5 Essential Vitamins We Need Daily

“It's no coincidence that four of the six letters in health are "heal." ”~ Ed Northstrum

Here is the list of essential vitamins that we need daily. They perform essential functions to keep us fit and healthy. Are you getting enough?

B12

Health Benefits:
Vitamin B12 is used in making DNA, the building block of genes,
and in maintaining healthy nerve and red blood cells.

Recommended Daily Amount (RDA):
2.4 micrograms a day for people 14 and older provides all the
body needs; although some researchers have argued that a daily
intake of 6 micrograms would ensure absorption.

Best Food Sources:
B12 is bound to protein, so foods like meat, fish, eggs and dairy
products like yogurt and milk are the principal sources.

Vitamin C

Health Benefits:
Researchers have long known that vitamin C is an essential
building block of collagen, the structural material for bone,
skin, blood vessels and other tissue.

Recommended Daily Amount (RDA):
The current recommended daily intake for men is 90 mg and for
women it is 75 mg. The body can only absorb a maximum of about
400 milligrams a day.

Best Food sources:
Virtually everything in the produce section including oranges,
green bell peppers, strawberries, broccoli, cantaloupe and
tomatoes, turnip greens, sweet potatoes and okra.

Vitamin D

Health Benefits:
Early on, most of the concern focused on bones, since vitamin D,
working along with calcium, helps build and maintain them.

Recommended Daily Amount (RDA):
Official recommendations now call for 200 IU for children and 600
IU for people over 71, with other groups falling somewhere
between.

Best Food sources:
We rely on fortified milk and breakfast cereals to get most of
our dietary vitamin D. Apart from a few kinds of fish, including
herring and sardines, there aren't many natural food sources,
which leaves supplements and direct sunlight.

Vitamin E

Health Benefits:
Scientists have not yet discovered all of vitamin E's importance
to our health, but they know that it plays a vital role in immune
function, DNA repair, fight free radicals, red blood cells
formation and vitamin K absorption.

Recommended Daily Amount (RDA):
The RDA in men and women is 23 IU, or 15 milligrams, and because
many E-rich foods come from nuts and oils, some low-fat diets may
be inadequate in vitamin E.

Best Food sources:
Vitamin E can be found in wheat germ oil. Sunflower seeds, cooked
spinach, almonds, safflower oil and hazelnuts.

Vitamin K

Health Benefits:
Vitamin K is used by the body to produce an array of different
proteins. Some of them are used to create factors that allow
blood to coagulate—critical in stemming bleeding and allowing
cuts and wounds to heal.

Recommended Daily Amount (RDA):
The current recommended daily intake of vitamin K is 90
micrograms for women and 120 for men. Luckily, vitamin K
deficiency is extremely uncommon.

Best Food Sources:
Vitamin K can be found in spinach, broccoli, asparagus, kale,
arugula, green leaf lettuce, soybean oil, canola oil, olive oil
and tomatoes.

EAT WELL... BE WELL!

6 “Must Eat” Essential Nutrients & Minerals

“The scientific truth may be put quite briefly; eat moderately, having an ordinary mixed diet, and don't worry. ~ Robert Hutchison, 1932”

Eating nutritionally every day is not only health but life-saving. Our bodies are highly evolved complex interactive systems producing and consuming energy to keep our mind, body, and spirit healthy and fit. In order to keep our bodies in good health and operating at peak performance, there are many essential vitamins and minerals we need. Among the essential nutrients and minerals we need daily are:

Beta Carotene

Health Benefits:
Our body converts the nutrient, beta carotene, into vitamin A, which is essential for healthy vision, immune function and cell growth. It also acts as a powerful antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals.

Recommended Daily Amount:
Presently, there's no RDA for beta carotene. But eating too much can add a yellowish tinge to your skin.

Best Food Sources:
Beta Carotene can be found in orange vegetables and fruits (such as: papaya, mango) and in dark green vegetables. Eat plenty of both weekly to meet your vitamin A needs and reap beta carotene's powerful antioxidant benefits.

Chromium

Health Benefits:
Chromium is required by the body for the process that turns food into usable energy, helping insulin prime cells to take up glucose. Chromium may be important to people with type 2 diabetes. It may help them control their blood sugar and may play a role in the management of adult-onset diabetes. Low chromium levels may cause high cholesterol and a greater risk of developing coronary artery disease (CAD). Supplemental chromium may increase "good" (HDL) cholesterol and lower triglycerides and total cholesterol levels in people with high blood sugar and diabetes.

Recommended Daily Amount (RDA):
Once tauted as a muscle-building miracle pill recent studies have been very disappointing about claims of chromium being able to improve glucose metabolism, insulin resistance, weight loss, and cholesterol level; studies to date have been unable to substantiate these claims for large segments of the marketplace. However, the body still needs this essential nutrient to function properly. The daily recommended intake for adults is 50 to 200 mcg.

Best Food Sources:
Best sources of chromium are whole-grain breads and cereals, meat, nuts, prunes, raisins, beer and wine.

Potassium

Health Benefits:
Potassium is involved in almost every vital body process: maintaining blood pressure, heart and kidney function, muscle contraction, even digestion.

Recommended Daily Amount (RDA):
Surveys show that most Americans get less than half the recommended amounts of potassium, which is 4,700 milligrams (mg) daily for adults and teens.

Best Food sources:
Foods rich in potassium best eaten in their natural states, so be sure to choose whole, unprocessed foods as often as possible, especially fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy products, whole grains, fish and lean meats.

Magnesium

Health Benefits:
Often over looked, magnesium's importance is getting more attention. A recent Harvard study of almost 130,000 men and women reporting that those who consumed more magnesium in their diets were less likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Other studies show that it may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke. Magnesium is necessary for some of the body's most basic processes, magnesium triggers more than 300 biochemical reactions for the production of energy from the food we eat. It help make proteins in the body, maintains muscle and nerve function, sustains a steady heart rhythm, regulates blood pressure, and keeps bones and teeth strong.

Recommended Daily Amount (RDA):
Around 300 mg/day (women) and 350 mg/day (men), with the upper limit for supplemental magnesium at 350 mg.

Best Food sources:
The mineral magnesium is abundant in avocados, nuts and leafy greens including acorn squash, kiwi and almonds.

Folate/Folic Acid

Health Benefits:
Folate is necessary for the production of new cells, including red blood cells. Folate deficiency remains a major cause of spinal-cord defects in newborns.

Recommended Daily Amount (RDA):
Many dietitians recommend taking a multivitamin with 400 mcg of folic acid; 1,000 mcg per day is the safe upper limit for folic acid.

Best Food sources:
The best sources that are rich in folate include liver, dried beans and peas, spinach and leafy greens, asparagus and fortified cereals.

Zinc

Health Benefits: Zinc is essential to virtually every cell of the human body that ranges from keeping the immune system healthy to regulating testosterone. The metal is a micronutrient, one of 11 “trace” minerals that the body needs in very small amounts to maintain health. In the body, zinc binds to proteins, to help regulate many metabolic functions, including normal growth, tissue repair and wound healing, various functions of the immune system, and in the senses of taste and smell.

Recommended Daily Amount (RDA):
The recommended dietary intake for men is 11 mg/day, for women 8 mg/day.

Best Food sources:
Zinc is present in many foods. Zinc can be found in oysters other shellfish, cooked beef tenderloin, turkey, chickpeas, roast chicken leg, pumpkin seeds, cooked pork
tenderloin, plain low-fat yogurt, wheat germ, tofu, dry roasted cashews and Swiss cheese. In addition good amounts of zinc are also present in the bran of many grains, nuts, legumes, and red meats.

Note: I can highly recommend Omaha Steak products, we've ordered their products for years. Great quality, superb taste, and excellent customer service.

(Source: MSN Slideshow 11 Featured Nutrients: Why You Need Them )

EAT WELL... BE WELL!

Natural Warriors That Fight High LDL Cholesterol Levels

“In order to change we must be sick and tired of being sick and tired.” ~ Unknown

High cholesterol levels in proving to be a real and serious hazard to our healthy living quest. The offending culprit, LDL cholesterol, is the bad “evil twin” to the good HDL cholesterol which is very good for us.

Our high cholesterol problem can be traced directly to that harmful malcontent, “trans fat” that wormed itself into our diets thanks to food manufacturers looking to increase their profits by substituting natural wholesome food ingredients with cheap artificial junk made in laboratories. Yecch!

And the really disgusting aspect of this mess is that trans fats have NO nutritional value at all. And the only purpose they served was as a “bulk filler” to fool us into believing that we were getting real food and true volume in whatever we were eating. So for example, if you were eating a 5 oz hamburger, only 2 to 3 ounces was real beef.; the rest was trans fat. So when you start peeling the onion, it like we were eating consumable silly putty favored to taste like beef. Yecch! Yecch!

The problem arose when that with cheap artificial junk made in labs, could NOT be metabolized (absorbed and burned-up) as energy by our bodies. So that trans fat just stayed stuck in our arteries and veins, clogging-up our systems making us sick and fat!

NATURAL FOOD WARRIORS BEAT HIGH LDL LEVELS
It’s no secret that high cholesterol levels lead to an onslaught of serious more serious diseases, such a heart problems, strokes, obesity, poor circulation and fatigue. The cholesterol problem is totally out of control and it’s a national health crisis. There’s no argument that our high, bad LDL cholesterol levels need be lowered -- dramatically and quickly. Why? Because the higher your HDL cholesterol, the lower your risk of heart disease. Doctors at the Mayo Clinic says it is just as important to raise good HDL cholesterol levels as it is to lower bad LDL levels. According to research findings clearly show:

WHAT IS CHOLESTEROL, ANYWAY?
Cholesterol is a white waxy substance, vital for the human body as it helps form cell membranes, various hormones, bile salts and vitamin D.

High-density lipoproteins. HDL, or "good," cholesterol picks up excess cholesterol in your blood and takes it back to your liver for disposal. The higher your HDL cholesterol, the less bad cholesterol you'll have in your blood.

Doctors are writing lots of prescriptions and drug companies are making huge profits from selling us drugs that lower high LDL cholesterol levels.

But thank goodness there are natural foods that are proven warriors that can effectively and consistently lower high, bad LDL cholesterol levels. Mother Nature rides in on her trusty steed with a battalion of whole natural foods that we can eat that will lower our bad cholesterol levels and help in restoring healthy to our bodies.

Lisa Dorfman, a registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, says, “If you eat a predominantly plant-based diet—with lots of fruits and vegetables plus some fish—you are on the right track to keeping your cholesterol at a healthy level.” Indeed, there are superfoods that we can eat plenty of that deliver a “one-two, knock-out punch” to bad cholesterol while boosting our good HDL cholesterol levels.

The general-rule-of-thumb is that you want to keep your total cholesterol level under 200, with LDL (the bad one) under 110 and HDL (the good one) greater than 35;’ notes source article author, Sally Wadyka for MSN Health & Fitness. The Mayo Clinic suggests that both men and women could benefit greatly by have HDL levels of 50+ mg/dl. If your not sure what your current cholesterol level is, ask your doctor for a baseline cholesterol test which will tell you where you are and were you need to head to get on the right track.

So what are the “superfoods” that fight high levels of LDL cholesterol and help us maintain healthy levels of total cholesterol levels?

SUPER FOODS THAT FIGHT BAD LDL CHOLESTEROL LEVELS
Several scientific clinical studies have proven the value and effectiveness of these foods in lower bad LDL levels and/or increase good HDL levels.

• Almonds: Studies have found that eating just a quarter cup of almonds a day can lower your LDL by 4.4 percent, according to dietitian Leslie Bonci, who is also the director of sports nutrition at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
  
  
• Oatmeal: Gives you great results due to the high level of soluble fiber contains oatmeal. “The soluble fiber binds to the bile acids that are the precursor to the development of cholesterol and help flush it out.” explains Bonci.
  
  
• “Fish: Omega-3 fatty acids are widely considered to be the best of the “good” fats, and the best place to find them is in fish — especially fatty fishes like salmon, halibut and tuna. According to Dorfman of the ADA, you want to get 1.5 to 3 grams per day of omega-3. A 4-ounce piece of salmon will give you close to 3 grams, and you can also get these fatty acids from walnuts and flaxseed (two tablespoons of flaxseed provides 3.5 grams) and in fish oil supplements.”
  
  
• “Red wine: Not everything that’s good for you has to feel virtuous. A glass of red wine, which contains flavanols (also found in red grape juice and dark cocoa), has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties that may help lower cholesterol and stave off heart disease. But in this case, more is definitely not better. “For women, the recommendation is one drink a day and for men it’s two,” says Bonci. More than that will, literally, dilute any potential benefits.”
  
  
• Soy Products:Like soybeans, soy nuts, and edamame beans, natto (the green vegetable form of soybeans), “plus any products made from soy (like tofu, soymilk, etc.) can help to reduce the production of new cholesterol. A little can go a long way—aim for about 25 grams of soy protein a day (the amount in a cup of edamame). Note: The debate about how much soy a woman should consume, continues on. For those who are at an increased risk of breast or prostate cancer may want to skip it since too much of soy’s phyto-estrogens can act similarly to the body’s own estrogen (which has been shown to feed some hormone-dependent tumors).
  

Foods to avoid or greatly reduce consumption of because they are bad for your cholesterol levels include: whole-milk dairy products, processed meats such as, bacon, sausages, and most deli meats), processed baked goods, and tropical oils (like palm and coconut oils).””

The Take Away: You can safely take control of your cholesterol levels by eating more of those foods that have scientific evidence for lowering bad LDL cholesterol levels and increasing good HDL cholesterol numbers. Lowering your cholesterol can lower your risks for heart disease and other chronic illnesses.

Note: If you don't know what your cholesterol level is, you can test and track your own cholesterol level at home with a self-help home testing kit.

(Source: Cholesterol: Five foods that fight it and five that feed it.)


EAT WELL... BE WELL!
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Lowering Blood Pressure: Omega 3s Help!

“The... patient should be made to understand that he or she must take charge of his own life. Don't take your body to the doctor as if he were a repair shop. ~ Quentin Regestein ”

New study finds fatty acids have small, but important effect on hypertension
Eating a diet rich in liberal servings of fish, nuts and seeds containing
omega-3 fatty acids nutrients can help lower a person’s blood pressure

According to Dr. Jeremiah Stamler, professor emeritus of preventive medicine
at Northwestern University in Chicago, who worked on the study, there is an
alarming trend taking place, “a large percentage of people between ages 20
and 60 have a rise in blood pressure, and by middle age many have high blood
pressure.” In order to stem this tide, “We’re looking at dietary factors
that may help prevent that rise, and omega-3 fatty acids are a small, but
important piece of the action,” Stamler said.

THE STUDY
The study accessed the relationship between diet and blood pressure in over 4,500 men and women, ages 40 to 59, who lived in Japan, China, Britain and the United States.

Researchers adjusted for 17 variables known to influence blood pressure such as age, gender, weight, salt intake and exercise based on the in-depth details provided about their diets and alcohol consumption, gave urine samples and had their blood pressure measured twice at each of four study visits.


THE RESULTS
The people who ate diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids had slightly lower blood pressure, on average, than people who ate diets with less of the nutrient, the researchers reported in the American Heart Association Journal Circulation.

In a statement, Dr. Ueshima, who also worked on the study, said,
“With blood pressure, every millimeter counts. The effect of each nutrient is apparently small but independent, so together they can add up to a substantial impact on blood pressure.

If you can reduce blood pressure a few millimeters from eating less salt, losing a few pounds, avoiding heavy drinking, eating more vegetables, whole grains and fruits (for their fiber, minerals, vegetable protein and other nutrients) and getting more omega-3 fatty acids, then you’ve made a big difference.”

The researchers published their findings in the June 2007 issue of American Heart Association Journal Circulation.

(Article Source MSN: Omega-3s can lower blood pressure)

EAT WELL... BE WELL!

Health Tip: Drink Lots of Water & Cool Your Body Down

“Look to your health; and if you have it, praise God, and value it next to a good conscience; for health is the second blessing that we mortals are capable of; a blessing that money cannot buy.” ~ Izaak Walton

Now that the warmer, hotter weather is shining our way, it's important to remember to drink plenty of water when you're out and about, walking in the sun, chillin' on the beach, playing sports, exercising, or performing virtually any activity that causes you to sweat and lose bodily fluids. In the warmer weather, this may mean that we have to increase the amount of water we consume.

For those of us who break into a sweat at the up-tick of an eyebrow, making sure we replenish our losed body fluids, often, is essential to prevent dehydration or worst, heat stroke. But even if you're not breaking a sweat, it's stil crucial to drink enough water.

According to scientists at Northwestern Health Sciences University we need water in order to:

• Regulate body temperature.
  
• Carry nutrients to cells and tissues throughout the body.
  
• Improve digestion.
  
• Remove wastes and toxins from the body.
  

Your Body Is Approximately 75% Water!

Water is crucial to every function of our body... I'm talking the whole enchilada all body fluids, not only blood but also the digestive juices, bile, lymphs, perspiration and bodily wastes. It acts as a lubricant preventing friction between moving parts of the body. Even the eye needs water to function. Through evaporation from the lungs or perspiration from the skin, water regulates our internal body temperature.

Water Is The Key To All Bodily Functions

Water is needed for Circulation... Assimilation... Digestion... Elimination... and ...Temperature Control.

• Water helps maintain proper muscular tone and prevents dehydration
  
• Water helps make the skin clear, healthy looking and resilient
  
• Water helps rid the body of waste and relieves constipation
  
• Water increases energy levels
  
• Water also suppresses the appetite naturally and helps the body metabolize stored fat
  
• Water is the key to any weight reduction plan
  
• Water helps maintain body weight, function and good health
  

(Source: Yahoo's HealthDay News)

EAT WELL... BE WELL!

Visit our Mind 2 BodyHealth Shoppe

“There is something of the marvelous in all things of nature.” ~ Aristotle

Hope your Memorial Day Holiday was wonderful! Just a quick note to tell you about our new Mind 2 Body Health eStore hosted by Amazon.com that great online resource. Our Shoppe is officially opened for business! Stop by... browse... and feed your health well.

Our Mind 2 Body Health Shoppe will feature many of the great health foods and products that we talk about and recommend in our blog articles. We hope you will find this service a real convenience and a viable resource as you follow-through on your commitment to eat healthy.

We'll be regularly adding new products that can assist you in your health quest.
Rememer... You are what you eat! and Eat healthy to Stay healthy! If there is a special food or product that you'd like to see use offer, post a comment below.


You can visit our Mind 2 Body Health Shoppe by clicking here:Mind 2 Body Health Shoppe

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Super Food: QUINOA ~ The Perfect Food

“ God heals, and the doctor takes the fee.” ~ Benjamin Franklin

Another ancient food proves it's invaluable to our well-being and a great tasting eat! Quinoa [pronounced KEEN-wa] has been recently "discovered" by Western cultures and is now both fashionable in the culinary and healthy eating worlds. Quinoa is a low carb, high protein grain that has grown for many thousands of years in the mountains of South America. A plant native to the Andes region of Peru and Chile and cultivated for its seeds and leaves, which are ground and eaten. It's been a major crop in the Andes mountains since 3,000 B.C. for the Incas and their descendents even today.

Quinoa is the “mother earth grain.” This comfort food is highly nutritionally dense with vitamins, proteins, amino acids, minerals, and fiber, basic to our survival. A cup of quinoa is very low in calories and saturated fat...

• Quinoa 1 cup (160g)
  
• Calories: 636
  
• Protein: 22.3g
  
• Carbohydrate: 117g
  
• Fiber: 10g
  
• (*Source:PPC Natural Markets: Health Notes - Quinoa)

*Additionally, Quinoa is low in sodium and an excellent source of: Iron (15.7 mg) Magnesium (357 mg) Potassium (1258mg); and Good Source: Calcium (102mg). And it also contains essential omega-3 fatty acids (also found in fish, flax seeds, walnuts, and canola oil), which provide benefit to the heart.

...while jammed-packed with the following GOOD Suff:

A half cup of quinoa has approximately 374 calories, 13 grams of protein, and six grams of fat, but less than one gram of saturated fat. Significant vitamins include B6, niacin, riboflavin, and thiamin; other minerals include copper, magnesium, manganese, potassium, and zinc.

*Note: Foods that are an "excellent source" of a particular nutrient should provide 20% of more of the RDV (recommended daily value). Foods that are "good source" of a particular nutrient provide 10% to 20% of the RDV.

Quinoa is a powerful antioxidant food that we should be eating more of.

OKAY, IT'S GOOD FOR YOU... BUT HOW DOES IT TASTE?
Like all comfort foods, quinoa is a very flexible food that you can "hook-it-up" to suit your taste-buds. It can be eaten as a main course, a side dish or dessert. Quinoa has a nutty flavor, a texture similar to wild rice... You can used in soups, pasta, salads and cereals, and is often blended with corn and with oats. Its flour blends well with wheat flour or corn meal for bread and biscuits. Quinoa is high in protein and has a high Omega 3 oil content compared to other grains.

QUINOA - THE PERFECT FOOD?
Nutritionally, quinoa is virtually the perfect food -- for human consumption because of its perfectly balanced amino acid composition. In fact, almost the entire plant can be eaten; including its grains, leaves and flower. It has a high content of calcium, phosphorus, and iron and is low in sodium. Wheat is the only cereal grain that comes close to matching quinoa's protein content.

"Like soybeans, quinoa is high in lysine, an amino acid often lacking in vegetable products. Quinoa also has a good amount of methionine and cystine, making it a perfect compliment for legumes, which are low in these essential amino acids."

Quinoa is now being considered as a potential crop for NASA's Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS). The CELSS concept will utilize plants to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and generate food, oxygen, and water for the crew of long-term human space missions. While the seeds of quinoa are considered to be the edible form of the plant, the leaves and sprouts can also be eaten raw or cooked and provide a substantial amount of nutritive value.

HOW DO YOU FIX IT & WHEN DO YOU FIND IT?
"As for preparation, the simplest way is to cook quinoa like pasta: Fill a large pot or saucepan with water, and bring it to a boil. Add just about any amount of quinoa, turn the heat to low, and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the water and allow the quinoa to cool."

Quinoa has a tasty nutty flavor that cooks up quicker than rice, and can be used to make pilafs, risottos, salads, soups, and even desserts. Given it growing popularity, you can also find quinoa products as pasta, cold cereals, cookies, and organic snack bars.

Note: Bulk, raw Quinoa has an protective outer shell, call saponin, that is sticky and bitter; this must be throughly washed off BEFORE you cook it.

Where you find quinoa? Typically, you can locate quinoa in the rice aisle of your grocery store or at your favorite health-food section. It comes prepackaged and in-bulk. You can also visit our Our Amazon Health Shoppe to purchase quinoa and other products featured in our blog.

You can read this aricle for more information and recipes.
Perfect Day Of Eating

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Super Foods: Barley, Broccoli Sprouts, & Kefir

“Health is my expected heaven.” ~ John Keats

Super Foods -- those humble, peasant foods that we thought we out-grew in our post-modern living, have revealed themselves as foods that we cannot live without. They are indeed, Mother Nature's gift to us and we'd be wise and smart to start adding as many of these incredible healing foods to our daily diet as possible.

• Barley: Lowers Bad Cholesterol by 17% & Decreases
  Blood Sugar/Insulin Levels
  
  Reduce Your Bad Cholesterol: When some whole grains, such as wheat and oats, are processed, they lose their fiber content. Not so with barley, which is full of soluble beta-glucan fiber in its whole kernel or refined flour form. Studies show this particular fiber may:
  
  
  Lower bad cholesterol by as much as 17.4%, according to USDA research.
  
  
  A 2004 study found that adults with moderately high cholesterol levels who went on a low-fat American Heart Association diet began to see an improvement only when barley was added to the menu.
  
  Other Nutritional Facts: Hulled Barley is the most nutritional as it is an excellent source of dietary fibre, B-vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin and niacin and protein. Barley also has a high concentration of total tocals - these are the compounds that reduce the production of LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol). They are also natural antioxidants that help to neutralize free radicals, which may reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. The soluble fibre in barley flour may help regulate blood glucose levels in Type 2 diabetics.
  
  Decrease Blood sugar and Insulin LevelsThat makes barley a better choice for people with type 2 diabetes, says a 2005 Agricultural Research Services study.
  
  
  
• Broccoli Sprouts: Kills tumors... Protects your heart.. &
  Saves your sight
  
  WOW! Broccoli sprouts rock. Broccoli sprouts which are baby broccoli, are even better in their nutritional value and health benefit than their big sister. Broccoli sprounts,when 3 days old, contain at least 20 times as much of disease-fighting sulforaphane glucosinolate (SGS) as their elders; SGS has been shown to:
  
  
  Kill tumors: The chemical triggers enzymes in the body that either kill cancer cells or keep them from growing. Just 1 ounce of sprouts has as much SGS as 1 1/4 pounds of broccoli. That'll save you lots of chewing.
  
  
  Protect your heart: People who ate about a half cup a day of sprouts lowered their total cholesterol by an average of 15 points, and women in the study raised their good cholesterol by 8 points—in just 1 week, found a Japanese pilot study.
  
  
  Save your sight: Exposure to UV sunlight over time may lead to an eye condition called macular degeneration, which is the number one cause of blindness in US seniors. Researchers at Johns Hopkins determined that broccoli sprouts can protect retinal cells from ultraviolet light damage.
  
  
  
  
• Kefir: This cultured milk drink stacks up in calcium—one 8-ounce serving contains 30% of the recommended daily intake—and contains more beneficial bacteria than yogurt. It may also:
  
  
  Reduce food allergies: Baby mice fed kefir had a threefold reduction in the amount of an antibody linked to food allergies, say researchers at an agricultural university.
  
  
  
  Battle breast cancer: Women age 50 and older who consumed fermented milk products had a lower risk than those who ate little or none.
  
  
  
  Avoid triggering lactose intolerance:Kefir contains lactase, the enzyme that people with lactose intolerance are missing, say researchers at Ohio State University. And the taste? Like plain yogurt, just a little thinner.
  
  
  Superfoods offer incredible health benefits. I encourage you to add as many of these superfoods to your diet daily. Some may be easier to incorporate when you cook at home, others you can order from the menu when you're dining out. Search the Web for tasty dishes and ideas to eat more superfoods.
  (Source: MSN andPrevention)
  

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Proof! Eating Healthy Works REAL Wonders.

“Half the costs of illness are wasted on conditions that could be prevented.”
~~ Dr. Joseph Pizzorno, author: “Total Wellness”

Boston Community Losses Weight and gets healthier in the process. This is a great example of what a committed community can achieve when everyone actively participates in making healthy eating a lifetime choice.

Somerville, Mass. shows us how to reduce obesity levels by making small but conscious choices in the foods we choose to eat. What The whole city of Somerville did was to go on a diet to curb childhood obesity. They added more fruits and vegetables to school lunches; local restaurants offered smaller portions; and crosswalks even got a fresh coat of paint to encourage walking and biking. And researchers say it worked.

Tufts University nutrition experts found public school children in this Boston suburb avoided gaining about a pound of excess weight compared with their 8-year-old counterparts in two nearby communities.

Ten year-old Kayla, one of the students participating in the school program, feels the difference and is feeling better. She says “I always got tired when I walked home. Since I have been eating more healthier foods at school, I just feel so excited, and I walk home and I never get tired.” The fourth-grader who gave up snacking on milk and cookies after school in favor of fruit or carrots and dip.

The results this community of 77,000 residents achieved are impressive and inspirational to the rest of us.

Read more of this real life experience and learn how easy and effective making small changes in what we eat can make a huge difference in how well we are. Boston suburb goes on a diet, slims kids (Source: MSN) You'll gain tips, ideas, and strategies that will work for you and your family too.

EAT HEALTHY... BE WELL!

More Super Foods to Keep You Healthy

“When health is absent, wisdom cannot reveal itself, art cannot manifest, strength cannot fight, wealth becomes useless, and intelligence cannot be applied.” ~ Herophilus

As food research continues to discover and explore the medicinal benefits of foods, we will be able to make wiser and healthier choices in our meal selections. Here are some more foods that do more than just taste good. The superfoods featured below have clearly demonstrated that they can provide healing and wellness benefits that help us keep healthy.

• Pomegranates: Fight Alzheimer's disease and Guard your arteries
  
  Offers counterpunch to Alzheimer's disease... Researchers at Loma Linda University, CA. found that mice who drank pomegranate juice experienced 50% less brain degeneration than animals that consumed only sugar water. The pomegranate drinkers also did better in mazes and tests as they aged.
  

  
  ...And Artery Protection: Israeli researchers discovered that a group of diabetics who drank about 2 ounces of pomegranate juice a day for 3 months kept their bodies from absorbing bad cholesterol into their immune system cells (a major contributing factor to hardened arteries.
  
  

• Cranberries: Eradicate E. coli and Help prevent strokes
  
  This American beauty is already known for its health benefits in curing urinary infections but You know it helps treat urinary tract infection, and you might have heard that it prevents gum disease, and is a powerful anti-cancer fighter. But did you know that these little berries provide more beneficial healing properties?
  

  
  Cranberries may be helpful in Eradicating E. coli. Compounds in the juice can actually alter antibiotic-resistant strains, making it impossible for the harmful bacteria to trigger an infection. A small pilot study from Harvard Medical School and Rutgers University found that eating about 1/3 cup of dried cranberries yielded the same effect.
  

  
  And, cranberries can Help prevent strokes. Research on pigs with a genetic predisposition to atherosclerosis—narrow, hardened arteries that may lead to heart attack and stroke—found that those fed dried cranberries or juice every day had healthier, more flexible blood vessels.
  
  

• Kiwi: Protect against free radical damage and Lower blood-clot risk
  
  Rutgers University compared the 27 most popular fruits we like to eat and determined that kiwifruit was the most nutritionally dense and protected the body from free radicals. Plus, it makes the short list of fruits with substantial amounts of vitamin E, and contains more vision-saving lutein than any other fruit or vegetable, except for corn; making it an excellent anti-oxidant source for fighting free radical damages.
  
  

  In addition, it Lower blood-clot risk as discovered in a 2004 study from the University of Oslo in Norway, participants who ate two or three kiwis for 28 days significantly reduced their potential to form a clot. They also got a bonus benefit: Their triglycerides, a blood fat linked to heart attack, dropped by 15%.
  

These superfoods pack a powerful, healthy wellness punch that can not only lower our risks for degenerative diseases like cancer, diabetes, heart disease and strokes, they can keep us fit to enjoy an active life at any age.Read this article to Learn More About these amazing Superfoods and read this informative book.

Eat healthy... Stay healthy!

Mom's Wisdom: Eat Your Veggies & Fruits...

“Happy Mother's Day to the world's moms and THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO! ”

... They're good for you, is so right-oh! Current research clearly shows that the more fruits, vegetables, bean, whole grains, and fish we eat the healthier we tend to be even as we get older. It's ironic that the superfoods we are being encouraged to eat more of today are the foods that have been around for millenia -- the basics -- filling our bellies and keeping us content.

Superfoods, offer health benefits beyond basic nutrition. They significantly add to our overall health and wellness levels and provide essential bio-natural elements that help our bodies functional normally. Wellness is the normal and natural state of our bodies. And eating natural, wholesome foods that have not be "doctored" with: transfats or having all of the nutrients stripped away is clearly what our bodies need. In fact, for us baby boomers, this was the food we grew up on and we want it back on our tables!

There is a growing trend among consumers for healthy, all-natural foods. Consumer surveys indicate that "about 83% of respondents said they're interested in learning more information about the relationships between foods, their ingredients and their impact on lowering disease risks and maintaining wellness. Women with children and the growing baby boomer population are most actively seeking more information about these foods and are adding them to their daily diets.

In light of growing health problems of heart disease, strokes, diabetes, and the slew of other dibilitating quality of life diseases, foods that can help us keep fit by lower the risks of these diseases is something we all need to eat more of.

Eat smart -- Stay healthy!

Super Food: Dark Chocolate Lowers Blood Pressure Part 2

“The art of medicine consists of amusing the patient while nature cures the disease.” ~ Voltaire

Reseach findings for a second clinical study released in April confirm the powerful medicinal healing elements of cocoa. Chocolate is a super healing food!

German researchers reported in April 2007 that foods rich in cocoa appear to reduce blood pressure. The drop in blood pressure among participants who consumed cocoa products for at least two weeks was in the same range as achieved by someone taking drugs commonly prescribed to control high blood pressure. This fact is huge and could have major implications for the millions of people taking medication for their high blood pressure. The fall in blood pressure credited to cocoa could be expected to reduce the risk of strokes and heart attacks by 10 percent to 20 percent, the report said.

Dark chocolate has beneficial properties to lower one’s blood pressure, but not drinking green and black tea, according to an analysis of previously published research in the Archives of Internal Medicine, published by the American Medical Association. Both cocoa and tea contain polyphenols, a class of chemicals known to help prevent cardiovascular disease, and are present in most fruits and vegetables. But cocoa has a different type than tea — procyanids — that appear to be more active.

Currently, patients with high blood pressure are urged to eat more fruits and vegetables, although cocoa and tea products account for the bulk of total polyphenol consumption in Western countries, the study said.

THE TAKE-AWAY:Research study author, Dirk Taubert of the University Hospital of Cologne, Germany, stated, “Don’t start gobbling up chocolate bars just yet, he cautions, rationally applied, cocoa products might be considered part of dietary approaches to lower hypertension risk.”

( Source: Dark Chocolate Lowers Blood Pressure)

EAT SMART...STAY HEALTHY!

Super Food: Dark Chocolate Fights Diseases Part 1

“In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.” ~ Aristotle

Women have always known that when they eat chocolate, they feel better! Well now, several scientific studies over the years have clearly demonstrated that chocolate, and in particular, dark chocolate has real health benefits and eating it not only taste good but is good for you.

Recent clincial reseach has show that dark chocolate is high in antioxidants that help fight free radicals in your body. Free radicals are known to be root causes of many degenerative diseases such as: heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure, and clogged blood vessels. These conditions have a cumulative serious negative consequences for our health as we get older. So whatever we can do to reverse these conditions enable us to live longer, enjoying an active, quality life-style.

Back in March 2007, trial investigators reported findings on a small clincal trial co-sponsored by Yale Prevention Reseach Center that: "In this sample of healthy adults, dark chocolate ingestion over a short period of time was shown to significantly improve (blood vessel) function," said Dr. Valentine Yanchou Njike of Yale Prevention Research Center, a co-investigator of the study.

    TRIAL RESULTS
   "During the six-week trial, 45 people were given 8    ounces (227 grams) of cocoa without sugar, cocoa    with sugar or a placebo each day. An upper arm    artery's ability to relax and expand to    accommodate increased blood flow — known as    flow mediated dilation (FMD) — was measured    using high-frequency ultrasound before and after    daily cocoa or placebo consumption.

Of the 39 subjects who completed the trial, FMD improved significantly in both cocoa groups —by 2.4 percent among those who had it without sugar and 1.5 percent among those who had it with sugar. It dropped 0.8 percent in the placebo group. (Source: Dark Chocolate Good for Blood Vessels)

The results, were presented at the annual American College of Cardiology scientific meeting in New Orleans, add to mounting evidence of the health benefits of dark chocolate.

THE TAKE-AWAY: Don't start wolfing down all the chocolate you can eat -- over-indulgence is neither good or healthy! Rather, continue to enjoy your chocolate treats in moderation, but switch to dark chocolate for the health benefits. Enjoy!

SuperFoods... Eat Your Fill To Be Healthier

You are what you EAT!

Super Foods… What Are They?

Foods that Nutrient-dense and rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, proteins, amino acids, and photo-nutrients, to name a few essential elements, that the body needs to be healthy and disease-free. Most of these foods have been around for millenium.

Although ancient wisdom has passed-down to us the collective knowledge that certain foods have far-reaching health benefits beyond their food essence, modern day science is now beginning to confirm scientifically what our ancestors INTUITIVELY knew. During the past several years the health and research communities have been revealing to us the healing science of our foods.

To be sure, healthy, whole-life living is NOT about dieting! It is about living life in balance using good habits and best practices that help you optimize YOUR life YOUR way. It is about choosing a lifestyle that is grounded in a mindset that consciously and consistently choices to eat healthy and do those things that nourish and support wellness.

As we settle into our comfort zone, we often forget that life is about change on a second- to-second basis. In living everyday is unique; today is different from yesterday and today will be different than tomorrow. Daily our bodies are continually in the process of renewing themselves on the cellular, muscular, skeletal, and mental levels. Everything must change and our life is change a change-agent. For most of us, our life is a reflection of the choices we have made; fortunately, we have the opportunity to make new choices for the life we want. “Do better to feel better to get better.”

What Foods Are Super Foods?

Among some of the key Super foods to eat more of include:

• Beans
  
• Blueberries
  
• Broccoli
  
• Dark Chocolate
  
• Garlic
  
• Oats
  
• Salmon
  
• Soy
  
• Spinach
  
• Tea (green or black)
  
• Tomatoes
  
• Turkey
  
• Nuts
  
• Whole Grains
  
• Spices: Cinnamon... Tumeric... Cumin
  

Learning about Superfoods and eating more of them will help us maximize the highest in-take of foods that help keep us well. To learn more about superfoods read this article. Super Foods - Everyone Needs Them

More Healthy Choices to Consider

Eating along will not keep a man well; he must also exercise. For food and exercise, while possessing opposite qualities, work together to produce health. ~ Hippocrates

More healthy food subsitutes to consider include:

• Brown Rice for white rice
  
• New Wheat Pasta varieties for regular pasta
  
• Bowl of Cherrios with 2%, 1%, or Soy milk for a buttered bagel or roll.
  

Remember, the more colorful your meals in terms of the color combinations of your food you're eating, the more healthier you're eating and the greater the nutritional benefits your body is absorbing. This is good and healthy eating at its best!

And while most foods: fish, vegetables, fruits, natural fruit juices, and lean meats, for example, are good for you, particularly when steamed, grilled, broiled, or baked, there are a group of food items that provide so much nutritional value and have proven success for reducing or eliminating harmful diseases, they are known as SUPER FOODS. We'll take a closer look at these foods and how eating them can really help us be healthier for the rest of our lives.

And of course, it is also important to live an active lifestyle to help keep us fit, energetic, and mobile. Remember exercise is an important component; and it need not be a daily rigorous or strenuous routine. If you walk, stretch, dance, or do yoga or tai chi you'll see real results with little efffort on your part.

The TAKE AWAY: What you choose to eat can and will have a dramatic impact on your wellness factor. And keep your body active to stay fit!

Little Changes in Eating Habits... Can Offer Big Health Benefits

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. ~ World Health Organization, 1948

It's no secret that many of us are struggling to find the right balance in our dietary habits that nuture best health while satisfying our taste buds. If we try to be all healthy in our eating, our taste buds complain and we dont't stick to eating healthy; and on the other hand, if we let our taste buds rule, our body complains and our health suffers. So what can we do to strike balanced and realistic chords that will encourage us to stay on the healthy side?

Make Conscious Substitutes that Cut Fat, Calories & Cholesterol...

... from our diets whenever we can so that we eat healthier, boost our nutritional in-take, and lower our unhealthy lifestyle risks. I know, your eyes are glazing over and you're saying to yourself, " no way is this going to work." Well, hold-on just a moment and consider this strategy:

• SUB: Olive-oil dressing for Creamy dressing
  
  Topping your salad with olive-oil dressing passing-up th creamy blue cheese or ranch will save you about 90 calories per two tablespoons. And you can save even more by using a reduced-fat olive-oil dressing; this saves a huge 120 calories per serving.
  
  
• SUB: Mustard, low-sodium soy sauce, salsa for Ketchup and mayonnaise
  
  Mayonnaise and ketchup add unwanted calories and sodium to your foods. Minimize calories while adding flavor and nutrition with mustard (ground style) and salsa, which contain antioxidants, and low-sodium soy sauce. And most of us plop on way to much of these condiments.
  
  
• SUB: Pomegranate or cranberry juice and club soda and or tea for Sugary fruit drinks
  
  Try club soda mixed 1:1 with a 100-percent fruit juice like pomegranate or cranberry both of which are loaded with the powerful cancer fighters anthocyanidins to save 50 calories per serving over a sugary fruit drink.
  

  
  

• SUB: Roasted chicken for Deli meats
  
  Buy a roasted chicken or turkey breast from the deli (without the skin) and use it instead of high-fat pastrami, salami, and other deli meats. If you store it in the meat/cheese drawer, it will stay fresh for one week.
  

These are just a few easy and smart choices you can make to help yourself stay on track to healhier, more nutritional eating. To learn more read this article: Easy to make Food Substitutes for Healthier Eating Eat healthier to have better health, the choice is up to you.

10 Foods Tough to Digest

There's lots of people in this world who spend so much time watching their health that they haven't the time to enjoy it. ~ Josh Billings

And you thought it was just because YOU were getting older; but as it turns out, there are some foods that are tough to eat... tough to chew... tough to swallow... and tough to digest. Note: Not everyone is affected by the digestive concerns

Let's take a closer look at some of our favorite foods that are tough to digest. And yes, they are some of our favorite eats. Here's the list:

Hard to Digest Foods:

• Fried chicken nuggets
  
• Spicy foods
  
• Chocolate binges
  
• Citrus fruit juices
  Mashed potatoes creamed with milk
  
• Raw onions
  
• Oh, not! Ice Cream
  
• Raw broccoli and raw cabbage
  
• Ligumes and beans
  
• Soritol found in sugar-free foods
  

To find out why they cause us digestive problems, read this MSN Health & Fitness article, 10 Hard to Digest Foods.

THE TAKE AWAY: Eating them in moderation and less frequently is advised. Other helpful tips include enjoying these foods cooked versus eating them raw, diluting them or mixing them with complementary foods, baking, broiling, or grilling instead of frying. Kermit, the frog is oh, so right, it's not easy being "green" or always eating healthy.

Here's to your sparkling health©.