop I have ever seen in my life. What you see was just part of his load. His shopping cart was literally overflowing JUST with pop. I couldn't stop myself and had to take a quick picture.

Earlier this year New York State Governor David Paterson proposed an 18% so-called ‘fat tax’ on non-diet soft drinks. The government hoped that the tax would reduce the enormous consumption of these sugar-laden liquids, and the income from the tax would assist in helping a growing population of obese individuals.

My first reaction to reading this was “Great – I wonder when they will start taxing the diet sodas too. They can be just as bad. And while they are at it – they could tax the whole junk food industry.”

The state didn’t ask my opinion though and it turns out this tax met too much industry opposition to get passed. To me though, this is a good sign when governments are even thinking of this. These people are not necessarily health advocates but do study the research and see the growing health awareness. The tax parallels cigarette and liquor taxes in its thinking – that these products are consumed by individuals but the whole society ends up paying for the negative influences and therefore deserves to be compensated.

In this case the annual cost of health care for obesity-related diseases is estimated at $79 Billion in the US. You can usually estimate that Canada will be about 10% of that figure. Half of this is met by Medicare in the US, 100% in Canada. – All taxpayers, whether or not they choose to eat a healthy diet, are paying for this.

Are people really being affected by coke and soft drinks? Well…..yes.

Here are Five ways they Rob you of Your Health:

1. Americans drink such LARGE quantities of soft drinks that they represent a significant % of our daily calorie intake. By large I mean the average person drinks 150 quarts per year, or about three quarts per week. A significant part of our diet therefore contains no needed nutrients (such as vitamins, minerals, fibre, protein, or essential fatty acids). Pop is just water, chemical flavours, additives plus usually sugar.
   
2. The sugar makes you fat and contributes to diabetes and other degenerative diseases. This was the government’s position)
   
3. Even diet colas have been shown in studies to cause weight gain.You would think that taking in all these liquids would reduce your consumption of other junk foods but studies have shown to actually INCREASE it
4. Cola intake has also been associated with increased risk of bone fracture in children, and bone demineralisation in adolescent girls
   
5. Colas have been shown to reduce calcification and increase osteoperosis in adults. 

You can read more about these effects by following this link  Soft Drinks Hard Facts  or this link  Just one pop a day .

If these negative are not enough maybe it has to be spelled out in the context of cancer. Both the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research looked at huge amounts of research and advises clearly: “Limit the Consumption of Energy-Dense Foods and Avoid Sugary Drinks.”

The basic problem with these products are that they are NOT REAL FOOD. They are not live food and they are not whole food. The body was never designed to ingest these kinds of products and only gets unbalanced and depleted in the long run.

The solution to this situation couldn’t be simpler because there are so many alternatives.  The most obvious drink is WATER which happens to be the most thirst quenching. If you are wanted something with something extra these are all great replacements which happen to be good for you.

Six Easy Replacements for Pop:

1. Sparkling mineral water with fresh juice added to it which will have the zing of pop.
   
2. Sparkling mineral water with slices of lemon or lime and a few drops of Stevia.
   
3. Lemon or Lime or Orange Water: Put three slices in a pitcher full of water and leave for an hour and it will be gently flavoured water. One of the benefits is that it will ALKALIZE the water
   
4. Water flavoured with pure fruit juice.
   
5. Lemonade made with fresh lemon juice and Stevia to taste.
   
6. Herbal teas sweetened with stevia. My favorite is Fortune Delight tea from Sunrider. It tastes great and lemon, raspberry, peach, plain and cinnamon.
   

Feel free to share your comments below and to pass this information onto others.

I love nuts and seeds and think I must have been a bird in a past life. :)  This is a post that will continually be added to.

Nuts & Seeds Nutrition

We are going to start with a couple of my favorites Almonds and Pumpkin Seeds.

Almonds

Most mornings I add about 12 almonds to my breakfast and enjoy them so much. Almonds are thought to have originated in western Asia and North Africa; they have been written about in many historical texts, including the Bible.

9 Benefits of Almonds: 

• nutrient-dense food
• packed with protein; almonds are 13 percent protein
• lots of minerals such as magnesium, copper
• B vitamins
• full of potassium, calcium, phosphorus and iron
• cholesterol free.
• one-ounce serving of almonds contains about the same amount of antioxidants as a serving of broccoli
• one of the best food sources of vitamin E, with about one third of the daily value per ounce
• heart-healthy with monounsaturated fat; one-quarter cup of almonds contains about 18 grams of fat, 11 grams is heart-healthy monounsaturated fats

According to research at the University of Toronto, eating heart-healthy foods, including almonds, can help reduce LDL, or the "bad" cholesterol levels, as much as a first-line "statin" drug.

Research at Tufts University found the flavonoids in almond skins work in synergy with the vitamin E in to protect artery walls from damage reducing the risk of heart disease.

Pumpkin Seeds

I love Pumpkin seeds which I add to my meals. Pumpkins, and their seeds, were an important Native American Indian food used for their dietary and medicinal properties.

9 Benefits of Pumpkin Seeds:

• have lots of minerals: phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, zinc, iron & copper.
• are a good source of protein and vitamin K.
• contain phytosterols, compounds that that have been shown to reduce levels of LDL cholesterol.
• are good for Prostate Health! The oil in them alleviates difficult urination that happens with an enlarged prostate.
• according to studies, they prevent calcium oxalate kidney stone formation.
• contains L-tryptophan, which helps with good sleep and lowering depression
• as they are high in zinc, they are a natural protector against osteoporosis. Low intake of zinc is linked to higher rates of osteoporosis.
• reduce inflammation for arthritis without the side effects of anti-inflammatory drugs
• used in many cultures as a natural treatment for tapeworms and other parasites 

In a study of almost 400 men (age from 45-92) published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition they found a correlation between low dietary intake of zinc, low blood levels of the trace mineral, and osteoporosis at the hip and spine. 

SPROUTING NUTS & SEEDS

Raw nuts or seeds can have a bitter taste; this is due to enzyme inhibitors. Soaking or roasting the nuts and seeds remove the enzyme inhibitors which then brings out the natural sweet flavor of the nuts and seeds.

These inhibitors can affect the digestion of the nuts and seeds.  Soaking removes the inhibitors by washing them away, and begins the digestion of the proteins and carbohydrates.  Also the soaking removes 30% of the oil content making nuts and seeds easier on the liver and digestion. 

Directions: 

1. Look over nuts and seeds; remove stones and broken seeds.

2. Rinse nuts or seeds.

3. Put each type of seed or nut in individual jars then cover with purified water, leave the lid off and soak for right amount of time; see below.

4. Drain and put lid on and store in the fridge. Use them up in two to three days.

5. When ready, rinse nuts or seeds. Store in refrigerator, in sprouting environment or in other suitable container until ready to use. If not used within 12 hours, seeds should be serviced (rinsed) every 24 hours in refrigerator. Best to eat as soon as possible, as freshness is what makes sprouts special!

Almonds: Soak 8-12 hours. Use only unblanched almonds. If refrigerated will last up to 4 days or sprouts may turn rancid. These are my favorite! Note: All US almonds have been heated so make sure the ones you buy are from Europe.

Pumpkin Seeds:  Soak 6-8 hours. Eat within 2 days. Use hulled pumpkin seeds.

Sunflower Seeds: Soak 6-9 hours. Use hulled sunflower. Skim off seed skins when rinsing as they will make your sprouts spoil quickly. Best to eat them the same day or within 2 days.

  

Blueberries have more antioxidants than any other popular fruit which helps prevent cancer, diabetes, age-related memory loss and are anti-inflammatory.  They are also rich in potassium, fibre, and vitamins A & C.

"Inflammation is a key driver of all chronic diseases, so blueberries have a host of benefits," says Ann Kulze, MD, of Charleston, S.C.

Interesting Fact: The paint the Shakers used for the wood work on their houses was made from sage blossoms, indigo, blueberry skins & mixed in milk.

 

 

BERRY BASE

Ingredients:
1 – 2 apples
2 cups berries (blue berries, blackberries, Saskatoons, currants or strawberries)
Stevia – light liquid (Sunny Dew is best)

Directions:
1. Core and slice apples.
2. Simmer apples with a few spoons of water in a covered pot.
3. Mix in berries and simmer a few minutes.
4. Sweeten to taste with stevia.
5. Place berry/apple mixture in a baking dish

CRUMBLE TOPPING

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups rice flour or whole wheat flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 tsp. salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
1/4 tsp Stevia – light liquid (Sunny Dew is best)

Directions:
1. Mix dry ingredients together
2. Mix oil, stevia and honey and add to dry ingredients.
3. Mix thoroughly.
4. Sprinkle on top of fruit
5. Bake at 350º F. oven for approximately 40 minutes.

Oatmeal Nutrition:

• Oats have lots of manganese, are a very good source of selenium, vitamin B1, dietary fiber, magnesium, protein & phosphorus.
• 1 bowl of oatmeal a day (3 grams of soluble oat fiber) typically lowers total cholesterol by 8-23%.