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Superfood: Chia Seeds for Energy and More!

9/14/2016

Chia seeds are having a moment right now. In fact, they are one of the most talked about superfoods, but what makes them so super? They are packed with rich in fiber, omega-3 fats, protein, vitamins and minerals, all of which are necessary for energy.

Chia seeds were originally grown in Mexico and were highly valued, even being used as money. Aztec warriors used them as an energy and endurance source and claimed that chia seeds could give them energy for 24 hours! In fact, chia seeds were known as “runners’ food” because they were used by runners and warriors when they had to run long distances or during battle.

Chia seeds help boost your metabolism and help burn belly fat!

Chia seeds are great for energy!

A recent study in Journal of Strength and Conditioning found that chia seed provided the same energy benefit as a sports drink without all the added sugar or sugar substitutes.

An added benefit is that chia seeds help boost your metabolism and help burn belly fat! Studies show that by adding chia seeds to your diet, you can actually lower your visceral adipose tissue (or belly fat), which contributes to a lowered metabolism. Chia seeds also absorb a lot of water, so they help keep you hydrated and keep you feeling full for longer. They are also high in Zinc, which increases leptin, a hormone that your body uses to regulate your appetite.

Keeping skin healthy and young, Keeping your digestive system regular due to its high fiber content, Regulating cholesterol and lowering blood pressure, Lowering inflammation, Preventing diabetes, Keeping bones healthy and strong, Building muscle, Fighting breast and cervical cancer, Keeping teeth healthy

Chia seeds are loaded with health benefits

Added benefits of chia seeds:

Keeping skin healthy and young
Keeping your digestive system regular due to its high fiber content
Regulating cholesterol and lowering blood pressure
Lowering inflammation
Preventing diabetes
Keeping bones healthy and strong
Building muscle
Fighting breast and cervical cancer
Keeping teeth healthy

You can soak chia seeds, grind them, or eat them whole. You can also try one of these recipes!

Add chia seeds to your salad!

There are several ways to eat chia seeds.

You can soak them. Mix 1 ½ tablespoons of chia seeds into one cup of water or other liquid. Let them soak for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
You can grind them. Use either your coffee grinder or Vitamix. It can be used in gluten free recipes to help bind your flour. Just make sure you store any ground seeds in an airtight container in either the refrigerator or freezer.
You can eat them whole. Just be aware that can get stuck in your teeth, so have a toothbrush and floss ready!

Chia Seed Recipes

Banana Mango Smoothies
Chia Fresca
No Bake Chia Energy Bites
No-Cook Overnight Chocolate Pudding

Eat Breakfast to Lose Weight

9/13/2016

Some people skip breakfast in an effort to lose weight, but this practice is more likely to cause a weight gain. Eating breakfast actually reduces your overall calorie intake. Studies have shown that thinner adults, adolescents and children are more likely to eat breakfast than their overweight counterparts.

Breakfast reduces overall calorie intake.

Skipping breakfast makes weight control more difficult because it makes snacking harder to resist and skippers typically eat larger meals during the rest of the day to compensate for their hunger. Some studies have shown that people who eat fewer, larger meals tend to accumulate more body fat. Eating breakfast also improves your performance during the day.

Eating breakfast improves your performance during the day.

Breakfast enhance performance.

Sometimes teens, especially girls, will skip breakfasts to lose weight. It is important for parents to educate their children on the importance of eating breakfast and its role in maintaining good health. It’s also very important for children to eat breakfast instead of sleeping in. Studies show that kids who skip breakfast are tardy and absent from school more than kids who eat breakfast. If you still don’t have time to make breakfast for your kids, consider enrolling them in a school breakfast program. Remember—eating breakfast is important no matter what your age!

Beets: A Fall Superfood

9/12/2016

Beets benefit your body in a number of ways. They are very nutritious, yet low in calories. Beets’ rich purple color comes from betacyanin, a powerful cancer fighting agent. It has been found to be especially effective against colon cancer in several studies.

Beets’ rich purple color comes from betacyanin, a powerful cancer fighting agent. It has been found to be especially effective against colon cancer in several studies.

Beets help fight cancer.

Beets are rich in folate, which helps prevent anemia and neural tube birth defects, such as spina bifida. In studies done on animals it was found that the antioxidant activity from beets could help prevent heart disease by lowering total cholesterol and triglycerides and raising HDL (good) cholesterol. Beets also help reduce chronic inflammation, which has been linked to conditions such as Alzheimer’s, heart disease, osteoporosis and diabetes.

Beets help reduce chronic inflammation, which has been linked to conditions such as Alzheimer’s, heart disease, osteoporosis and diabetes.

Beets reduce inflammation.

Beets have a somewhat sweet taste which comes from their high sugar content. In fact, beets are used in the production of refined sugar. Raw beets are crunchy and can be somewhat tough, but when cooked their texture becomes soft and buttery. Look for beets that come in a bunch rather than loose beets. Bunch beets are fresher and will cook faster. Their leaves can also be cooked and eaten and have a flavor similar to chard.

13 Health Benefits of Basil

9/9/2016

Liver Detox

Basil is great to detox your liver. If you overate or drank too much the previous day, give your liver a break and add some basil or pesto to your breakfast.

Basil is great to detox your liver

Inflammation & Swelling

A study found that Holy Basil can reduce swelling by up to 73%.

Digestion

The essential oils contained in basil lower inflammation, which is at the root of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Basil also improves digestion by supporting healthy bacteria in the gut.

Clear Skin

Basil oil combats the bacteria that cause acne.
Try this recipe from Health.com: Boil a handful of fresh basil leaves in 1 cup of water for 10 minutes; let the liquid cool. Dip a cotton ball into the liquid, pat it on your breakout zones, wait 10 minutes, then splash with water; repeat once or twice a day.

Stress

Holy Basil helps with stress by reducing cortisol, your stress hormone. Basil is considered an adaptogen, which means it helps your body adapt to stress. It helps your body normalize and deal with the effects of stress. Try adding basil to your iced tea after it has steeped.

Basil decreases inflammation.

Arthritis

Basil can help with arthritis by reducing the inflammation that the disease causes.

PMS

When you are menstruating, you lose iron. Basil is an excellent source of iron, containing the same amount as spinach! Eat plenty of iron rich foods during your period.

Heart Health

Basil contains powerful antioxidants that help protect the lining of the blood vessels from free radical damage. This helps prevent arterial clogging, heart attacks, and stroke. It can also help the muscles in your blood vessels relax and contract, thereby promoting healthy blood pressure. It also helps prevent blood clots.

Diabetes

Basil has been found to reduce circulating blood glucose, which helps prevent diabetes. It can also lower triglycerides and cholesterol, which diabetic patients often suffer from high levels.

Basil is an antibacterial

Antibacterial

Basil has many antibacterial properties. One of the many ways you can take advantage of this is to wash your veggies in a solution with 1% basil or thyme oil. Doing this kills bacteria that can cause diarrhea. Scientists are doing studies about basil’s effects on antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Studies are showing that basil is effective in killing powerful bacteria strains. Basil essential oils may be effective in treating viruses and infections.

Prevent Cancer

The antioxidants in basil help prevent cancer. They do this by keeping chromosomes from becoming altered or damaged. They can also target harmful cells, such as cancer cells. Basil can also help protect healthy tissue from the harmful effects of radiation and chemotherapy.

Depression & Anxiety

Some people consider basil to be an antidepressant. It can help stimulate the neurotransmitters that regulate the hormones that are responsible for making us feel happy.

Aphrodisiac

Basil has traditionally been used in some countries as a natural aphrodisiac. It is believed to cause arousal and to support healthy sexual function.

Vegan Basil Pesto

I wrote this post after spending the morning making pesto. I have two basil plants that have been VERY prolific! I started wondering what the health benefits were. I hope you enjoy this vegan version of pesto!

Vegan Basil Pesto

4 cups loosely packed basil
1/2 cup olive oil, more if needed
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3-4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/2 cup pine nuts or other kind of nuts (I have used blanched almonds or walnuts)
1 teaspoon salt

Place the basil into your food processor. Turn on processor and drizzle oil into processor as its running. Process for 15-30 seconds. Add the rest of the ingredients and continue processing until smooth. If it needs more olive oil to process smoothly or reach the correct consistency, then add some.

8 Health Benefits of Turmeric

9/8/2016

Turmeric contains a compound called curcumin that has LOTS of health benefits. It is found in delicous things like curry powder and mustard. Here are a few of the benefits:

Turmeric is good for your heart

It may keep you from having heart failure. Two studies done on rats found that those that consumed curcumin had more resistance to heart failure and inflammation than those who didn’t. Curcumin seems to inhibit the heart enlargement process.
It may reduce the fatty compounds that clog arteries. In another study done on rats, scientists found that rats that consumed curcumin had a 26% reduction in fatty deposits in their arteries after 16 weeks. It appeared that curcumin affected the genetic signaling that causes the buildup of plaque at the molecular level.

8 Health Benefits of Turmeric, including heart health, reducing inflammation, helping during cancer treatments, reducing fat storage, increased bone density, and helping with Alzheimer's.

Turmeric can help with heart disease, cancer and inflammation.

It can help with cancer and arthritis

It may stop breast cancer from spreading. A study done on mice found that combining a chemo drug and curcumin seemed to halt the spread of breast cancer to the lungs, which is often the case with advanced breast cancer. This combination seems to work well because Taxol, the chemo drug, stomps out the cancer, but can cause the inflammation that spreads cancer to other organs. Curcumin stops the inflammation, so the combination was very effective.
It can reduce the inflammation caused by radiation therapy. Radiation can cause the skin to burn and blister. A study done with mice found that those that consumed curcumin for five days before they were exposed to radiation had far fewer burns and blisters. More studies need to be done, but it is recommended that patients undergoing radiation enjoy plenty of curried foods.
It may reduce arthritis pain and joint inflammation. It acts similarly to ibuprofen, but to a lesser degree. Bonus: Turmeric doesn’t have side effects!

Turmeric may help keep you slim!

It may help with Alzheimer's and Osteoporosis

It may help keep you slim by slowing the growth of fat tissues, the journal Endocrinology reports.
It may increase bone density. Another study conducted on mice found that mice who were on turmeric had a higher mineral bone density than those who weren’t.
It may be used to treat Alzheimer’s. In preliminary lab tests it was found that curcumin helps dissolve the plaque in brain cells that leads to dementia and Alzheimer’s.

The Cheapest Way to Protect Your Heart

9/7/2016

The Problem: Gum Disease Can Equal Heart Disease

Yet another study has linked gum disease to heart disease. The same inflammation that comes with gum disease affects your blood and your heart. According to the American Academy of Periodontology, people with gum disease are twice as likely to have heart disease.

In fact, one study found that oral problems such as cavities, missing teeth, and gum disease were as a good a predictor of heart disease as cholesterol. Scientists aren’t sure exactly how gum disease is linked with heart disease, but they do know that bacteria can enter your blood stream through your gums. This same bacteria has been found clumped in artery plaques. It may be that the bacteria adhere to artery plaques, or it may be that the body’s natural defenses to the bacteria form the plaque.

The Solution: Brush and Floss Your Teeth Regularly

Either way, you can do something about it, and the treatment is cheap! Flossing and brushing your teeth is the best way to fend off gum disease. If you keep your mouth clean, it’s very hard for gum disease to get started. If you have a history of heart disease, ask your dentist about taking an antibiotic when you get dental procedures done, including cleanings.

Can Vinegar Help Prevent Weight Gain?

9/6/2016

A recent study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry found that vinegar may help to keep your body from storing extra fat! It does this by breaking the fat down before it can settle onto your hips or stomach.

Vinegar has been used for is medicinal and health properties since ancient times. The most adamant supporters of vinegar claim that it can be beneficial for almost any malady. However, many of these claims have not been proven. There are still many benefits that vinegar can offer!

Vinegar is high in acetic acid which helps the body absorb minerals. It may be especially beneficial for women who suffer from osteoporosis because it helps to absorb calcium. Many women cannot obtain calcium through dairy products because of lactose intolerance. Calcium may also be obtained through dark leafy greens, but these greens sometimes contain compounds that inhibit calcium absorption. Fortunately, a splash of vinegar on greens can help the body to absorb calcium.

Vinegar may help people with type 2 diabetes. It seems to deactivate some of the enzymes that turn food into sugar. This gives the body more time to assimilate the sugar and helps prevent the blood sugar spike that can be so dangerous. A study found that those who had vinegar before their meals had a higher insulin sensitivity, which means their body was better able to utilize the sugar they consumed. This is important because elevated blood sugar levels can lead to other problems such as heart disease.

Vinegar can be used to replace unhealthy fats and salt. Saturated fats can cause such problems as elevated cholesterol levels and high blood pressure, which in turn, can lead to stoke and heart attack. Vinegar also adds lots of flavor, but hardly any calories! It only has 25 calories in half a cup!

Vinegar can also be used to remove harmful pesticides from fruits and vegetables. Just mix 10 percent vinegar and 90 percent water and soak your produce in it for a few minutes. Then rinse your produce thoroughly and eat! (Don’t do this on tender produce such as berries—they absorb the vinegar through their porous skin.)

Vinegar can enhance natural flavors. Use on sweet things such as strawberries to bring out the natural sweetness without using sugar. Use vinegar on veggies instead of salt. Make a salad dressing out of vinegar and olive oil. Use rice vinegar and soy sauce for an Asian flavor.

Cinnamon for Weight Loss

9/1/2016

Fall is just around the corner and with it dreams of pumpkin spice lattes. While pumpkin spice lattes may not be the healthiest item on the menu, one of its ingredients is full of health benefits! Cinnamon is full of health benefits!

Just a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon sprinkled on your food can help prevent an insulin spike. This spike normally occurs after a meal and signals the body to store fat instead of burning it. It could help in your battle of the bulge! Because cinnamon helps regulate insulin, it may also be beneficial for diabetics.

Some other great benefits of cinnamon include:

Eating half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day may lower LDL (bad) cholesterol.
Cinnamon has been found in some studies to reduce the proliferation of cancer cells in both leukemia and lymphoma.
Cinnamon has an anti-clotting effect on blood.
Arthritis patients who consumed cinnamon mixed with honey daily had significantly reduced pain after a month.
It inhibits bacteria growth in food and drinks.
The smell of cinnamon may boost cognitive function and memory.
Cinnamon is a good source of fiber, manganese, iron and calcium.

Forward>>

Superfood: Chia Seeds for Energy and More!

Added benefits of chia seeds:

Chia Seed Recipes

Eat Breakfast to Lose Weight

Beets: A Fall Superfood

13 Health Benefits of Basil

Liver Detox

Inflammation & Swelling

Digestion

Clear Skin

Stress

Arthritis

PMS

Heart Health

Diabetes

Antibacterial

Prevent Cancer

Depression & Anxiety

Aphrodisiac

Vegan Basil Pesto

8 Health Benefits of Turmeric

Turmeric is good for your heart

It can help with cancer and arthritis

It may help with Alzheimer's and Osteoporosis

The Cheapest Way to Protect Your Heart

The Problem: Gum Disease Can Equal Heart Disease

The Solution: Brush and Floss Your Teeth Regularly

Can Vinegar Help Prevent Weight Gain?

Cinnamon for Weight Loss

Tonya Cruz

Archives

Categories

​Added benefits of chia seeds:

Chia Seed Recipes

​Liver Detox

​Inflammation & Swelling

​Digestion

​Clear Skin

​Stress

​Arthritis

​PMS

​Heart Health

​Diabetes

Antibacterial

​Prevent Cancer

​Depression & Anxiety

​Aphrodisiac

Vegan Basil Pesto

Turmeric is good for your heart

It can help with cancer and arthritis

It may help with Alzheimer's and Osteoporosis

The Problem: Gum Disease Can Equal Heart Disease

​The Solution: Brush and Floss Your Teeth Regularly

Tonya Cruz

Archives

Categories

Added benefits of chia seeds:

Liver Detox

Inflammation & Swelling

Digestion

Clear Skin

Stress

Arthritis

PMS

Heart Health

Diabetes

Prevent Cancer

Depression & Anxiety

Aphrodisiac

The Solution: Brush and Floss Your Teeth Regularly