| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
Benefits of a Variety of Fruits and Vegetables
We know we need to eat a minimum of 5 servings of fruit and vegetables everyday. Actually now, to prevent cancer, 8 to 13 servings per day are recommended. A serving is one cup of raw fruits or vegetables, or ˝ cup cooked. At a recent lecture I asked a lunch audience to raise their hand if they had at least one fruit or vegetable already that day. No one in that group raised their hand. This is not uncommon. Our processed and convenience foods contain very few fruits and vegetables. To prevent chronic diseases, fruits and especially vegetables are very important. Vegetables especially have the antioxidants, minerals, and phytochemicals in the correct combination that help keep the blood sugar in balance, create better energy in the body, and along with fruits build up the immune system. Each color found in fruits and vegetables focus on building the immune system in its own way. It is important to get a variety of colors, so that you will get a full range of phytochemicals (beneficial plant chemicals) in your daily diet. Research is finding that eating whole fruits and vegetables gives you many more nutrients than you could possible add to a vitamin and mineral supplement. There are over 12,000 phytochemicals, and I have yet to see a supplement, unless it has whole fruits and vegetables in it, have all of the 180 different vitamins or minerals that are required by our body to function daily. The different colors in fruits and vegetables help our immune system react to different stresses in our daily life. So look at the different colors in your diet. See if they include each of the colors listed below. This is one way to know that you are getting the full benefit of nutrients possible in your diet. Green Foods - broccoli, kale, leaf and romaine lettuce, spinach, cabbage and Brussels sprouts. Green foods are especially good for the circulatory system. They contain many minerals and B-complex vitamins. Some phytochemicals found in green foods are sulforaphane and indoles that are very powerful anti-cancer compounds. Researchers have tried to use these as isolated phytochemicals but find that they only work while in the whole food form. Red Foods - tomatoes, watermelon, red cabbage. Red foods contain many phytochemicals that reduce free radical damage. The phytochemical called lycopene is especially helpful to prevent prostate problems, and reduce the effects of sun damage on the skin. Lycopene is the phytochemical that make the red foods get their red color. Orange Foods - carrots, pumpkin, squash, sweet potatoes, apricots, cantaloupe. The orange foods have the carotenoids the help prevent cancer by repairing the DNA. As our mothers told us, carrots, and other orange foods, are especially good for our eyes, and help with night vision. The deep orange foods help our bodies get the vitamin A we need, without getting excess that can lead to osteoporosis. Green/Yellow Foods - yellow corn, green peas, collard greens, avocado and honeydew melon. This combination of green and yellow foods contains the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin that help reduce the risk of developing cataracts and macular degeneration. These foods are also helpful in reducing the risk of osteoporosis. Orange /Yellow Foods - oranges, pineapple, tangerines, peaches, papaya, nectarines These foods that are orange and yellow in color are high in antioxidants, especially Vitamin C, and help to improve the health of the mucus membranes and connective tissue. They help prevent heart disease by improving circulation and preventing inflammation. White/Green Foods - onions, garlic, celery, pears, chives White and green combination foods contain a variety of phytochemicals. Garlic and onions contain allicin, the anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal phytochemical, and they can act as a poor man's antibiotic. Add garlic and onions in your meals to reduce the effects of potential toxicity of high fat meats. Celery has many minerals, especially organic sodium, that keeps the fluid in the joints healthy. Red/Blue/Purple Foods - red apples, beets, blueberries, strawberries, cranberries, prunes, concord grapes, blackberries. These dark colored red/blue/purple foods are very rich in powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins that protect again heart disease by improving circulation and preventing blood clots. They have many anti-aging phytochemicals that keep the blood circulating reducing the effects of the Standard American Diet rich in trans fats and processed foods. When you make a salad make sure you have a variety of different colors. Strive to get at least 5 colors on your plate. Use fruits to balance the rest of the colors needed. This way you will get closer to the 8 to 13 servings of fruits and vegetables required, and you will get the variety of nutrients you need daily. Jane Oelke, N.D., Ph.D. is a Traditional Naturopath and Doctor of Homeopathy in southwest Michigan. She is the author of "Natural Choices for Fibromyalgia" and "Natural Choices for Attention Deficit Disorder." She is a professional speaker on natural health topics. She can be contacted at DoctorOelke@aol.com or through her website at http://www.NaturalChoicesForYou.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Dumbbell Routines & Exercises eBook - Click HereIncrease Your Muscle Size And Improve Your Physical Fitness In 90 Days Or You Get To Keep This Breakthrough eBook FREE! "Dumbbell Exercises and Lifting Routines To Help You Gain More Muscle, Lose Weight, or Just Get Yourself in Better Physical Shape... WITHOUT the Hassles, and Expenses of Health Clubs" "Instant Access to An Illustrated, PDF Ebook That Will Give YOU The Routines You Need To Get In Better Shape in 90 Days or less - Or Your Money Back!" Get the scoop here.
Serious Fitness Supplements - Muscle Builders
Jacked Up Xenomine
A step-by-step guide that teaches you the secrets, tips, and techniques you need to know to build a chiseled, muscular, ripped, head-turning physique...FAST! The "Hyper-Growth Muscle Mass Training" course is an extremely effective natural human growth hormone stimulator and packs on slabs of muscle mass, size and enourages hypertrophy faster than you would've ever thought possible...while burning off body fat like crazy! Highly recommended! Click Here For Maximum Muscle Growth
Fitness-and-Muscle.com Site Navigation Home Page | Muscle Fitness Magazine | Muscle Fitness Hers | Fitness Supplements | Muscle Supplements | Fitness Muscle Equipment | Muscle Building | Fitness Competition | Muscle Compeititon | Arm Muscles | Home Fitness Workout | Huge Muscles | Muscle Building Workout | Fitness Muscle DVDs | Fitness Accessories | Fitness Dating | Muscle Fitness Articles | Muscle Links | Contact Us |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Three Steps to Preparing your Body for Summer Summer is not too far away. It is almost time for shorts, tank tops, and bathing suits. Fruits for Summer: Summer Skin Care Summer is the time when we sweat highly and beating the heat is always high on our agenda. So, we move on to aerated drinks or other beverages. What Everybody Ought to Know About Food Additives Every day we are bombarded with information about food products that are healthy, all natural, have no artificial ingredients, no preservatives, low fat, no fat, no cholesterol, sugar free, vitamin fortified and provide 100% of your daily vitamin requirements. Are these foods as healthy as the advertising tries to make us believe they are?Let's look at the facts. Top Ten Ways to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain Did you know the average American gains 5-7 pounds every year between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day? That equates to ingesting at least 17,500 more calories than you burn on a daily basis during that time period. At a minimum, that equals nearly 500 extra calories per day on average over that stretch of days. You Are What You Eat You really are what you eat. You are also very much affected by the lifestyle you live. You Are What You Eat You've no doubt heard the saying, "You are what you eat", as it typically pertains to encouraging people to be more health conscious- and really consider each food before it enters the mouth! In America in fact, a commercial for a popular brand of cereal bars actually depicted people walking out of donut shops and bakeries in costumes of the food that they ordered for breakfast, and of course, everyone stared at the donut shaped person walking into the office. The idea behind the phrase, "you are what you eat", is if you don't want to look like you eat donuts every morning for breakfast and fast food every night for dinner, you need to eat healthier. The Most Effective Treatments for Acid Reflux Disease Acid reflux disease, or GERD, is a common compliant of the digestive system, often characterised by persistent burning or discomfort behind the breastbone. As the symptoms of GERD can mimic those of coronary disease, it is important that you visit your doctor, if you have chronic heartburn. The 7 Best & The 7 Worst Food For A Long Life The above foods contain high antioxidant capacity. These foods were chosen because of discovery of the most powerful phytochemicals and anthocyanins, which illustrate strong inhibition of chemocarcinogens. Mangos: Treat Your Skin and Your Taste Buds Mango is my favorite fruit next to pineapples. They're sweet, juicy and delicious. Healthy Aging - The Clean-Meat Connection It is shocking how many people are not taking advantage of the lessons from 21st Century research on cellular health. The syntax of disease is known by many researchers; and many of them are telling you what you can do to protect yourself. The Non-Diet Diet Diets don't work. If they did the U. Ultra Refined Fish Oil - The New Generation of Fish Oil Dr. Barry Sears revolutionized nutritional thinking around the world with his 1995 landmark #1 New York Times best seller The Zone. What Actually Is Health? Nature works mostly on the principle of thing and no thing. Light is the thing and darkness is the absence of light. Your Target of Health is Easy Many of us, probably even you, want this thing called health, yet have no idea what it would look like if we had it. We are going after this elusive thing, but we really have never stopped to think about what it was. Aspartame -More Dangerous Than High Fructose Corn Syrup It's really hard to believe that something could be worse than the intense sugar loads from high fructose corn syrup and sucrose. But, Aspartame ( Equal, Nutrasweet, Equal Measure, Spoonful, Canderal) is even more dangerous to your health. Take Control of Your Health In large part, you're in control of your health, not your doctor. And taking control of your health doesn't really depend on whether or not you have medical conditions. Post Nasal Drip Post nasal drip is a sensation of mucous build up in the throat. Sometimes you may even feel a dripping sensation from the back of your nose. Water, The Magical Drink Glowing skin comes free of charge to you. Our simple water does it effectively. What You Need To Know About Inflammation Inflammation is not a disease.Inflammation is best described as a defense mechanism to limit tissue damage. Simple Food and Diet Nutrition Remedies for Your Common Health Ailments You are what you eat is a simple, time tested adage that still holds true today. There are non-medical remedies that can help with many of today's most common illnesses and conditions.
|
"A Completely Different Approach To Bodybuilding That Can Build Your Physique To Its Maximum Genetic Potential!"