Health Benefits of Strawberries – Summer’s Super Fruit.

Wednesday, July 11th, 2012 Functional Foods, WEIGHT MANAGEMENT by for Bel Marra Health                

Alas, July is finally here. The long, hot, sunny days of July tend to have an uplifting effect on most of us–the sun provides us with ample vitamin D, and the weather yields fresh, local fruits, which not only taste delicious, but also deliver an abundance of nutrients.

It is currently strawberry season in many parts of North America, including Ontario and Northern New York, and residence should take full advantage and snatch up as much of this healthy food as possible. Although many people consider strawberries to be quite common, the health benefits of strawberries are anything but ordinary and the nutrient profile is at its highest when the fruit is consumed within two days of picking.

Below are three great reasons to increase your intake of the underappreciated strawberry.

Strawberries are Nutrient Dense Fruits

Strawberries are extremely high in vitamin C and low in both calories and fat. Strawberries also contain a considerable amount of manganese, iodine, potassium, folic acid and vitamin K and they are an excellent source of fiber. The unique combination of nutrients found in strawberries yield anti-inflammatory effects in the body and the low-calorie/high-fiber combination makes them excellent for weight loss.

Strawberries are Functional Foods

Functional foods is the term used to describe certain types of healthy food which serve a physiological benefit in the body and/or reduce the risk for chronic disease and strawberries do just that.

Recently scientists from Warwick Medical School discovered extracts in strawberries that activate a protein called Nrf2, which increases antioxidant activity and yields other protective effects in the body.

Professor Thornalley of Warwick Medical School explained: “We’ve discovered the science behind how strawberries work to increase our in-built defenses to keep cells, organs and blood vessels healthy and which can reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular problems such as heart disease and diabetes.

” Strawberries are an extremely heart healthy food because they are sodium, fat and cholesterol free and the Nrf2 activation caused by eating them helps to reduce three risk factors for heart disease: high blood pressure, high cholesterol and elevated homocysteine levels. Strawberries also help to lower the risk for type-2 diabetes by reducing and regulating blood sugar levels.

Although all fruits and vegetables contain some antioxidants, strawberries are in second place amongst the common fruits for antioxidant capacity and they are in 3rd place amongst all of the commonly eaten foods in America.

The fact that strawberries are very high in antioxidants makes them an extremely healthy food. In order to ensure optimal nutrient content, choose local berries that are plump and firm and that have a deep red, shiny appearance.

http://www.belmarrahealth.com/weight-management/health-benefits-of-strawberries-summers-super-fruit/

The Health Benefits of Pineapple

Thursday, August 9th, 2012               
Functional Foods, WEIGHT MANAGEMENT by for Bel Marra Health                

Pineapple is a favorite fruit of many people because it’s tangy, sweet and oh so delicious. But did you know that pineapple is an exceptional healthy food with a number of good health benefits? Many healthy food options, including fruits and vegetables, are functional foods and pineapple is not an exception.

Functional foods are consumed as part of a normal diet and are known to have physiological benefits and/or they reduce the risk of chronic disease.

Functional foods contain bioactive compounds which make them healthy food options. Eating a variety of healthy food, including lots of fresh fruits and vegetables will provide many health benefits when eaten as part of a regular diet.

Let’s take a closer look at pineapple to see what makes it such a healthy food choice…

Bromelain

Pineapples contain an enzyme called bromelain. This enzyme provides the digestive benefits of pineapple by helping with protein breakdown. In addition, bromelain is considered to have anti-inflammatory properties and is believed to help relieve pain that is often associated with osteoarthritis. Bromelain is found in the stem of the pineapple, not the fruit part of this healthy food.

It is therefore possible that taking a bromelain supplement in addition to eating pineapple with provide you with enhanced health benefits.

Vitamin C

In addition to bromelain, pineapples contain vitamin C. Vitamin C is an anti-oxidant that helps to prevent free radical damage. Additionally, Vitamin C helps to ensure that the immune system is functioning optimally.

Vitamin A and B Complex Vitamins

Pineapples are a good source of Vitamin A and beta-carotene which are both known to have anti-oxidant properties. Vitamin A is essential for healthy mucous membranes, skin, and vision.

Pineapples contain manganese which is essential for the maintenance of healthy bones. Additionally, manganese helps with energy production and anti-oxidant defenses. In addition to manganese, pineapples contain thiamin (Vitamin B1) which also helps with energy production.

Eating functional foods including a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables is not only delicious; it will help you support your overall health.

http://www.belmarrahealth.com/weight-management/the-health-benefits-of-pineapple/

Benefits of Organic Tomatoes

Color Foods and Benefits

Food to chew on

Steve Yap

Posted on 21 June 2010 - 08:36pm

In nutritional medicine, fibre is recognised as an essential bulk nutrient just like protein, carbohydrate and fats. However, too much fibre could bring about a reduction in the absorption of micro-nutrients.

>> Banana

Research shows that regular consumption of banana in place of refined carbohydrates could reduce colon cancer by some 40%. Colon cancer has the highest fatality rate for men and third highest for women in this country.

Banana (actually a berry) has rich dietary fibre and mineral contents and it should be consumed when slightly ripe. Overly ripe banana contains higher fructose and may be infested with fungi.
Like potato, more potassium is found in its skin.

>> Bamboo shoot

It is high on dietary fibre and research suggests it possesses strong anti-tumour properties.
Its bitter taste is believed to come from rare phyto-chemicals and vitamin B17 (amygdalins) found in grass and in some plants and seeds eaten in olden days.

Limited in-vitro studies have shown positive results against some cancer cell lines.

>> Bittermelon (Bitter gourd)

This fruit – not a vegetable – helps to lower elevated blood sugar and is helpful to those who consume refined starch on a daily basis.

It can be served fresh or cooked. Its protein – charantin – acts like the hormone insulin, but without the possible adverse health effects of elevated insulin from repeated injections.

Excessive insulin promotes weight gain, hunger spell, and possibly tumour growth. So, maintaining healthy blood glucose can pay rich dividends since the majority of those who suffer from diabetes are likely to die from heart attacks and/or strokes.

>> Chinese cabbage

Local research demonstrates very strong in-vitro anti-tumour properties against colon cancer cell line for this vegetable though some Chinese traditional medicine practitioners believe it to be "too cooling".

Since most chronic diseases are linked to inflammation (‘fire’), it may explain why we need to consume Chinese cabbage regularly to ‘extinguish’ the fire from within.

>> Cucumber

This fruit (not a vegetable) stands out as being extremely low in fructose, yet rich in soluble fibre. It possesses anti-tumour properties too.

Contrary to popular belief, regular consumption of sweet fruits high in fructose greatly accelerates the onset of diabetes despite fruit sugar having a very low glycemic (GI) index due to its different metabolism.

Cucumber is a rather low GI food. The lower the GI, the lower our risks of contracting chronic health disorders. It’s healthy to consume cucumber after a meal containing lots of refined starch, simple sugars and fats.

>> Garlic

Allicin in this root vegetable helps keep our arteries clean. Garlic also raises good cholesterol and reduces ‘bad’ cholesterol. It is helpful in promoting detoxification since it’s rich in sulphur amino acid called L-cysteine needed in conjugation (binding of toxins for excretion).

Garlic is also a rich source of the amino acid L-arginine. Arginine-derived nitric oxide promotes cardiovascular health.

>> Guava

The vitamin C content in this fruit is much higher than that of other fruits like apples. Chronic deficiency of vitamin C has been linked to elevated stress and toxic load, heart disease, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, stroke, low collagen production and accelerated ageing.

Guava and its leaves contain quercetin, which is used to treat allergies via its positive actions on IgE.

However, its seeds should be avoided as well as the genetically-modified seedless guava since its nutritional and health properties have yet to be fully studied.

>> Pineapple

It is rich in the enzyme bromelain, which is used in nutritional medicine to treat the No.1 cause of most chronic health disorders: inflammation.

Unfortunately, most of the enzyme is found in the stem which is usually discarded before serving.

Unlike many other sweet fruits, the pineapple helps make our body more alkaline. Its detoxification properties are highly valued in natural medicine.

>> Sengkuang (white turnip)

Of all local produce, this root vegetable contains probably the highest potassium content, which is useful for reversing the adverse effect of excessive sodium in our modern diets.

Too much sodium is linked to hypertension, kidney damage, stroke, anxiety, edema and elevated stress.

>> Sweet potato

The local purple- or orange-coloured sweet potato is an excellent substitute for the starchy potato or chips or fries. It is rich in alpha- and beta-carotene, which is a pro-vitamin A.

Carotene is an oil-soluble antioxidant and should be consumed with some dietary fats to enhance its absorption. Unlike other popular antioxidants, this vitamin is not recycled by other nutrients. Liver toxicity should be monitored when consuming high dosages.

http://www.thesundaily.my/node/141620

Mushroom - The "Antioxidant Superstar"

The "Antioxidant Superstar" Chinese People Eat Daily

November 16, 2011 |201,043views

Story at-a-glance

• Virtually all mushrooms provide excellent nutrition, such as protein, vitamins and enzymes, and many have potent medicinal value
• Mushrooms are excellent sources of antioxidants in general, such as polyphenols and selenium, but they also contain antioxidants that are unique to mushrooms, such as ergothioneine, which is now starting to be recognized as a 'master antioxidant'
• Whole organic mushrooms and whole food-derived mushroom supplements offer potent immune-boosting benefits
• Some supplements offer the added boon of including the mycelia of the mushroom—the thread-like vegetative part of the mushroom that branches through the soil—which research has shown to provide many additional health benefits
   

Total Video Length: 1:10:42
Download Interview Transcript

Visit the Mercola Video Library

By Dr. Mercola

Steve Farrar has a Masters Degree in Horticulture from the Washington State University and has worked and studied mushrooms professionally for the last 30 years.
The first 20 years he spent growing them and working primarily with gourmet chefs, but in the past decade, he's started applying his expertise of mushrooms to health purposes.
According to Farrar, Americans consume about 900 million pounds of mushrooms a year, but 95 percent of that just one species: the common button mushroom and its relatives, the Crimini and the Portabello mushrooms.

In more recent years, mushrooms have received a lot of attention, both in gourmet cooking and in the pharmaceutical industry.

As you will soon learn, mushrooms are a largely untapped resource that can help increase your health and well-being.

The Unique Nutritional Properties of Mushrooms

"Mushrooms are defined as a fungus that forms a fleshy above-ground reproductive structure called the' mushroom fruit body,'" he explains.

Mushrooms should not be confused with mold and fungi however, which do not form fleshy fruit bodies. To learn more about the details of how mushrooms grow and propagate, please listen to the interview or read through the transcript. The common button mushroom, while not as 'interesting' as its more exotic cousins, is an excellent low-calorie food, especially for diabetics. It contains a number of valuable nutrients, including:

• Protein
• Enzymes
• B vitamins (especially niacin)
• Vitamin D2

However, Farrar's focus has been on growing various gourmet mushroom species, particularly the wood decaying mushroom species, which differ greatly from your average button mushroom in terms of biology, nutrition and medicinal value, as well as in the production and methodology of growing them.

"By virtue of them being primary decomposers, they have some unique nutritional and also health benefits to them," Farrar explains. "I tended to focus on species like Maitake, Shiitake, Enokitake, oyster mushrooms, brown beech mushrooms; mushrooms that people over the last 20 years were not really that familiar with."

The wood decaying mushrooms, which are preferred in Asia and parts of Europe, are quite different in terms of flavors and textures. They also tend to have valuable medicinal properties that differ from the button mushroom. And we've barely scratched the surface when it comes to understanding the value and importance of mushrooms as we've only classified about 10 percent of all available species.

"I'm continually humbled by my ignorance of what's going on in this incredible complex world of fungi," Farrar says. "It's just mind boggling. Even with the well-studied species, nearly every week they're finding a new bioactive component… Maybe it's a polysaccharide, maybe it's an enzyme, a protein, an antioxidant. They are continually finding new things that have profound effects when we consume them as a food or as a dietary supplement."

Mushrooms are "Superfoods"

According to Farrar, the effect mushrooms can have on human health is multifaceted, but they're most well-known for their immune-boosting properties. Long chain polysaccharides, particularly alpha- and beta glucan molecules, are primarily responsible for the mushrooms' beneficial effect on your immune system.

"They're host mediated responses, meaning that they are not going in like a pharmaceutical medicine and [like] a sledgehammer forcing your body in a particular way. They interact through your immune system itself by stimulating it and making it ready and efficient," he explains.

Mushrooms are excellent sources of antioxidants in general as they contain polyphenols and selenium, which are common in the plant world. But they also contain antioxidants that are unique to mushrooms. One such antioxidant is ergothioneine, which scientists are now beginning to recognize as a 'master antioxidant.' Interestingly, it's an amino acid that contains sulfur, and if you listened to my interview with Dr. Seneff on the highly underestimated importance of sulfur, you may recognize why this particular antioxidant may be of particular importance for human health, as many are severely deficient in sulfur.

"[I]t's one of the only antioxidants identified so far that our cells [use as] a transport system to actively take ergothioneine across the cell membrane into the cell, to the points of oxidative stress," Farrar explains. "It's a very significant antioxidant. It's probably eventually going to be called a vitamin… they barely even found ways to quantify it effectively. Mushrooms are an excellent source of this antioxidant. We can only get it from our diet. It's only produced by fungi and certainly soil inhabiting bacteria."

A 2009 study in the journal Nature discusses the importance of ergothioneine, describing it as "an unusual sulfur-containing derivative of the amino acid, histidine," which appears to have a very specific role in protecting your DNA from oxidative damage. So, if Farrar's assertions that your body needs ergothioneine, which is fairly exclusive to mushrooms, to effectively transport ergothioneine into your cells, it's easy to see how mushrooms may be an important part of an optimal diet. If you don't like to eat them whole, you can also find them in supplement form, either as an extract or whole food supplement, which I'll discuss more in a moment.

The Immune Enhancing Effects of Mushrooms

According to Farrar, many of the immune benefits obtained from mushrooms are due to the glyconutrients (complex sugars) contained in the fruit body and the mycelia.

"The vital information that can be contained in these sugars is astounding," he says. "…The way they communicate is… through receptor sites on your cells. It's described as a lock and a key. There are receptor sites depending on the physical structure of the polysaccharides, the side branches, and the substitutions on it, [and] they will lock on to certain components of your immune system and activate it much like they would be activated by coming into contact with the bacteria.

It's very profound effects, and we don't fully understand them… But it's really these long chained polysaccharides (that are immense complex structures), a lot of times bound with proteins or amino acids or different side chains, that have the effect on your immune system."

From a practical standpoint, what this means is that you can effectively elicit a very broad-based immune response by consuming a variety of different mushrooms of different species. Most likely, this is exactly what our ancestors used to do, and by eating a diverse variety of foods within each food group, you're giving your body everything it needs, thereby optimizing your genetic expression.

How Mushrooms Helped Win a Kentucky Derby

Now, some may argue that you typically would not consume the mycelia of the mushroom—which is the thread-like vegetative part of the mushroom that branches through the soil—because if you were to pick it in the wild, you'd typically snap off the top (the fruit body and stem), leaving the rest in the ground. However, Farrar points out that there's compelling evidence indicating that the mycelia have very valuable health properties.

Studies involving thoroughbred race horses, for example, offer a glimpse into what benefits mushroom products that include the mycelia might harbor. Farrar tells the story of how, in 2007, they convinced an East Coast trainer to put all the horses in his stable on a mushroom blend product developed by Farrar and his team.

"It contained a lot of the Cordyceps species, which is widely recognized as a performance mushroom, enhancing energy production. It had a number of other species and it helped with muscle recovery after strenuous exercise.

Basically, the 2007 Kentucky Derby winner 'Street Sense' was a horse that was on our product. The owner and trainer attributed a lot of the success to that. Interestingly enough, part of that was the performance energy component… another part of it was basically a behavioral aspect. It was totally unexpected on our part. The trainer said that [when the horse was] given this blend of mushroom… it was [like] a different horse… racehorses tend to be very fidgety and very high strung and they can be distracted. It's very difficult to focus their attention. They said once they started along this regimen of a daily dose of this mycelial blend of mushrooms, its trainability and focus [improved]; it was a different animal.

So instead of a lethargic sort of calming effect, it was more like an alert focus... That combined with the performance aspects, the muscle recovery, and the energy generation, was enough to make a difference they thought. Since then they have been spokesman for our products."

Others have found the same effects giving Farrar's product to their pets. Owners of elderly dogs in particular have reported that their dogs start acting like puppies again when taking it.

Usage and Dosage Recommendations

When it comes to mushroom supplements, there are two primary types:

• Mushroom concentrates or extracts—Most of these are so-called hot water extracts, where either the mushroom mycelia or fruit body is boiled for extended periods of time to extract the long chain polysaccharides. Farrar explains:
  
  "What you get basically is a concentrated form of these beta glucans. But the enzymes, the proteins, the amino acids, the dietary fiber, mostly the antioxidants, are either denatured, destroyed, or simply discarded.
  
  While you do get a very concentrated amount of these – generally, they also try to purify it to get them down to a minimum of variation [so] they can standardize it… Not to say that those aren't valuable products. In extreme cases of advanced cancer, tumors, all sorts of things, that is a very appropriate thing… Particularly as a complimentary therapy." 

• Whole food/Raw mushrooms—Consuming the mushrooms raw or using a whole food mushroom (powdered pill) product is generally a better alternative if you're reasonably healthy and looking to maintain optimal health, as they help maintain ideal function of your various systems as opposed to imparting a direct effect. Most of the knowledge about mushrooms come from ancient Chinese medicine where mushrooms are regarded as tonics. Tonics are considered to have non-specific beneficial effects across several systems of your body that do not decline over time.
  
  If you choose to eat your mushrooms raw, make sure they are organically grown, as their flesh easily absorb air and soil contaminants. Likewise, you'll want to make sure any product you buy is certified organic for the same reason.
  
  Furthermore, Farrar points out that whole mushrooms also provide healthful dietary fiber that act as "prebiotic platforms for the growth of probiotic organisms in your gut," which is very important for digestive health. This is yet another reason to opt for a whole food mushroom product.

There are no toxicities or resistance build-up associated with mushrooms, Farrar says. Your body will simply use what it needs and expel the rest. One of the most famous medicinal mushrooms is Reishi, revered as "the mushroom of immortality" by the Chinese, who typically take it every day.

"If you take a massive dose of these mycelial products, you're not going to overdose on them… You can't overdose," he says. "Typically when people start on these products, for the first seven to 10 days we recommend a double dose of it to load your system, and thereafter a moderate dose of one to a couple of grams a day. It's all that's needed.

When you're talking about the isolates of mushrooms, the active ingredients, you're talking about milligram dosages. If you're talking about the raw whole food, anywhere from one gram up to 30 grams for very severe cases of cancer cases. People are taking relatively massive doses of it and have had phenomenal effects."

Typically, one to two grams is enough for a tonic effect, taken on a daily basis. Farrar recommends taking the product on an empty (or nearly empty) stomach, but it can be taken with moderate amounts of food or liquids.

How to Identify a High Quality Product

In the interview, Farrar describes the techniques used within his industry to produce different kinds of mushroom products, so for more information, please listen to the interview in its entirety or read through the transcript.

One way involves a fermentation process, which can be used for both the fruit body and the mycelia. The cells walls are different in the mycelia compared to the fruit body; they're more easily digested, making it easier to reap the benefits from the bioactive compounds therein. The technique involves the use of oats, which may raise concerns about gluten content. However, Farrar allays such fears stating that gliadin cannot be detected in the final fermented product. So in its finished form, it's a gluten-free product.
In a nutshell, when evaluating mushroom supplements, the points of differentiation between products can be broken down to:

• Isolates versus whole foods
• Solid state fermentation versus submerged technology
• The type of substrate (grain) used for the fermentation
• Percentage of fruit body to mycelium
• Conventionally grown versus organic

Solid state fermentation is superior to submerged technology when growing the mycelia. Particularly if you're looking for a complex matrix of nutrition and bioactive compounds.
So-called 'submerged fermentation' is typically used by companies focused on extracting particular isolates, and this accounts for up to 70 percent of the products on the market. It's a more 'drug-based' approach that can be beneficial for certain health ailments.  

However, for a more comprehensively beneficial effect, you'll want to look for a product using 'solid state fermentation,' which is based on the whole food approach where the final product contains more or most of the original compounds and co-factors.

Within the whole food approach, manufacturers may use a variety of different substrate grains for the fermentation process, such as oats, rye, rice, millet, or milo. Farrar tends to favor those using oats, as they tend to have better nutrition than those using rice.

As for the ratio of fruit body to mycelium, Farrar recommends opting for products that contain more of the mycelium. "There is more research directly with the mycelial stage of the mushroom, by far, than the fruit body stage," he explains. He also discusses several other reasons for opting for mycelium, such as:

• The mycelia stage of the mushroom is easier to standardize and keep contained
• Mushrooms grown to the fruit body stage for harvesting opens it up to environmental factors that can be more difficult to control, so there's more variation in the quality
• Mushroom fruit bodies attract airborne contaminants, both biological and industrial, so there's greater risk for contamination

Last but certainly not least, you have the option of simply eating the mushrooms raw, or very lightly cooked. Excellent choices include maitake, shiitake, and king trumpet.

"They are so versatile. You can eat them in anything," Farrar says. "In the United States, our annual per capita consumption of mushrooms is about four pounds a year. In parts of China and Japan, it's 20, 25, 30 pounds! Even Canada has twice the consumption of mushrooms that we have. Mushrooms should be a bigger part of our diet."

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Source: The "Antioxidant Superstar" Chinese People Eat Daily


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How Many People Actually Eat Healthy?

Originally published on Friday, September 28th, 2012
Diets, WEIGHT MANAGEMENT by Dr. Wong for Bel Marra Health

 
If you ask your neighbors if they think they are healthy, chances are they will say “yes”, yet according to extensive market research only a small portion of the population is actually practicing what they preach.

The globally-known market research company, NPD group conducted an extensive health study and discovered that while eight out of 10 Americans describe themselves as either “extremely healthy” or “ very healthy” only one-in-five actually have a healthy diet. Their findings indicate that 65 per cent of adult’s body mass index is overweight. Healthy food is not on the menu as much as people proclaim.

Research does seem to show that most people know that in order to improve their health they have to adjust their diets. When people attempt to improve their diets they either add or take something away from their daily consumption of foods. According to the NPD group, last year 21 per cent of adults reported that they were on diets. When it comes to adding to diets the majority of adults seem to turn to taking vitamins.

Living in Denial Over Junk Food

The U.S Department of Agriculture has been involved in food research as well. They’ve determined that some consumers have a tendency to over-rate the quality of their diets; that they are eating far more junk food than they are healthy food in many cases. Over the last couple of years studies have shown that American’s perception of their eating habits have become more realistic; however, obesity continues to be a big problem.

There are close to 50 thousand fast food outlets across America and for many people it is hard to resist the temptation of a quick and easy meal. According to the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, 25 per cent of Americans eat fast food every day. While more and more fast food restaurants offer healthier alternatives, the majority of consumers opt for the unhealthy items on the menu board. Americans spend close to 100 billion dollars on fast food every year.

Functional Foods

If you are concerned about your diet and want to eat healthy food then there is always a long list of functional foods to choose from. Research shows that one in four U.S adults is consuming a functional food or beverage at least once a day. A functional food is healthy food that has a health or disease promoting ability. Interest in functional foods seems to be growing on a daily basis not only in the United States, but around the globe. Below you will find some examples of functional foods.

• Green leafy vegetables
• Fatty fish such as salmon, rainbow trout and sardines
• Flaxseed
• Garlic
• Yogurt
• Tomatoes
• Cranberries

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention junk food and poor diets, along with a lack of physical activity are big contributors to the development of chronic disease. Chronic diseases include diabetes, heart disease, and certain types of cancer. Seventy per cent of all deaths in the United States are a result of chronic disease.

http://www.belmarrahealth.com/weight-management/how-many-people-actually-eat-healthy/

Real Benefits of Eating Organic

Originally published on Friday, June 1st, 2012               

Functional Foods, WEIGHT MANAGEMENT by Dr. Wong for Bel Marra Health


Technological advances made early in the 20th century combined with food shortages experienced during World War Two, resulted in intensive farming techniques being widely integrated into North America. Intensive farming is not concerned with animal welfare, the environment, or the nutritional content of the food that is produced; it is based upon maximizing productivity and profits and minimizing costs. As a result of these farming practices, the food that is produced is often lower in nutrients and covered in toxic pesticide residue. In response to this, many environmentally concerned individuals and/or people who are in pursuit of good health are now turning to organic produce. In fact, organic farming is one of the fastest growing agricultural segments n the US and below are four benefits of choosing organic over conventionally farmed food products.


The Healthy Food Choice?


Benefit # 1: Organic Foods Are Pesticide and Herbicide Free

Perhaps the most obvious and most important benefit of organic foods is that they are grown naturally and are therefore pesticide and herbicide free. Pesticides have been linked to a wide range of diseases and health disorders. The continuous consumption of pesticide laden food results in a build-up of toxic pesticides inside the body and it has been directly linked to nerve damage, disrupted hormones and cancer, and pregnant women who consume these pesticides increase their chances of giving birth to infants with birth defects. Unfortunately, pesticides are invisible to the naked eye, and merely washing your produce is rarely enough to remove the pesticide residue, which is why your best option is to choose organically grown food.

Benefit # 2: Organic Animal Products Healthier…and More Humane

Most conventional meat is produced in factory farms, where the animals are cooped up in inhumane and unsanitary conditions and many of these animals never even get to see the light of day. These living conditions encourage sickness, and in order to prevent the animals from getting sick and to fatten them up quicker, the farmers often add tremendous amounts of antibiotics to the animals feed. The overuse of antibiotics in agriculture has resulted in antibiotic resistance problems in food. Furthermore, the antibiotics ultimately end up on your plate when you eat the meat of factory farmed animals, and the intake of antibiotics reduces your friendly gut flora, which are essential for good health. Finally, conventional meat and dairy products are laced with steroids and growth hormones, which also damage your gut flora and take away from your good health.

Benefit # 3: Organic Assures the “Functionality” of Functional Food

A functional food is any healthy food item that due to its nutritional content, serves a specific function when it comes to promoting good health. For instance, salmon and walnuts both fall into the functional food category because they contain a high amount of omega-3 fatty acids, which help to support cardio vascular health. Although many healthy food items, including most fruits and vegetables, fall into the functional food category, the use of pesticides and herbicides, genetic engineering and other factory farming techniques can transform these otherwise extremely healthy food items into a product that is lower in nutrients (some functional nutrients are lost altogether) and that can actually harm your health.

Benefit # 4: Organic is Better for the Environment

It would take more than a novel to cover all of the damage that intensive factory farming causes to the environment. In short, factory farming results in the following: damaged and less varied wildlife, less crop diversity, damaged and nutrient depleted soils, higher risk for famine during droughts, and polluted groundwater, not to mention the fact that it contributes to global warming.

Benefit # 5: It Tastes Better

As if all of the above benefits were not enough, organic food simply tastes better. According to one poll 71.5 percent of the population preferred the taste of organic fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy, over conventionally grown produce. Many studies have found that organic farming yields foods with great flavor intensity. The exact reason is unknown, however scientist speculate it is due to the increased antioxidants in organic foods as well as the lower crop yields which are grown in healthier soil.

http://www.belmarrahealth.com/weight-management/real-benefits-of-eating-organic/

Chicken Soup is Medicine – Doctors Confirm

Originally published on Friday, August 17th, 2012
Functional Foods, WEIGHT MANAGEMENT by Dr. Wong for Bel Marra Health

 
There are dozens of home remedies that have failed to live up to their hype; however, one treatment that has stood the test of time is chicken soup. How many times have you heard that you should try chicken soup for a cold? It turns out that doctors have tested the theory and most agree it is a functional food.

A functional food is any food that that has health promoting or disease preventing abilities. Doctors have carefully dissected the ingredients of grandma’s homemade chicken soup and have discovered that it really does have properties that can help you fight the symptoms of the common cold.

Over 200 different viruses are thought to cause a cold and each year millions of people in the United States alone suffer a cold. There is no quick cure; just treatment options such as bed rest, drinking lots of fluids, taking medicines that will help relieve the symptoms, and as we have been prescribed by grandmothers and mothers, chicken soup.

According to research conducted through the University of Nebraska Medical Centre, our diets play a big role in treating symptoms of the cold. Researchers said they have discovered that chicken soup contains a number of medicinal substances.

Medical Explanation on This Functional Food

Medical researchers believe colds are the result of mild infections in the upper respiratory tract. Most symptoms are related to the fact that the infection stimulates proteins that lead to immune reactivity.

As a result inflammation occurs and circulating white cells called “neutrophils” create mucous release, cough and sputum. At the University of Nebraska, researchers demonstrated that chicken soup inhibited “neutrophils” migration, indicating an anti-inflammatory property. It is worth noting that when you are suffering from a cold, hydration is very important and chicken soup certainly can provide you with good hydration.

While home-made chicken soup seemed to pass the test, researchers were curious to see how commercial products would stand up. It turns out that the chicken soups you purchase at your local grocery store are also functional food. Some of them had more punch than grandma’s recipe while other brands didn’t hold as much medicinal strength. Scientists also explain that many canned products contain extra sodium which can defeat your hydration efforts.

The Mayo Clinic supports the effectiveness of chicken soup and encourages people to include it in their diets, especially when they are suffering from a cold. Staff at the clinic says in addition to having an anti-inflammatory impact, it has the ability to limit the amount of time the viruses are in contact with the nose lining.

So you might be wondering what the magic ingredient is? At this point, researchers say they can’t pinpoint just one item. It appears that several ingredients in the soup have inhibiting actions and medicinal properties. The vegetables have plenty of vitamins of course, and it turns out that proteins extracted from chicken collagen have strong medicinal benefits. In fact, research shows that this chicken protein substance may not only help the common cold, it may also help fight high blood pressure.

Those who have long questioned chicken soup as a remedy for the common cold suggest it is the steam from the hot bowl that is really helping people. The lead researcher from Nebraska took it upon himself to take tap water and heat it up to test the argument. It turns out that the hot water had no effect.

In the case of the common cold, many pulmonary specialists agree with Hippocrates words: “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”.

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