Why Are Apples So Healthy?

We all know that old saying: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.“ But have you ever wondered why that is? How one apple a day can bring about significant health benefits? If you have, then you’ll be glad to read this article. From strengthening the immune system, through preventing cancerous growths and to losing weight, say hello to your one apple a day!   How do apples do what they do? An important research published in 2008 by the German cancer research center, showed that apples offer a significant health advantage. When comparing between a group that had less than one apple per day and a group that had one or more apples a day, the latter was found to have less risk of mouth cancer, larynx cancer, breast cancer, intestinal cancer, kidney cancer and ovarian cancer. These findings support a new research performed at Cornell university, showing that the peel of the apple has strong anti-oxidant properties, a powerful block against the influences of breast cancer cells. Researchers found that the higher the concentraion of apples, the lower the concentration of cancerous cells. Cancerous growths are uncontrollable growths of cells independently spreading through the body. The growths are based on three principal levels: The first stage causes mutations in cell DNA. The second, when the growth becomes malignant and grows faster, and finally when it metastases and spreads throughout the body. In the case of a cancerous growth, apples aren’t only used as anti-oxidants, but also improve the function of the immune system, which helps clean out the growths at the early stages. In addition to boosting the immune system and fighting cancerous growths, apples also help control the levels of cholesterol and sugars in the blood, prevent heart disease and improve mouth hygiene. The fact that they contain more than 80% water and a long line of essential vitamins, makes them one of the healthiest foods available. The secret is in the nutritional fibers Apples are considered a vital source of nutritional fibers. Eating one apple a day (with peel) can award us about 4.4 grams of nutritional fibers, which is 1/5 of our entire day’s recommended amount. Nutritional fibers are materials found in foods that come from plants, and have a very important role in stimulating the digestive system and encouraging its function. Since they are not digested and taken apart in the body, they sate our hunger for a longer period of time. Extensive research has shown that those that do not get their daily recommended amount (at least 25 grams a day), deny themselves a host of health benefits. In addition, the researchers found that consuming these fibers is quite the effective method of losing weight. The secret is in the chewing. Drinking apple juice will not bring about the same health benefits. We’d be happy to receive the essential sugars and vitamins, but we would not get the fibers. A research conducted in China found that chewing can help the body regulate the amount of calories it absorbs from food. What does this have to do with apples? Everything. Apples are a terrific source of nutritional fibers, especially a group of fibers called Pectin. This is a group of complex carbohydrates that regulate our bowels, improve good cholesterol rates and is a powerful anti-oxidant and anti-bacterial. Researchers from UCLA have shown that consuming pectin instead of regular fibers, doubles the time it takes the stomach to empty from one hour to two. Meaning that we don’t feel hungry for a longer time. In fact, a recent research paper entitled: “Weight Loss Associated with a Daily Intake of Three Apples or Three Pears among Overweight Women”, shows that women suffering from overweight and were instructed to eat an apple or pear before each meal, lost significant weight, just for doing so. The women in the experiment were asked to eat regularly and just add the apple before the meal. What happened was that the apples and fibers crowded the stomach, increased the feeling of being full, and made the body absorb less calories. Other sources of nutritional fibers are: Pears, Peaches, peas, carrots, seeds, nuts, peel of fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grains, oats and whole wheat. But apples offer many more advantages. So if you want to: Lose weight, eat one apple a day. Strengthen your immune system, eat one apple a day. Control the level of cholesterol, eat one apple a day. Prevent the spread of cancerous cells, eat one apple a day. And if you want to keep the doctor away - EAT ONE APPLE A DAY!

Walnut = Brain

Did you ever take a walnut, remove it from its shell and notice that it looks like the human brain?!  Well, it does!

Did you know that just a handful of walnuts everyday helps reduce your chances of heart disease, diabetes and cancer?

Here are some more benefits-

• Promotes good health for the brain! 
• Make sure you eat the skin of the walnut because 90% of the nutrients are on the skin.
• Contains a great amount of omega 3.
• Relieves irritable bowel syndrome
• Lowers cholesterol
• Reduces blood pressure
• Anti-inflammatory
• Has a potent phytonutrient quinone juglone, which is abundant in walnuts that destroys cancer and precancerous cells leaving healthy tissue intact.
• Decreases LDL cholesterol
• Increases sperm health

Benefits of Avocados

Avocados are really good for you and have such great health benefits.

They're great on your cholesterol level
Blood sugar regulation
Blood pressure
Great on digestion
The heart
The brain
The eyes
Anti-inflammatory
Anti-cancer
High level of natural fiber
Anti-oxidant booster
Boosts immune system
Promotes healthy bones because of its Vitamin K contents

Benefits of Cauliflower

My mom is making cauliflower for lunch today, my favorite!!!




Here are some health benefits of cauliflower.




* Click on image for larger view*

Tip Of The Day - Natural Breath Freshener

Need a quick breath freshener?
Just chew on a couple of mint leaves or some cilantro.
It leaves your mouth minty fresh and lasts much longer than a tic tac or breath sprays.
AND, IT'S NATURAL!
Another bonus fact - not only does it keep your breath fresh, but it also helps with oral infections, digestion, nausea, relieves intestinal gas and good for cholesterol.

Benefits Of Curry Leaves

My mom adds curry leaves to everything she cooks.
Not only does it make the food even tastier, you get to eat the leaves as well.
When I asked her why she includes this in most of her dishes, she mentioned its many benefits.

Curry leaves help with -

digestive problems
kidney problems
helps with nausea and vomiting
stimulates hair growth
prevents diabetes
can be used externally for insect bites
controls cholesterol
protects liver

Thanks mom!

Wonders of Olive Oil

Olive oil is one of the most popular ingredients in the kitchen, but it can also be found in the medicine cabinet and even on a night stand.  In fact that it is rich in vitamin E and essential antioxidants, makes it one of the most efficient measures to balance blood pressure levels and cholesterol, to precent heart attacks, cancer and fight aging.  And if you thought that's where its benefits end, you are sorely mistaken.

Here are 25 more uses for this excellent material - the olive oil

1 - to precent snoring - swallow a spoon of olive oil before bed

2 - to reduce stretch marks - massage olive oil before bed

3 - to treat acne - prepare a mix made of 3 table spoons of olive oil with 4 table spoons of sea salt, put on your face for 1-2 minutes.  The mix will clean the pores and keep the moisture of your skin.  Wash with hot water and soap.

4 - to alleviate ear pain - spill one drop of warm olive oil in your ear

5 - to reduce stomach ulcers and pain - mix one table spoon of live oil with a 3/4 cup of citrus juice or vinegar and drink

6 - olive oil can serve as a substitute for shaving cream

7 - to strengthen your fingernails - soap them in a bowl of olive oil

8 - to rehabilitate your skin - to treat dry skin of the hands, elbows and knees, warm a few table spoons of olive oil (until it's luke warm) and smear on the relevant areas.

9 - to treat colds - warm a mixture of 1/3 cup of olive oil, 1/3 cup of sesame oil, 4 drops of thyme, 2 drops of rosemary oil and massage the warm mixture on the chest area 

10 - to treat dandruff - massage olive oil into your scalp and leave overnight.  Wash your hair in the mooring and wash with a regular shampoo.  Try this treatment for a week.

11 - to treat dry hair with split ends - warm the oil and smear on scalp for 45 minutes

12 - to treat after hair coloring - soak a soft cotton towel with olive oil and wipe the spotted skin, it may take some time but the color will come off the skin

13 - to prevent hair loss - mix 2 eggs with 2 table spoons of olive oil.  Smear on the scalp and hair for 40 minutes and then wash with cool or luke warm water.  It's recommended to repeat this 3 times a week.

14 - to treat lice - mix 1 table spoon of olive oil with 5 drops of the the tree oil and smear on the scalp for several minutes.  Then comp your hair with a live comb and wash with hot water.

15 - Relieve toothache - mix drops of clove oil with drops of olive oil, in about a ratio of 3:1 and use a cotton ball to put on the aching area.  Not recommended for children and pregnant or breastfeeding women. 

16 - remove mascara - drip a bit of olive oil on a cotton ball and wipe the make up from your eyes.

17 - relieve coughing - swallow a spoon of olive oil mixed with a spoon of honey.  Another option is to massage the upper back and chest with the oil at body temperature. 

18 - treating swollen/red gums - wash your mouth with a mix of olive oil and water.

19 - prevent diaper rash - mix 2 spoons of olive oil with a spoon of water and smear on baby's rear

20 - to polish furniture - mix olive oil and lemon juice at a ratio of 2:1.  Use a gentle towel soared in the mix to polish the furniture 

21 - to maintain garden tools - smear a bit of olive oil on garden tools to keep them from accumulating filth and corrosion.

22 - to prevent squeaks - smear some olive oil on screaming hinges to make them silent 

23 - for digestive problems - swallow a spoon of olive oil every morning on an empty stomach.  Another option is to drink a glass of water with a spoon of olive oil and spoon of lemon juice.

24 - to maintain knives - after washing thoroughly with water and soap, wipe the blades well and then use a small amount of olive oil and gentle rub it on the blades with a towel. 

25 - prevent wax from building up in the candlesticks - just drip a bit of olive oil and it won't stick. 

Benefits of Yoga

Now that you've familiarized yourself with yoga from the previous blog, here is some more information about its benefits -  

Scientific research validating the benefits of yoga:

Physical benefits:

• improved physical activity
• fitness
• lung functioning
• athletic performance
• greater physical endurance
• normalization of weight
• important mind and body coordination
• reversal of aging 
• improves heart functioning 
• improves digestion

Mental benefits:

• improves memory
• increased positivism
• restful alertness by increasing alpha brain wave patterns
• improves cognitive performance (thinking, reading, problem solving)
• reduces mental fatigue
• improves mental health
• reduces neuroticism

Prevention of disease:

• lowers blood pressure
• reduced obesity
• lower serum cholesterol level
• relief from constipation and gas
• reduced incidents of common cold
• decreased insomnia
• improved kidney functioning
• improved liver functioning
• decreased backache
• normalization of blood sugar level
• alleviation of asthma 

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A Handful of Sunflower Seeds

A handful of sunflower seeds a day can lower cholesterol, are anti-inflammatory and has a great source of magnesium.

Kale

As you all already know, my mother makes us all eat healthy by giving us a variety of fresh vegetables everyday!
We've been eating a lot of kale.
And it's delicious!
Especially the many different ways my mom cooks it.
Here's why we have kale once a week.

(Click on image for larger view)

Feedback!

Greetings.

Someone had reached out to me recently asking for a recommendation as to how she can help with the reddish, small acne type bumps on her face.

The best cure - turmeric.

I told her to make a paste out of turmeric -
- 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
- Mixed with water
- Mix till there is a good consistency
- Apply on affected area
- Best to do morning and night

After a few weeks, we got in touch and she said there's a big difference and the affected area is so much better!

Here is some general information about turmeric -

• can be used internally and externally
• dry and light in quality
• taste is pungent, bitter and astringent
• golden in color which gives a golden like complexion
• the oil from the turmeric contains a lot of vitamin A, proteins, carbohydrates
• decreases cholesterol level
• often used as cream component for skin
• reduces pain and swelling
• good for dry eczema and wounds
• fumes of turmeric is used for breathing problems - hiccups
• stimulates process of digestion
• facilitates downward movement of vata
• purifies the blood
• helps to stop bleeding
• reduces urinary frequency
• helps reduce fever
• good to have if diabetic
• has a purifying effect on lactating mothers
• good for anemia 
• recent studies shows it to have anti cancer properties