7 Key Healthy Eating Principles

Energy, vitality and longevity can be achieved at any age, and with the 7 Healing Principles which restore our body health and change our life!. We know that the stress of modern living, the Standard American Diet (SAD) of processed foods and too much sugar, and an over-dependence on drugs and antibiotics can weaken our immunity, pave the road for early aging and cause diseases like cancer because health begins in the digestive system.

Beneficial bacteria (also known as microflora) digest the foods we are eating. A lifestyle that includes stress and poor eating habits kills the beneficial microscopic "good guys" that keep us healthy, setting the stage for disease. Very often the stress and the junk foods cause digestive upset, and resulted with digestive pain, bloating and/or fatigue after eating the heavy meals. Therefore, fermented foods and drinks are required to re-populate our digestive system with the beneficial bacteria needed to digest food, assimilate nutrients, and enhance immunity.

The 7 Healing Principles

1. The Principle of Balance

The Principle of Balance is based on the concept of yin and yang, the opposing energy forces from ancient Chinese and Japanese traditions. Everything in the world has some properties of yin and yang, but in varying proportions.

Yin energy is light, expansive, wet, soft, cold and more vegetal. Yang energy is heavy, contracting, dry, hard, hot and more animal. Body Ecology uses the terms expansion and contraction to explain the yin and yang energy of the food we eat.

Some foods, like sugar and alcohol, are examples of food that is way too expansive for our body. Our blood stream quickly absorbs sugar and produces energy, making us feel temporarily open and relaxed yet these foods are damaging because they are not balanced.

Other foods, like excessive and poor-quality salt and animal products, are more contracting and cause our cells to contract and lose fluids, making us feel tight and constricted.

Our body is always seeking balance. If we eat too much salt, our body becomes too contractive and we will quickly find ourself craving something sweet. Notice this the next time we go to see a movie. While they may not fully understand this concept, the movie theaters are well aware that both soda pop (sweet and expansive) and popcorn (salty and contracting) are ever-popular combinations for concession sales.

Without understanding this principle, we may unknowingly create imbalance in a vicious cycle of cravings.


2. The Principle of Acid and Alkaline

To maintain health, our blood must be slightly alkaline. The foods we eat and the lifestyle choices we make impact our body's ability to maintain that alkaline state.

Foods can be alkaline, acidic or neutral in our body. Our goal would be to have a balance of alkaline and acidic foods so that you can maintain the alkaline state of our blood. If we get out of balance and your blood becomes too acidic, you become more susceptible to illness and disease.

At the same time, lifestyle choices like stress, taking prescription drugs and not getting enough sleep can create acidic blood. Paying attention to a balanced lifestyle is also key to our health and longevity.


3. The Principle of Uniqueness

As humans, we share so many similarities with one another, but our body is unique. Each of us is an experiment of one and for that reason, we may need to modify certain elements of any diet or lifestyle to suit our own individuality.

While restoring balance in our body, any time we try a new way of eating, it's vital to observe our body's reactions and assess whether this new path is bringing us back toward balance.


4. The Principle of Cleansing

Did you know that our body cleanses every day? Through elimination, urine, tears, and sweat, our body rids itself of toxins that would otherwise build up and could lead to sickness and disease. Fevers, colds and skin eruptions are actually a natural part of the cleansing process and shouldn't be suppressed. Cleansing allows our body to restore balance and occurs when imbalance is too great and threatens life.

As we start on certain fiber cleansing diet, we will experience the symptoms of cleansing, and might feel worse than we usually feel. It's our body's way of getting rid of the bad and making room for the good. After all, we cannot heal our current condition without cleansing.


5. The Principle of Food Combining

By combining certain foods when we eat can either help or hinder our digestion. If we combine the wrong foods, our body will actually secrete enzymes that cancel each other out!

This leads to slowed or impaired digestion, causing food to ferment in our stomach or toxins to be released in our intestines. These conditions make our body more attractive to pathogens. This is a highly useful principle to improve our health and weight, and often one of the most misunderstood.


6. The Principle of 80/20

This principle has two concepts that aid our digestion:

- Quantity: Overeating severely weakens our digestive system. Give our stomach room to digest our food by only filling our stomach to 80% of capacity and leaving 20% empty to help our body digest.

- Balance of Nutrients: 80% of every meal should be land and ocean vegetables. The other 20% should be either a protein OR a grain.


7. The Principle of Step-by-Step

Just as it takes time to get out of balance, it also takes time to rebuild our health progressively. We cannot expect instant healing, but making small, consistent changes gives our body the foundation it needs to support optimal, long-term health.

Starting any new lifestyle is about creating new habits. It takes time and effort, which can sometimes feel hard.

The key is to take everything step-by-step. Incorporate one healing principle (or even one element of a healing principle) at a time so that you don't feel overwhelmed. Take care of yourself by going at the pace that feels right to you.


Source: BodyEcology.com

Healing effect of Okra (Lady's Finger)

Okra, also known as lady's finger, fruit of a vegetable plant. Its scientific name is Abelmoschus esculentus.

Someone has been suffering from constipation for the past 20 years and recently from acid reflux. He didn't realize that the treatment could be so simple -- OKRA! (or Lady's Finger).

He started eating okra within the last 2 months and since then have never taken medication again. All he did was consume 6 pieces of OKRA everyday.

He's now regular and his blood sugar has dropped from 135 to 98, with his cholesterol and acid reflux also under control.

Here are some facts on okra (from the research of Ms. Sylvia Zook, Ph.D in nutrition, University of Illinois).

"Okra is a powerhouse of valuable nutrients, nearly half of which is soluble fiber in the form of gums and pectins. Soluble fiber helps to lower serum cholesterol, reducing the risk of heart disease. The other half is insoluble fiber which helps to keep the intestinal tract healthy,decreasing the risk of some forms of cancer, especially colo-rectal cancer.

Nearly 10% of the recommended levels of vitamin B6 and folic acid is also present in a half cup of cooked okra. Okra is a rich source of many nutrients, including fiber, vitamin B6 and folic acid. He got the following numbers from the University of Illinois Extension Okra Page.

Please check there for more details.

Okra Nutrition (half-cup cooked okra)

* Calories = 25
* Dietary Fiber = 2 grams
* Protein = 1.5 grams
* Carbohydrates = 5.8 grams
* Vitamin A = 460 IU
* Vitamin C = 13 mg
* Folic acid = 36.5 micrograms
* Calcium = 50 mg
* Iron = 0.4 mg
* Potassium = 256 mg
* Magnesium = 46 mg

These numbers should be used as a guideline only, and if you are on a medically-restricted diet please consult your physician and/or dietician. Ms Sylvia W. Zook, Ph.D. (nutritionist) has very kindly provided the following thought-provoking comments on the many benefits of this versatile vegetable They are well worth reading

1. The superior fiber found in okra helps to stabilize blood sugar as it curbs the rate at which sugar is absorbed from the intestinal tract.

2. Okra's mucilage not only binds cholesterol but bile acid carrying toxins dumped into it by the filtering liver. But it doesn't stop there...

3. Many alternative health practitioners believe all diseases begin in the colon.

The okra fiber, absorbing water and ensuring bulk in stools, helps prevent constipation.

Fiber in general is helpful for this but okra is one of the best, along with ground flax seed and psyllium.

Unlike harsh wheat bran, which can irritate or injure the intestinal tract, okra's mucilage soothes, and okra facilitates elimination more comfortably by its slippery characteristic many people abhor. In other words,this incredibly valuable vegetable not only binds excess cholesterol and toxins (in bile acids) which cause numerous health problems, if not evacuated, but also assures their easy passage from
the the body.

The veggie is completely non-toxic, non-habit forming (except for the many who greatly enjoy eating it), has no adverse side effects, is full of nutrients, and is economically within reach of most.

4. Further contributing to the health of the intestinal tract, okra fiber(as well as flax and psyllium) has no equal among fibers for feeding the good bacteria (probiotics).

5. To retain most of okra's nutrients and self-digesting enzymes, it should be cooked as little as possible, e.g. with low heat or lightly steamed. Some eat it raw.

世卫组织评选的最健康与最垃圾食品

不久前，世界卫生组织公布了一份经过约3年时间研究得出的最佳食品榜，揭开谜底。

最佳蔬菜：由于红薯既含丰富的维生素，又是抗癌能手，所以被选为所有蔬菜之首。其次分别是芦笋、卷心菜、花椰菜、芹菜、茄子、甜菜、胡萝卜、荠菜、苤兰菜、金针菇、雪里红、大白菜。

最佳水果：10份最佳水果的排名依次是，木瓜、草莓、橘子、柑子、猕猴桃、芒果、杏、柿子与西瓜。

最佳肉食：鹅鸭肉化学结构接近橄榄油，有益于心脏。鸡肉则被称为“蛋白质的最佳来源”。

最佳食油：玉米油、米糠油、芝麻油等尤佳，植物油与动物油按1比0.5至1的比例调配食用更好。

最佳汤食：鸡汤最优，特别是母鸡汤还有防治感冒、支气管炎的作用，尤其适于冬春季饮用。

最佳护脑食物：菠菜、韭菜、南瓜、葱、花椰菜、菜椒、豌豆、番茄、胡萝卜、小青菜、蒜苗、芹菜等蔬菜，核桃、花生、开心果、腰果、松子、杏仁、大豆等壳类食物以及糙米饭、猪肝等。

全球十大垃圾食物

一、 油炸类食品
1、 导致心血管疾病元凶( 油炸淀粉)
2、 含致癌物质
3、 破坏维生素，使蛋白质变性

二、腌制类食品
1、导致高血压，肾负担过重，导致鼻咽癌
2、影响粘膜系统（对肠胃有害）
3、易得溃疡和发炎

三、 加工类肉食品（肉干、肉松、香肠等）
1、含三大致癌物质之一：亚硝酸盐（防腐和显色作用）
2、含大量防腐剂（加重肝脏负担）

四、饼干类食品（不含低温烘烤和全麦饼干）
1、食用香精和色素过多（对肝脏功能造成负担）
2、严重破坏维生素
3、热量过多、营养成分低

五、汽水可乐类食品
1，含磷酸、碳酸，会带走体内大量的钙
2、含糖量过高，喝后有饱胀感，影响正餐

六、方便类食品（主要指方便面和膨化食品）
1、盐分过高，含防腐剂、香精（损肝）
2、只有热量，没有营养

七、罐头类食品（包括鱼肉类和水果类）
1、破坏维生素，使蛋白质变性
2、热量过多，营养成分低

八、话梅蜜饯类食品（果脯）
1、含三大致癌物质之一：亚硝酸盐（防腐和显色作用）
2、盐分过高，含防腐剂、香精（损肝）

九、冷冻甜品类食品（冰淇淋、冰棒和各种雪糕）
1、含奶油极易引起肥胖
2、含糖量过高影响正餐

十、烧烤类食品
1、含大量“三苯四丙吡”（三大致癌物质之首）
2、1只烤鸡腿＝60支烟毒性
3、导致蛋白质炭化变性（加重肾脏、肝脏负担）


http://article.pchome.net/30871.html

25 Reasons To Drink Green Tea

Green tea has increasingly become a very popular drink worldwide because of its immensely powerful health benefits. It is extraordinarily amazing what green tea can do for your health. And if you're not drinking 3 to 4 cups of green tea today, you're definitely NOT doing your health a big favor.

Here Are The 25 Reasons Why You Should Start Drinking Green Tea Right Now:

1. Green Tea and Cancer
Green tea helps reduce the risk of cancer. The antioxidant in green tea is 100 times more effective than vitamin C and 25 times better than vitamin E. This helps your body at protecting cells from damage believed to be linked to cancer.

2. Green Tea and Heart Disease
Green tea helps prevent heart disease and stroke by lowering the level of cholesterol. Even after the heart attack, it prevents cell deaths and speeds up the recovery of heart cells.

3. Green Tea and Anti-Aging
Green tea contains antioxidant known as polyphenols which fight against free radicals. What this means it helps you fight against aging and promotes longevity.

4. Green Tea and Weight Loss
Green tea helps with your body weight loss. Green tea burns fat and boosts your metabolism rate naturally. It can help you burn up to 70 calories in just one day. That translates to 7 pounds in one year.

5. Green Tea and Skin
Antioxidant in green tea protects the skin from the harmful effects of free radicals, which cause wrinkling and skin aging. Green tea also helps fight against skin cancer.

6. Green Tea and Arthritis
Green tea can help prevent and reduce the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. Green tea has benefit for your health as it protects the cartilage by blocking the enzyme that destroys cartilage.

7. Green Tea and Bones
The very key to this is high fluoride content found in green tea. It helps keep your bones strong. If you drink green tea every day, this will help you preserve your bone density.

8. Green Tea and Cholesterol
Green tea can help lower cholesterol level. It also improves the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol, by reducing bad cholesterol level.

9. Green Tea and Obesity
Green tea prevents obesity by stopping the movement of glucose in fat cells. If you are on a healthy diet, exercise regularly and drink green tea, it is unlikely you'll be obese.

10. Green Tea and Diabetes
Green tea improves lipid and glucose metabolisms, prevents sharp increases in blood sugar level, and balances your metabolism rate.

11. Green Tea and Alzheimer's
Green tea helps boost your memory. And although there's no cure for Alzheimer's, it helps slow the process of reduced acetylcholine in the brain, which leads to Alzheimer's.

12. Green Tea and Parkinson's
Antioxidants in green tea helps prevent against cell damage in the brain, which could cause Parkinson's. People drinking green tea also are less likely to progress with Parkinson's.

13. Green Tea and Liver Disease
Green tea helps prevent transplant failure in people with liver failure. Researches showed that green tea destroys harmful free radicals in fatty livers.

14. Green Tea and High Blood Pressure
Green tea helps prevent high blood pressure. Drinking green tea helps keep your blood pressure down by repressing angiotensin, which leads to high blood pressure.

15. Green Tea and Food Poisoning
Catechin found in green tea can kill bacteria which causes food poisoning and kills the toxins produced by those bacteria.

16. Green Tea and Blood Sugar
Blood sugar tends to increase with age, but polyphenols and polysaccharides in green tea help lower your blood sugar level.

17. Green Tea and Immunity
Polyphenols and flavenoids found in green tea help boost your immune system, making your health stronger in fighting against infections.

18. Green Tea and Cold and Flu
Green tea prevents you from getting a cold or flu. Vitamin C in green tea helps you treat the flu and the common cold.

19. Green Tea and Asthma
Theophylline in green tea relaxes the muscles which support the bronchial tubes, reducing the severity of asthma.

20. Green Tea and Ear Infection
Green tea helps with ear infection problem. For natural ear cleaning, soak a cutton ball in green tea and clean the infected ear.

21. Green Tea and Herpes
Green tea increases the effectiveness of topical interferon treatment of herpes. First green tea compress is applied, and then let the skin dry before the interferon treatment.

22. Green Tea and Tooth Decay
Green tea destroys bacteria and viruses that cause many dental diseases. It also slows the growth of bacteria which leads to bad breath.

23. Green Tea and Stress
L-theanine, which is a kind of amino acids in green tea, can help relieve stress and anxiety

24. Green Tea and Allergies
EGCG found in green tea relieves allergies. So, if you have allergies, you should really consider drinking green tea.

25. Green Tea and HIV
Scientists inJapanhave found that EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate) in green tea can stop HIV from binding to healthy immune cells. What this means is that green tea can help stop the HIV virus from spreading.

Now, your health is in your hands. You know you're smart. So, start drinking three to four cups of green tea every day for a drug-free and healthier YOU!

Eat Good Live Long

Eating the wrong foods create toxins in the body which hinder it working efficiently. These toxins obstruct your thinking processes and so your spirituality, it also causes a lot of problems for children at school who are labeled with "disruptive syndromes", etc.

Most illnesses, (spiritual and physical), can be directly associated with unhealthy eating. So it naturally follows that almost any illness can be cured by simply knowing what to eat. For example many instances of general tiredness, especially in pregnancies is often caused by lack of Iron in their diet, so that in this instance spinach would be an ideal remedy. Another good food for exhaustion is oats which contain typically 60% carbohydrates, about 10% protein, 10% fibre, oats also have vitamin E, Thiamin B1, vitamin B6, Folacin, Pantothenic acid B5, Phosporus, Iron, Magnesium, and Zinc.

Brown sugar is better than white sugar which has had it's nutrients removed and has chemicals that contribute to hyper- activeness in children. This goes for all mainstream selling sweets, candy, chocolate and cakes. Sugary foods are bad for teeth and the digestive system. You can make your own 'sweet' things using brown sugar, honey and dried fruit. You can find some brands of good quality chocolate, oat, and fruit snack bars at some health food shops.

Sea Salt instead of commercial salt. Sea-salt contains nutrients that we need, whereas the usual rock salt you can easily find- is well known to harden arteries which carry blood.

Spring/bottle water is a better source of water especially to drink as public water contains chemicals such as chlorine and fluoride which are detrimental to health. This, again costs, an alternative measure is to add sea salt to tap water which replaces nutrients removed.

Whole-meal bread that has not been bleached contains more of it's original nutrients and vitamins. This varies from brand to brands you have to check the ingredients to find the best ones for you. Be wary of the different names, whole wheat, whole grain, brown, etc. Alternatively you can make your own, again, finding the whole-flour that hasn't had all it's nutrients removed or chemicals added such as bleaching.

Fresh fruit and vegetables - eat as much of these as you like. Best to grow your own but if shopping at markets and supermarkets try to be conscious of the journey the food has made. Most fruits and vegetables that don't grow in your locality has had to travel, so was probably picked young and force ripened, chemicals are usually added for appearance on the shop shelf. Some times when these same foods do grow in your locality, the ones that are available for you to buy don't. Ask shop staff about Genetically Modified Food (food grown using cloning and other chemical processes) and pesticides used, so you can avoid them. Be aware that foods marked 'natural', 'fresh', pure, are not necessarily so. Vegetables are best eaten as raw as possible retaining all their nutrients. Potatoes are best eaten with their skins as this is where the vitamins are.

Beans, peas, lentils and pulses can be made into burgers, soups, stews with rice/pasta and other variations. Soya beans are extremely versatile, you can get it in mince or chunks to use as substitute meat. Soya also makes milk and oil.

Soya and goats milk are better than cow's milk as it has lactose which is good for calves not us.

Dried fruits are especially good as their vitamins are concentrated by the sun during the drying process.

Olive oil is best to cook with, also peanut and soya oil. sunflower, vegetable oils are fairly good, make sure animal fats are avoided.

Cereals are a good source of carbohydrates such as rye, barley, millet and cornmeal. These are also good sweetened with fruit.

try to avoid all packet/preserved foods as these even though labeled fresh and natural, etc are very likely to have some unnatural additives.

Real butter is the best of the butters and margarine spreads, again, staying away from animal additives though these should generally be avoided.

Don't eat too much fried foods, as these are generally covered in fat that the stomach is not really equipped for. (when frying, use healthier-option oils, like olive, peanut, etc).

Herbs and spices are very good to add to dishes, as garnishes/side salads or cooked with food (herbs added last to retains nutrients), they all have different healthy properties. herbs and spices can be used medicinally in larger quantities.

Nuts

Almonds: have a large calcium content, and also contains zinc, potassium, and magnesium (calcium is essential for strong teeth and bones).

Brazils: the highest-known natural source of selenium (a mineral, believed to reduce the risk of cancer and heart- disease).

Cashews: high iron content, helps to reduce the risk of anemia.

Hazelnuts: high vitamin E content, also good for the heart.

Peanuts: rich in protein and fiber, unroasted contains potassium which is believed to reduce risk of strokes (especially in cases of high-blood pressure).

Pistachios: good source of zinc, calcium, iron and fiber.

Walnuts: can lower blood cholesterol.

(some people may be allergic to nuts, so may need alternative sources of vitamins and minerals listed)

FOOD PYRAMID

(showing the proportions in which the main food groups should be eaten in order to gain a balanced diet)


sweets sugary foods

chocolate oils cakes pastries

Proteins: Bean nuts pulses milk

Fibre & vitamins: fruit vegetables

Carbohydrates: Bread pasta cereals rice

It is difficult to eat properly no matter what country you are in. Consider your diet in a serious way and you will realize that the ideal is to grow your own food on land that you know has not been contaminated with chemicals - these can even come from rain. Your financial situation will also have a bearing as the things that we eat are generally more expensive than what 'most' people buy. The so-called 'organic movement' seems to be a middle-class led consciousness of chemicals in food which is positive but has been infiltrated by business agendas so food labeled organic are not necessarily so, and what is organic anyway?. Transport can be a problem as you may need to shop at a number of shops, some of which are small and out of the way to get what you want.

壞食物大翻身

愛吃冰淇淋、披薩、花生醬、巧克力……？
不必再有罪惡感，最新研究發現，你可以吃得理直氣壯！

文／黃惠如

披薩

這是美國心臟協會（American Heart Association）第一次將披薩視為「好速食」。

義大利的科學家發現，披薩可以降低59％食道癌發展的機率，而且愛吃披薩的人也可以降低34％得口腔癌和26％得結腸癌的機率。

秘密都在番茄中的茄紅素和其他抗氧化物。「我們知道番茄醬可以對某些癌症提供保護力，但我們沒有料到作為一個完整食物的披薩，也提供相同的保護效果，」義大利米蘭馬立歐．尼格里藥學研究所喀魯斯（Silvano Gallus）博士說。

的確，披薩的好處除了番茄和番茄醬提供的茄紅素之外，披薩上撒的起司也能強健骨骼，降血壓和抑制結腸癌。

不過如果你懂得挑選，就能吃得更好。12吋的辣味香腸大披薩熱量就超過2000卡、飽和脂肪60克；但如果你點兩片脆皮蔬菜披薩熱量只有300卡、飽和脂肪只有2.5克。所以點一個小披薩，多要一點番茄醬，還要搭配沙拉和蔬菜湯。

冰淇淋

歐洲83％的營養師同意，令人感興趣的食物如冰淇淋，才能真正幫助人們維持長期的健康飲食。那不僅是因為冰淇淋是很好的蛋白質來源，它也有重要的礦物質如鈣與鉀可以維持骨骼和牙齒的健康。

美國《預防雜誌》（Prevention Magazine）甚至曾推廣冰淇淋減肥。雜誌中建議，選擇一杯半約125卡的低卡冰淇淋在減肥餐中，並搭配低卡起司、沙拉、低脂牛奶和低卡貝果（Bagel）。
美國營養學會同意，夏天冰淇淋的確是一個新鮮的鈣質來源，但請注意份量。平常一球冰淇淋雖然提供120毫克的鈣和150毫克的鉀，但不可忽視也有195卡的熱量和10克的脂肪。

因此營養師們建議，多加一點水果在低卡冰淇淋裡。

香蕉

坊間流傳「香蕉傷筋骨」，以致年紀稍長、有退化性關節問題的人對香蕉退避三舍，台北市立聯合醫院中醫院區醫療部主任程惠政卻說「我都叫我病人吃」。

從中醫典籍來看，老祖宗從未曾提及香蕉傷筋骨。《本草綱目》記載香蕉「甘、大寒、無毒」；《本草求原》則記載香蕉「清脾滑腸，脾火盛者食之，反能止瀉止痢」。

香蕉的確「性寒」。不過程惠政說，即使食物有其性味也要和體質相配。如因為香蕉性寒，寒性體質的人的確少吃為佳，但即使寒性體質的人若吃的份量不多，也不會有大礙。

程惠政也強調，性味是古代人的主觀感受，仍不能盡信，常會發現幾本古籍中對相同食物的性味分類並不相同。

若從西方營養學來看，香蕉則好處多多，是不折不扣的好食物。

一根香蕉約是半碗飯的熱量，是很好的熱量來源。運動選手上場時，如果吃太多食物會想嘔吐，這時香蕉就是補充體力最佳食物。曾經來台馬拉松環台的日本打擊樂團體鬼太鼓座，每天早上跑馬拉松前，不吃任何食物，只吃香蕉。

香蕉也可以預防中風，因為有高量的鉀，是繼黃豆之後，被美國食品藥物管理局（FDA）許可，可以在香蕉產品上標示：「具高鉀與低鈉，可以降低中風、高血壓的發生」。

更令人雀躍的是，香蕉還是「快樂食物（pleasure food）」。香蕉中所含的血清素、正腎上腺素、多巴胺都是腦中的神經傳導物質，可以抗憂鬱，振奮精神。

巧克力

愈來愈多美國人流行吃黑巧克力，台灣也愈來愈多巧克力標示著可可純度，都和人們想吃美味的健康食物有關。

眾多的科學研究都發現，巧克力裡有多種抗氧化物質，如可可多酚和類黃酮可以降低壞的膽固醇（低密度膽固醇，LDL），提高好的膽固醇（高密度膽固醇，HDL）。類黃酮也可以舒緩發炎，打開血流，增進血液流通。

美國加州大學戴維斯分校於2006年發表在美國《營養學會期刊》的最新研究發現，每天吃富含巧克力多酚的可可棒，持續6週後可以降低低密度膽固醇。

義大利科學家的研究也發現黑巧克力可以降血壓。這份研究同時也顯示，黑巧克力可以預防第二型糖尿病，因為類黃酮可以鼓勵荷爾蒙轉化醣類成為細胞的燃料。

除此之外，巧克力之所以令人著迷，被稱為愛情靈藥，是因為巧克力中的色胺酸有助於合成血清素，這是一種帶來喜悅的神經傳導物質。但這項成分不僅可以增加浪漫情趣，近來也被發現可以對抗慢性疲勞症候群（chronic fatigue syndrome）。

遺憾的是，並非所有的巧克力產品都有這些功效，這關乎於可可的純度。最近美國農業部研究發現，可可粉是所有的巧克力產品中，含有最多的類黃酮和抗氧化物。烘焙用巧克力（baking chocolate）次之。黑巧克力和烘焙碎巧克力（baking chips）因為製造過程會去掉部份抗氧化物更次之。而大家最常吃的牛奶巧克力（milk chocolate）含有最少的有用物質，約只是可可粉的十分之一而已。

咖啡

科學家現在會告訴你，一天一杯咖啡，醫生遠離你。

美國斯克藍頓大學（University of Scranton）選出咖啡是美國食物中最高的抗氧化物來源。第二名是紅茶、第三名是香蕉。

抗氧化的好處是可以幫你抵禦各種癌症、心臟病、糖尿病和中風，「我認為一天一杯咖啡對心臟是正面的，」斯克藍頓大學化學教授文森（Joe Vinson）說。

如果你擔心喝太多咖啡讓你心悸，好消息是可以選擇低咖啡因咖啡，科學家發現兩者的抗氧化物數量差不多。

但是要提防「咖啡的伴侶」──糖漿和奶精。一杯大杯美式咖啡熱量只不過15卡、無脂肪，但如果加上奶精和糖漿的大杯摩卡星冰樂可要420卡、脂肪16克。

花生醬

花生醬的確有很多油，但並非所有的油都對身體不好。

花生醬裡的單元不飽和脂肪酸和維生素E可以降低壞的膽固醇，保護心臟。這是美國喬治亞大學與韓國國立忠州大學聯合發表在《食物科學期刊》（Journal of Food Science）的研究。

花生醬還可以預防糖尿病。美國哈佛大學公衛學院的研究指出，一週吃5次、每次1匙花生醬，可以降低21％第二型糖尿病的機會。

當你下午肚子餓，土司塗花生醬當點心是很好的選擇，花生醬裡的油脂可以馬上有飽足感。但不適合在已經熱量很高的食物如餅乾、蛋糕，再塗上花生醬。

雞蛋

很多人一看到蛋，就想到膽固醇，害怕心臟病的人碎碎念「要遠離它」。但現在科學家已經知道，真正危險的敵人是飽和脂肪。喬治華盛頓大學心臟學家約翰．拉羅沙博士表示：「飽和脂肪增加膽固醇的威力，比食物含有膽固醇本身，要高出4倍。」

飽和性脂肪都在動物性油脂裡，如肉類、乳製品。所以要遠離奶油、豬油、雞皮、全脂牛奶等。雞蛋的脂肪極少，一顆蛋只有5克脂肪而已。

況且雞蛋的營養濃度極高，一顆蛋裡就有維生素A、B6、B12、E、K、葉酸、鐵等，可以防止脂肪沈澱在肝臟，蛋裡的黃體素也可以保護眼睛健康。

但烹調方式會影響雞蛋健康與否。水煮蛋或多加點蔬菜在蛋裡，可以讓你每一口都可以吃到營養。

牛肉

不用再吃乾巴巴的雞胸肉了，牛肉（與各種紅肉）和膽固醇、心臟病的關連已經沒有那麼深。美國約翰霍普金斯大學刊登在《內科學文獻》（Archives of Internal Medicine）的研究指出，瘦牛肉和雞肉、魚一樣，不會增加膽固醇。因為畜牧技術的進步，現今的牛肉已經沒有那麼「油」，所以沒有那麼多的飽和脂肪。

況且牛肉裡含有很多女性補充不足的營養，如鐵、鋅、和維生素B12。

不過還是要選擇瘦牛肉，不能選肋排或丁骨牛排，這種牛排的油脂和熱量還是瘦牛肉的兩倍。

鴨肉

很多人說，鴨肉有「毒」，所以皮膚病、手術開刀的人不能吃，甚至還擴大到所有人都不宜多吃鴨肉。

中醫師程惠政說，「食物沒有毒不毒的問題，」雖然本草綱目上記載鴨肉「甘、冷、微毒」，但古人所謂的「毒」，指對身體明顯的反應，如立即引起腹瀉或過敏等，並不是現代科學觀念中的「毒」。

之所以會引起腹瀉，可能是因為體質虛寒或已經受涼的人吃太多鴨肉所致。因為鴨肉雖然無毒，卻是性寒，因此可以薑母、當歸等熱性食物一起烹煮，以平衡食物的性味，便是很好的補虛勞食物。現在你知道為何薑母鴨、當歸鴨那麼有名了吧。

起司

下次早餐的土司不要塗奶油，改夾起司。因為起司竟然可以抗癌，美國華盛頓州立大學的研究發現。

關鍵在於起司中的共軛亞麻油酸（Conjugated Linolenic Acid）。這種「好的」脂肪酸不僅發現可以阻止皮膚癌、肺癌、乳癌的成長，也可以降低心臟病、糖尿病的機率。共軛亞麻油酸也被發現可以降低飯後脂肪的儲存，因此可以控制體重。

不僅如此，起司一直都是良好的鈣質來源。鈣不僅可以預防骨質疏鬆，也可強健骨骼和牙齒。對於喝牛奶肚子會不舒服的人，起司更是身體可以快速吸收的鈣質來源。

美國《動起來的人生》（Active Wellness）作者營養師雷啟勒（Gayle Reichler）建議吃有強烈氣味的藍起司（blue cheese）或新鮮的羊奶起司（goat cheese），這些起司人工香料較少，而且羊奶起司一盎司（31.1克）熱量只有23卡，而一般的巧達起司（Cheddar Cheese）可有114卡。

本文出自　康健雜誌100期　封面故事：壞食物大翻身

BANANAS

Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose - combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proved that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes.

A banana can help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must for our daily diet.

Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND among people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight and at work: Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and crisps. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer, tryptophan.

Smoking: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be re-balanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes: According to research in "The New England Journal of Medicine", eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%"

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

A banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around.

Soooooo.......... "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"

Remember: If you have a latex allergy, check with your doctor before eating banana

PS Bananas must be the reason monkeys are so happy all the time!

Why You Should Care about Your Blood Sugar?

By Dov Oshri
Unless you're diabetic, chances are you haven't given a moment's thought to your blood sugar before now. So why should you care about it?

- You should care if you find yourself getting sluggish or tired at 3:00 pm every afternoon.
- You should care if you reach for biscuits, sweets, or coal top give you a shot of energy.
- You should care if you've ever found yourself hungry late at night and making a refrigerator raid.
- You should care if your earnest attempts to lose weight have met with little or no success.
- You should care if you've notices your vision or your memory slipping in recent years.

What exactly is blood sugar? And why is it so important to your health? Well, blood sugar is to your body what petrol is to your car. It's the fuel that makes it go. If your car ran out of petrol, it would sputter, cough, and come to a stop. If you ran out of blood sugar, you would soon go into a coma and die. Every cell in your body depends on blood sugar for the energy to stay alive and perform its function. Without a steady supply of blood sugar, your brain couldn't think, your heart couldn't b eat, your feet couldn't walk.

So, like petrol, blood sugar is a good thing. But you can have too much of a good thing. You wouldn't pour petrol all over your car, would you? But when your blood sugar gets high - and stays high - that's exactly what you are doing. You're pouring petrol over your body and all the vital organs inside. Then when you add a small additional problem as high blood pressure or high cholesterol, you're striking a match.

Your goal is to keep your "petrol tank" of blood sugar full, but not too full. And one of the key tools in this process is a hormone called insulin. Insulin is manufactured in your pancreas and it's job is to "inject" the blood sugar into your cells. Consider it your own personal fuel-injection system!

Whenever you eat - especially when you eat carbohydrate - the food is converted to blood sugar (glucose), and your pancreas cranks up its production of insulin. The insulin sends the blood sugar into your cells, and your cells use it for energy. When your blood sugar is high, your body hates to waste all that fuel. So whatever it can't use right away for energy, it stores as fat to be used later.

Have you wondered why you can still gain weight even when you hardly eat? You're late for work and the kids are late for school, so you don't have time for breakfast. Work is really busy, so the only lunch you have time for is a bagel and a diet soft drink. Your body is in starvation mode, and your blood sugar is very low.

But when dinnertime comes, it's a different story. Now you're ready for a feast of roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet corn and bread rolls with butter. Your blood sugar soars, your insulin spikes, and here's what your body is thinking: "We've been starving all day, and finally we got a decent meal. But who knows when we'll eat again? We should store all this food as fat. That way, we'll have a source of energy if we go back to starvation tomorrow."

So on the next morning, you step on the scales and you've gained weight! You say to yourself, "But how could that happen? I only ate one meal yesterday!" How could it happen? It's your blood sugar, that's how! Are you starting to understand why balancing your blood sugar is so important?

Doctors are beginning to realize that keeping a close eye on your blood sugar isn't just for diabetics anymore. It's for everyone - man, woman who wants to be fit, healthy, and live to ripe old age.

Controlling your blood sugar is one of the most exciting new discoveries to hit the world of weight loss in at least 25 years. It's the only weight loss method ever invented that works not by depriving you of foods, but by urging you to eat those foods that naturally keep your blood sugar on an even keel.

As a result, your insulin rarely spikes... and your meals are less likely to get stored as fat. If your body needs more energy that it can get from your last meal, it borrows form your existing reserves of fat in your belly, butt, and thighs. You're rarely hungry. Your cravings for sweets and carb crunchies will disappear. You will lose weight. Gain more energy. Sharpen your memory. And protect yourself against life-threatening illnesses like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

10 Foods for Longevity

Science says these 10 can help you live longer, better.

Tomatoes
A major source of the antioxidant lycopene that reduces the risk of cancer by 40% -- notably prostate, lung and stomach cancers -- and increases cancer survival. Tomato eaters function better mentally in old age and suffer half as much heart disease. Concentrated tomato sauces have 5 times more lycopene than fresh tomatoes, and canned tomatoes have three times more than fresh.

Olive Oil
Shown to help reduce death from heart disease and cancer. Recent research shows that heart-attack survivors on a Mediterranean diet had half the death rates of those on an ordinary low-fat diet. Olive oil is also high in antioxidant activity.

Red Grapes,
including red grape juice and red wine. Red grapes have moderate antioxidant power, while purple grape juice has four times more antioxidant activity than orange or tomato juice. Red wine (not white) has about the same antioxidant capacity as purple grape juice or tea. French research show that drinking red wine in moderation increases longevity, but excessive drinking has the opposite effect, so limit to two glasses per day. Drink grape juice.

Garlic
German researchers have found that garlic is packed with antioxidants know to help fend off cancer, heart disease and all-over aging, and prolong cancer survival time. Let crushed garlic "rest" about 10 minutes before cooking to preserve disease-fighting agents.

Spinach
Second among vegetables only to garlic in antioxidant capacity and is also rich in folic acid, which helps fight cancer, heart disease and mental disorders. New University of Kentucky research shows folic acid may help prevent Alzheimer's disease. Eat both raw and steamed for best benefit.

Whole grains
A University of Minnesota study suggests the more whole grains you eat, the lower your odds of death by 15%. Whole grains contain anticancer agents and help stabilize blood sugar and insulin, which may promote longevity. Whole-grain "dark" breads, cereals such as All Bran, and "old fashioned" oatmeal are an excellent source.

Salmon, and other fatty fish
Contains high amounts of omega-3 fat that performs miracles throughout the body, fighting virtually every chronic disease known. Without it, your brain can't think, your heart can't beat, your arteries clog, and joints become inflamed. You need one ounce a day, or two servings of salmon, sardines, mackerel, herring or tuna per week.

Nuts
Eating more than 5 ounces a week can cut heart-attack deaths in women by 40% and help prevent deadly irregular heart beats in men a Harvard University study found. Almonds and walnuts lower blood cholesterol. Most of the fat in nuts is the good-type monounsaturated and/or omega-3. Unsalted nuts are best.

Blueberries
High in antioxidants, Tufts University researchers say a half-cup of blueberries a day can retard aging and can block brain changes leading to decline and even reverse failing memory.

Tea
Green or black tea has equal antioxidant benefit. One cup a day can cut heart disease risk in half Harvard researchers found. Make from loose tea or tea bags, instant and bottled tea has little effect Tufts University shows.

Contributing Editor Jean Carper, author of the best seller Miracle Cures, writes monthly on the medical effects of food.

How Coke and Pepsi are HELPFUL

the awareness of these soft drinks...

To clean a toilet:
Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the toilet bowl.after 1 hour flush clean. The citric acid in Coke removes stains from vitreous china.

To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers:
Rub the bumper with a crumpled-up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola

To clean corrosion from car battery terminals :
Pour a can of Coca-Cola over the terminals to bubble away the corrosion

To loosen a rusted bolt :
Apply a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola to the rusted bolt for sometime

To remove grease from clothes :
Pour a can of Coke into a load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run through a regular cycle. The Coca-Cola/Pepsi will help loosen grease stains

It will also clean road haze from car windshield

WE DRINK THIS STUFF!
OFF COURSE TO CLEAN OUR SYSTEM TOO. AFTER ALL WE ARE PAYING FOR IT.

ISN'I IT?

For your information
The average pH of soft drinks, e.g. Coke & Pepsi is 3.4. This acidity is strong enough to dissolve teeth and bones! Our human body stops building bones at around the age of 30. After that it shall be dissolving the bones every year through the urine depending on the acidity of the food intake. All the dissolved calcium compounds get accumulated in the arteries, veins, skin, tissue and organs, which affects the functioning of the kidney assisting in formation of kidney stones.

Soft drinks do not have any nutritional value (in terms of vitamins and minerals). They have higher sugar content, higher acidity, and more additives such as preservatives and colorings. Some people like to take cold soft drinks after each meal, guess what's the impact?

The Impact?
Our body has an optimum temperature of 370 for the functioning of digestive enzymes. The temperature of cold soft drinks is much less than 37, sometimes quite close to 0. This lowers the effectiveness of the enzymes and puts stress on our digestive system, digesting less food. In fact the food gets fermented. The fermented food produces bad smelling, gases, decays and forms toxins, which are absorbed in the intestines, get circulated in the blood and is delivered to the whole body. This spread of toxins can lead to the development of various diseases.

Few Examples
Sometime ago, there was a competition in Delhi University "Who can drink the most Coke?” The winner drank 8 bottles and died on the spot because of too much carbon dioxide in the blood and not enough oxygen. From then on, the principal banned all soft drinks from the university canteen.

Someone put a broken tooth in a bottle of Pepsi and in 10 days it got dissolved! Teeth and bones are the only human organ that stays intact for years after death.

Imagine
what the drink must be doing to your soft intestines and stomach lining!

愛飲可樂必看

read if Coca Cola is your favorite !!!

有人車禍過世，火化之後骨頭是黃色的，
撿骨的人說這種人生前一定很愛喝可樂這類的東西，而他的確是如此！

你知道麥當勞已經開始停止販售 Diet Coca了!

你可能讀過以下所述，但為了萬一你沒讀過，請讀一讀吧。

一位因腎衰竭而過逝的年輕母親，她曾在伯特米那醫院住過一個月，而且每天只能喝一杯水，醫生為她進行了藥物治療，但似乎是太遲了。

根據她所說，她以前每天午餐都喝「非酒精性的飲料」或稱做「軟性飲料」 (譯註：就是那種有很多種美美的各種顏色，各種口味，甜甜的，多半有氣泡的，冰的飲料，像是可口可樂，百事可樂，汽水，沙士，甚至標榜有什麼奧利多活菌，bifidus 益菌。。。。等等）。

雖然只是每天一杯，但足以摧毀這個維持生命所必須的器官，
她終於在去年十月去世，留下一個一歲大的兒子！
請繼續往下讀 ！

=============================================

危險的非酒精性飲料！

這篇文章無關政治，但與可口可樂、百事可樂有關，非常耐人尋味。
給這些愛喝而且自以為很清楚可口可樂/ 百事可樂的人

清潔廁所：
倒一罐可口可樂在馬桶，讓這個活生生的可樂待個一小時，然後沖掉。
可樂的檸檬酸會將玻璃質似陶瓷器（譯註：指馬桶）上的污點消除。

將車子保險桿上的污鏽除去：
將皺成一團的鋁箔片
（譯註：即 一般廚房刷洗鍋底的 鋁質刷子）浸在可口可樂後，拿來搓洗保險桿。

清潔汽車電池的電極：
將整罐的可口可樂倒在電極，以可樂的泡沫清除鏽蝕。

鬆開鏽蝕的螺栓：
將一塊布浸在可口可樂後，搓洗鏽蝕的螺栓，搓個幾分鐘。

除去衣物的油脂：
將整罐可樂倒在一堆油膩的衣物，加入清潔劑，再進行清洗工作。
可口可樂可以幫忙油垢的附離。
它也可以清除擋風玻璃的污霧。
而我們喝這種東西！

可口可樂 & 百事可樂提供參考：
軟性飲料的酸鹼平均值，像可口可樂，百事可樂，是3.4。
這種酸度酸到可以溶解牙齒和骨頭。

我們人體到了30歲左右就停止製造骨質。
之後，骨頭透過排尿，每年會有百分之8到18會溶體外，
而這端看所攝取食物的酸度。
(酸度並不是指食物的味道，而是指鉀、鈣、鎂對鏻的比例）
所有被溶的鈣成份都會在血管的動脈、 靜脈、皮膚，組織和器官累積。
這會影響腎功能（如腎結石）。

就維他命和礦物質而言，軟性飲料並無營養價值。
他們只有比較多的糖、酸度，和像是糖精和色素的添加物。
有些人喜歡在餐後喝冰冷的軟性飲料，想想看會有什麼影響 ?

我們人體維持對消化酵素最佳功能的體溫是在37度。
而冰冷的軟性飲料遠低於37度，有時甚至是接近零度。
這會降低酵素的功能，而且增加消化系統的負擔，而消化較少的食物，事實上，這些食物會發酵。
發酵的食物產生難聞的氣體，會壞掉會形成毒素，
而被我們的腸子所吸收，並且在血管中循環送全身。
毒素的傳送會導致各種疾病的形成。

在喝可口可樂或百事可樂或是其他軟性飲料前想一想。
你可曾在喝瓶氣體的飲料的當頭想過你喝的是什麼?
你吞下二氧化碳，有人會建議你喝的東西。
二個月前，在達利大學有場比賽：「看誰能喝最多的可口可樂 ?」
獲勝者喝了八瓶，並當場死亡，因為血管中含了太多的二氧化碳，而沒有足夠的氧。
從那次以後，校長就禁止任何的軟性飲料在大學的福利社販賣。

有人將掉下來的牙齒放在百事可樂中十天，它溶解了。
牙齒和骨頭是人體中唯一死亡後，仍可保存無缺的器官 。
想想看這樣的飲料，會對你脆弱的腸壁和胃壁做出什麼樣的事來。

這八種東西吃多了會死人的

1. 皮蛋 : 一般製造商在製作皮蛋時，常添加定量的鉛，我們若經常食用，會引起鉛中毒。同時，還會造成身體內鈣質的流失。


2. 臭豆腐 : 臭豆腐在發酵過程中，極易被微生物汙染，同時又會揮發大量鹽基氮，以及硫化氫等；這些都是蛋白質分解的腐敗物質，對人體有害。


3. 味精 : 每人每日對味精的攝取量，以不超過六公克為原則，多則有害無益。


4. 菠菜 : 菠菜營養豐富，但因含有草酸，致食物中寶貴的元素鋅與鈣之結合，而被排出體外，而引起人體鋅與鈣的缺乏。


5. 豬肝 : 一公斤的豬肝，其含膽固醇高達四百毫克以上，而一個人若攝入過多的膽固醇，會導致動脈硬化。


6. 烤肉 : 由於烤肉在燻烤過程中，會產生如「苯」等有害物質，是 誘發癌的因子。


7. 醃菜 : 醃菜若製作不得法，菜內隱藏致癌物，並含硝酸胺，久吃因而致病。


8. 油條 : 油條中的明礬，是含鋁的無機物，不可經常食用。

Health Food

HEADACHE ? - EAT FISH !
Eat plenty of fish - fish oil helps prevent headaches. So does ginger, which reduces inflammation and pain.

HAY FEVER? EAT YOGURT!
Eat lots of yogurt before pollen season. Also-eat honey from your area (local region) daily.

TO PREVENT STROKE - DRINK TEA!
Prevent build-up of fatty deposits on artery walls with regular doses of tea.

INSOMNIA (CAN'T SLEEP?) - HONEY!
Use honey as a tranquilizer and sedative.

ASTHMA? - EAT ONIONS!!!!
Eating onions helps ease constriction of bronchial tubes.

ARTHRITIS? - EAT FISH, TOO!!
Salmon, tuna, mackerel and sardines actually prevent arthritis.

UPSET STOMACH? - BANANAS - GINGER!!!!!
Bananas will settle an upset stomach. Ginger will cure morning sickness and nausea.

BLADDER INFECTION? DRINK CRANBERRY JUICE!!!!
High-acid cranberry juice controls harmful bacteria.

BONE PROBLEMS? EAT PINEAPPLE!!!
Bone fractures and osteoporosis can be prevented by the manganese in pineapple.

PRE-MENSTRUAL SYNDROME? EAT CORNFLAKES!!!!
Women can ward off the effects of PMS with cornflakes, which help reduce depression, anxiety and fatigue.

MEMORY PROBLEMS? EAT OYSTERS!
Oysters help improve your mental functioning by supplying much-needed zinc.

COLDS? EAT GARLIC!
clear up that stuffy head with garlic.

COUGHING? USE RED PEPPERS!!
A substance similar to that found in the cough syrups is found in hot red pepper. Use red (cayenne) pepper with caution-it can irritate your tummy.

BREAST CANCER?
Wheat, Bran, Cabbage, Wheat, bran and cabbage help maintain estrogen at healthy levels.

LUNG CANCER? EAT DARK GREEN and ORANGE VEGGIES!!!
A good antidote is beta carotene, a form of Vitamin A found in dark green and orange vegetables.

ULCERS? EAT CABBAGE ALSO!!!
Cabbage contains chemicals that help heal both gastric and duodena ulcers.

DIARRHEA? EAT APPLES!
Grate an apple with its skin, let it turn brown and eat it to cure this condition.

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE? EAT CELERY AND OLIVE OIL!!!
Olive oil has been shown to lower blood pressure. Celery contains a chemical that lowers pressure, too.

BLOOD SUGAR IMBALANCE? EAT BROCCOLI AND PEANUTS!!!
The chromium in broccoli and peanuts helps regulate insulin and blood sugar.

The correct way of eating fruits

The Correct Way Of Eating Fruits - By Devagi Sanmugam

We all think eating fruits means just buying fruits, cutting it and just popping it into our mouths. It's not so easy as you think. It's important to know how and when to eat fruits. Do you know of anyone who hates fruits?

Most likely no. Everyone will immediately tell you about the fruits they like very much. The reason why everyone likes fruits is because our bodies crave for it instinctively. The colour, the texture, the aromas and the sweetness all make it very attractive. But I find that most of us tend to think of fruits as a treat e.g. on a hot day - water melon!

But do you know that fruit is an important food to the human being?

Remember our ancestors were not meat eaters or seed eaters - they were all fruit eaters. Fruits have the highest water content of any food. In addition, the vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, amino acids and fatty acids that a human requires can be derived from fruits. When fruit is consumed correctly, nothing can surpass it.

Even for those who want to lose a little weight, the proper consumption of fruit will help. A survey was made and it was found that those who eat fruits more at every meal tend to want to eat less in the next meal. The reason, being the sugar in the fruit. It was also found that a particular substance in some fruits could cut the risk of heart disease or heart attack. The substance protects the heart by preventing the blood from becoming too thick and plugging up the arteries. So fruit is cleansing!

Fruit requires less energy to be digested than any other food. Everything consumed by the human body eventually breaks down in the system and is transformed into glucose, fructose, amino acids etc. The brain cannot function on anything except glucose. Fruit is glucose in the body. Its digestion, absorption and assimilation requires only a short time, rather than to break down food like chicken, mutton etc. Other foods spend about 1-4 hours in the stomach! Fruits do not digest in the stomach. Most fruits are predigested except for bananas, dates and dried fruits. They pass through the stomach in twenty to thirty minutes as if going through a tunnel.

They break down and release their life giving nutrients in the intestines.

What is correct eating of fruits?

IT MEANS NOT EATING FRUITS AFTER YOUR MEALS!
FRUITS SHOULD BE EATEN IN AN EMPTY STOMACH.

If you eat fruit like that, it will play a major role to detoxify your system, supplying you with a great deal of energy for weight loss and other life activities.

Fruit is the most important food. Let's say you eat two slices of bread and then a slice of fruit. The slice of fruit is ready to go straight through the stomach into the intestines, but it is prevented from doing so. In the meantime the whole meal rots and ferments and turns to acid. The minute the fruit comes into contact with the food in the stomach and digestive juices, the entire mass of food begins to spoil. So please eat your fruits in an empty stomach or before your meals!

You have heard people complaining - every time I eat water melon I burp, when I eat durians my stomach bloats up, when I eat bananas I feel like running to the toilet etc - actually all this will not arise if you eat the fruit in an empty stomach. The fruit mixes with the putrefying other food and produces gas and hence you will bloat! Graying hair, balding, nervous outburst, dark circles under the eyes - all these will not happen if you take fruits in an empty stomach. There is no such thing as some fruits like orange and lemon are acidic because all fruits become alkaline in our body, according to Dr. Herbert Sehlton who did a research on this matter. If you have mastered the correct way of eating fruits, you have the secret of beauty, longevity, health, energy, happiness and normal weight.

When you need to drink fruit juice - drink only fresh fruit juice. Not from the cans. Don't even drink juice that has been heated up. Don't eat cooked fruits because you don't get the nutrients at all. You only get to taste. So stop making 'goreng pisang' or 'durian porridge' if you want nutrients. Cooking destroys all the vitamins.

But eating a whole fruit is better than drinking the juice. But if you should drink the juice, drink it mouthful by mouthful slowly. Because you must let it mix with your saliva before swallowing it.

You can go on a 3-day fruit fast to cleanse your body. Just eat fruits and drink fruit juice throughout the 3 days and you will be surprise when your friends tell you how radiant you look! During the fruit fast you can eat fruits, prepared in salad forms and make it more interesting.

GREEN TEA

Benefits of Green Tea

There's so much tea in the market, Green Tea, Black Tea & even Oolong Tea.
What's the difference anyway?
They undergo different processes!

Green Tea is first steamed before processing, hence the colour & flavour resembles that of raw tea leaves.

Black Tea's tea leaves get crushed & fermented thus resulting in the change in colour from green to brown. The tea leaves are then dried till they turn black & develop a rich flavour.

Oolong Tea follows the same process as black tea however because it is better controlled, the tea leaves' colour & flavour as you may notice is midway between green & black.

Now, what's so great about Green Tea ? Green tea contain Antioxidants.

Q: What's the function of Antioxidants ?

Antioxidants protect us from free radicals which are chemically unstable compounds that occur naturally in our bodies or are created through exposure to sunlight, cigarette smoke, radiation, traffic & atmospheric pollution. Free radicals causes damage to tissues, cells & genes resulting in the aging & development of cataract, cancer, stroke & heart diseases.

Antioxidants act like "fire extinguishers" that put out the hazards free radicals produce before they damage our cells & tissues.

Even though black tea too contain Antioxidants, the content of Antioxidants in green tea is higher! Green tea also helps to lower one's cholesterol level. The Japanese, renowned for drinking green tea, actually observe the lowest incidence of heart disease, stroke globally.

Incidentally, they also have a track record for longevity!

Established cosmetic company Elizabeth Arden did a research on green tea & realised that the antioxidants actually helped to slow down the development of wrinkles.

Where else can we find Antioxidants ?

Antioxidants can also be found in fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grain cereals, minerals such as selenium, zinc, iron & copper.

Before you go, here's a toast to better health & more beautiful skin!

More Reason to drink plain water instead of soft drinks

Here's a terrific and disgusting message for those coke lover.

The average pH of soft drinks, e.g. Coke, Pepsi is pH 3.4. This acidity is strong enough to dissolve teeth and bones! Our human body stops building bones at around the age of 30. After that it'll be dissolving about 8-18% of the bones each year through the urine depending on the acidity of the food intake (acidity does not depend on the taste of the food, but on the ratio of potassium/ calcium / magnesium / etc. to phosphorus). All the dissolved calcium compounds accumulate in the arteries, veins, skin tissue, organs. This affects the functioning of the kidney (kidney stones).

Soft drinks do not have any nutritional value (in terms of vitamins and minerals). They have higher sugar content, higher acidity, and more additives such as preservatives and colorings. Some people like to take cold soft drinks after each meal, guess what's the impact? Our body has an optimum temperature of 37 degrees for the functioning of digestive enzymes. The temperature of cold soft drinks is much less than 37, sometimes quite close to 0. This will lower the effectiveness of the enzymes and put stress on the digestive system, digesting less food. In fact the food gets fermented. The fermented food produces bad smelling gases, decays and forms toxins which are absorbed in the intestines, get circulated in the blood and is delivered to the whole body. This spread of toxins can lead to the development of various diseases.

Think before you drink Coke or Pepsi or any another soft drink. Have you ever thought what you drink when you drink an aerated drink? You gulp down carbon dioxide, something that nobody in the world would advise you to do.

Some years ago, there was a competition in Delhi University "Who can drink the most Coke?". The winner drank 8 bottles and died on the spot because too much carbon dioxide in the blood and not enough oxygen. From then on, the principal banned all soft drinks from the university canteen. Someone put a broken tooth in a bottle of Pepsi and in 10 days it is dissolved! Teeth and bones are the only human organ that stay intact for years after death.

Imagine what the drink must be doing to your soft intestines and stomach lining!

Request to All: Forward this message to your friends to increase the awareness of these soft drinks

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Please read..........

Whenever you buy a can of coke or any other canned soft drink, please make sure that you wash the top with running water and soap or, if not available, drink with a straw. A family friend died after drinking a can of soda.

Apparently, she didn't clean the top before drinking from the can. The top was encrusted with dried rat's urine which is toxic and obviously lethal. Canned drinks and other foodstuffs are stored in warehouses and containers that are usually infested with rodents and then get transported to the retail outlets without being properly cleaned.