I know, I know...the thought of 'food' still brings back memories of yesterday (Thanksgiving Day in the US) & that stuffed feeling many of us left the table with...
How appropriate (at least in my thinking) to have a quick refresher course in healthy foods--foods that have 'Anti-Aging' properties--to guide us in our eating choices during this most challenging time of year.
I have a goal of eating healthy at least 75% of the time, realizing that it's a 'real world' out there, with time crunches...holiday get-togethers with few if any 'healthy eating choices'...and the whole Christmas baking/cookies arena... :o)
Keep this list in mind when grocery shopping, eating out, and preparing menus & meals for the week (if you're one of those organized people I'm jealous of!).
->Fresh fruits & vegetables: Keep handy in the fridge or basket on the counter for healthy munching options. Get organic if possible--be sure to include dark green veggies!. The nutrients in fresh fruits & veggies are huge in keeping you healthy & slowig the aging process.
->Whole grains, nuts & beans: These will keep your fiber intake up, along with providing great protein, minerals and essential fatty acids (EFA's).
->Cultured foods: Good quality yogurt, kefir (like drinkable yogurt--very good!), miso (soup), & tempeh are in this category. They help keep your digestive system working as it should, which keeps your immune system strong (the good bacteria/bad bacteria benefits--see past blog from 7/26/09).
->Sea greens: These are amazing 'superfoods of the ocean' that are loaded with protein, vitamins, minerals chlorophyll, enzymes, fiber...and are very helpful in regulating thyroid function. You can buy the dried version of them & 'get used' to them by crumbling a few on green salads & adding to soups. I'll post a blog about Sea greens in the near future as well.
->Fish & fresh seafood: Choose ones with lower mercury levels & ecofriendly, like cod, halibut, pollock, salmon... (http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=15890 This website gives a great listing of good fish/seafood choices). Fish & seafood are a great protein source, with many of them a great source of essential fatty acids (EFA's) as well.
->Whole grain pasta & rice: A great source of complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins (esp. B vits) & iron. There are many 'brown rice' options to choose from---they have so much flavor!
->'Good' fats (monounsaturated): Our bodies need small amounts of healthy fats each day...olive oil, peanut oil, almonds, avocados & pumpkin seeds are some great sources of 'good fat.'
->Filtered, pure water: (I know...water is not a FOOD, but it is THAT important!) Drinking at least 8 8-oz glasses/day is a good start. An more precise guideline for water consumption is drinking half your body weight in ounces/day. I weigh 140lb, so I should drink at least 70 oz/day (about 9 8-oz glasses). Being well-hydrated has a powerful effect on your entire body, not to mention providing energy & a greater sense of well-being. For information on the various types of water & how they affect our bodies, check out my blog post from June 10th.
Here's to a Healthy & Joy-Filled Christmas Season...so we can all start out the New Year on the right foot (instead of the 'I wish I hadn't eaten so much over Christmas' foot!)
Blessings on your health...
Sana
Friday, November 27, 2009
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
What A Strong Immune System? Mushrooms To The Rescue!
I'm still working on a regular study routine---I admit it's still pretty random at present, but I'm getting it done. Maybe my study routine is just supposed to stay in the random quadrant for now. I look forward to the time I have each day to move ahead in my classes--pretty nerdy, I know--but someone's gotta love it, right? :o)
I think many of us are now aware that mushrooms aren't just for pizza or steaks anymore...they have amazing health properties. Once again, from my current textbook, Healthy Healing, by Page---here's a brief overview of Medicinal Mushrooms:
*Maitake mushrooms are the strongest tumor growth inhibitors of all mushrooms. Considered highly effective against hormone-driven cancers like breast & prostate--& even lung, liver, pancreatic & brain cancer. It also has a synergistic effect with chemo, with reports of a lessening of the side effects (nausea, poor appetite...).
*Reishi mushrooms are the most famous mushrooms (being they used to be reserved for the royal Chinese families). It is known for promoting longevity (that's why they kept it for the royal families!), great antioxidant activity, helpful in normalizing high blood pressure & relieving allergy symptoms, also beneficial in lowering cholesterol & triglycerides & increasing resistance to infections. That's the short list---now you know why the royal families wanted it!
*Shiitake mushrooms can protect the body from cancer risk, showing strong anti-tumor powers. Like the reishi, it is helpful in lowering cholesterol levels & reducing high blood pressure. It fights viruses & bacteria & is helpful with candida yeast overgrowth. A certain component in the shiitake is proving to be more effective in preventing the spread of the HIV virus in the body than AZT---imagine a SAFE option! Once again, that's the 'short list'---moving on...
*Agaricus or Royal Agaricus is the richest source of Beta Glucan, which make T-cells function at top level, kicking the immune system into maximum efficiency. It is also helpful in regulating blood sugar and lowering high blood pressure & cholesterol. Rainforest researchers in Brazil found that the natives who lived where Agaricus grew were much healthier then the rest of the population & had especially low cancer rates.
*Tremella mushrooms enhance calcium absorption & provides vitamin D (Hello, Osteoporosis!) It's commonly used in Chinese medicine in herbal cough syrups for asthma & coughs. It ALSO helps with lowering cholesterol, balancing blood sugar & has anti-tumor activity. Anti-tumor activity means reducing your cancer risk--HUGE!
*Cordyceps mushrooms provide dramatic oxygenation & energy---that's why the Chinese runners broke 9 world records in 1993! Increased lung capacity & stamina and shorter recovery times make it a huge support to athletes. Cordyceps also increases immunity by increasing activity of the good immune worker cells.
My family & I have been taking a 'Medicinal Mushroom' whole food product, appropriately named 'Immunity'---it includes a few more mushrooms:
*Phellinus Linteus--anti-tumor
*Trametes Versicolor--anti-cancer drug in Japan
*Hericum Erinaceus--helps with digestion & boosts energy
*Pleurotus Tuber-regium--anti-tumor with beta glucans
*Oyster--anti-tumor & cholesterol lowering
*Chaga--immune modulator (helps keep immune system on track)
*Lepiota Procera--powerful beta glucans
*Enoki--anti-tumor
The astragalus, shiitake & reishi mushrooms are all considered herbal antioxidants (antioxidants are crucial in our fight against free radicals which can lead to cancer and accelerated aging).
Mushrooms are naturally probiotic in nature--yet another wonderful benefit of these powerful, sometimes quite homely looking fungi!
I honestly meant for this to be a shorter post---but there's so much good info to share--thanks for hanging in there!
May you be blessed with great health...
Sana
I think many of us are now aware that mushrooms aren't just for pizza or steaks anymore...they have amazing health properties. Once again, from my current textbook, Healthy Healing, by Page---here's a brief overview of Medicinal Mushrooms:
*Maitake mushrooms are the strongest tumor growth inhibitors of all mushrooms. Considered highly effective against hormone-driven cancers like breast & prostate--& even lung, liver, pancreatic & brain cancer. It also has a synergistic effect with chemo, with reports of a lessening of the side effects (nausea, poor appetite...).
*Reishi mushrooms are the most famous mushrooms (being they used to be reserved for the royal Chinese families). It is known for promoting longevity (that's why they kept it for the royal families!), great antioxidant activity, helpful in normalizing high blood pressure & relieving allergy symptoms, also beneficial in lowering cholesterol & triglycerides & increasing resistance to infections. That's the short list---now you know why the royal families wanted it!
*Shiitake mushrooms can protect the body from cancer risk, showing strong anti-tumor powers. Like the reishi, it is helpful in lowering cholesterol levels & reducing high blood pressure. It fights viruses & bacteria & is helpful with candida yeast overgrowth. A certain component in the shiitake is proving to be more effective in preventing the spread of the HIV virus in the body than AZT---imagine a SAFE option! Once again, that's the 'short list'---moving on...
*Agaricus or Royal Agaricus is the richest source of Beta Glucan, which make T-cells function at top level, kicking the immune system into maximum efficiency. It is also helpful in regulating blood sugar and lowering high blood pressure & cholesterol. Rainforest researchers in Brazil found that the natives who lived where Agaricus grew were much healthier then the rest of the population & had especially low cancer rates.
*Tremella mushrooms enhance calcium absorption & provides vitamin D (Hello, Osteoporosis!) It's commonly used in Chinese medicine in herbal cough syrups for asthma & coughs. It ALSO helps with lowering cholesterol, balancing blood sugar & has anti-tumor activity. Anti-tumor activity means reducing your cancer risk--HUGE!
*Cordyceps mushrooms provide dramatic oxygenation & energy---that's why the Chinese runners broke 9 world records in 1993! Increased lung capacity & stamina and shorter recovery times make it a huge support to athletes. Cordyceps also increases immunity by increasing activity of the good immune worker cells.
My family & I have been taking a 'Medicinal Mushroom' whole food product, appropriately named 'Immunity'---it includes a few more mushrooms:
*Phellinus Linteus--anti-tumor
*Trametes Versicolor--anti-cancer drug in Japan
*Hericum Erinaceus--helps with digestion & boosts energy
*Pleurotus Tuber-regium--anti-tumor with beta glucans
*Oyster--anti-tumor & cholesterol lowering
*Chaga--immune modulator (helps keep immune system on track)
*Lepiota Procera--powerful beta glucans
*Enoki--anti-tumor
The astragalus, shiitake & reishi mushrooms are all considered herbal antioxidants (antioxidants are crucial in our fight against free radicals which can lead to cancer and accelerated aging).
Mushrooms are naturally probiotic in nature--yet another wonderful benefit of these powerful, sometimes quite homely looking fungi!
I honestly meant for this to be a shorter post---but there's so much good info to share--thanks for hanging in there!
May you be blessed with great health...
Sana
Monday, November 16, 2009
Barley Grass (Jades) Details--Straight From My Textbook!
I know...I know...I already have a post/blog about the benefits of barley grass (back in July)---but it's so cool reading about it from a total 3rd party perspective (ie. my current Naturopathy textbook, 'Healthy Healing' by Page). And it honestly is that important for great health!
Barley grasses fall under the category of 'Nature's Superfoods.' They are one of the lowest-calorie (Yay!) & most nutrient-rich foods on the planet.
Here's what my text has to say about barley grass ('Jades' to some of us)...
Barley grass has:
*10X more calcium than cow's milk
*5X more iron than spinach
*7X more vitamin C & bioflavonoids (anti-inflammatory part of Vit C) than orange juice
*80 mcg of Vitamin B12/100 Gm of powdered juice---that's huge!
*antiviral activity (flu & 'colds' are caused by viruses)
*neutralizes heavy metals like mercury
*an ideal anti-inflammatory
*richest food source of the antioxidant isoflavone 2-0-GIV (works with DNA repair)
Once more from my text by Linda Page:
Studies on barley grass show that it has the capacity to aid a wide range of health problems, including high blood pressure, diabetes, ulcers, liver disease, asthma, eczema, anemia, burns & even cancer.
Another major reason that most people who take a barley grass supplement do so is to maintain a healthy slightly alkaline pH in their body. According to Dr. Robert Young (one of many health experts writing on the benefits of alkalinity), 'Overacidification of body fluids & tissues underlies ALL disease...for one thing, it is only when a body is acidic that it is vulnerable to germs. In short, good health requires a body on proper pH balance: slightly alkaline.' (excerpts from his book, 'The pH Miracle).
My family & I take 'Jades' or Jade Greenzymes, a whole food, organic green barley supplement. I honestly don't consider it a supplement---it's a basic food for every day that 'builds disease prevention into our lives' ... simply, safely & effectively.
Let me know if you have questions about barley greens -- or any other questions/requests for blogs--
May you be blessed with true health...
Sana
Barley grasses fall under the category of 'Nature's Superfoods.' They are one of the lowest-calorie (Yay!) & most nutrient-rich foods on the planet.
Here's what my text has to say about barley grass ('Jades' to some of us)...
Barley grass has:
*10X more calcium than cow's milk
*5X more iron than spinach
*7X more vitamin C & bioflavonoids (anti-inflammatory part of Vit C) than orange juice
*80 mcg of Vitamin B12/100 Gm of powdered juice---that's huge!
*antiviral activity (flu & 'colds' are caused by viruses)
*neutralizes heavy metals like mercury
*an ideal anti-inflammatory
*richest food source of the antioxidant isoflavone 2-0-GIV (works with DNA repair)
Once more from my text by Linda Page:
Studies on barley grass show that it has the capacity to aid a wide range of health problems, including high blood pressure, diabetes, ulcers, liver disease, asthma, eczema, anemia, burns & even cancer.
Another major reason that most people who take a barley grass supplement do so is to maintain a healthy slightly alkaline pH in their body. According to Dr. Robert Young (one of many health experts writing on the benefits of alkalinity), 'Overacidification of body fluids & tissues underlies ALL disease...for one thing, it is only when a body is acidic that it is vulnerable to germs. In short, good health requires a body on proper pH balance: slightly alkaline.' (excerpts from his book, 'The pH Miracle).
My family & I take 'Jades' or Jade Greenzymes, a whole food, organic green barley supplement. I honestly don't consider it a supplement---it's a basic food for every day that 'builds disease prevention into our lives' ... simply, safely & effectively.
Let me know if you have questions about barley greens -- or any other questions/requests for blogs--
May you be blessed with true health...
Sana
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
My studies--Info on 'Magnet Therapy' from my textbook
After being a user of magnetic technologies for over 13 years, it was great to read a section in my Naturopathy textbook (Healthy Healing) devoted to 'Magnet Therapy.' Our family has benefitted greatly from this simple technology--better sleep, relief of a wide range of discomforts, relaxed muscles, rapid recovery from sports injuries (think kids...football, hockey, golf, baseball, gymnastics...)---who would have thought?? :o)
The main points from the book:
*The 1st recorded use of therapeutic magnets dates back to 600BC! (Nothing new--it's been around a long time).
*Modern science has known since the 1950's that a magnetic field is critical to normal body function and coordination. In fact, immune deficiency syndromes (like fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis...) were first identified as magnetic field deficiency syndromes.
What we know so far---Magnet therapy (Again from my book):
*increases blood flow
*balances pH
*helps break down scar tissue & realease toxins
*speeds up the migration of calcium to help heal nerve tissue & bones
*stimulates enzyme activity
*enlarges blood vessel diameter & reduces inflammation
*reduces pain by modulating pain receptors
this is a partial list...
Studies abound--solid studies performed by non-pharmaceutical sources--validating the positive, SAFE benefits of magnetic technology for our health. Other countries have been enjoying the benefits of safe, natural & proven energy technologies like this for years--we're just catching up! For further information, check out earlier posts from June & July...
Be well & Stay well!
Sana
The main points from the book:
*The 1st recorded use of therapeutic magnets dates back to 600BC! (Nothing new--it's been around a long time).
*Modern science has known since the 1950's that a magnetic field is critical to normal body function and coordination. In fact, immune deficiency syndromes (like fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis...) were first identified as magnetic field deficiency syndromes.
What we know so far---Magnet therapy (Again from my book):
*increases blood flow
*balances pH
*helps break down scar tissue & realease toxins
*speeds up the migration of calcium to help heal nerve tissue & bones
*stimulates enzyme activity
*enlarges blood vessel diameter & reduces inflammation
*reduces pain by modulating pain receptors
this is a partial list...
Studies abound--solid studies performed by non-pharmaceutical sources--validating the positive, SAFE benefits of magnetic technology for our health. Other countries have been enjoying the benefits of safe, natural & proven energy technologies like this for years--we're just catching up! For further information, check out earlier posts from June & July...
Be well & Stay well!
Sana
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