HEALTH NEWS ~ AUGUST

Happy August! :)

I can hardly believe summer is almost gone and fall is around the corner.  Here is a great recipe to try while summer is still here and all the fresh fruit is still available.

Fruit Salad

Fresh fruit of choice, but here are some ideas:

Apples                              

Bananas

Blueberries                       

Cantaloupe

Grapes                             

Honeydew

Kiwi                                

Orange

Papaya

Pineapple

Raspberries                      

Strawberries                     

           

Cut up fruit and place in bowl.  Add whipped topping and mix with a big spoon and chill.  Serve with toast or popcorn and enjoy!

Whipped Topping

1 cup water

2 T. agar flakes (2 t. powder)

½ c. raw cashews

⅓ c. honey

½ t. salt

1 can coconut milk

Stir together the agar and water, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer for 1-2 minutes.

Place remaining ingredients in blender along with hot agar mixture.  Blend on high until smooth, adding water as needed to make 3½ -4 cups total mixture. Pour into a quart container and chill in refrigerator several hours or overnight.

Before using, place chilled mixture (which will be quite firm---almost sliceable) in blender or food processor, and blend until creamy. (If you have a lightweight blender, you should blend just half of the mix at a time.)  It should be the consistency of Cool Whip. Try not to add more liquid.  The mixture will eventually go through the blades and become creamy if you carefully push it toward the blades with a rubber spatula.

The agar is a key ingredient in this recipe.  The mixture has to be re-blended only once.  Then it can be frozen and used without re-blending, but remains a nice creamy texture.  So make a double recipe and freeze in small containers to use as needed for icing, dessert topping or pancakes. Makes 6 cups. 

It would be well for us to do less cooking and to eat more fruit in its natural state. Let us teach the people to eat freely of the fresh grapes, apples, peaches, pears, berries, and all other kinds of fruit that can be obtained. 7T 134

Fruit is so good for us, we need to be sure to eat it every day and a variety.  Did you know that…?

The pomegranate is referred to in 11 Old Testament books. This shows the importance of this fruit.

In Exodus 28:33 we read that the hem of the high priest’s robe was embroidered with pomegranates. Pomegranates were used to ornament the pillars in King Solomon’s Temple (1 Kings 7:20). The spies who went to explore the land of Canaan returned with a single cluster of grapes so large that two men had to carry it on a pole. They also had some pomegranates and figs to prove that the land was fertile (Num. 13:23). Yes, the pomegran - ates grew in abundance in Canaan. So the pomegranate is a special fruit!

KIWI: Tiny but mighty. This is a good source of potassium, magnesium, vitamin E & fiber. Its vitamin C content is twice that of an orange.

APPLE: An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Although an apple has a low vitamin C content, it has antioxidants & flavonoids which enhances the activity of vitamin C thereby helping to lower the risks of colon cancer, heart attack & stroke.

STRAWBERRY: Protective Fruit. Strawberries have the highest total antioxidant power among major fruits & protect the body from cancer-causing, blood vessel-clogging free radicals.

ORANGE: Sweetest medicine. Eating 2-4 oranges a day may help keep colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent & dissolve kidney stones as well as lessens the risk of colon cancer.

WATERMELON: Coolest thirst quencher...Composed of 92% water; it is also packed with a giant dose of glutathione, which helps boost our immune system. They are also a key source of lycopene - the cancer fighting oxidant. Other nutrients found in watermelon are vitamin C & Potassium.

GUAVA & PAPAYA: Top awards for vitamin C. They are the clear winners for their high vitamin C content. Guava is also rich in fiber, which helps prevent constipation. Papaya is rich in carotene; this is good for your eyes.

BANANAS: Contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.

Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes.

But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial n umber of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

A banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one

of the best value foods around; so maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"

PS: Bananas must be the reason monkeys are so happy all the time!

I will add one here; want a quick shine on our shoes?? Take the INSIDE of the banana skin, and rub directly on the shoe...polish with dry cloth. Amazing fruit!

In the New York Times science section (July 17, 2007, page 6) it says:

"People who choose organic fruits and vegetables to avoid pesticides and other chemicals may have another reason to buy organic. A new study finds that organically grown tomatoes have higher levels of flavonoids, which may protect against cardiovascular disease."

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”  Romans 12:1

Let’s present our bodies a living sacrifice by eating to the glory of God. We need to have clear minds to hear the Holy Spirit talking to us and to have healthy bodies to do His will and get the work done so we can go home to heaven!