Category: Diabetes

Why We Should Eat More Cherries

I love cherries! Dried, fresh, frozen, tart or sweet…in smoothies, on salads, even in main courses. They are an excellent sweet healthy snack full of antioxidants, and fat burning ingredients.

Cherries contain some unique and pretty awesome bioactive components that can help prevent cancer, diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and other inflammatory diseases—as well as prevent muscle soreness, and help you sleep. Not only that, cherries are an extremely effective treatment for arthritis pain, gout, hemorrhoids, and allergies.

Cherries have boatloads of antioxidants in them that fight free radical damage and protect our cells’ DNA. Free radicals are linked to many diseases including cancer, heart disease, and dementia. Cherries also contain the super-nutrients quercetin, hydroxycinnamates, potassium, carotenoids and melatonin. Even sweet cherries have a healthy low glycemic index of 22, making them a healthy food for people trying to keep their blood sugar stable.

Anti-Inflammatory

Cherries are one of the best anti-inflammatory foods you can eat. These little red powerhouses contain phytochemicals called “anthocyanins” that give them their deep red color. Scientists at Johns Hopkins University found that the powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins in tart cherries were as effective at decreasing inflammation as the anti-inflammatory drugs Ibuprofen, aspirin and Tylenol. Another study published in the Journal of Natural Products showed that anthocyanins and cyanidin isolated from tart cherries worked better than aspirin. And many studies have shown that Tylenol and Ibuprofen can be extremely harmful to the liver and very toxic, so eating foods that are anti-inflammatory is far better for your health.

In fact, cherries can even help your workouts. Cherries have been proven to get rid of the aches and pains from an intense workout. They can actually reduce muscle soreness as well. This study published in Journal of International Society of Sports Nutrition looked at cherries’ power to reduce muscle damage and soreness from working out.  54 runners ran a 16 miles race, while drinking tart cherry juice or a placebo. The group drinking the cherry juice reported a significantly smaller increase in pain compared to the placebo group, which was attributed to cherries’ anti-inflammatory effect.

Arthritis and Gout

Over 33 million Americans have osteoarthritis. Arthritis can physically affect the joint, creating friction and lots of pain when the cartilage wears down. In one study done at the Osteoarthritis Research Center with 58 osteoarthritic patients who drank two 8-ounce bottles of tart cherry juice for six weeks, Western Ontario McMaster Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) scores decreased significantly after the tart cherry juice treatment. The WOMAC index is standardized questionnaire used by health professionals to evaluate patients with osteoarthritis of the knee and hip, including pain, stiffness, and physical functioning of the joints.

Gout is another type of arthritis that is extremely painful, usually affecting the big toe. Uric acid crystals build up in the toe joint, causing major inflammation, swelling, redness and serious pain. High uric acid levels in the body can also be associated with diabetes, heart disease, and kidney disease. A large study of 633 people with gout were treated with cherry extract over a two-day period showing a 35% lower risk of gout attacks. When cherry intake was combined with allopurinol, a prescribed medication for gout and kidney stones, the risk of gout attacks was 75% lower.

Anti-Cancer

Anthocyanins from cherries, especially sour cherries have such strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, they inhibit tumor development in mice and the growth of human cancer cells. On a study done with mice with a genetic risk of colon cancer, a diet of tart cherries and anthocyanins helped prevent colon cancer and tumor growth. This study also showed that these two compounds from cherries reduced the growth of human colon cancer cells as well.

One other study done on humans with cherry extract showed a reduction in the growth of colon cancer cells and human breast cancer cells as well.

Sleep Better After Eating Cherries

Cherries also help you sleep more soundly because they are one of the only foods that contain a natural substance called ‘melatonin’. Melatonin is a hormone in the body that regulates sleep cycles and helps you sleep deeply. Tart cherries contain the highest levels of melatonin. It only takes two tablespoons of concentrated tart cherry juice to promote good quality, deep sleep necessary for healing and repair of the body.

Melatonin contains powerful antioxidants that helps reverse aging as well. What’s more, a good night’s sleep helps to reduce cortisol which helps you burn fat better as well! In a study published in the European Journal of Nutrition, 20 volunteers consumed either a placebo or tart cherry juice concentrate for seven days. As a result of this treatment, total melatonin content was significantly elevated in the cherry juice group.

Healthy Hearts

Tart cherries can also protect the heart and reduce the risk of strokes. Research done at University of Michigan shows tart cherries activate something called PPAR (peroxisome proliferator activating receptors) in the body. These receptors are connected to glucose and fat metabolism and can help reduce heart attacks and cardiovascular disease. There are prescribed medications that do the same thing, but they come with serious side effects, such as increasing the risk of heart attacks and stroke!

While sweet cherries are effective, tart cherries contain even more of the powerful antioxidants that burn fat, help with muscle aches and soreness and help you sleep more soundly. Enjoy cherries in your next smoothie, on top of your breakfast oatmeal, throw in a salad, or just plain for a sweet, satisfying snack! One of my favorite snacks is frozen organic cherries mixed with raw almonds, and sprinkled with a little bit of cinnamon.  Give it a try!

(Cherry-infused cocktail: I have a sour cherry tree in my yard, so I get literally 1000’s of tart cherries every July… My favorite way to use all these sour cherries is to fill a bunch of mason jars with cherries and then add rye whiskey to the top of each jar, so that the sour cherries are infusing in the whiskey.  I let the jars sit at least for a couple weeks before I start drinking the cherry-infused whiskey, although many of the jars will soak for months before we get around to beginning to drink them.  

Each night after dinner, I like to take 1 shot of the cherry-infused whiskey, add a few shakes of organic digestive bitters, and a splash of sweet vermouth, and enjoy a super-healthy cocktail that’s a healthier version of a Manhattan. The antioxidants and natural melatonin get extracted very effectively from the cherries by the alcohol (the cherries become white over time as the whiskey extracts all the phytonutrients) and help you fight inflammation, joint pain, and can help to get me to fall asleep easier from the natural melatonin.  I used to have knee pain years ago, but I think this combination of having 1 drink per day of my cherry-infused whiskey and my 1 mug per day of bone broth has completely eliminated my knee pain.  My joints have never felt better since I’ve been doing this nightly ritual!)

And some more tips on sleeping better, using tart cherry syrup and other tips too:
Drink tart cherry syrup and THIS tea to sleep deeper (plus 5 tips for insomnia)

Now you know cherries are one of the best anti-inflammatory foods you can eat. They are as effective in decreasing inflammation as those anti-inflammatory drugs you buy over the counter.

The Above Article By: Catherine Ebeling & Mike Geary
Co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

Categories: Alzheimer's Anitoxidants Anti-Inflammatory Arthritis Better Sleep Blood Sugar Cancer Cures Cherries Diabetes Diet Disease & Prevention Eating Healthy Eating Healthy Energy Food Fruit General Health Gout Healthy Choices Healthy Heart Heart Disease Inflammation Managing Diabetes Natural Cures Organ Toxicity Personal Health Sugars Uncategorized Your Body

10 Incredible Health Benefits of Nigella Seeds (Kalonji)

10 Incredible Health Benefits of Nigella Seeds (Kalonji)

Highlights

  • The kalonji, or Nigella seeds, is an interesting spice
  • The tiny black seed comes with a whole lot of health benefits
  • Its known to have anti-carcinogenic properties and keeps heart healthy

The kalonji, or Nigella seeds, is an interesting spice – when used for tempering, it adds a beautiful aroma to the dishes, and a hint of flavor that you can’t quite nail. In India, dry roasted kalonji is used for flavoring curries, dal, stir-fried vegetables, and even savories such as samosa, papdis and kachori among others.

Flavour and aroma aside, the tiny black seed comes with a whole lot of health benefits. It’s loaded with trace elements, vitamins, crystalline nigellone, amino acids, saponin, crude fiber, proteins and fatty acids like linolenic and oleic acids, volatile oils, alkaloids, iron, sodium, potassium and calcium. It keeps your heart healthy, addresses breathing problem, lubricates your joints, and is known to have anti-carcinogenic properties. That’s quite a lot for a seed that size, isn’t it? In fact, if you keep a bottle of kalonji oil at home, you can use them for plenty of things to boost your health and take care of niggling problems. Let’s take a look at some of them:

 

1. Fights Acne

Sweet lime juice and kalonji oil together can fix many skin problems. For every cup of sweet lime juice, you’ll need about half a teaspoon of kalonji oil. Apply the oil twice a day on your face and watch your blemishes and acne disappear. If you keep pure kalonji oil handy, you can use it to treat cracked heels as well.

skin tone

 

2. Keeps a Check on Diabetes

This is probably one of the most known benefits of kalonji. If you already have diabetes, kalonji oil can also help to manage it. Take half a teaspoon of the oil in a cup of black tea every morning, and see the difference in a few weeks.
diabetes

3. Increases Memory and Alleviates Asthma

Ground kalonji seeds with a little bit of honey is known to boost memory. And if you mix this in warm water and drink, it also helps in alleviating breathing trouble (asthma included) in children and adults alike. But you need to do this is for at least 45 days, and avoid cold beverages and food during the period. 

memory

4. Gets Rid of Headaches

One of the most common urban problems in today’s time is headaches. Instead of popping a pill, rub kalonji oil on your forehead, relax, and wait for your headache to disappear. Nothing like natural home remedies!
headache

5. Aids Weight Loss

The warm water, honey, and lemon combination is often recommended for those who are on a diet. Now add a pinch of powdered kalonji seeds to this mix and see how it works. Many health enthusiasts have claimed that kalonji seeds is a miracle ingredient which helps in shedding those extra kilos.weight loss

6. Eases Joint Pain

It’s an old-school treatment; take a handful of kalonji seeds, and heat it well with mustard oil. Once the oil is smoking, take it off the flame and cool it down for a bit. The oil is ready when you can dip the tip of a finger into the oil without feeling uncomfortable. Now use this oil to massage the inflamed joint.
joint pain

7. Controls Blood Pressure

For those who suffer from or have the tendency of high blood pressure can drink half a teaspoon of kalonji oil with warm water to keep hypertension under control. It is of course advised to follow a proper diet along with it.
blood pressure
8. Protects the Kidney
Kidney stones are a common urban problem. It is said that half a teaspoon of kalonji oil had with two teaspoons of honey and warm water can aid in getting rid of kidney pain, stones and infections. But you also need to consult a doctor to get a proper diet.
kidney

9. Makes Teeth Stronger

Did you know that kalonji has been used traditionally to take care of dental trouble such as swelling or bleeding of gums, and weak teeth? Of course you need to see a dentist, but you can also massage your teeth with curd and some kalonji oil twice a day to strengthen your gums.
teeth
 10. Strengthens Immunity
Kalonji oil, honey and warm water have more than one benefit. Apart from the ones already mentioned, it can also help to strengthen your immunity if consumed daily. If you add kalonji oil in boiling water and inhale the fumes, it can also reduce nasal congestion, and help those who suffer from sinusitis problems.
healthy woman

Quick Facts

  • When you’re buying nigella seeds, remember to check the pack carefully; the seeds are jet black and shouldn’t look stale.
  • Storing nigella is important. Always store it in a dry place and make sure it doesn’t come in contact with moisture.
  • Don’t buy large quantities of kalonji. 100 grams can take you a long way, so buy in smaller portions. This will prevent the seed from losing its aroma and benefits by sitting on the shelf for too long.

Disclaimer:

The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. Cymantra  is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of Cymantra and Cymantra does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.

This Author has found another health benefit of Kalonji Seeds. Suffering from intense heartburn for many years and trying all the standard remedies to no avail, I find that Kalonji seeds boiled and drank as a strong black tea almost alleviates my heartburn. Who’d have thought that this little black seed could provide so much pain relief from a otherwise daily occurrence.

Cymantra Admin

 

Original Article

Priya Chakraborty September 09, 2016

Categories: Acne Antioxidants Asthma Black Seeds and Oil Blood Pressure Brain Function Cancer Cancer Cures Cleansing Colon Diabetes Diet Disease & Prevention Eating Healthy Epilepsy Folklore General Health Heart Disease Heart Line Heartburn Immune System Information Kaloni Seeds Kidney Health Liver Disease Migrames Natural Cures Personal Health Skin Health Teeth Type 2 Diabetes Well Being Your Body Your Memory

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Just One Boiled Egg, (Maybe two) Can it help fight Type 2 Diabetes?

 

An an ever increasing toxic environment, we are all striving to ensure our bodies are in the best health they can be. Maintaining a Healthy diet and exercise routine is hard when trying to fit it round a busy lifestyle.

 
Preventable diseases are on the rise and many of us will at some point suffer from an illness due to our lifestyle choices or because of the toxic environment we live in.
 
One of the main health epidemics at the moment is the rise of type 2 diabetes. Unlike its counterpart, type 2 diabetes is totally preventable in most cases, and can be managed by changes in lifestyle and in some cases can be totally reversed.

 

Type 1 diabetes cannot be cured, but type 2 can, and with a few changes in your lifestyle you can quite easily reduce your risk of getting this illness.

Taking more exercise and cutting down on sugar and fatty foods is the best way to control your blood sugar, but there is another helpful thing you can do for your body. This simple step can be done every day to better regulate your blood sugar and to fight off type 2 diabetes.

Preparation

Take an egg and boil in the afternoon. Peel it, and using a fork, pierce it a couple of times. Then, place the egg in a big bowl, and then add vinegar, leaving it like this to stand overnight.

The following morning, consume the egg combining it with a glass of warm water.

Do this every day, and your blood sugar levels will be considerably reduced.

No need to hesitate, act now and start improving your health condition and reducing the high blood sugar levels.

Categories: Blood Sugar Cleansing Diabetes Disease & Prevention Eating Healthy Eggs Folklore Healthy Choices Myths Organic Foods Sugars Type 2 Diabetes Your Body

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Mango Leaves Helping Fight Diabetes

Leaves of the Mango Tree

Diabetes is an extremely prevalent health condition in the modern world and many people, old and young, suffer from a form of it. It is caused by either lack of insulin produced by the pancreas or inability of the body to use it properly. 

The Common Symptoms of Diabetes

  • Itching around the penis or vagina
  • Cuts or wounds that heal very slowly
  • Blurred vision
  • Feeling very tired
  • Urinating more often than usual, especially at night
  • Feeling very thirsty
  • Unexplained  weight loss
  • Diabetes may also cause poor vision, blindness, weakness, heart disease, kidney failure, erectile dysfunction in men, etc.

Types of Diabetes

Diabetes 1, also referred to as juvenile diabetes, occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys the beta cells of the pancreas which produce insulin.
Diabetes 2, also known as adult-onset diabetes, occurs when the body is unable to properly use the insulin or there is a lack of it.
Gestational diabetes affects pregnant women, especially in the second trimester of pregnancy.
You have probably heard about many natural remedies which help keep sugar levels in the blood in check, but the one presented in this article is extremely effective.  The recipe calls for mango leaves, which are already known for their health benefits.
Mango leaves are abundant in vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and antioxidants. They have the ability to treat various health issues, such as diarrhea, insomnia, asthma, fever, colds, bronchitis, and varicose veins. Moreover, they strengthen the blood vessels and lower blood pressure levels.

Recipe:

 
Instructions:
  • Take 10-15 mango leaves and boil them in a glass of water
  • Let them soak overnight
  • Strain the liquid in the morning and consume it on an empty stomach
  • For optimal results, drink this solution over the course of 2-3 months
  • Another way you can use mango leaves for this purpose is to dry them and ground them. Take half a teaspoon of the powder twice a day.

Categories: Asthma Bronchitis Cleansing Cleansing Diabetes Disease & Prevention Energy Folklore Food Healthy Techniques Life Hacks Low Energy Mango Myths Personal Health

What Fasting Does For Your Brain

fasting
I chose to include ‘Big Pharma’ in the title because that’s exactly what it is. There have been countless examples of the manipulation of published research at the hands of pharmaceutical companies in recent years. This is why Harvard Professor of Medicine Arnold Symour Relman told the world that the medical profession has been bought by the pharmaceutical industry. It’s why Dr. Richard Horton, Editor in Chief of The Lancet, recently stated that much of the scientific literature published today is simply untrue. It’s why Dr. Marcia Angell, former Editor in Chief of The New England Journal of Medicine, said that the “pharmaceutical industry likes to depict itself as a research-based industry, as the source of innovative drugs. Nothing could be further from the truth.” And it’s why John Ioannidis, an epidemiologist at the Stanford University School of Medicine, published an article titled “Why Most Published Research Findings Are False” which subsequently became the most widely accessed article in the history of the Public Library of Science (PLoS).I also chose to mention ‘Big Pharma’ because of Dr. Mattson’s comments towards the end of the video.

“Why is it that the normal diet is three meals a day plus snacks? It isn’t that it’s the healthiest eating pattern, now that’s my opinion but I think there is a lot of evidence to support that. There are a lot of pressures to have that eating pattern, there’s a lot of money involved. The food industry — are they going to make money from skipping breakfast like I did today? No, they’re going to lose money. If people fast, the food industry loses money. What about the pharmaceutical industries? What if people do some intermittent fasting, exercise periodically and are very healthy, is the pharmaceutical industry going to make any money on healthy people?” 

Main Points Of The Lecture Above & The Science To Go With It

Mark and his team have published several papers that discuss how fasting twice a week could significantly lower the risk of developing both Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.

“Dietary changes have long been known to have an effect on the brain. Children who suffer from epileptic seizures have fewer of them when placed on caloric restriction or fasts. It is believed that fasting helps kick-start protective measures that help counteract the overexcited signals that epileptic brains often exhibit. (Some children with epilepsy have also benefited from a specific high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet.) Normal brains, when overfed, can experience another kind of uncontrolled excitation, impairing the brain’s function, Mattson and another researcher reported in January in the journal Nature Reviews Neuroscience.”(source)

Basically, when you take a look at caloric restriction studies, many of them show a prolonged lifespan as well as an increased ability to fight chronic disease.

“Calorie restriction (CR) extends life span and retards age-related chronic diseases in a variety of species, including rats, mice, fish, flies, worms, and yeast. The mechanism or mechanisms through which this occurs are unclear.”

The quote above is from a review of the literature that is more than 10 years old. The work presented here is now showing some of these mechanisms that were previously unclear.

Fasting does good things for the brain, and this is evident by all of the beneficial neurochemical changes that happen in the brain when we fast. It also improves cognitive function, increases neurotrophic factors, increases stress resistance, and reduces inflammation.

Fasting is a challenge to your brain, and your brain responds to that challenge by adapting stress response pathways which help your brain cope with stress and risk for disease. The same changes that occur in the brain during fasting mimic the changes that occur with regular exercise. They both increase the production of protein in the brain (neurotrophic factors), which in turn promotes the growth of neurons, the connection between neurons, and the strength of synapses.

“Challenges to your brain, whether it’s intermittent fasting [or] vigorous exercise . . . is cognitive challenges. When this happens neuro-circuits are activated, levels of neurotrophic factors increase, that promotes the growth of neurons [and] the formation and strengthening of synapses. . . .” 

Fasting can also stimulate the production of new nerve cells from stem cells in the hippocampus. He also mentions ketones (an energy source for neurons), and how fasting stimulates the production of ketones and that it may also increase the number of mitochondria in neurons. Fasting also increases the number of mitochondria in nerve cells; this comes as a result of the neurons adapting to the stress of fasting (by producing more mitochondria).

By increasing the number of mitochondria in the neurons, the ability for nerons to form and maintain the connections between each other also increases, thereby improving learning and memory ability.

“Intermittent fasting enhances the ability of nerve cells to repair DNA.” 

He also goes into the evolutionary aspect of this theory – how our ancestors adapted and were built for going long periods of time without food.

A study published in the June 5 issue of Cell Stem Cell by researchers from the University of Southern California showed that cycles of prolonged fasting protect against immune system damage and, moreover, induce immune system regeneration. They concluded that fasting shifts stem cells from a dormant state to a state of self-renewal. It triggers stem cell based regeneration of an organ or system. (source)

Human clinical trials were conducted using patients who were receiving chemotherapy. For long periods of time, patients did not eat, which significantly lowered their white blood cell counts. In mice, fasting cycles “flipped a regenerative switch, changing the signaling pathways for hematopoietic stem cells, which are responsible for the generation of blood and immune systems.”

This means that fasting kills off old and damaged immune cells, and when the body rebounds it uses stem cells to create brand new, completely healthy cells.

“We could not predict that prolonged fasting would have such a remarkable effect in promoting stem cell-based regeneration of the hematopoietic system. . . . When you starve, the system tries to save energy, and one of the things it can do to save energy is to recycle a lot of the immune cells that are not needed, especially those that may be damaged.  What we started noticing in both our human work and animal work is that the white blood cell count goes down with prolonged fasting. Then when you re-feed, the blood cells come back. ” – Valter Longo, corresponding author (source)

A scientific review of multiple scientific studies regarding fasting was published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2007. It examined a multitude of both human and animal studies and determined that fasting is an effective way to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. It also showed significant potential in treating diabetes. (source)

Before You Fast

Before you fast, make sure you do your research. Personally, I’ve been fasting for years, so it is something that comes easy for me.

One recommended way of doing it — which was tested by the BBC’s Michael Mosley in order to reverse his diabetes, high cholesterol, and other problems that were associated with his obesity — is what is known as the “5:2 Diet.” On the 5:2 plan, you cut your food down to one-fourth of your normal daily calories on fasting days (about 600 calories for men and about 500 for women), while consuming plenty of water and tea. On the other five days of the week, you can eat normally.

image

Another way to do it, as mentioned above, is to restrict your food intake between the hours of 11am and 7pm daily, while not eating during the hours outside of that time.

Bottom line, how you think about you’re diet is, in my opinion, one of the most, if not the most important part of staying healthy. How you think about what you are putting in your body is important, and I believe this will eventually be firmly established in the untainted, unbiased, uninfluenced medical literature of the future.

Below is a video of Dr. Joseph Mercola explaining the benefits of intermittent fasting. Here is a great article by him that explains how he believes intermittent fasting can help you live a healthier life.

 

Related : The Benefits of Fasting for 16 Hours

 

Arjun Walia

Categories: Blood Sugar Brain Function Brain Function Cancer Cures Cleansing Creativity Depression Depression Diabetes Diet Digestion Disease & Prevention Energy Fasting Folklore General Health Healthy Choices Healthy Techniques Immune System Information Insomnia Insomnia Inspirational Life Lessons Managing Diabetes Natural Cures Personal Health Self Improvement Sugars Well Being Your Memory

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The Benefits of Fasting for 16 Hours

Fasting-Infographic-Hi-Res
For example, recent research has shown that cycles of prolonged fasting protect against immune system damage and induce immune system regeneration. Researchers concluded that fasting shifts stem cells from a dormant state to a state of self-renewal.  (source)Fasting also has shown to have remarkable effects 0n the brain. Here is a TEDx talk given by Mark Mattson about it, the current Chief of the Laboratory of Neuroscience at the National Institute on Aging.  Mark and his team have published several papers that discuss how fasting twice a week could significantly lower the risk of developing both Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. You can find some of those papers sourced within this article.Another great place to start if you are looking for an introduction to the science behind fasting is the BBC documentary Eat Fast and Live Longer. It also features more of the world’s top researchers in the field.

Related: What Fasting Does for the Brain

 

Arjun Walia

Categories: Alzheimer's Blood Sugar Brain Function Brain Function Cancer Cures Candida Cleansing Creativity Depression Diabetes Disease & Prevention Eating Healthy Energy Fasting Genius Healthy Techniques Immune System Information Insomnia Insomnia Life Hacks Mysteries Myths Personal Health Reversing Damage Self Esteem Spiritual Energy Sugars Well Being Your Memory

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Alkalize Your Body and Fight Disease With These 10 Foods

The balance in life is essential, and this is also true about the diet you consume, and the pH levels in your body.

Namely, in order to maintain health and prevent numerous ailments, the body needs to have balanced ph levels. After the consumption of acid-forming foods, the body releases alkaline-high minerals, like magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus, in the attempt to balance the pH level of the blood.

Therefore, if our diet is poor in these important, alkaline-forming foods, the body will need t use the minerals in our organs, teeth, and bones, and thus lead to exhaustion, and a weakened immune system, making us more susceptible to diseases.

Acid-forming foods are meats, fish, most grains, fast foods, beans, dairy products, and processed foods. Hence, a balanced diet when it comes to Ph consists of 20-40% acid-forming foods and 60-80% alkaline-forming foods.

Here below we reveal some of the best alkaline-forming foods, and you should consider incorporating them into your daily diet in order to strengthen your system and avoid numerous health issues.

  1. Ripe Bananas

The consumption of unripe bananas may lead to acidity in the stomach, constipation, and poor nutrient absorption. On the other hand, ripe bananas with brown spots will provide numerous minerals, vitamins, and will alkalize the body.

  1. Asparagus

Being one of the most potent alkaline-forming foods, with a pH of 8.5, asparagus is also loaded with minerals, vitamins, water, fiber, and antioxidants.

  1. Avocados

Despite their delicious taste, their pH level is 8.0, so they effectively neutralize acidic foods. They can be added to your salad, guacamole, sandwiches, and much more!

  1. Broccoli

It is a highly alkalizing food, high in important nutrients and fiber, and it will maintain the alkalinity of your body, and will keep you full longer.

  1. Garlic

Spice your food up and neutralize acidic foods, like eggs, cheese, meat, and fish. In this way, you will also consume numerous nutrients and fiber.

  1. Almonds

Almonds and almond milk are also one of the best alkaline foods, and they will enhance the function of the brain, help digestion, reduce cholesterol levels and promote a healthy balance in the body.

  1. Lemons

Even though lemons have an acidic taste, they are powerful alkalizing substances. You can squeeze some lemon juice or add a few slices in your bottle of water and drink it all day long.

  1. Watermelon

With a pH of 9.0, watermelon is also deservedly on this list. It is loaded with minerals, vitamins, and water, which support the balance of electrolytes. Moreover, watermelons are high in fiber, so they are great for detoxification of the body.

  1. Organic Papaya

Papayas promote a healthy digestion, and they are rich in minerals, water, vitamins, and fiber, so they enhance the overall health. They are also a powerful alkaline-forming food.

  1. Cayenne Pepper

Despite its numerous health benefits, it is a potent alkaline-forming ingredient, with a pH of 8.5. Moreover, it lowers blood pressure, detoxifies the body, improves brain function, and stimulates circulation.

Source/Reference:David Wolfe
Featured image source: www.davidwolfe.com

May 25, 2016

Categories: Anitoxidants Asparagas Avocados Bannanas Brain Function Brain Function Broccoli Cardiovascular Disease Cleansing Coconut Oil Diabetes Digestion Folklore Fruits Ginger Heart Disease Information Kidney Health Life Hacks Lowering Cholesterol Natural Cures Organic Food Organic Foods Personal Health pH Balance Pomegranate Vitamins Watermelon Well Being Your Body

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The many Benefits of Watermelon Seeds

take-watermelon-seeds-and-boil-them-the-results-will-shock-you-recipe

We all enjoy consuming watermelon. But, we throw out the tiny seeds without to realize their health advantages.

These seeds consist of nutrients like fatty acids, essential proteins, minerals like magnesium, potassium, manganese, iron, zinc, phosphorus and are full of vitamin B like thiamine, niacin, folate. Also, they offer 600grams of calories.

Watermelon seeds have citrulline substance which acts an antioxidant, which has a positive effect in the case of arteriosclerosis, hypertension, angina and erectile dysfunction, thus promoting the expansion of blood vessels.

These seeds are useful for treating diseases of the kidneys and urinary tract. Make a tea from fresh watermelon seeds in order to remove the stones and sand in the kidneys.

Cook, grind or bake them in order to take the maximum advantage of its medicinal properties.

HERE’S THE MAGIC RECIPE:

You need 20-30 watermelon seeds. Grind and boil them for 15minutes in 2l water. Consume this for 2 days and make a pause the third day.

The procedure needs to be repeated for several weeks but is very important to pause every third day.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF WATERMELON SEEDS

  1. Protect heart health

The seeds which are full of magnesium save the heart so it could work normally. Also, they maintain the blood pressure level and enhance the metabolism process. They are amazing to avoid heart diseases and hypertension.

  1. Prevent aging

The seeds have antioxidant content which helps you to avoid aging, strengthen your skin, and keep it healthier and young.

  1. Clean acne

Clean your acne, dirt, and dead skin cells by taking a cotton bud and dipping it in watermelon seed oil. This oil is suitable for every kind of skin and will help you to deal with the aliment of skin.

  1. Strengthen hair

These seeds have high protein and amino acid content which will easily strengthen your hair. Also, roasted watermelon seeds will make your hair shiny because of the copper they contain which produce melanin – a pigment that gives color to your hair.

  1. Treat itchy scalp

Watermelon seed oil has a mild texture which can be absorbed easily. You can use the oil as a moisturizer for dried, itchy scalp.

  1. Prevent hair damage

The seed has essential fatty acids which will help to avoid hair damage.

  1. Blood pressure regulation and coronary heart disease prevention

Arginine will help you to deal with coronary heart disease and will balance the blood pressure. Arginine also helps in preventing narrowing of blood vessels. Tryptophan and lysine are other amino acids which are present in these types of seeds.

  1. Rich source of magnesium for better immune system

The advantages of consuming watermelon seeds make a lot of supply of magnesium which is present in food like wheat, rice, oat and cocoa powder. Pantothenic acid is known as vitamin B5 which is essential for breaking down carbohydrates into energy.

  1. Dietary management of beriberi caused by vitamin B6 deficiency

The deficiency of vitamin B6 can cause a condition referred to as Beriberi. B6 is a complex vitamin B which helps to convert carbohydrate into energy.

  1. Provides essential amino acids

The body needs amino acids as argnine and lysine to perform in the perfect way. The latter is effective for the assimilation of calcium for strengthening the bones and the tissues.

  1. Gives unsaturated healthy fats to the body

80% of the watermelon seeds fats are unsaturated and healthy fats with an addition of omega 3 acids. These seeds are a great source of energy to the body with no additional calories and they will fulfill half of the needed health fats per day.

  1. Hair and nails

The seeds include a good amount of protein which keeps our hair healthy and glossy, and our fingernails long and robust.

  1. Magnesium source

The seeds have a great amount of magnesium which is well for maintaining the functions of the body in a perfect manner. It strikes a balance between the blood pressure levels and helps in the perfect functioning of the heart.

  1. Watermelon seeds can cure edema

Toss a teaspoon of dry and ground watermelon seeds in a teaspoon of honey, and then put it in a ¾ cup of warm water. Mix it well and consume it immediately – 2 times daily. It will help you to control edema problem

  1. Enhances male fertility

Watermelon seeds have lycopene antioxidant which is an excellent and efficient remedial method to boost the male potency levels in men.

  1. Recovery benefits

If you want to properly recover from an illness, utilize watermelon seeds in the diet. Within a couple of days, you will see the effects. Also, for those who have memory issues, the seeds will help to recover and sharp the memory once again.

  1. Treats diabetes

To control diabetes, put a handful of watermelon seeds in 1l water for 45minutes. This is a worthy benefit due to the prevalence of diabetes within the population.

  1. Moisturizes the skin

The watermelon seeds have fatty acids which are a perfect use for soft, supple and moisturized skin. Also, it helps to prevent skin conditions and acne issues.

  1. Keeps the hair black

The seeds have minerals like copper which helps in promoting the creation of melanin in the body liable for providing color to the hair. Also, it offers the color to the skin.

  1. Prevents hair breakage

The watermelon seeds have essential fatty acids which deeply nourish the hair strands. This gives strength to the hair and causes it to be a point that hair breakage is kept at bay. Combine the oil with a carrier oil and massage the scalp once in a week.

Source: Family Health Freedom Network

 

Categories: Blood Pressure Blood Sugar Cardiovascular Disease Cleansing Cleansing Diabetes Eating Healthy Edema Fingernails Healthy Techniques Magnesium Magnesium Deficiency Managing Diabetes Skin Health Watermelon Your Body

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