While 70 percent of us are aware of antioxidants and their health benefits, most may not know how to easily incorporate high antioxidant foods into our busy, fast-paced lives. Simple solutions for a balanced and healthy lifestyle include eating a diet rich in “functional foods” or foods with a purpose — foods that offer far-reaching benefits beyond just satiating our appetites — such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

The good news is there’s no need to sacrifice health for convenience. For example, Sunsweet Antioxidant Blend is a delicious dried fruit blend of cherries, plums, wild blueberries and cranberries, which are four of the highest scoring, free radical fighting fruits according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Fruit snacks are a healthy choice because they are high in antioxidants and offer multiple functional benefits. For example, prunes, also known as dried plums, are considered a “super fruit” because they are not only high in antioxidants; they also promote a strong immune system, improve heart health and are good for healthy bones.

“Functional foods are an important part of a healthy lifestyle that includes a balanced diet and physical activity,” says Steve Harris, vice president of marketing at Sunsweet Growers. “Functional dried fruits, like those found in Antioxidant Blend, offer a quick, convenient and healthy snack, as well as a nutrient-packed ingredient that can accent a tossed salad, enhance baked goods, or sweeten up any favorite recipe.”

Try these tasty suggestions to get the most out of functional dried fruits:

* For a treat that’s smart to eat, combine with raw almonds for a powerful and satiating snack.
* To enhance a meal, add to a mixed greens or spinach salad for added flavor and nutrition.
* For a boost to your breakfast, start by mixing the blend with hot oatmeal and benefit from the whole grains and fruit.
* Add a flavorful punch to any baking recipe by mixing the blend in breads or bran muffins.
* Add pizzazz to appetizers and snacks by pairing with low-fat cheeses.

Visit www.sunsweet.com for more recipe ideas.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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(ARA) – What do millions of Americans have in common? Headaches.
Nearly everyone gets a headache at one time or another, especially during difficult economic times.

Tension headaches, migraines and “cluster” headaches account for 90 percent of all headaches, according to the Yale Medical Group’s Web site. While the vast majority of headaches are brief tension or cluster headaches, approximately 30 million Americans experience migraines, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke reports.

Most of us reach for over-the-counter remedies for headaches, but a growing number of Americans are seeking more natural options. Whether the rising cost of everything or the trend toward a more natural lifestyle is driving demand for non-medicinal headache remedies, there are many ways to handle the pain naturally.

Manage stress

Muscle tension is a leading cause of primary, non-migraine headaches. Stress is a leading cause of muscle tension. Reducing or managing stress may help you avoid the muscle tension that can lead to a headache.

Stress is the body’s physical and emotional reaction to changes in life, according to Medline Plus, a service of the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. National Library of Medicine. The service offers a few tips on how to avoid and manage stress:

* If you can, avoid everyday situations that you know cause you to feel stressed.
* While change can be good for you, it’s a good idea to plan ahead for major life changes.
* Know your own limitations for how much you can juggle at once and don’t be afraid to say no to new responsibilities when you already have enough on your plate.
* Communicate and talk with others about your feelings of stress.
* Eat well, exercise regularly and be sure to get enough sleep.

Focus on relaxation

It may be hard to do given the economy, but relaxing is one of the best ways to avoid headache. Deep breathing, biofeedback, meditation, stretching and muscular exercises and massage are all great ways to relax, according to Medline.

Massage can be particularly helpful, as it relaxes muscles and eases mental tension. You can easily self-massage your head, neck, temples, sinus areas to ease your headache. A bead-filled face mask can also provide the soothing benefits of massage.

The patented IMAK Eye Pillow Pain Relief Mask was designed by a physician to address multiple kinds of headache pain, from migraines and tension headaches to sinus pain and eyestrain. Imak’s bead technology, called ErgoBeads, inside the eye pillow create a gentle, massaging effect around the eyes. Use it at room temperature or as a cooling therapy by popping the mask in the freezer before putting it on. The mask is available in many retail drug stores online at imakproducts.com.

Improve your lifestyle

Promoting overall good health can also help prevent headaches. Regular aerobic exercise can help reduce the frequency and severity of tension headaches. Certain unhealthful foods have been associated with triggering headaches, and so has skipping meals. Cultivate the habit of eating regular, healthy meals and getting plenty of rest.

Be sure to stay hydrated — dehydration can cause a host of health problems, including headaches. If you smoke, quit. If you’re a nonsmoker, avoid being around second-hand smoke, since headache can be among the myriad health woes caused by inhaling second-hand smoke.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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If you think an herb is not a true medication, think again!

Did you know that many of the most effective medications today have herbs as their main ingredients? For example, Digoxin, one of the most popular medications to treat heart disease has the foxglove plant as one of its main ingredients. Some anti-cancer medications contain Madagascar periwinkle and the Pacific yew, which are herbs.

Many people have the misconception that herbs have no medicinal values because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve of them; or rather they are not regulated by the FDA.rnrnMedicinal potency and regulation are two separate issues.

Understandably, quality control of herbs or herbal supplement is often a concern. For a natural herb to be efficacious, it must contain proven ingredients in the proper doses and potencies with strict manufacturing procedures. Unfortunately, the FDA does not regulate the production of herbal supplements. Even with strict control and regulation, many prescription drugs are still unsafe; without the FDA, the safety of many herbal supplements remains a concern for many.

You may be concerned with what is really inside the bottle of herbal supplement that you get from a health food store.

Your concern is well justified. The cost of developing and marketing a new prescription drug is over millions of dollars, while that of an herbal supplement may cost only a few thousand dollars. In the former case, the FDA monitors a new prescription’s adverse reactions and side effects, but there is hardly any government regulation regarding the benefits and safety of new herbal supplements, especially if they are imported.rnrnThe herbal supplements may contain too little of the ingredients the label claims to contain, especially if the ingredients are expensive.

The herbal supplements may contain too much of the ingredients, especially where the ingredients are not expensive but measuring the exact amount may be costly. It is not always the case that the more is better.

The herbal supplements may contain the wrong ingredients, such as the wrong species of the same type of plant, or the wrong parts of the same plant.rnrnThe herbs may have been contaminated, due to pesticides.

The herbal supplements may have been “enhanced” with other hidden ingredients aimed at increasing the effectiveness of the product, such as caffeine is sometimes added as a stimulant to ginseng.

Despite all these concerns, herbs do have medicinal values.

For example, saw palmetto is a naturally occurring substance that is effective in blocking the effects of male hormones. For thousands of years, it has been used as an herbal remedy for the treatment of prostatic disease. Currently, it is marketed in Germany as an over-the-counter medication for the treatment of enlarged prostate gland. Several German studies have shown its effectiveness in controlling symptoms of prostatic disease, such as urinary obstruction. Saw palmetto may also have applications in the treatment of hair loss in men.

The fact that no formal studies have been conducted in the United States regarding the medicinal potency of saw palmetto (the obvious reason being that the product cannot be patented by pharmaceutical companies) does not undermine its potency as a medication.

Take yet another example: the anticoagulant medication coumadin was originally extracted from turmeric, which is a common spice often added to curry. Turmeric has been used in Asia for its medicinal properties for many centuries. It is used as a blood activator, a painkiller for joints, and a liver and gallbladder cleanser.

Educate yourself and be knowledgeable of the specific names of natural herbs and their medicinal values.

Choose reputable manufacturers of herbal supplements, and buy only top-quality products. Do not let price or promotion influence your purchase. Always read the labels of herbal supplements. Watch out for misleading health claims or false ingredient information.

The healing properties of medicinal plants are well established in the West now, after centuries of being dismissed as old wives’ tales. Many herbs are nature’s gifts to us; use them wisely to cure many illnesses with fewer side effects than pharmaceutical drugs.

Sustainable Living Articles @ http://www.articlegarden.com 

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(ARA) – Health and wellness is a privilege that everyone should be able to afford even in difficult economic times. With the right experience and know-how, anyone can make smart choices about healthy living while also being wallet wise. 

Dr. Jennifer Trachtenberg has mastered the art of staying fit, while also being financially responsible. She is a busy mom of three, runs a private practice in New York City and serves as chief pediatric officer for RealAge.com – an informative Web site that helps people live healthier, longer lives. Through her extensive experience of balancing work, life and wellness, she has learned how to keep living a healthy lifestyle, while keeping out of the red. 

Dr. Trachtenberg shares her top five tips for staying healthy on a budget: 

Tip 1 – Buy Frozen for Good Nutrition 
The fresh produce section at the grocery store can be a budgeter’s nightmare as pricey fresh foods can really add up. The budget-conscious can find much needed relief in the frozen food section. Frozen fruits and vegetables typically have the same levels of nutrients as their fresh counterparts, because the produce is frozen at the peak of its ripeness, locking in the maximum amount of nutrients . 

Tip 2 – Get Fit in the Great Outdoors 
No matter what the season, the outdoors is a great place to move your body and bond with family and friends without the confinement and encumbering expense of a gym membership. Calorie-shedding activities can be enjoyed year round: 

* Spring – Get some friends together and form a softball league, or ride a bike on weekends

* Summer – Try to walk instead of driving short distances or take up swimming 

* Fall – Get some cardio by raking leaves or challenge yourself to participate in a local road race 

* Winter – Ice skate at a local rink or work the biceps with some snow shoveling 

On rainy or chilly days, visit the local library and check out a workout video. It can be a lot of fun and doesn’t cost a thing. 

Tip 3 – Let the games begin! 
Lately, board games are making a major comeback with the reinvention of the traditional Family Night. Flexing your mental muscle by opting to play cards, trivia games or parlor games of yesteryear can help cut costs on expensive movie rentals and excessive cable charges. Plus, leisure time spent with friends, family and neighbors is always a healthy and fun way to de-stress. 

Tip 4 – Drink to your health! 
Water is a necessity and getting the recommended eight glasses a day is important to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Switching from bottled water to tap can save hundreds of dollars (not to mention it also eliminates the amount of plastic bottles that get discarded!). To ensure tap water is healthy and clean, consider a PUR Water Filtration System, which could save up to $600 each year in comparison to bottled water. PUR is certified to reduce many unwanted contaminants to help ensure drinking water is clean and healthy. Visit www.purwater.com for more details. 

Tip 5 – Sweet Dreams 
Getting much needed sleep no matter what your age is crucial to mental, emotional and physical health. You will feel better, be more productive at work, have increased levels of physical and mental alertness, and your body will get the rest it needs to fight off diseases. For these reasons, make a commitment to schedule your day so you get the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep. Children, depending on age, might require more. 

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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(ARA) – For millions of adults and children, warm weather means it’s time to devote attention to nasal health. Just as you want to spend more time outside, the higher temperatures make greater attention to healthy breathing a must.

Parents are rightfully concerned about their children’s respiratory health. Add to that the recent concerns over the safety and effectiveness of children’s cold remedies and now many parents are thinking twice before opening the medicine cabinet to treat their little ones.

A new survey conducted in March 2009 by Harris Interactive shows that while 90 percent of parents claim to be at least somewhat knowledgeable about the possible dangers associated with over-the-counter cough and cold medicine for children, 62 percent still give these products to children when they are experiencing cough and cold symptoms.

“It’s very concerning to me that so many parents are still giving their children these OTC cough and cold products with the possible associated dangers and the question of their effectiveness in children,” says Marcela Dominguez, MD, certified family medicine physician, Orange County, Calif.

While the FDA is now recommending parents not give OTC medicines to children younger than 4, more parents than ever are looking for ways to proactively support their children’s respiratory health and immune systems. Keeping kids healthy has become the universal objective rather than awaiting illness and then attempting a rescue.

“Evidence shows that over-the-counter cough and cold medicines likely don’t work for very young children, and can, in fact, create potentially lethal side effects,” says Dr. Bob Sears, a noted pediatrician. “Overdosing and side effects of cough and cold medicines send about 7,000 children to the emergency room each year.”

Just last fall the National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine released survey results that found 38 percent of adults and 12 percent of children were using complementary and alternative medicines. The new Harris survey shows that the desire to use these remedies is high and that the public might be using natural remedies more if the products had credible information (a proven track record and clinical testing) to support their claims.

Staying healthy is the safest approach and easier than you think. Here are some tips to keep your kids breathing easier, naturally this summer:

Tip 1: Use a saline solution to flush noses. Look on the Internet for directions on how to do this, or use a premade kit that includes a squeeze bottle or a Neti pot, available at many drug stores.

Tip 2: When your child plays outside, remove his clothing when he comes in. You might consider showering children to rinse pollen from their skin and hair. Close doors and windows at night or any other time when there are high pollen counts.

Tip 3: Use natural, non-drug remedies to keep kids healthy such as Sinupret for Kids. This helps promotes healthy drainage in the upper respiratory tract, improves airflow in the nose, and supports healthy mucous flow in the nose and sinuses.

Tip 4: Take a multivitamin to support overall health. There are many chewable options for children that taste great.

“While natural, herbal remedies have been in use around the world for generations — Sinupret has been a staple in Europe for 30 years — they are just coming into their own in the United States,” Sears says. This syrup is not a drug, but is a natural remedy for healthy sinus, respiratory and immune support in children ages 2 to 12. It does not contain stimulants, caffeine, ephedra, pseudoephedrine, codeine, steroids, narcotics or gluten.

“Parents are looking for a natural and safe approach to support their kids’ respiratory health, and they need to know if the herbal remedies they are considering have a long track record of effectiveness and lack of any harmful side effects,” Sears says.

Sinupret for Kids syrup is now available at more than 25,000 retail locations across the country, including Wal-Mart. Visit www.SinupretForKids.com to learn more.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Subsequent media reports furthered the negative reputation and reported on the studies of how tropical oils, (including coconut oil) were full of artery-clogging, heart damaging saturated fat, however, all this attention overlooked one key issue of the study– the fact that the oil used in the study was not the extra virgin variety used for years and years by people groups in the tropics but hydrogenated coconut oil, which produces a dramatically different nutritional makeup.

In the years and advancements following this study, nutritionists now realize that the process of hydrogenation, which includes artificially adding a hydrogen molecules to oil in order to give it a long shelf-life potential, is the culprit, rather than the actual coconut oil. Hydrogenated oils, including canola, corn, and soy contain the “bad” trans-fats and are processed with toxic hexane solvents that are regularly added to mass-produced, packaged food products. The hydrogenation process increased the financial bottom line for food companies while contributing to the slow decline in the general health of westerners, and is linked with trans-fats and associated heart disease that so many physicians and health professionals warn us about.

Fortunately for us, realizing the context of that old study, we now understand that extra virgin coconut oil is very rich in medium-chain fats, also known as “good fats” that doctors recommend, and is perfect to use as a healthy cooking oil that gives us a nutritious and flavorful advantage as an ideal substitute for butter. Nearly 50% of coconut oil is comprised of one of the “good fats” called lauric acid, a rare medium-chain fatty acid found in mother’s milk. Lauric acid is now being shown to have anti-fungal, anti-viral, and anti-bacterial properties that has researchers believing that, in the future, will become as highly regarded in health circles as Omega-3 is today.

The many uses of coconut, including its oil extract, extend beyond the kitchen to include use for skin care, maintaining healthy cholesterol levels, losing weight, enhancing the immune system, maintaining a healthy heart, aiding proper digestion and robust metabolism, maintaining healthy blood pressure, diabetes and cancer prevention, contributing to healthy teeth, hair, and bone strength. These benefits can be attributed to the presence of lauric acid, capric acid and caprylic acid, and its antimicrobial, antifungal, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties.

For centuries, inhabitants of tropical climates, where native coconut palms are known as “the tree of life”, have realized this and have relied upon the coconut for it’s versatile benefits, which many attribute to their overall good health. So, how about you? Why not include coconut oil in recipes for use as a healthy alternative to butter the next time you are are in the kitchen and give it the opportunity it deserves by allowing it to enhance your health?

To learn much more about the amazing nutritional benefits of coconut oil please visit:
http://www.cookwithcoconut.com

Frank Farmer is a psychologist and fitness/health advocate who has motivated many people in their efforts to improve their health.

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Tai Chi

Baby Boomers and Generation X’ers refuse to sit back and accept the limitations of aging. This group is redefining what aging is all about, making a powerful statement and setting a new definition of what life is like beyond one’s 50th birthday. This is the mission statement that is declaring the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s are being the new 40.

Here are some tips that can help anyone look and feel better in a short period of time, and can be easily be incorporated into the busiest lifestyle. Maximum results with minimal effort, an equation that works for me!

1. Every day make a juice from equal parts cabbage, carrots, spinach and blueberries or blackberries. For tea add goji berries and chrysanthemum flower to green tea. The berries and chrysanthemum can be purchased at any Chinese grocery/herb store in China town. Full of anti-oxidants, and the benefits of green tea, goji berries have been widely reported in the press. Chrysanthemum is known to benefit and brighten (beautify) the eyes, as well as being somewhat calming and good for headaches
2. Eat a variety of dark green leafy vegetables, fruits, incorporating seaweed, apricots (dry of fresh) and season your food with fresh ginger. This helps in the digestive process, but don’t overdo because too much ginger is not recommended. The Taoist concept of “The middle way” works best. Green vegetables are alkaline in nature and this is extremely beneficial not only for digestion, but for prevention of degenerative diseases.
3. Drink several 8oz glasses each day of boiled water. It may take some getting used to, but the benefits you will feel and see very shortly will far exceed the effort in adapting this habit.
4. One of the major causes of premature aging, and well as causing premature and accelerated aging is stress. One of my teachers believes that stress is the cause of all disease. Yes ALL disease! One of the best remedies is to adapt a few breathing exercises each day. I recommend qi gong, which are easy to learn and fit into the busiest lifestyle.

(It can even be done in a sitting position and be extremely effective). Tai Chi is also highly recommended, but does require a greater learning curve. The benefits of these ancient exercises are practically immediate; you will feel yourself winding down and adapting an objectivity that allows you to deal with stress in ways that will create a greater sense of calm, not effect the body.

• Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Imagine a string from your spine exiting out the top of your head holding you upright.
• Breath from the area below your navel (dantian) slowly and deeply.
• Relax the knees and raise your arms straight up over your head with palms facing upward. Imagine energy, essence from heaven going through the top of your head going down through the body to the soles of your feet.
• Turn palms toward each other and slowly move hands down to the area below the navel.
• Feel the energy between your hands as if there is an energy ball. Move the ball between your hands so the right hand is under, left hand is above the “ball”.

Take the ball and bring to the face, massage the face with the “energy ball” clockwise 10-36 times. You will feel heat or a “static” sensation.

You can use this to beautify and revitalize the face, eyes, skin and hair. This energy ball can also be used on the body above the knees. When you are ending the exercise, return the energy ball back to the area below the naval, the Dantian.

With the wisdom and discernment that the tomatoes have acquired over the years, with a sprinkling of a little Taoist philosophy, these simple tips can easily be incorporated for a lifestyle that lends itself to “REJUVENAGING”. Which is what I like to call the process that counteracts and slows the aging process. These are some simple tips that can be easily incorporated into a busy lifestyle, that will produce excellent results!

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Whether it is a tired eyes, wrinkles, insect bites or burns, there are times that things can happen to your skin. With the following organic skin care recipes and tips, you can treat various ailments naturally, leaving behind many of the man made pollutants that are absorbed into our bodies through most over the counter aids.

Insect Bites

Recipe #1: Mix 1 drop of organic almond essential oil and 2 tablespoons baking soda and 4 tablespoons of distilled water to form a paste. Apply to bite and let sit for 20 minutes, rinse with warm water and pat dry

Recipe #2: Mix 8 ounces distilled water with 2 tablespoons Epsom Salt. Apply compress made of a wash cloth soaked this mixture.

Oily Skin/ Acne

Recipe #1: Make a mask of 1/4 organic apple (cored but unpeeled), 1 organic egg white, 1/2 organic lemon (peeled and all seeds removed), 30 organic Thompson seedless grapes, 4 tablespoons organic watercress (finely chopped). Blend all ingredients on medium for 3 minutes. Apply to face using cotton balls and leave on for 20 minutes. Rinse with warm water.

Recipe #2: Mix 1/4 cup organic yogurt (plain) with 1 tablespoon brewer’s yeast. The mixture should be runny; if not, add a bit more brewers yeast. Apply to oily zones and let sit for 20 minutes. Rinse with warm water.

Recipe #3: Mix 1/2 cup organic oat flour, juice from 1/2 organic orange, and 1 teaspoon organic honey. Apply to face and let sit for 20 minutes. Rinse with warm water.

Scrapes

Recipe #1: This remedy should be made in advance and kept for times when it is needed. First you will need to create 4 special oils. You will need organic extra virgin olive oil, three airtight, glass jars and 4 fresh organic herbs: calendula, plantain, red clover, and St. Johns Wort.

Let the herbs wilt for one day, then put each type in its own jar and cover the herbs with olive oil. Close the jars and leave in direct sunlight for two weeks. Strain oil to use. Once your oils are made, you will need 1/4 cup of each of your special oils and 1 cup organic beeswax.

Melt the oils and beeswax in a large, microwave safe bowl, pour into an airtight, glass jar and let cool. If the mixture is too runny after completely cooling, you need to add a bit more beeswax and melt again, if it is too thick, add a bit more oil and melt again. Apply to wounds when needed much like you would with ready made antibacterial ointments.

Recipe #2:Soak the area with Epsom Salt dissolved in warm water. This is easiest done by taking a warm bath with 2 cups of Epsom Salt in it.

Splinters

Recipe #1: Soak the area with Epsom Salt dissolved in warm water. This is easiest done by taking a warm bath with 2 cups of Epsom Salt in it. Because Epsom Salt draws toxins out of the skin and acts as an anti inflammatory, this bath will draw the splinter to the surface.

Recipe #2: Bandage a thin slice of organic potato over the splinter and let stay overnight. Potato draws things out of the skin and the splinter should be to the surface by morning.

Sunburn Relief

Recipe #1: Mix 5 organic cucumbers (pureed) and 2 1/2 cups powdered milk in a bowl. Pour mixture into tepid/warm bath and soak burned areas for 20 minutes. The mixture can be applied directly to the burned skin, if you prefer.

Recipe #2: Soak the burned area with Epsom Salt dissolved in warm water. This is easiest done by taking a tepid/warm bath with 2 cups of Epsom Salt in it.

Tired Eyes

Grate raw potato and wrap in cheesecloth. Apply to eyelids for 20 minutes, wiping the starchy residue away before applying makeup.

Wrinkles:

Recipe #1: Cut organic Thompson seedless grapes in half and crush on wrinkles, especially near eyes and mouth. Leave the juice on your face for 20 minutes then rinse with warm water, repeat daily.

Recipe #2: Mash a very ripe organic banana extremely well, apply to entire face and leave for 20 minutes. Rinse with warm water

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Green Smoothies

Sure, you know greens are good for you. You occasionally toss a broccoli stalk or two into your chef salad – after all, anything tastes good with ranch dressing on it, right? And you often eat spinach when you visit your favorite neighborhood restaurant . . . and order the spinach-artichoke dip. Unfortunately, with that, you also get plenty of fat.

But if you still avoid more mysterious greens like kale, bok choy and mustard greens because you just don’t know how to prepare them so that they taste good, there’s a simple solution: green smoothies. A growing number of Americans, including TV personality Montel Williams, advocate the health – not to mention flavor – benefits of smoothies made with so-called “super foods” like green, leafy vegetables.

“Kids aren’t the only ones who don’t particularly like the taste of some greens,” says Jodi Berg, a fan of green smoothies and the executive vice president of Vita-Mix, manufacturer of commercial and household blenders, including one mentioned in Williams’ recent book on healthful living. “By incorporating raw greens in smoothies made with fruit and other flavorful ingredients, you can enjoy all the health benefits of these super veggies, plus the taste and fun associated with smoothies.”

The nutritional value of super greens has been well known for years, but the far-reaching positive impact of some nutrients is just now coming to light. From improving eye and blood health to lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, the nutrients found in leafy greens have multiple health benefits. “The challenge in reaping these full benefits has been the taste,” Berg says. “Many raw leafy greens have a bitter flavor that even cooking can’t completely mask. Most people expect a green smoothie to have some of that bitterness as well, but there is none. When you combine the right ingredients in the Vita-Mix machine, the result is silky-smooth and surprisingly sweet and delicious.”

So what’s the secret of whipping up a great-tasting, nutrient-filled green smoothie that both kids and adults will love? Here are some tips:

* Start with fresh fruit to provide the sweet flavor. Any fruit that you like will do the trick, but remember there’s an added nutritional benefit with some fruits. Blueberries or pomegranate, for example, will impart sweetness and an antioxidant punch. Pineapple or orange will deliver tart sweetness and plenty of vitamin C, while potassium-rich bananas will also add thickness and body to the smoothie.

* Next, choose a healthful green that you likely wouldn’t eat any other way, like collard greens, Swiss chard or bok choy. In addition to being an excellent non-meat, nondairy source of calcium and iron, the high fiber content in these greens balances out the sugar content of the fruit so that you don’t experience a spike in your blood sugar levels.

* Use fresh, filtered water and ice with the fruit and veggies. You can also add fat-free or low-fat yogurt, plain or flavored, to add nutrition and flavor to your smoothie. Do avoid high-fat additives like ice cream that also contain refined sugars.

* Be sure to use the right equipment. While the average blender may do just fine to mix milk and ice cream into a milk shake, you’ll need a heavier-duty device to chop, blend and smooth hearty greens. The Vita-Mix Super 5200 has the power and precision to completely pulverize whole foods and breaks them down to the cellular level. Nutrients are freed and valuable fiber is not stripped away.

Berg offers her favorite smoothie recipes to get you started:

“Green Goddess”
by Valerie Waugaman, American Gladiator star

Ingredients:

4 ounces vanilla soymilk, unsweetened
2 ounces pomegranate juice
3 cups fresh spinach leaves, gently packed
1 kiwi, peeled
1/2 cup green grapes or 1/2 pear
1/4 avocado, peeled
1/8 slice lime with rind
1 scoop protein powder (vanilla flavor)
dash of vanilla extract
5 drops Stevia (optional)
2 cups ice cubes

Directions: Place all ingredients in Vita-Mix blender and blend until smooth.

Going Green Smoothie

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh spinach or the leafy green of your choice
1/2 cup pineapple (fresh or frozen)
1 cup green grapes
1/2 banana
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup ice

Directions:

Place all ingredients in Vita-Mix container and secure two-part lid. Select variable speed 1. Turn machine on and quickly increase speed to 10, then to High. Process for 1 minute or until smooth. Makes 3 1/2 cups.

To learn more about the Vita-Mix and for more recipes and ideas on incorporating super greens into your diet, visit www.vitamix.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Plain old garlic is an inexpensive way to fight germs, and you don’t have to smell like an Italian restaurant to get the benefits — odor-free garlic capsules are available. Kyolic, a popular brand, is widely available at grocery and health food stores.

Studies have shown that alliin, found in crushed or chopped garlic, has an anti-bacterial effect. A recent study in Japan revealed that subjects who took aged garlic extract (AGE) caught significantly fewer colds and flu bugs. AGE is available at health food stores and from nutritional supplement suppliers. Additional information is available at www.kyolic.com.

Another weapon in the immune defense arsenal comes from an unexpected source — the Soviet Union. General Ivan Ogarkov, a Soviet army scientist and doctor, had no idea that his cold-war era bio-warfare research program would someday help thousands of 21st century Americans dodge winter colds, flu and other immune challenges.

Ogarkov’s program for bio-warfare agents taught Russian researchers about natural lactobacillus cell wall pieces and their effect on the immune system. These discoveries ultimately led to an American-made immune support product, Del-Immune V.

Users report fewer colds and flu bouts — teachers are the product’s biggest fans, according to Dr. Elin Ritchie of Taos, N. M. “This product is consistently safe, effective and has no side effects,” Dr. Ritchie said.

Other doctors are using it as well. “When I began to use it, I couldn’t believe its effectiveness,” says Dr. Ted Hayashida of Gardena, Calif.

Dr. Hayashida said he initially gave the product to his wife, who was getting sick with a flu virus. “She was over her illness in six to seven hours,” he said. The product is available online at www.delimmune.com, or by calling (888) 466-8635.

If, in spite of preventative efforts, a flu or cold sets in, there are natural remedies available at the health food store. Slippery elm (Ulmus fulva ) has been used as an herbal remedy in North America for centuries. Native Americans used slippery elm in healing salves for wounds, boils, ulcers, burns, and skin inflammation. In particular, the Cherokee used slippery elm for coughs and congestion.

The conditions for which slippery elm has received recognition from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a safe and effective option include sore throat (pharyngitis) and respiratory symptoms, such as cough. Several herbal companies make slippery elm capsules – they are available at most health food stores, and liquid syrups are available for children. The product is also available online at www.organicpharmacy.com.

Prevention is still the best strategy, though. “Nothing replaces plenty of rest, good nutrition, hand-washing and drinking plenty of water throughout the day for beating seasonal cold and flu viruses,” Dr. Ritchie said.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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