Tag: nutrition

There are always unmentionables that are never supposed to be included in polite conversation. There are things you just don’t talk about. When we do, we hear, “Too much information!” It seems it’s only three year olds that are fascinated with bowel movements. But, the more you know about what makes your bowels work, the better chances you have to be healthy.

One of the important things you need to know is how often. Experts say that two to three times a day is optimal and once is absolutely imperative. Keeping body waste moving regularly avoids toxic build-ups and re-absorption of what the body is trying to get rid of. If it was good for your body, things would have been designed differently.… Read the rest

Sunflower seeds are so nutritious but did you know that you can grow your own sprouts that you can eat fresh, giving yourself a source of enzymes, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. This food is a real powerhouse of nutrients that is well worth the effort of growing them. There is nothing like live food to give you high quality nutrition that pack as punch like nothing else can.

To grown your own sunflower sprouts, the method is slightly different than other forms of sprouting, which I cover in another article. You need to go to your local nursery and buy two plant trays. These are the kind that you find two rows of bedding plants sitting in. You will need one with holes in the bottom to let water drain and one that has a solid bottom.… Read the rest

Epigallocatechin Gallate or EGCG is one of the most powerful antioxidants known. One of the most delicious sources is green tea. EGCG has been shown in very promising studies to slow or even reverse leukemia symptomology.

Since the 1970’s scientists have known about the cancer fighting abilities of green tea. In countries that consume large quantities of green tea per capita, cancer rates are much lower than the norm. In a study published in 2004, researchers found EGCG could kill leukemia cells.

In the Journal of Clinical Oncology, a new study from the Mayo Clinic showed that EGCG reduced the symptoms of cancer patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Patients were treated with varying doses of an EGCG extract.

When health professionals at the Mayo noticed that patients who drank green tea began showing signs of improvement, they decided to do a study.… Read the rest

The part of you that digests and processed your food is 26 feet long. It is an intricate tube that provides you with the fuel to get about your day with efficiency and vitality. Of course, your energy levels and your feelings of well-being are dependant a great deal on what you put into your mouth and how quickly it transits your body. That transit time is made efficient by the amount of fiber you eat. If you want to see how long it takes for your digestive system to process and evacuate eat some beets.

Ideally foods should enter your mouth and exit the other end within 18 to 24 hours. Foods that sit in your system longer than that tend to lose more water and get more solid in your system, resulting in what is called constipation.… Read the rest

A recent Japanese study showed some interesting data with regards to proportions of essential fatty acids to the incidence of Crohn’s Disease. Nutritional experts know that our typical North American diet has more than adequate levels of omega-6 fatty acids or alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), as it is sometimes called. In those with a diagnosis of Crohn’s Disease, researchers found much higher levels of ALA than in participants used as controls.

Another interesting facet of the study showed that there were lower than normal levels of EPA, or eicosapentaenoic acid when the disease was active. Whether lower ingestion of omega 3 fats containing oily fish, resulted in active episodes of Crohn’s disease is not clear, but the drop in EPA blood levels and total polyunsaturated fatty acids certainly increased disease activity.… Read the rest

Eating the right foods, especially towards the end of your day at your evening meal can help you sleep more soundly and restfully. If you eat a well balanced diet containing sleep inducing ingredients, you will have a greater chance for a more restful sleep.

Two specific nutrients are responsible for promoting better sleep. Magnesium is found mainly in meats, fish, seafood, dairy products and green vegetables. B-vitamins are found mainly in potatoes, beans, whole grains, broccoli, meats and bananas.

By eating complex carbohydrate-rich foods at the evening meal, such as whole grains and complex starches, you encourage the production of serotonin which has a calming effect on the brain, reduces depression and is important in regulating the brain’s wake/sleep cycle.… Read the rest

Products containing chocolate have been prized as very special treats for hundreds of years. In recent years, studies are showing extraordinary health giving qualities in chocolate after the milk, sugar and high fructose corn syrup are stripped away. The phytochemicals (nutrients derived from plants) in chocolate are some of the most concentrated and powerful in any food source. These plant nutrients have fancy names but don’t let their names fool you. They all have flavonoid and antioxidant qualities that are unrivaled in the plant kingdom.

Procyanidin flavonoids, epicatechins and catechins are what make chocolate one of the world’s most potent super foods. Over 10 percent of the weight of pure cocoa powder is flavonoids. There is a small fraction of theobromine, about 1.2… Read the rest