Spinach Frittata

Summer Salad

Megan's Fabulous Foods

It seems obvious to indulge in plump, juicy berries and crisp, fresh vegetables when the warm sun of summer is producing mounds of fresh produce. But does this ever leave you wondering what are you supposed to eat in the long cold winter months? 

I found this answer most fascinating: “The ingestion of protein into our body causes the greatest increase in heat production. The metabolism—or chemical burning—is termed "specific dynamic action," SDA. Thus, biochemists of today state that the ingestion of 100 calories of protein leads to 30 calories of extra heat over and above the basal level, or the needs of the body, which is 70. This is wasted heat, which the body tries to get rid of by doing such things as sweating, etc. Our conclusion is: The so-called 'wasted heat' would keep a human body warmer in times of cold or winter; therefore, increased consumption of protein (meat) would be desirable and useful, in cold weather.” 1

MEAT is the answer! That is great for me, because I love meat, as I think most American’s would agree. Here is my major (and this is major) stipulation when it comes to being a meat eater. EAT GRASS-FED, HUMANLY TREATED, and HORMONE AND ANTIBIOTIC-FREE MEAT! Not all meat is created equally. The difference between your typical store-bought meat and my requirements (above) are most assuredly the difference between stunting your wellness potential and thriving toward your wellness potential. 

There are a few obvious benefits to following these guidelines. First is simple: when you buy from them, you’re supporting farmers who treat animals humanly. Obviously, buying hormone- and antibiotic-free meat means those added chemicals aren’t increasing the toxicity in your body. The best thing, though, about eating grass-fed meat is that is contains significantly more antioxidants, vitamin E, beta-carotene, B-vitamins, minerals, calcium, magnesium, and potassium, and is higher in total omega 3s. 2

Some of you may be familiar with the increased cost of eating clean grass-fed meat vs. grain-fed meat, but that grass-fed meat is more nutrient-dense than the grain-fed meat, so the reality is that you are getting more bang for your buck. “When we switch from grain-fed to grass-fed meat, then, we are simply returning to the diet of our long-ago ancestors, the diet that is most in harmony with our physiology. Every cell and every system of our bodies will function better when we eat products from animals raised on grass.” 3

1. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705385018/Science-behind-eating-meat-primarily-in-winter-cold.html?pg=all
2. http://www.eatwild.com/healthbenefits.htm

3. http://www.mercola.com/beef/health_benefits.htm

Megan’s Fabulous Foods

Among the long list of perfectly wonderful things to love about fall, for me, apples reign supreme. Apple cider, apple pie, apple fritters, and best and most perfectly of all, just a plain, crisp, fall-time apple!

Red Apple Stock Photo By m_bartosch | http///www.freedigitalphotos.net

Apples, when not being doused in gobs of sugar, and of course bought organically (unfortunately, time and time again, non-organic apples are on the top-ten list of most heavily chemically-sprayed produce, and thus should be avoided) are an amazing disease-fighting antioxidant and offer a wealth of vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Such a simple food provides you with vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin B6, riboflavin, potassium, copper, manganese and magnesium.1 No wonder we have the old adage, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.”

You may know that there are 7,500 varieties of this delicious fruit, but sticking with a basic red delicious has recently been proven to pack the highest antioxidant levels, mostly coming from the skin of the apple.2

While the apple may be one of the most basic and simple fruits, it has no shortage of health benefits. As does any well-rounded, healing wholefood, it aids in cancer prevention, and lowers risk of heart disease and Alzheimer’s. An advantage that even surprised me was their ability to act as an anti-inflammatory which is hugely beneficial to asthma suffers. In fact, apples have stood out among other natural treatments for respiratory issues. These delicious treats are also hugely beneficial in helping to manage diabetes as they have been linked to reducing the fluctuation of blood sugar levels that occur in the bloodstream, but the apple polyphenol also “speeds up the removal of sugar from our bloodstream and gets it to our cells, which need it for the metabolism and proper organ function.”  One of my favorite discoveries was learning the science behind why my mouth feels so clean after eating an apple. The fiber from apples actually cleanses the teeth, while the antibacterial properties of the fruit keep bacteria and viruses from infecting the body.1

There is no doubt that we can all benefit from an apple a day.

1. https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/fruit/health-benefits-of-apple.html

2. http://www.organicgardening.com/living/apple-day-keeps-free-radicals-away

From our food expert, Megan!

Sweet delicate blueberries, rich juicy strawberries, and ripe watermelon, just to name a few, can be found in plenty right now. Do not miss the opportunity this time of year, when these fruits are at their peak of concentrated flavor. Not only will they make your mouth happy, your body will thank you. 

Fruits are an incredible source of powerful antioxidants! While your body creates a certain number of antioxidants on its own, fruits and veggies in plenty add additional antioxidants to help your body fully neutralize potentially dangerous molecules in the body. Empowering your body with the tools it needs to fight against the constant presence of pesticides, plastics, chlorine byproducts and other toxins present in today’s world, opens up a wide range of potential health benefits. 

Harvard University recently completed a study showing “that men who ate the most tomato based foods (rich in antioxidants) had a 35% lower risk of developing prostate cancer than those who ate the least amount of tomato based foods.”1

“A Harvard School of Public Health study published in the January 2013 issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, finds that three or more servings of blueberries and strawberries per week may slash a woman’s risk of heart attack by as much as 33%. Researchers attributed benefits to the berries’ high anthocyanin content, which may help dilate arteries, counter the buildup of plaque and provide other cardiovascular benefits.”2

The benefits of antioxidants is honestly innumerable. Warding off all types of cancers, lowering cholesterol, blood pressure, keeping your heart healthy, preventing Alzheimer’s, reducing signs of aging, producing more energy for your cells, supporting your immune system and nervous system.3 The list goes on and on. The main thing to remember is to go out this summer and enjoy the delicious, ripe produce that is growing in plenty during this time of year, and your body will thank you! 

-Megan

Sources
1. http://www.naturalnews.com/024710_antioxidants_fruits_antioxidant.html

2. http://www.wildblueberries.com/health/research.php

3. http://articles.mercola.com/antioxidants.aspx

Fresh Strawberry Photo By Chaiwat, freedigitalphotos.net

Blueberries Stock Photo By Rosemary Ratcliff, freedigitalphotos.net

It's Official: Organic Milk Is Better For You

[better than non-organic milk, that is]

By Leah Zerbe from Rodalenews.com

If you've been on the fence as to whether or not organic milk is worth the extra cost, this should help you decide: Organic milk has more beneficial omega-3 fatty acids than the nonorganic milk, according to the findings of a new study published in PLoS One that looked at the nutritional makeup of nearly 400 organic and nonorganic milk samples collected over an 18-month period from across the United States. 
But that's not the entire story. Not only did the nonorganic milk contain lower levels of the good fat, but it also harbored higher levels of inflammation- and disease-promoting omega-6 fats; the healthy omega-6 to omega-3 ratio was not as favorable as in the organic milk. While we do need some omega-6s in our diets, Americans tend to drastically overeat this type of fat. (It's the fat found in many junk foods and fried foods.)
Eating too many omega-6s and not balancing them with omega-3s creates the unhealthy consequence that they then interfere with proper blood clotting, deregulate blood pressure, disrupt reproductive functions, and cause widespread inflammation. The imbalance also interferes with the body's already limited ability to convert alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) to the more potent DHA and EPA polyunsaturated fatty acids that our brains need. Too many omega-6s can even interfere with our cells' ability to function normally.
The good news for organic milk lovers? Averaged over a 12-month period, organic milk contained 62% more beneficial omega-3 fatty acids compared to nonorganic milk. Organic milk also contained 25% fewer omega-6s. (That's a good thing.) In fact, the major omega-3 ALA in milk, specifically organic milk, is so favorable that switching to whole, organic milk products could do wonders in balancing out-of-whack fatty acid levels in the body, the researchers note. (Organic milk had 14 times more ALA than fish does. However, fish does have important unique omegas like DHA and EPA, so that's not a reason to totally ditch it.)
The difference in quality isn't rocket science, either. Cows that eat a poorer diet produce milk with less-favorable fat profiles than those eating a more natural grass-and-legume-based diet. In organic systems, cows are required to eat 30% of their diet from pasture grasses and legumes at least 120 days of the year. There's no rule like that in conventional dairy farming, which often has cows living on mixed grains. "Over the last 20 years or so, conventional dairies have increasingly cut down on the amount of pasture feeding that dairy cows get, and have increased the amount of diet that comes from high-energy concentrates which consist of corn and soybeans," Dr. Davis explains. "These are very unnatural sources of food for cows." 
One caveat? If you want to enjoy the health benefits of milk that can help get your omega-6 to omega-3 ratios in order, you'll need to choose whole milk. "If you get organic skim milk, you might not be getting the advantages we're talking about in terms of fatty acids," Dr. Davis notes. 
There are other benefits to choosing organic milk. The cows are not injected with genetically engineered growth hormones, and their feed isn't laced with antibiotics, GMOs, or chemical pesticides. 

Follow these tips to get the healthiest milk:

Find a better brand. To find an organic dairy brand, search the Cornucopia Institute's organic dairy scorecard. The organization promotes family-scale sustainable farms and continually updates its scorecard, ranking organic brands on the market: http://www.cornucopia.org/dairysurvey/index.html.

Beware of milk replacers. Don't like milk? Be careful with milk replacement products, too. Some soy and coconut milk products contain carrageenan, a thickening agent that is linked to digestive tract damage in some studies.  

This article is condensed. Read the full article at http://www.prevention.com/food/healthy-eating-tips/non-organic-milk-contains-more-inflammatory-fats

Fabulous Foods

While a few cold days have snuck themselves in, summer is just around the corner! Sure, I could do without the thick, heavy humidity, but I can’t help but grow giddy as summer draws near. You see, to me, summertime means farmers markets, and farmers markets mean real, fresh, clean, local, organic produce on my plate every week.

Sure, we all could motivate ourselves to plant gardens, but a farmers’ market is the next best thing. Personally, I love going back every year to smile, talk to, and shake hands with the person who grows my food. The produce you see here is more colorful and vibrant then anything you will find in a store, and offers greater variety, too. 

One of my favorite things to stock up on is nutritious, leafy greens. The options are endless, and these light, seasonal vegetables help our systems to clean out the thicker, richer foods we have been eating all winter long. Greens are so easy to include as a part of your daily diet, and the benefits to your body are infinite. For starters, consider the following top ten reasons to eat your leafy greens!

1. Boosts immune function

2. High in vitamins known to prevent cancer

3. Improves circulation

4. Purifies the blood

5. Provides steady energy

6. May ease feelings of depression

7. Promotes healthy intestinal flora

8. Improves liver, kidney, gallbladder function

9. Clears congestion, especially in the lungs

10. Helps reduce inflammation (1)

This list doesn’t even include my favorite reason: beautifying the skin.

For me, the easiest way to include leafy greens is to blend them all together with some frozen fruit for a delicious treat—and the bonus is that it helps you cool off. A bed of delicious, farm-fresh greens with some salmon on top is a quick go-to meal, and don’t forget you can always load them up on your sandwich if you’re trying to sneak more greens into your day.  

I think we can all agree Popeye knew what he was doing. Try to follow a little more closely in his footsteps this summer, and discover for yourself the amazing health benefits of including leafy greens in your diet.

-Megan

(1) The list of top ten reasons to eat leafy greens comes from Paula Rothstein’s article at http://www.naturalnews.com/033208_leafy_greens_nutrition.html

Megan's Fabulous Foods

Don’t Let Sugar Break Your Heart This Valentine’s Day!

  In a recent study out of JAMA internal Medicine,1 it was found that Americans who get 25 percent or more of their calories from added sugar are nearly three times more likely to die of heart disease than those who consumed less than 10 percent.

  While it should in no way surprise us to hear that a diet of jelly doughnuts, soda, and brownies is bad for our bodies, it is pretty powerful to discover what an impact our sweet tooth can have on one of our most valuable organs. 

  The thing is, most of us don’t even realize all the different ways we are consuming sugar, so it’s easy for sugar intake to go unnoticed. Let’s say you eat cereal for breakfast. Well, there is likely sugar in that and, depending on the brand, there could be quite a lot of it. If you decide to make a healthy choice for lunch and go for a salad, your dressing could be loaded with a few heaping tablespoons of it. When dinner time comes around and you decide to make spaghetti with whole wheat pasta, unfortunately if you’re not reading the ingredient list on the bottle of pasta sauce it could be filled with sugar. Crazy, huh? 

  While Valentine’s Day usually equals sugar-laced candy and chocolate, why not feed your Valentine something that will nourish their body and their heart! I am going to share two of my most favorite sugar-free recipes. 

  First off, these chocolate chip cookies are not only super simple to make (my two-year-old can help), they taste about as close to the real thing as you can get, especially fresh out of the oven. Also Whole Foods now sells chocolate chips sweetened with Stevia instead of sugar and I will bet that you can’t tell the difference! 

Coconut Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies  

Ingredients:
   ⅓ cup coconut flour
   ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
   ¼ cup honey
   1 tablespoon vanilla extract
   2 whole eggs
   ½ cup chocolate chips. 

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Melt coconut oil (over low heat in a small sauce pan on the stove).  Mix all ingredients except chocolate chips until they are combined. Gently fold in chocolate chips. On a Silpat (or greased pan), divide dough evenly into 12 small cookies. Note: The cookies will stay the same shape, so remember to flatten them or place them down the way you would like to look when they come out of the oven! Place the cookies in the oven for 14 minutes or until brown on the edges. Allow to cool before serving. 2

  Second, a sugar-free raspberry ripple which is a great option to substitute for traditional chocolate covered strawberries. Plus it comes from Sarah Wilson who permanently gave up sugar. Her website (link below) is chock-full of ideas on how to begin cutting sugar from your diet and great recipes when you start. 

Sugar-Free Raspberry Ripple 


Ingredients: 
   ⅓ - ½ cup coconut oil
   ⅓ cup salted butter
   2 tablespoons raw cacao, or cocoa *
   1 tablespoon rice malt syrup
   ⅓ cup coconut, shredded or flakes
   ⅓ cup frozen raspberries

Instructions:

  Melt the butter and oil (in a pan or microwave…the oil takes longer to melt so add the butter a little after); stir in the cacao and syrup. Arrange the berries and coconut on a sheet of baking paper on a baking tray or plate (a dinner plate is ideal – the slight indent creates a good shape but you could pick up a heart shaped mold from a craft store). Pour the coconut oil mixture over the top and pop in the freezer. When firm either break into shards or cut into wedges. 3

  * The difference between cacao and cocoa is explained very well by the people at a popular cooking blog: “While you might hear the words used interchangeably in colloquial English, cacao actually refers to the raw, unprocessed form of chocolate which retains more of its natural nutrients and is typically used in raw recipes. Cocoa is the type of powder we more commonly see on the grocery store shelves and use in our baked goods.” 4

1. JAMA internal Medicine. Added Sugar Intake and Cardiovascular Diseases Mortality Among US Adults.  Pub. Feb 03, 2014. https://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1819573

2. Megsvegucation.com. Coconut Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies. Accessed Feb. 11, 2014. http://www.megsvegucation.com/#!coconut-flour-chocolate-chip-cookies/c21fn

3. Sarahwilson.com. Sugar-Free Raspberry Ripple. Accessed Feb. 11, 2014. http://www.sarahwilson.com.au/2012/04/my-sugar-free-raspberry-ripe-2/


4. Noshon.it. The Difference between Cocoa and Cacao. Accessed Feb. 11, 2014. http://noshon.it/tips/the-difference-between-cocoa-and-cacao/

Megan's Fabulous Food - FIRST DEFENSE

While I normally like to discuss the world’s most fabulous and nourishing foods, this month I want to mention one of the world’s most fabulous supplements. Okay, well, at least one of this office’s most fabulous and efficient supplements. Unless you’re new to this office, you have probably heard of Life Rising’s First Defense.

This powerful Chinese herbal supplement is absolutely one of the best measures to ward off the flu this season, especially when taken at early onset. 

You know when you’re at work and you start to feel a bit achy, or when you wake up with a low-grade fever? That is when you need to grab your box of First Defense, open two packets to start, and quickly get it in your system! 

Our favorite and preferred way to take it is with a very small amount of hot water, mixing in the granules to help them dissolve, adding just a bit of cold water to cool it down, and then quickly gulping it down. This concentrated method does taste much stronger then if you simply drink it in a glassful of water. 

A few hours after taking your initial two packets, take another single packet. You should continue taking single-packet doses until you feel better.  Once you feel better, take it for one more day for good measure. 

I kid you not, this stuff is a miracle! My husband hasn’t been sick in years as a result of using this product, and even my extended family members—who prefer Western medicine—know and love this product dearly.

Now, when you come in to buy it, know that there are actually three different types of First Defense: There is FD-Cold, FD-Heat, and FD-Viral. 

The way to know which one to take is pretty simple: FD-Cold when you feel cold, and FD-Heat when you feel hot. FD-Viral is used far less often and typically after the flu has started to set in. 

If you do not already have one to two boxes of both FD-Cold and FD-Heat in your house, now is the time to come in and purchase them. If you have children away at college, include this supplement in their luggage when you send them back to school after holiday break. If you are new to this product, I cannot wait for you to try it. If you used this product long ago and have forgotten about its effectiveness, come by and grab some. I know you will love it!

—Megan 

Attention!!!

We now have a kit which gives you nearly a 20% discount on the seven herbal supplements that cover all your needs during cold and flu season. It also comes with directions on how and when to use them. This kit is a must for every home.

Fabulous Food: Megan’s Experience

This month’s Fabulous Food article will not be about one specific product, in fact it won’t even be backed with very much science but rather a small experiment I did and the fabulous impact that eating whole foods had on me.

I love eating great, clean, whole foods. I was raised to eat that way. But I also love chocolate. What’s a girl to do? I have a serious sweet tooth and, for whatever reason, I just couldn’t stop. I was eating gobs of my favorite treats almost daily for several months straight. I wasn’t gaining a ton of weight, so my usual motivation to stop the treats just wasn’t working. Well, lo and behold, my body wasn’t going to let me get away with that behavior for long. One day, my skin broke out with acne, pretty much all over. You would have thought I was a 14-year-old kid again! I knew that food could affect my skin from past experiences, like when I would juice for a period of time or eat a raw diet, and my skin would end up glowing. So I did a three-day cleanse and only ate and drank juiced fruits and veggies. As you can imagine, after eating junk food for months on end—and gobs of it—I could hardly make it through the three days, my skin was no better, and I was feeling defeated. Chocolate seemed like a good enough solution to help ease my suffering….

Ok, ok, I’m shallow enough that I just couldn’t let the broken-out skin continue, so I decided to get serious. I looked up lots of info on all my favorite blogs, health forums, and such, about what else I can do besides eating clean to help clear up my skin. But naturally, it did begin and end with eating clean. Lots of what I found said two key things to cut out of a diet during bouts of acne are sugar and wheat. And processed food should go without saying. When comparing vegan, vegetarian or paleo diets, I’m not of the mindset that any one way is better than another. I know lots of people would argue against that, but for me, I believe in finding what works best with your body, and as long as you stick to whole foods, and the chain between the sun and your food is as short as possible, you are on the right track.

Another key component to healing my skin was vitamin D. Getting out in the sun is a good way to get vitamin D, but when you have bad skin, you don’t want to be out too much because it could increase scaring. I tried to balance supplements and sun.

I also began taking somewhat large doses of probiotics—I was taking it in pill form, buying raw fermented foods, and drinking Kombucha. All of these are available at health food stores.

As far as the products that I put on my skin, I stuck with my guns and used whole foods: In a glass jar, I mixed up a concoction of 1 cup of organic cold pressed olive oil and 1-2 tablespoons of castor oil. Every evening, I would massage the oil into my face and then use a hot washcloth to rub it off, and that was it—that was all I would use on my face until the next evening. You can learn more about this process at theoilcleansingmethod.com.

I had the opportunity to work closely with Dr. Olson during this time, who was able to test me for various food sensitivities, which we are still in the process of clearing me for. I can’t say my skin is perfectly clear but I will say it is very close, and the best it has been in months. I love how Mother Nature has this way of restoring balance when we take care of our bodies naturally. I was able to get my skin to take a total 180 by using zero chemicals or toxins. I feel so grateful for the knowledge that I have from working with Dr. Olson so long, that if my skin is breaking out, it is probably a warning from my body letting me know there is an imbalance, and to try and restore the balance instead of masking the symptom.

**I want to be clear to all those who try to stick with a whole foods diet, especially if you are a chocolate lover like me: I’m not a cold turkey kind of a gal. I found alternative options to satisfy my cravings. I have a stevia chocolate bar that I love. The great thing about eating it is that there is no sugar, thus my addiction doesn’t get out of control. Two or three small pieces are enough to leave me feeling satisfied. If you are in the market for other tasty, whole-food, sweet treats, look for “RAW desert” recipes—it is always a good way to find stuff you can eat. They are usually made with a base of dates and nuts. Searching for “Paleo deserts” is another option because they are usually made with almond or coconut flour.  

Fabulous Food!

To conclude our look at the incredibly nutrient-dense Vitamineral Green, by HealthForce, we are going to look at the powerful ingredients that come from the earth. Would you believe that Vitamineral Green contains over 15 different, leaves, grasses, and roots? Each single ingredient provides therapeutic advantages that your body craves. Today we’ll take a look at just a few of my personal favorites.

Dandelion Leaf has been used as a healing and preventative herb for centuries. And currently it's one of the top herbs being researched by western medical science. It contains substantial vitamins and a host of plant-based minerals, especially potassium. The herb stimulates the flow of bile from the liver into the gall bladder, making dandelion a key ingredient in liver cleanse formulas. It helps to break down liver fats and is an effective diuretic. The scientific community has been frenetically studying dandelion recently, due to encouraging evidence that dandelion suppresses the growth and invasive behavior in several types of cancer. —Donna Earnest Pravel

Wheat grass is composed of the young shoots of wheat before stalks form a head with grain. It contains no wheat gluten, and is considered by many natural health professionals to possess healing properties. Wheat grass is, by composition, a superfood. This is due to wheat grass's heavy concentration of chlorophyll, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. Wheat grass is usually consumed either as wheat grass powder or juice. It can be taken orally, or as an effective enema implant for detoxification. Clinical studies have confirmed that wheat grass juice and wheat grass extract do have healing properties. Wheat grass juice has been used clinically to treat ulcerative colitis, aid breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, and act as a potent antioxidant. —Donna Earnest Pravel

Native to the rocky terrain of the Mediterranean, carob pods have been used in food preparation for thousands of years. From ancient Egyptians to Mohammed's army to Spanish conquistadors, carob found its way into a variety of cultures to serve many purposes. More recently we have discovered the reasons why carob is so prized as a health food: Carob contains a wealth of minerals like copper, manganese, potassium, magnesium and selenium. It is especially rich in calcium and iron. Carob contains essential nutrients like vitamins A, B2, B3, B6 and D. It also contains pectin, a beneficial fiber that aids the elimination of toxins.

If you haven't already tried Vitamineral Green for yourself, and have not experienced the benefits that this nutritionally-dense superfood has to offer, get started right away by asking Diane or Caroline for a sample packet of Vitamineral Green! Don't miss out on this simple way to get the essential nutrients your body needs for maximum wellness!  

Fabulous Foods

     I hope that by now you have started consuming Vitamineral Green, the nutritionally dense, therapeutic green superfood powder and have begun to notice some of its wonderful healing powers, including better digestion, more energy, and a stronger immune system.

     The incredibly long nutrition list for Vitamineral Green is broken down into a few easy to understand categories: from the Land, from the Waters, and from the Oceans. Last week, we addressed the healing ingredients of the Oceans, and this week I want to focus on the Waters. The two ingredients from this category are chlorella and spirulina.

     “Chlorella is rich in vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C and E. And chlorella provides these nutrients in a whole food bundle, which is far superior to any manufactured formula. Like most dark green veggies, chlorella is packed with highly beneficial magnesium, which improves blood sugar levels, heart health, mental health and relaxation to name a few. Chlorella also contains other important minerals like potassium, iron and calcium. These days, toxins come at us from every possible angle: food, air, water, beauty products, cleaning supplies and even clothing. It's important to give the body what it needs to detox from all the harmful substances it encounters each day. Chlorella has an amazing ability to bind with toxins like chemicals and heavy metals, and move them swiftly out of the body. These benefits are powerful and can have a definite positive impact on our health.” -Elizabeth Walling (http://www.naturalnews.com/027384_chlorella_health_benefits.html)

     “The original 'superfood,' spirulina is so nutrient dense that you could survive on it and water alone. Hundreds of studies have confirmed spirulina's powerhouse status. It has 60-70% complete protein, meaning it has all 8 essential amino acids and 10 non-essential ones that support good health Spirulina also contains all the other B vitamins, vitamin D, vitamin K, vitamin E, calcium, chromium, copper, iodine, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, selenium and zinc. It has various antioxidants, phytonutrients and carotenoids. It protects the brain and detoxifies the liver and kidneys. It balances pH to reduce inflammation, the root of much disease. It balances the immune system, including calming an overactive one, which is significant because overactive (or inflamed) immune systems are responsible for autoimmune diseases. Its superfood status means spirulina has many more benefits.” -Willow Tohi (http://www.naturalnews.com/036101_spirulina_superfood_nutrients.html)

Fabulous Food

Hopefully, you have already begun to delve into Vitamineral Green and are beginning to feel the amazing benefits of this powerful product by HealthForce!

If you have had a chance to check out the ingredient list, you may have noticed that it is jam-packed with some of the most nutritious foods on the planet! Today, we are going to focus on some of the specific foods from the ocean that are packed into Vitamineral Green, and why they can help make you feel like a healthier you!

“Sea vegetables boast one outstanding characteristic—their nutritional value has remained unchanged for centuries. Indeed, while the nutritiousness of regular fruits and vegetables continues to suffer due to ongoing soil erosion and environmental pollution, the average seaweed still contains over 70 minerals and phytonutrients. Kelp is arguably the best-known sea vegetable, and for good reason—it's packed with more vitamins and trace minerals than probably any other seaweed. Aside from containing impressive quantities of vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and K (effectively covering the entire vitamin spectrum), kelp is also loaded with protein, fiber, iodine, and sodium alginate, the latter being a chemical compound that helps remove radioactive particles from the body. Moreover, a regular consumption of kelp—preferably raw—has been linked to improved thyroid function and digestive health, and it is also an effective blood purifier and demulcent.”

—Michael Ravensthorpe

“Dulse is a scientifically proven antioxidant, a source of plant protein, and is often suggested as a part of healing protocols to correct hypothyroid issues. The seaweed has also been demonstrated to inhibit the growth of lipid (fat) cells in the laboratory. Utilizing dulse and other antioxidants helps to repair compromised body tissues. Dulse may be best known for its high iodine content. A natural source of iodine is critical for patients suffering from hypothyroid symptoms.”

—Donna Earnest Pravel

You can begin to utilize the vitamins, minerals and nutrients of Vitamineral Green right away! We have 4-day sample packets of Vitamineral Green in the office for you to try—simply ask Diane or Caroline, and you can start benefiting from this dynamic, nutrient powerhouse today!

Fabulous Food

β-Carotene

James Barker | freedigitalphotos.net

What It Is: An Introduction

“[Beta-carotene is a strongly-colored red-orange pigment abundant in many different fruits and vegetables. Particularly rich sources include orange root vegetables such as carrots and yams; green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, and sweet potato leaves; as well as yellow and orange fruits such as cantaloupe, mangoes and papayas. ]”¹

What It Does: A Few of Beta-Carotene’s Talents

“[Beta-carotene changes] into vitamin A in the body, which [in turn] helps regulate the growth of cells and [controls] immune system reactions. It makes sense that cells in the digestive tract are affected most by vitamin A,”² since “carotenoid absorption is restricted to the duodenum of the small intestine. Within the intestinal wall, beta-carotene is partially converted into vitamin A by an enzyme. This mechanism is regulated by the [individual person's] vitamin A status: If the body has enough vitamin A, the conversion of beta-carotene decreases.”¹

It has been indicated that “[beta-carotene’s potency as an antioxidant [also supports] lung health, brain function, brain cell survival, and communication between the brain cells, and well as protecting against several types of cancer, Alzheimer’s, and heart attacks.]”² “Beta-carotene has also been used to reduce the risk of breast cancer in women before menopause, as well as age-related macular degeneration (AMD).”¹

How To Get It: Fresh and Natural Is Best

worradmu | freedigitalphotos.net

“It's always better to do it naturally [rather] than with synthetic supplements.”² The typical nutritional supplement is in a static form, isolated from key substances that the body requires for successful absorption and use of the nutrient. In order to use the ‘supplement,’ the body is forced to leech those other substances from its own system, thereby causing additional health problems. For example, “Chronic, high doses of synthetic beta-carotene supplements have been associated with [an] increased rate of lung cancer among those who smoke. Additionally, supplemental beta-carotene may increase the risk of prostate cancer, intracerebral hemorrhage, and cardiovascular and total mortality in people who smoke cigarettes or have a history of high-level exposure to asbestos.”¹ So let’s go natural, shall we?

The website of the U.S. Department of Agriculture provides a useful list of foods, ranked by their beta-carotene content per serving:  The following foods were found to have the highest beta-carotene content: Carrot juice, pumpkin, sweet potato, spinach, collards.³

How to Use It: Going For Efficiency

dusky | freedigitalphotos.net

“The average daily intake of beta-carotene is in the range of 2–7 mg, as estimated from a pooled analysis of 500,000 women living in the USA, Canada and some European countries.

“Absorption efficiency is estimated to be between 9–22%. The absorption and conversion may depend on the form that the beta-carotene is in (e.g., cooked vs. raw vegetables, or in a supplement), the intake of fats and oils at the same time, and the current stores of vitamin A and beta-carotene in the body. Absorption of beta-carotene is enhanced if eaten with fats, as carotenes are fat soluble.”¹

“[To maximize the beta-carotene in every meal, just add a little bit of fat to the orange, yellow, and leafy greens you usually eat every day, and you will get all the beta-carotene you need without really changing your diet. But be smart about what fat you use: Coconut oil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, avocado and hummus are very good options. If you sauté your vegetables, use a bit of coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil. For salads, use some coconut or olive oil and some balsamic vinegar as your dressing, with a bit of fresh squeezed lemon. To take a walk on the wild side, use some hummus as your dressing. Also, lightly cooking, chopping, and grating carrots and other vegetables containing beta-carotene help to make for easier release and absorption of beta-carotene.]”²

The Point: Why We Bring it Up

Beta-carotene is a vital nutrient for a healthy digestive tract, eyes, lungs, brain and immune system. But it is also difficult to absorb—so, by using these simple steps mentioned above, you will absorb more beta-carotene and enjoy better health.  

1. “Beta-Carotene.” Wikipedia.com. Web. 6 Feb. 2013. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta-Carotene.

2. Goldstein, Hesh. “The Importance of Beta Carotene.” Naturalnews.com. 13 Nov. 2012. Web. 6 Feb. 2013. http://www.naturalnews.com/037933_beta_carotene_carotenoids_foods.html.

3. USDA. “USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 21.” Usda.gov. Web. 6 Feb. 2013. http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/Data/SR21/nutrlist/ sr21w321.pdf.