Kale

Kale is a Vegan's T-Bone steak, “the queen of greens” and “a nutritional powerhouse” that is the life force from the earth. 

Kale is low in calorie, high in fiber and has zero fat. One cup of kale has only 36 calories, 5 grams of fiber and 0 grams of fat. It is great for aiding in digestion and elimination with its great fiber content. It’s also filled with so many nutrients, vitamins, folate and magnesium as well as those listed below.

Kale is high in iron. Per calorie, kale has more iron than beef. Iron is essential for good health, such as the formation of hemoglobin and enzymes, transporting oxygen to various parts of the body, cell growth, proper liver function and more.

Kale is high in Vitamin K. Eating a diet high in Vitamin K can help protect against various cancers. It is also necessary for a wide variety of bodily functions including normal bone health and the prevention of blood clotting. Also increased levels of vitamin K can help people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

Kale is filled with powerful antioxidants. Antioxidants, such as carotenoids and flavonoids help protect against various cancers.

Kale is a great anti-inflammatory food. One cup of kale is filled with 10% of the RDA of omega-3 fatty acids, which help, fight against arthritis, asthma, and autoimmune disorders.

Kale is great for cardiovascular support. Eating more kale can help lower cholesterol levels.

Kale is high in Vitamin A. Vitamin A is great for your vision, your skin as well as helping to prevent lung and oral cavity cancers.

Kale is high in Vitamin C. This is very helpful for your immune system, your metabolism and your hydration.

Kale is high in calcium. Per calorie, kale has more calcium than milk, which aids in preventing bone loss, preventing osteoporosis, and maintaining a healthy metabolism. Vitamin C is also helpful to maintain cartilage and joint flexibility

Kale is a great detox food. Kale is filled with fiber and sulfur, both great for detoxifying your body and keeping your liver healthy.

No matter if you throw kale into your salads, steam it along with cauliflower and broccoli, dehydrate it into kale chips or throw it in your juicer along with red cabbage, parsley, beets and carrots - kale has all the elements of a prefect food; antioxidants, protein, calcium, enzymes and an abundance of vitamins.

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Parsley

Parsley is perhaps one of the most commonly used but therapeutically under-rated of all herbs. How often one sees a dish in a restaurant garnished with parsley, and the waiter leaves the parsley on the serving dish or the customer rejects it as mere decoration.

Parsley contains more vitamin C than any other standard culinary vegetable, with 166mg per 100g (4oz). This is three times as much as oranges and about the same as blackcurrants. The iron content is exceptional with 5.5mg per 100g (4oz), and the plant is a good source of manganese (2.7mg per 100g) and calcium (245mg per 100g). It is also exceptionally high in potassium, with one whole gram of potassium in 100g (4oz).

Parsley also possesses chlorophyll that is naturally derived from the rich organic soil it is grown in, along with natural sunlight and environmental conditions. I know many people reading this gulp down one or two ounces of wheat grass juice a day at $2.50 an ounce. You can attain many of the same benefits of wheat grass in parsley, or for that matter almost any green vegetable. The wheat grass that people buy in health food stores is grown in a tray under lights and never sees the sun or the soil needed to create a healthy source of vitamins, chlorophyll, minerals and other nutritional sources you would expect for $2.50 an ounce. I laugh at the morning "health guru's" who gulp down a double shot of wheat grass right before they eat their bagel and cream cheese and a double caramel latte.........If you really want the nutritional value of chlorophyll, juice and eat locally grown green vegetables and especially parsley.

Parsley is a valuable therapy for kidney stones, as a diuretic, for rheumatism, menstrual insufficiency and as a general stimulant. It settles the stomach and improves the appetite. The high content of vitamin C is not only useful in its own right, but also assists the absorption of the valuable quantity of iron.

Parsley juice, being an herbal drink, is quite powerful and is usually taken in quantities of about 2 fl oz (50ml) three times a day and is best mixed with other juices. I typically juice parsley, beets and the tops, red cabbage, kale, spinach, carrots and dandelions.

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Pears

Pears provide a very good source of fiber and are also a good source of vitamin B2, C, E, copper, and potassium. They also contain a significant amount of pectin, which is a water soluble fiber.

Pears are actually higher in pectin than apples. This makes them effective in helping to lower cholesterol levels and in toning the intestines. They are often recommended by health care practitioners as a hypoallergenic fruit that is high in fiber. They are less likely to produce an adverse response than other fruits. Pears are often recommended as a safe fruit to introduce to infants. Pears are an extraordinary source of dietary fiber when the skin is eaten along with the flesh. Pears are also an excellent source of vitamin C and vitamin E, both powerful antioxidants and essential nutrients.

Pears are often recommended as a hypo-allergenic fruit that is high in fiber but less likely to produce adverse reactions. Pear juice is safe to be introduced to infants as they are mild, yet healthful.

Blood pressure: Pears have anti-oxidant and anti-carcinogen glutathione which help prevent high blood pressure and stroke.

Blood pressure: Pears have anti-oxidant and anti-carcinogen glutathione which help prevent high blood pressure and stroke.

Cancer prevention: The high vitamin C and copper content act as good anti-oxidants that protect cells from damages by free radicals.

Cholesterol: The high content of pectin in pears make it very useful in helping to lower cholesterol levels.

Colon health: When not juicing, eat the pear whole for its precious fiber that are highly beneficial for your colon health.

Constipation: The pectin in pears is diuretic and have a mild laxative effect. Drinking pear juice regularly helps regulate bowel movements.

Energy: You can get quick and natural source of energy from pear juice, due largely to its high amounts of fructose and glucose.

Fever: The cooling effect in pear is excellent in relieving fever. Best way to bring a fever down quickly is by drinking a big glass of pear juice.

Immune booster: The anti-oxidant nutrients in pears are critical in building up your immune system. Drink pear juice when you feel a cold coming.

Inflammation: Pear juice has an anti-inflammatory effect and helps relieve sufferers of much pain in various inflammatory conditions.

Osteoporosis: Pears contain high level of boron. Boron helps the body to retain calcium, thus prevents or retards osteoporosis.

Pregnancy: The high content of folate (folic acid) prevents neural tube defects in infants.

Shortness of breath: The summer heat may cause children to have shortness of breath with excessive phlegm. Drink pear juice during this period to help clear the phlegm.

Throat problem: The pears are in season during the summer for a reason. Drinking pear juice every morning and night helps to cool your body down during this time. It nourishes the throat and helps prevent throat problems.

Vocal chord: Boil two Chinese pear juice with some raw honey and drink warm. This is extremely healing for the throat and the vocal cord.

Fiber: Pears are an excellent source of natural dietary fiber. One pear will give you 24% of your recommended daily allowance of fiber. Fiber contains no calories, and is a necessary element of a healthy diet as it helps sustain blood sugar levels and promotes regularity.

Pectin is a type of soluble fiber that binds to fatty substances in the digestive tract and promotes their elimination. This seems to help lower blood cholesterol levels. Soluble fiber also helps regulate the body's use of sugars.

Studies indicate that diets high in fiber may reduce the risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer.

How do pears rank on the Glycemic Index?

Pears have 26 net grams of carbs. The carbohydrates in a pear are low on the glycemic index and have a low glycemic load. This basically means that the carbs in pears are slow to convert to sugar and enter the bloodstream. Pears are a good choice for getting healthy carbs.

Vitamin C:
Fresh pears are a good source for Vitamin C. One fresh pear contains 10% of the RDA for Vitamin C (also called ascorbic acid).

Vitamin C is an essential antioxidant for normal metabolism and tissue repair, and helps prevent free radical damage (destructive by-products of the body's metabolic process). Vitamin C promotes healing of cuts and bruises and helps guard against a number of infectious diseases.

Potassium:
Fresh pears offer 5% of the recommended daily allowance (190 mg of potassium) per serving.


 http://www.aperfectpear.com/health-benefits-of-pears.html

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Lemon Peel Benefits: Why You Shouldn’t Throw Out That Lemon Peel!

The health benefits of lemons and lemon juice are pretty well known. But if you’re like the majority of people, you are probably squeezing out the lemon juice and tossing the left over lemon peel in the trash! I use to do that too!

But wait, wait, wait, that lemon peel contains even more nutrients, vitamins, and health benefits than the lemon juice.

Nutrients and Health Benefits in Lemon Peels

Lemon peels contain about 5 to 10 times more vitamins than lemon juice! Yep, that’s what you’ve been wasting!

Lemon peels are also an excellent source of fiber, potassium, magnesium, calcium, folate, and beta carotene.

Lemon peels improve bone health too! Since lemon peels contain high amounts of calcium and vitamin C, lemon peels have been shown to aid preventing osteoporosis, inflammatory polyarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Don’t forget all the fiber you will get from lemon peels! 3.5 oz of lemon peels contains 10.6 grams of fiber.

Lemon Peels Reduce Oxidative Stress

We all want to reduce our levels of oxidative stress! Lemon peels contain citrus bioflavonoids which are very powerful at reducing your levels of oxidative stress . Lemon peels also aid in eradicating toxic elements in the body and removing carcinogenic elements.

Lemon Peels Help Fight Cancer

Lemons have been used to prevent and treat cancer. Lemons are anti-microbrial and ward off against  bacterial infections and fungi.

When lemon peels are consumed, they have been shown to prevent various types of cancers, including skin cancer, colon cancer, and breast cancer.

A study found that the consumption of lemon peels in tea was beneficial in preventing the development of cancer cells.

Lemons are also very alkalizing! Cancer thrives in an acidic body, by making your body alkaline this will prevent cancer. Take advantage of the whole lemon and don’t just juice and toss!

Lemon peels contain salvestrol Q40 and limonene, which have been shown to prevent and treat cancer. These components fight against present cancerous cells in the body.

How to Eat a Lemon Peel

There are a couple different ways you can prepare your lemon peels. Place your lemons in the freezer for a couple of hours. Then take them out and grate them. You can sprinkle the grated lemon peel on your meals or in your drinks.

Grind your lemon peel (without freezing). Sprinkle the lemon peel pieces on your meals or in your  drinks. Or you could just bite right into one.

Grated lemon peels make a great addition to salads and teas! They add amazing flavor to any meal!


http://www.healthextremist.com/lemon-peel-benefits-why-you-shouldnt-throw-out-that-lemon-peel/

Vinegar

Vinegar Kills Bacteria, Mold and Germs 

Vinegar is a mainstay of the old folk recipes for cleaning, and with good reason. The vim of the vinegar is that it kills bacteria, mold and germs.

Heinz company spokesperson Michael Mullen references numerous studies to show that a straight 5 percent solution of vinegar—the kind you can buy in the supermarket—kills 99 percent of bacteria, 82 percent of mold, and 80 percent of germs (viruses). He noted that Heinz can’t claim on their packaging that vinegar is a disinfectant since the company has not registered it as a pesticide with the Environmental Protection Agency. However, it seems to be common knowledge in the industry that vinegar is powerfully antibacterial. Even the CBS news show “48 Hours” had a special years ago with Heloise reporting on tests from The Good Housekeeping Institute that showed this.

Just like antibiotics, common disinfectants found in sponges and household sprays may contribute to drug resistant bacteria, according to researchers of drug resistance at Tufts New England Medical Center. Furthermore, research at the Government Accounting Office shows that many commercial disinfectants are ineffective to begin with, just like antibiotics.

Keep a clean spray bottle filled with straight 5 percent vinegar in your kitchen near your cutting board, and in your bathroom, and use them for cleaning. I often spray the vinegar on our cutting board before going to bed at night, and don’t even rinse, but let it set overnight. The smell of vinegar dissipates within a few hours. Straight vinegar is also great for cleaning the toilet rim. Just spray it on and wipe off.

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Processed Meats Declared too Dangerous for Human Consumption

The World Cancer Research Fund recently completed a detailed review of 7,000 clinical studies covering links between diet and cancer. Upon conclusion it is evident that processed meats are dangerous for human consumption and consumers should stop buying and eating processed meats.

What are processed meats?

Processed meats include bacon, sausage, hot dogs, sandwich meat, packaged ham, pepperoni, salami and nearly all meat found in prepared frozen meals. Processed meats are usually manufactured with a carcinogenic (linked to promote and cause cancer) ingredient known as sodium nitrate. Sodium nitrate is primarily used as a colour fixer by meat companies to make the packaged meats look bright red and fresh. Monosodium glutamate is also added on a regular basis to enhance the savoury flavour.

Sodium Nitrate has been strongly linked to the formation of cancer-causing nitrasamines in the human body, leading to a sharp increase in the risk of cancer for those consuming them. A 2005 Hawaii University study found that eating processed meats increased the risk of pancreatic cancer by 67%, whilst another study found that it increased the risk of colorectal cancer by 50%. These are scary numbers for those consuming processed meats on a regular basis.

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a second dangerous chemical found in virtually all processed meat products. MSG is a dangerous excitotoxin linked to neurological disorders such as migraine headaches, Alzheimer’s disease, loss of appetite control, obesity and many other serious health conditions. Manufacturers use MSG to add an addictive savory flavor to dead-tasting processed meat products.

Food items to check carefully:

•Beef jerky

•Bacon

•Sausage

•Pepperoni

•Hot dogs

•Sandwich meat

•Deli slices

•Ham

•Frozen pizzas with meat

•Canned soups containing meat

•Frozen meals with meat

•Ravioli and meat pasta foods

…and many more meat products

If it’s so dangerous to consume why are they allowed to sell it?

Unfortunately now days the food industry interests now dominate the actions of the government regulators. The USDA for example tried to ban sodium nitrate in the late 1970′s but were overridden by the meat industry insisting the chemical was ‘safe’. Today the food and agriculture corporations hold tremendous influence over the food industry and as a result consumers have little protection from dangerous chemicals intentionally added to foods, medicines and personal care products.

To avoid the dangers of processed meats:

•Always read ingredient labels

•Don’t buy anything made with sodium nitrate or MSG

•Avoid eating red meats served by restaurants, schools, hospitals, hotels or other institutions without asking for details

•Eat more fresh produce and only purchase fresh meats

•Avoid processed meats as much as possible

•Spread the word and tell others about the dangers of sodium nitrate and MSG

Vitamin C naturally found in fresh fruits and vegetables has been shown to help prevent the formation of cancer-causing nitrosamines, protecting you from the devastating health effects of processed meats. The best defense of course is to avoid process meats all together.

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Kiwi Benefits

What’s in a Name?

For this fruit, quite a lot! The kiwi, originally called the Chinese gooseberry and later the “sunny peach”, was renamed the kiwi by New Zealand natives after their national bird. There are over 400 varieties of this fuzzy fruit, which grows off of vines on a trellis, much like grapes are cultivated.

Researchers exploring the potential positive features of the kiwi fruit have conducted several studies involving children and adults. A study in Italy indicated that children had less trouble with wheezing, shortness of breath, and coughing in the night when they consumed 5-7 servings of kiwi or citrus fruit a week. Asthma sufferers were found to derive the most benefit from the kiwi, even when eaten as few as 1-2 times a week. Adults can also benefit from eating the jewel-toned fruit! Another study demonstrated that eating 2-3 kiwi fruits a day can reduce the potential for blood clots and decrease triglycerides. Yet another study cited the kiwi’s ability to protect and repair the body from DNA damage, which could protect against cancer.

Nutritional No Limits
 
From disease prevention to an abundance of vitamins and minerals, the kiwi provides a wide array of nutrition benefits. According to a study at Rutgers University, the kiwi is the most nutrient dense fruit, ounce for ounce. Below is a list of the different ways that the naturally fat-free kiwi can help our health:

Disease Prevention
 
Fiber: Kiwi provides 16% of the RDA for fiber and has a role in the prevention of constipation and some cancers.
 

Phytonutrients: Kiwis have phytonutrients, which repair DNA, act as the body’s protection against some cancers, and function as antioxidants. Learn more about phytonutrients plant powers.

Vitamins
 
Folic Acid: Kiwi provides 10% of the RDA for folic acid, which is important for expectant mothers and works to produce red blood cells.
 

Vitamin C: One serving of kiwi gives the body 230% of the RDA for Vitamin C, which helps heal wounds, increase iron absorption, and boost the immune system.
 

Vitamin E: Kiwi provides 10% RDA for Vitamin E and decreases the risk of heart disease.
 
Minerals
 

Calcium: Kiwi provides 5.5% of the RDA for Calcium.
 

Chromium: Kiwi aids in regulating heartbeats.
 

Copper: Kiwi provides 8% of the RDA for Copper.
 

Iron: Kiwi provides 4% of the RDA for Iron.
 

Magnesium: Kiwi provides 6% of the RDA for Magnesium, which can enhance your energy level.
 

Potassium: Kiwi aids in fluid maintenance.
 

Zinc: Kiwi helps keep hair, skin, teeth, and nails healthy.
 

Selecting, Storing, and Eating a Kiwi

How do I choose a kiwi?

Look for a fruit that is plump and fragrant with no visible bruising or wrinkles and a slightly firm feel
What if I chose a fruit that isn’t yet ripe?

Kiwis ripen quickly when placed in either a paper or plastic bag with a banana. However, once they are ripened, store them away from other fruit or they will decompose more quickly!

How long are kiwis good for once I buy them?

Ripe kiwi fruit can last in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.
 

Can I eat the skin?

You can, but wash carefully to remove unwanted pesticides! Rub it a bit to minimize the fuzz. The skin actually provides more fiber to your sweet snack. If you’re not fond of the fuzzy exterior, simply “sloop” it out by slicing the kiwi in half horizontally and spooning out each end to enjoy.
 

What is a serving size?

A serving of kiwi fruit is ½ cup, or 1 medium-sized kiwi.

The Kiwi Craze

Kiwi fruit can be enjoyed in smoothies, sprinkled into your morning yogurt, mixed into fruit salad, or eaten plain.

Alexandria Hardy is a Registered Dietitian employed by Diablo Clinical Research, where she provides nutrition education to clinical research subjects and works on various marketing and nutrition communications. She earned her undergraduate degree in Dietetics and Fitness/Nutrition/Health from Purdue University and completed her internship in Indianapolis, IN.

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