Sunday, April 28, 2013

9 foods you should NEVER eat again....


 
(NaturalNews) With so much misinformation out there about food and how it affects human health, making healthy food choices for you and your family can be difficult and confusing. There are a number of specific foods; however, that you will want to avoid in almost every circumstance because they provide virtually no health benefits while posing plenty of health risks. Here are nine foods you should never eat again if you care about preserving your long-term health:

1) White bread, refined flours. By definition, white bread and refined flours in general are toxic for your body because they have been stripped of virtually all vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other important nutrients. Because of this, the body does not know how to properly digest and assimilate these so-called foods, which can lead to health problems. Refined white flour has also been bleached with chlorine and brominated with bromide, two poisonous chemicals that have been linked to causing thyroid and organ damage. (http://drlwilson.com/ARTICLES/BREAD.htm)

2) Conventional frozen meals. Most conventionally-prepared frozen meals are loaded with preservatives, processed salt, hydrogenated oils and other artificial ingredients, not to mention the fact that most frozen meals have been heavily pre-cooked, rendering their nutrient content minimal at best (especially after getting microwaved again at home). With the exception of a few truly healthy frozen meal brands such as Amy’s and Organic Bistro, most frozen meals are little more than disease in a box, so avoid them in favor of fresh foods. (http://www.4us2be.com)

3) White rice. Like white bread, white rice has been stripped of most of its nutrients, and separated from the bran and germ, two natural components that make up rice in its brown form. Even so-called “fortified” white rice is nutritionally deficient, as the body still processes this refined food much differently than brown rice, which is absorbed more slowly and does not cause the same spike in blood sugar that white rice does. (http://globalnaturopath.com)

4) Microwaveable popcorn. This processed food is a favorite among moviegoers and regular snackers alike, but it is one of the unhealthiest foods you can eat. Practically every component of microwaveable popcorn, from the genetically-modified (GM) corn kernels to the processed salt and preservative chemicals used to enhance its flavor, is unhealthy and disease-promoting. On top of this, microwaveable popcorn contains a chemical known as diacetyl that can actually destroy your lungs. If you love popcorn, stick with organic kernels that you can pop yourself in a kettle and douse with healthy ingredients like coconut oil, grass-fed butter, and Himalayan pink salt. (http://www.naturalnews.com)

5) Cured meat products with nitrates, nitrites. Deli meats, summer sausage, hot dogs, bacon, and many other meats sold at the grocery store are often loaded with sodium nitrite and other chemical preservatives that have been linked to causing heart disease and cancer. If you eat meat, stick with uncured, nitrite and nitrate-free varieties, and preferably those that come from organic, grass-fed animals. (http://www.naturalnews.com/028824_processed_meat_heart_disease.html)

6) Most conventional protein, energy bars. By the way they are often marketed, it might seem as though protein and energy bars are a strong addition to a healthy diet. But more often than not, these meal replacements contain processed soy protein, refined sugar, hydrogenated fat, and other harmful additives that contribute to chronic illness. Not all protein and energy bars are bad, of course — Thunderbird Energetica, Organic Food Bar, Boku Superfood, Vega Sport, PROBAR, and Zing all make healthy protein and energy bars. Just be sure to read the ingredient labels and know what you are buying.

7) Margarine. Hidden in all sorts of processed foods, margarine, a hydrogenated trans-fat oil, is something you will want to avoid at all costs for your health. Contrary to popular belief, butter and saturated fats in general are not unhealthy, especially when they are derived from pastured animals that feed on grass rather than corn and soy. And if animal-based fats are not for you, stick with extra-virgin coconut oil or olive oil rather than margarine. (http://www.naturalnews.com/027865_saturated_fat_health.html)

8) Soy milk and soy-based meat substitutes. One of the biggest health frauds of modern times, the soy craze is a fad that you will want to skip. Besides the fact that nearly all non-organic soy ingredients are of GM origin, most soy additives are processed using a toxic chemical known as hexane, which is linked to causing birth defects, reproductive problems, and cancer. Soy that has not been fermented is also highly estrogenic, which can throw your natural hormone balance out of whack. (http://www.naturalnews.com/026303_soy_protein_hexane.html)

9) “Diet” anything. Many so-called “diet” products on the market today contains artificial sweeteners like aspartame (Equal) and sucralose (Splenda), both of which are linked to causing neurological damage, gastrointestinal problems, and endocrine disruption. Many diet products also contain added chemical flavoring agents to take the place of fat and other natural components that have been removed to artificially reduce calorie content. Instead, stick with whole foods that are as close to nature as possible, including high-fat foods grown the way nature intended, and your body will respond surprisingly well. (http://www.naturalnews.com)

Sources for this article include:
http://www.trueactivist.com/nine-foods-you-should-never-eat-again/
http://www.rd.com/slideshows/15-foods-you-should-never-buy-again/

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Homemade Strawberry Lemonade - Summer Thirst Quencher

 Perfect for summer fun drinks---Homemade strawberry lemonade....



Homemade strawberry lemonade recipe, made in the blender using lemons, strawberries and honey. Replace lemons with limes for strawberry limeade.

Ingredients
•1 ¼ lb strawberries, washed & cut in halves, about 4 cups
•2 lemons, washed and quartered (use limes to make strawberry limeade)
•~ ½- ¾ cup honey or sugar to taste, adjust based on your preference and sweetness of strawberries
•6 cups of water
•Ice
•Garnishes: Strawberry slices, lemon slices and/or fresh herbs

Monday, April 8, 2013

One dose of Coconut Oil can tremendously boost brain function and cognitive performance.


(NaturalNews) It's amazing how coconut oil has recently been acknowledged for the healthy oil that it is after having been vilified for decades as a heart attack oil. Now it's been discovered to boost even brain health.

Defaming coconut oil saturated fat was part of the 1950s creation of low and no fat foods, margarine, and hydrogenated trans-fatty cooking and salad oils, which have recently been proven as actually detrimental to overall health.

The different types of triglycerides in fats

High triglyceride blood readings are red flags for obesity, diabetes, and heart health issues. Most dietary fats contain long chain triglycerides (LCT), which are not easily metabolized and can be stored as fatty deposits in one's body.

Long chain triglycerides contain chains with 14 to 18 carbon atoms. But coconut oil contains medium chain triglycerides (MCT) with shorter chains of 5 to 12 carbon atoms, which are easily metabolized by the liver to produce ketone bodies that can replace glucose as metabolic fuel.

As we age, the brain's ability to metabolize glucose for energy wanes, especially for those who have a metabolic disorder or insulin resistance. But MCT-created ketones can be used as cellular fuel in the brain when glucose is not available.



Study: Coconut oil improves cognitive ability

As far back as 2004, a study published in the journal Neurobiology of Aging determined that coconut oil MCTs improved cognitive function among older folks with memory problems and even Alzheimer's disease.

They took 20 subjects and randomly fed them coconut oil or placebos on different days. Some of the Alzheimer's group demonstrated improved scoring on a special Alzheimer's cognitive rating scale, andall of them demonstrated better paragraph recall shortly after taking each dose of coconut oil.

This wasn't a long term study. They got immediate positive cognitive and memory results from single doses of coconut oil compared to placebos.

So why wasn't this publicized by the mainstream media (MSM) and reported to medical practitioners everywhere? Maybe because Big Pharma was trying to synthesize and patent a ketone body producing pharmaceutical for the increasing Alzheimer's disease market.

A dramatic true story confirming coconut oil's efficacy

Around 2009-10, MD Mary Newport's husband had deteriorated from Alzheimer's so badly he couldn't draw a simple illustration of a clock or perform daily functions without being micromanaged.

Since the Alzheimer's drug developed in 2004 was not effective, Dr. Newport tried to get him into a trial for a new Alzheimer's drug. But he was so bad off he didn't qualify.

After discovering that this new drug was a synthetic version of MCTs for creating ketone bodies and improving brain function, she researched and realized that palm and coconut oils also contained MCTs.

After feeding her husband coconut oil, he started making a remarkable comeback from almost totaldementia to being able to start and finish tasks and remember people and events.

Dr. Newport observed that only two doses spaced eight hours apart were sufficient, while the pharmaceutical version required doses every three hours (http://www.naturalnews.com/030373_coconut_oil_Alzheimers_disease.html)

If Mary would have enrolled her husband into that 2009-10 Alzheimer's drug trial, she could have lost him completely.

The drug trial at that time was halted early because of nine deaths among those taking higher doses(http://www.naturalnews.com/028753_Alzheimers_drug_trials.html).

Newport's success without side effects places coconut oil as the dementia food medicine of choice over expensive and harmful pharmaceuticals. Because they went viral on the internet with their experience, several others experiencing Alzheimer's or memory problems have benefited from coconut oil.

Here's a video interview of Dr. Newport (http://tv.greenmedinfo.com).

Sources for this article include:

http://www.greenmedinfo.com

http://www.naturalnews.com/030373_coconut_oil_Alzheimers_disease.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/028753_Alzheimers_drug_trials.html


Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/039811_coconut_Alzheimers_dementia.html#ixzz2PtVxWVik

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Refreshing Iced Tangerine Mint Green Tea


ICED TANGERINE MINT GREEN TEA



I made this great recipe after I saw a similar one on the Dr. Oz show.  He featured a recipe for Tangerine Mint Green Tea as part of a series of foods that help one lose weight.  He called it Tangerine "Weight-Orade."  I will share his recipe below. It looked so refreshing on his show, and I knew I should be drinking green tea due to my history (I LIKE saying "history" :)) with breast cancer.  Green tea is rich in catechins, which reduce growth of blood vessels needed for tumor growth. 

A study published in 1998, Japanese researchers investigated the effects of drinking green tea on the progression of breast cancer. The study involved 472 patients with stage I, II, and III breast cancer. The results showed that increased consumption of green tea was linked to a decrease in the spread of breast cancer in premenopausal women. In a follow-up study, the researchers found that increased consumption of green tea was correlated with decreased recurrence of stage I and II breast cancer.


Green tea has been cited to be beneficial when it comes to all kinds of disease, from heart disease to Alzheimer's, to many types of cancers.  Read more on the benefits of green tea, at the World's Healthiest Foods website.




Iced Tangerine Mint Green Tea
~4 organic green tea bags
~1/2 tangerine, sliced
~fresh mint leaves
~honey to taste
~water, just boiling
~ice


While water is heating, prepare the rest of the ingredients.  

Here is what I do:
~get out 2, 32 oz mason jars
~fill one with 2 cups of ice
~unwrap 4 green tea bags and put in the second jar
~slice tangerine
~rinse mint leaves

My electric kettle in the above picture is one of my most favorite and well used kitchen appliances. It heats water to a boil in minutes, and keeps the water hot for a long while.  In the winter, I will press the button throughout the day to keep hot water ready at all times for tea or hot chocolate.
Mine is the Hamilton Beach 10 Cup Kettle.  I love it!


Pour hot water over the tea bags, fill the 32 ounce jar to the top.  


Steep according to package directions, usually 3-4 minutes for green tea.




I use a slotted spoon and a regular spoon to squeeze every bit of goodness out of those green tea bags.

 


Add honey to taste while tea is still hot, honey will dissolve much better in hot tea.
Add mint and tangerine slices to jar of ice.
The mint is very subtle in this, but if you are not a mint lover, you can skip it.


Let the tea cool a few minutes, then pour over the ice in the prepared mason jar.
Store the remaining tea in the refrigerator to
refill and drink over ice throughout the day.


So refreshing! Enjoy!

**Tea lovers, check out this recipe for Easy Iced Tea Concentrate In A Mason Jar
-----------------------------

  • Dr. Oz's Tangerine Weight-Orade Recipe
  • For a powerful metabolism-boosting drink, try Dr. Oz’s Tangerine Weight-Orade. It contains: green tea, shown to boost metabolism 12% by drinking just one cup; tangerine, with a chemical composition that increases sensitivity to insulin and stimulates genes that help to burn fat; and mint, a calorie-free flavor enhancer.
  • In a large pitcher, combine:
  • 8 cups of brewed green tea
  • 1 tangerine, sliced
  • A handful of mint leaves
  • Stir this delicious concoction up at night so all the flavors fuse together. Drink 1 pitcher daily for maximum metabolism-boosting results.