This is a video with Jeffrey Smith of the Institute for Responsible Technology on the practices of US manipulation of other countries regarding their refusal to plant GMOs.
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U.S. Tax Payers Footing the Bill for Pro-GMO Lobbying Globally
Natural Cures Not Medicine on Facebook: www.facebook.com/naturalcuresnotmedicine
A recent article exposed the use of American tax dollars to promote GMOs worldwide. US diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks reveal the Bush administration drew up ways to retaliate against Europe for refusing to use genetically modified seeds. In 2007, then-US ambassador to France Craig Stapleton was concerned about France's decision to ban cultivation of genetically modified corn produced by biotech giant Monsanto. He also warned that a new French environmental review standard could spread anti-biotech policy across Europe. Some European countries were even threatened with economic sanctions over their refusal to comply with US economic interests and implement unregulated us of GMOs in Europe.
This is a video with Jeffrey Smith of the Institute for Responsible Technology on the practices of US manipulation of other countries regarding their refusal to plant GMOs.
This is a video with Jeffrey Smith of the Institute for Responsible Technology on the practices of US manipulation of other countries regarding their refusal to plant GMOs.
10 Easy Steps For Starting A Community Garden
Natural Cures Not Medicine on Facebook: www.facebook.com/naturalcuresnotmedicine
After the latest and ongoing March Against Monsanto protests there has been an even greater awakening to the adverse effects of GMOs and pesticides on human and environmental health. Many people who would love to grow their own food are forced to shop at grocery stores due to the fact that they simply have no space to grow their own gardens. If you must buy your food from someone else, it's best to try to buy locally grown food to ensure that you can have a better idea of what's in it.
Here is a great source to find locally grown food near you: http://eatlocalgrown.com
There are a few option for people that would like to grow their own food but don't have the space: one is community gardening. The video posted below is a short introduction with the 10 basics steps it takes to get a community garden started in your neighborhood.
After the latest and ongoing March Against Monsanto protests there has been an even greater awakening to the adverse effects of GMOs and pesticides on human and environmental health. Many people who would love to grow their own food are forced to shop at grocery stores due to the fact that they simply have no space to grow their own gardens. If you must buy your food from someone else, it's best to try to buy locally grown food to ensure that you can have a better idea of what's in it.Here is a great source to find locally grown food near you: http://eatlocalgrown.com
There are a few option for people that would like to grow their own food but don't have the space: one is community gardening. The video posted below is a short introduction with the 10 basics steps it takes to get a community garden started in your neighborhood.
10 Foods To Avoid With Acid Reflux
Natural Cures Not Medicine on Facebook: www.facebook.com/naturalcuresnotmedicine
An estimated 25 million
American adults have acid reflux, or a severe form of heartburn, and experience
the issue on a daily basis. More than 60 million suffer from heartburn once a
month. And while simple overeating can be to blame, there are several foods
that only exacerbate the condition and make it worse. Here you will learn of
many foods to avoid with acid reflux.
Heartburn
isn’t something to take lightly. In addition to the almost unbearable pain, the
acid consistently irritating the esophagus can lead to lasting damage and
increase your risk of esophageal cancer.
Interestingly,
health professionals prescribe medications known as proton pump inhibitors to
reduce the amount of acid build up when the condition is actually caused by too little acid in many cases, not too
much acid. In some cases, the disorder is caused by a faulty valve between the
stomach and the esophagus. However, in others, it is only made worse by diet.
“After food passes through your
esophagus into your stomach, a muscular valve called the lower esophageal
sphincter (LES) closes, preventing food or acid to move back up.
Gastroesophageal reflux occurs when the LES relaxes inappropriately, allowing
acid from your stomach to flow (reflux) backward into your esophagus.”
Foods to Avoid with
Acid Reflux
In addition to utilizing these 5 natural remedies for acid
reflux, here are some foods to avoid when heartburn and acid reflux
are a common problem:
·
Chocolate - Apparently chocolate works to relax
the sphincter muscle, allowing acids to flow back into the esophagus. But that
isn’t the only reason it’s bad for acid reflux—it also contains the next thing
on our list:
·
Caffeine - Whether you get your daily jolt from
coffee or soda, caffeine is a known contributor to acid reflux.
·
Soda - The bubbles in soda can expand in the
stomach, causing acids to back up. Sodas that are caffeinated are doubly bad.
·
Alcohol - Like chocolate, alcohol relaxes the
sphincter, allowing acid to flow freely. One drink may not be a problem, but
when paired with other heartburn culprits, you’re only asking for greater pain.
·
Citrus fruits - The acid content in
these fruits are especially problematic when consumed on an empty stomach or
when paired with other acidic foods.
·
Tomatoes - While they are otherwise good for
you, tomatoes are very acidic too.
·
Spicy foods - Among other foods to avoid with
acid reflux, hot and spicy foods can make heartburn a problem. Simply swap out
milder alternatives for the spicy dishes you like.
·
Fried and other high fat foods - Fried foods are a
common heartburn culprit, but even high fat dairy and meat products can be
problematic for some sensitive people.
·
Meat – Meat is one of the hardest
foods to digest. Limit consumption and try to choose non-fatty meats like
chicken or turkey.
·
Dairy – Dairy may provide temporary
relief, but it could also cause problems.
If acid reflux is a problem for you, learn
your triggers and how best to avoid them. In the end, you will have to find
out exactly which foods are OK, and which foods to avoid with acid reflux.
Learn to know your body.
Source : TruthTheory.com
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Home Made Natural Fruit Juices
This is how you can be sure that your food is non-GMO
Natural Cures Not Medicine on Facebook: www.facebook.com/naturalcuresnotmedicine
There's one sure-fire way to tell that your food is 100% non-GMO: growing you own food at home or in your community. As recent studies have shown, food labeled organic at the grocery store may not actually be organic. Regulations are always changing and it's hard to say what exactly is in your food unless you are either growing it yourself or you know the people that are growing it. If you don't have the space in your own home but still would like to get into growing your own food, see our recent article on urban homesteading which shows you how to maximize your small space or find out ways to work with other people who have unused space. I've attached a few videos in this article to get you started with a few techniques for starting your own organic, sustainable gardens.
Starting an organic garden
Introduction to aquaponics
10 easy steps for making a community garden
There's one sure-fire way to tell that your food is 100% non-GMO: growing you own food at home or in your community. As recent studies have shown, food labeled organic at the grocery store may not actually be organic. Regulations are always changing and it's hard to say what exactly is in your food unless you are either growing it yourself or you know the people that are growing it. If you don't have the space in your own home but still would like to get into growing your own food, see our recent article on urban homesteading which shows you how to maximize your small space or find out ways to work with other people who have unused space. I've attached a few videos in this article to get you started with a few techniques for starting your own organic, sustainable gardens.Starting an organic garden
Introduction to aquaponics
10 easy steps for making a community garden
How To Make Kale Chips
Natural Cures Not Medicine on Facebook: www.facebook.com/naturalcuresnotmedicine
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How to make Kale Chips by FitLife.Tv
Source : Grow Food Not Lawns
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Kale Info & Great Tasting Healthy Recipe(video)
Plant Protein For Vegetarians
Study on Cannabis Proves Government Wrong
Natural Cures Not Medicine on Facebook: www.facebook.com/naturalcuresnotmedicine
The hypocrisy of marijuana remaining a Schedule 1 drug, “No Medical Use Whatsoever,” seems criminal when considering that pharmaceutical companies reproduce a chemical version of THC and are able to market and sell it as such. Marinol is a pharmaceutical chemical drug produced by Solvay Pharmaceuticals Inc. It contains the exact molecular structure of the THC molecule and has the same effects of marijuana. However you cannot grow Marinol in your backyard. You cannot make obscene profits from the patent of a plant, because luckily, the state has not granted their mega –corporations the ability to patent nature, yet. The contradiction here is that you can make nature illegal, and then recreate nature in a lab using chemicals, put that illegal part of nature, available for profit, into a pill and make millions.
Source: Real Farmacy
By Matt Agorist
A recent study conducted by the University of California, Center for Medicinal Cannabis, sheds light on government prohibition of marijuana and its ridiculous implications. The irony here is that this study, published in The Open Neurology Journal, was sponsored by government.
The hypocrisy of marijuana remaining a Schedule 1 drug, “No Medical Use Whatsoever,” seems criminal when considering that pharmaceutical companies reproduce a chemical version of THC and are able to market and sell it as such. Marinol is a pharmaceutical chemical drug produced by Solvay Pharmaceuticals Inc. It contains the exact molecular structure of the THC molecule and has the same effects of marijuana. However you cannot grow Marinol in your backyard. You cannot make obscene profits from the patent of a plant, because luckily, the state has not granted their mega –corporations the ability to patent nature, yet. The contradiction here is that you can make nature illegal, and then recreate nature in a lab using chemicals, put that illegal part of nature, available for profit, into a pill and make millions.
The government funded study, appropriately titled, Medical Marijuana: Clearing Away the Smoke, concludes: “Based on evidence currently available the Schedule I classification is not tenable; it is not accurate that cannabis has no medical value, or that information on safety is lacking…. The continuing conflict between scientific evidence and political ideology will hopefully be reconciled in a judicious manner.”
Source: Real Farmacy
Barley Grass Benefits
Natural Cures Not Medicine on Facebook: www.facebook.com/naturalcuresnotmedicine
Many health conscious
individuals are including green food concentrates such as Barley grass and
other cereal grasses in their diets. The appeal being that Barley grass is
richer in individual vitamins and enzymes than many other known super-foods.
The real benefit and power of Barley grass is the combination of all these
nutrients and enzymes in one food.
Barley grass is sprouted from barley seeds and is best consumed by juicing the grass sprouts (at 3 to 7 days old) to produce a powerful fresh green juice elixir. It is also available in powder form (spray-dried barley grass) and is very easily digested by the body.
Celebrity Nutritionist, Gillian McKeith, states in her book, "Living Food for Health: 12 Natural Super-foods to Transform Your Health", that barley grass offers more protein than a sirloin steak, five times the amount of iron as broccoli, seven times more vitamin C than orange juice and 11 times more calcium than milk.
Consuming Barley grass has also shown to balance the pH of the body. The average Western diet is fairly acidic especially when large quantities of processed foods are eaten. Raised acidity in the body is linked to many diseases and general ill-health. Barley grass is very alkalizing and useful for helping the cells in the body function optimally.
Studies on Barley Grass
Research done on patients with ulcerative colitis showed that those given Barley grass showed significant improvements in their symptoms - including fewer episodes of diarrhoea and less pain - compared to the group receiving conventional medication (standard anti-inflammatory medication including steroids).
Ulcerative colitis is linked to low levels of friendly bacteria in the gut and an accumulation of toxins in the bowel. Barley grass helps reverse this by stimulating the growth of friendly bacteria, which in turn helps reduce inflammation and improves symptoms. Barley grass helps combat ulcerative colitis by lowering the amount of inflammatory chemicals in the bowel, including one called epithelial NF-k, and by balancing the water content of the bowel content. Studies also show that barley grass increases the amount of friendly bacteria in the patients' bowels.
Other studies done in Japan have shown that barley grass tea significantly improves the flow of blood as well as lowers the amount of LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein) cholesterol.
Barley grass has also shown promising results in preliminary studies done on its ability to inhibit certain cancer cell growths, mainly breast and prostate cancer. There are testimonies of cancer patients, who have been healed by consuming Barley grass and changing their lifestyles, but further studies are needed.
How To Include Barley Grass In Your Diet
Enjoy barley grass in healthy smoothies or by juicing it. It's simple to grow all year round (by sprouting) on a sunny kitchen windowsill. Cut the grass with kitchen scissors to juice with carrots, apples, beetroot, parsley and celery. Its super-food status makes it well worth having in constant supply.
Try this super-food energising drink from the recipe below. Drink it straight away to benefit from the enzymes and nutrients - it makes enough for two. Use a juicer with a centrifugal twisting action. Ordinary juicers don't twist the juice out thoroughly enough.
Take 2 cups of fresh barley grass and juice with:
2 medium-sized beetroots
2 medium-sized carrots
2 celery sticks
1 cup of parsley
1 large peeled apple or two smaller ones.
Other healthy grasses you can sprout and eat are alfalfa grass, oat grass and wheat grass.
References
1. "Dr. Gillian McKeith's Living Food for Health: 12 Natural Superfoods to Transform Your Health"; Gillian McKeith, M.D.; 2005
2. Yu YM, Chang WC, Chang CT et al. Diabetes Metab 2002, 28(2):107-114
3. http://
About the author
Katherine Oosthuis is completing a Diploma in Nutritional Therapy. She researches and writes for a health and nutrition website Detox For Life . Her passion is to make research available to those who are looking to improve their well-being and revolutionise their health through better nutrition and alternative medicines.
Barley grass is sprouted from barley seeds and is best consumed by juicing the grass sprouts (at 3 to 7 days old) to produce a powerful fresh green juice elixir. It is also available in powder form (spray-dried barley grass) and is very easily digested by the body.
Celebrity Nutritionist, Gillian McKeith, states in her book, "Living Food for Health: 12 Natural Super-foods to Transform Your Health", that barley grass offers more protein than a sirloin steak, five times the amount of iron as broccoli, seven times more vitamin C than orange juice and 11 times more calcium than milk.
Consuming Barley grass has also shown to balance the pH of the body. The average Western diet is fairly acidic especially when large quantities of processed foods are eaten. Raised acidity in the body is linked to many diseases and general ill-health. Barley grass is very alkalizing and useful for helping the cells in the body function optimally.
Studies on Barley Grass
Research done on patients with ulcerative colitis showed that those given Barley grass showed significant improvements in their symptoms - including fewer episodes of diarrhoea and less pain - compared to the group receiving conventional medication (standard anti-inflammatory medication including steroids).
Ulcerative colitis is linked to low levels of friendly bacteria in the gut and an accumulation of toxins in the bowel. Barley grass helps reverse this by stimulating the growth of friendly bacteria, which in turn helps reduce inflammation and improves symptoms. Barley grass helps combat ulcerative colitis by lowering the amount of inflammatory chemicals in the bowel, including one called epithelial NF-k, and by balancing the water content of the bowel content. Studies also show that barley grass increases the amount of friendly bacteria in the patients' bowels.
Other studies done in Japan have shown that barley grass tea significantly improves the flow of blood as well as lowers the amount of LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein) cholesterol.
Barley grass has also shown promising results in preliminary studies done on its ability to inhibit certain cancer cell growths, mainly breast and prostate cancer. There are testimonies of cancer patients, who have been healed by consuming Barley grass and changing their lifestyles, but further studies are needed.
How To Include Barley Grass In Your Diet
Enjoy barley grass in healthy smoothies or by juicing it. It's simple to grow all year round (by sprouting) on a sunny kitchen windowsill. Cut the grass with kitchen scissors to juice with carrots, apples, beetroot, parsley and celery. Its super-food status makes it well worth having in constant supply.
Try this super-food energising drink from the recipe below. Drink it straight away to benefit from the enzymes and nutrients - it makes enough for two. Use a juicer with a centrifugal twisting action. Ordinary juicers don't twist the juice out thoroughly enough.
Take 2 cups of fresh barley grass and juice with:
2 medium-sized beetroots
2 medium-sized carrots
2 celery sticks
1 cup of parsley
1 large peeled apple or two smaller ones.
Other healthy grasses you can sprout and eat are alfalfa grass, oat grass and wheat grass.
References
1. "Dr. Gillian McKeith's Living Food for Health: 12 Natural Superfoods to Transform Your Health"; Gillian McKeith, M.D.; 2005
2. Yu YM, Chang WC, Chang CT et al. Diabetes Metab 2002, 28(2):107-114
3. http://
About the author
Katherine Oosthuis is completing a Diploma in Nutritional Therapy. She researches and writes for a health and nutrition website Detox For Life . Her passion is to make research available to those who are looking to improve their well-being and revolutionise their health through better nutrition and alternative medicines.
Source : Dave Sommers
Other articles you may like:
50 Awesome Household Tips
8 Amazing Health Benefits of Peaches
Natural Cures Not Medicine on Facebook: www.facebook.com/naturalcuresnotmedicine
When
it comes to improving brain power, choosing the right foods is essential. The
nutrients you ingest, day in, day out, will help you use your brain more
efficiently. The more you are using your brain, the more it will grow new
connections, new cells, and improve your ability to problem-solve and store
memories.
Making
sure you eat fresh, local organic produce is also crucial. This will get your
brain functioning at its peak, because these foods are much closer to their
natural state and have a much higher availability of phytonutrients, vitamins
and minerals. Consuming highly processed foods that are filled with numerous
chemicals are not nutritious, and can actually slow the connections and
neuronal firing in your brain.
I
should also mention that drinking plenty of water (at least 2 litres or more a
day) is very important to help the brain function properly and to hel Tis the
season for peaches! Now is the time to get in as many organic peaches as you
can, to help nourish your body and invite it with as many vitamins, minerals
and phytonutrients as possible! It is important to purchase organic peaches
because conventional peaches are sprayed with nasty pesticides and herbicides
which will eradicate any beneficial components in the peach. Read on to learn
about the 8 incredible benefits of the amazing peach!
Eye
Health
Peaches
are a great source of beta carotene (a compound that is converted to vitamin A
in the body, and which is crucial to the health of our retinas). Individuals
with sight problems are often deficient in beta carotene, so consuming peaches
will help up your beta carotene levels and nourish the health of your eyes.
This compound also helps prevent night blindness and age-related macular
degeneration.
Protection
Against Toxins
Peaches
are a great way to cleanse out toxins from your colon, kidneys, stomach and
liver. The high fibre content pushes out any toxic excess waste matter from
your colon, and helps protect against colon cancer. Peaches are also rich in
potassium which reduces kidney related diseases and reduces your chance of
developing ulcers.
Aids
in Weight Loss
Including
lots of fresh ripe juicy fruit in your diet is a great way to help control your
hunger and lose weight. Peaches contain natural fruit sugars, so they do not
raise your blood sugar or insulin levels (only processed sugary foods do this –
refined & artificial sugars which deposit as fat in your body). The
sweetness of this fruit also controls any food cravings you may have, so it is a
win-win situation!
Fights
Cancer
Peaches
are incredibly high in antioxidants. Particularly, they contain an antioxidant
called chlorogenic acid (concentrated in the skin and flesh of the peach) which
is known to protect the body from cancer and other chronic diseases. This
antioxidant is also responsible for reducing inflammation in the body (helping
those suffering from arthritis) and helps slow the aging process.
Cardiovascular
Health
Peaches
are high in iron and vitamin K which are two important substances for keeping
the heart healthy. Vitamin K prevents the blood from clotting and protects
against a myriad of heart diseases. Iron keeps the blood healthy and strong and
prevents against iron-deficiency anemia. The lycopene and lutein in peaches also
significantly reduce your risk of developing heart disease. Do your
cardiovascular system a favour and go eat some peaches!
Kidney
Cleansing
The
potassium in peaches are great for reducing kidney related diseases and helps
to cleanse your bladder. The concentration of potassium and other vitamins in
this amazing little fruit allows your body to maintain normal kidney and liver
function. Eating peaches will help prevent nephritis and a variety of other
kidney diseases as well as help eliminate kidney stones.
Skin
Health
The
levels of vitamin C in peaches are very high! Vitamin C is an essential
ingredient that benefits the youthfulness of our skin (and also helps keep our
immune system high!). Peaches help slow the aging process so they reduce the
formation of fine lines and wrinkles on the skin (thanks to the antioxidants
like vitamin C and chlorogenic acid). Rubbing some peach on your skin as a
temporary mask is another great way to slough away dead skin and to allow the
peach enzymes to nourish and refreshen your skin.
Antioxidants
As
we have seen throughout the previous seven points, peaches are very high in
antioxidants, ranging from lycopene to vitamin C to chlorogenic acid. All of
these antioxidants serve to keep your body healthy and in tip-top shape.
Antioxidants help scavenge free radicals in the body which would normally cause
life-threatening diseases and illnesses like cancer, auto-immune diseases and a
variety of other illnesses. Providing your body with a diet rich in
seasonally-ripe fruit is the best way to ensure you are getting more than
enough antioxidants.
p
you feel more alert. After all, your water constitutes over 85% of your brain’s
weight.
8
Foods that Boost your Brain Power
Berries (blueberries, blackberries,
cranberries, strawberries, raspberries, red grapes, goji berries, mulberries,
seabuckthorn, golden berries, boysenberries, saskatoons, etc.)
Berries
are a great food for increasing brain power because of their high antioxidant content.
They have been shown to prevent nerve-related degeneration and decline in both
cognitive and motor function because they reduce inflammation and improve
neuronal cell longevity. The polyphenolic compounds in berries also protect
against neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease as well
as depression.
Asparagus (and other foods rich in folic
acid like okra, spinach, collards, sunflower seeds, romaine lettuce and beans)
Why
are foods that are high in folic acid great for the brain? This vitamin has
been found to improve memory and cognition in healthy adults aged 50-70 years
old. Folic acid is a water-soluble B vitamin which improves cognitive
functioning, especially with respect to memory and information processing
speed. Consuming foods rich in folic acid like asparagus and spinach will help
your brain tremendously!
Avocados
Avocados
are a great healthy fat to include in your diet and they are high in vitamin E.
They contain essential fatty acids which are necessary for maximum brain power
as well as supporting proper brain growth and development. Omega fatty acids
help reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and help boost your
memory and ability to learn new things!
Carrots (and other foods rich in beta
carotene and vitamin C like mangos, oranges, broccoli, tomato, cantaloupe,
peppers, and rainbow chard)
Beta
carotene rich foods may reduce the risk of cognitive decline. Beta carotene is
an antioxidant that prevents oxidative stress in the brain which normally damages
brain cells leading to rapid brain aging and associated cognitive decline. In
studies with groups of individuals taking beta carotene and comparing them to
controls (no beta carotene), it was found that the brain was able to function
much more efficiently, particularly with respect to verbal memory.
Hemp
Seeds (and
other healthy nuts & seeds like chia seeds, walnuts, almonds, pistachios,
cashews, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds)
Hemp
seeds are high in omega fatty acids which are anti-inflammatory and help
protect the nervous system. How do they do this? To put it simply, they “feed”
and repair the myelin sheaths that protect our nerves, which if not protected,
can lead to serious health issues like multiple sclerosis (a disease caused by
myelin sheath damage). Omega fatty acids in hemp seeds and other nuts and seeds
also help lift depression and those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, and can
reduce the harmful effects of chronic stress.
Dark
Green Leafy Vegetables (think
collards, kale, swiss card, beet greens, green & red leaf lettuce,
dandelion greens, and dark green herbs like basil, mint, parsley, cilantro,
dill, arugula, and watercress)
Dark
leafy green vegetables are known for their ability to keep the brain sharp
through aging. These greens are rich in folate (a B vitamin, as mentioned
earlier) and can protect against cognitive decline in older adults. Folate
helps reduce blood levels of homocysteine (a blood marker of cardiovascular
disease), which when high, have been linked to lower cognitive test scores.
Leafy green vegetables are also very mineral and vitamin dense, which help keep
our brain sharp, and our thoughts clearer.
Bananas
Bananas
are a great brain food. For one, they help lift depression due to their high
tryptophan content (a protein that the body converts into serotonin), which
helps you relax and improve mood. Secondly, they are remarkably high in
potassium (same with medjool dates!) which is a mineral that helps send oxygen
to the brain and thus makes you feel more alert. They are also rich in B
vitamins which are very important in calming the nervous system and protecting
the myelin sheath around our nerves.
Watermelon (and other water rich foods
like melon, zucchini, cucumbers and celery)
Ensuring
you stay hydrated is a great way to keep your memory sharp, moods balanced and
motivation strong. If you are dehydrated (which more than 95% of the population
normally is), you reduce oxygen flow to the brain and could temporarily shrink
neurons. Consuming water rich foods like watermelon, cucumbers and celery will
prevent this from happening and can help you focus better on the tasks at hand.
Source : Live Love Fruit
Other articles you may like:
Health benefits of grapefruit juice
8 Foods that Boost your Brain Power
Natural Cures Not Medicine on Facebook: www.facebook.com/naturalcuresnotmedicine
When
it comes to improving brain power, choosing the right foods is essential. The
nutrients you ingest, day in, day out, will help you use your brain more
efficiently. The more you are using your brain, the more it will grow new
connections, new cells, and improve your ability to problem-solve and store
memories.
Making
sure you eat fresh, local organic produce is also crucial. This will get your
brain functioning at its peak, because these foods are much closer to their
natural state and have a much higher availability of phytonutrients, vitamins
and minerals. Consuming highly processed foods that are filled with numerous
chemicals are not nutritious, and can actually slow the connections and
neuronal firing in your brain.
I
should also mention that drinking plenty of water (at least 2 litres or more a
day) is very important to help the brain function properly and to help you feel
more alert. After all, your water constitutes over 85% of your brain’s weight.
8
Foods that Boost your Brain Power
Berries (blueberries, blackberries,
cranberries, strawberries, raspberries, red grapes, goji berries, mulberries,
seabuckthorn, golden berries, boysenberries, saskatoons, etc.)
Berries
are a great food for increasing brain power because of their high antioxidant content.
They have been shown to prevent nerve-related degeneration and decline in both
cognitive and motor function because they reduce inflammation and improve
neuronal cell longevity. The polyphenolic compounds in berries also protect
against neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease as well
as depression.
Asparagus (and other foods rich in folic
acid like okra, spinach, collards, sunflower seeds, romaine lettuce and beans)
Why
are foods that are high in folic acid great for the brain? This vitamin has
been found to improve memory and cognition in healthy adults aged 50-70 years
old. Folic acid is a water-soluble B vitamin which improves cognitive
functioning, especially with respect to memory and information processing
speed. Consuming foods rich in folic acid like asparagus and spinach will help
your brain tremendously!
Avocados
Avocados
are a great healthy fat to include in your diet and they are high in vitamin E.
They contain essential fatty acids which are necessary for maximum brain power
as well as supporting proper brain growth and development. Omega fatty acids
help reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and help boost your
memory and ability to learn new things!
Carrots (and other foods rich in beta
carotene and vitamin C like mangos, oranges, broccoli, tomato, cantaloupe,
peppers, and rainbow chard)
Beta
carotene rich foods may reduce the risk of cognitive decline. Beta carotene is
an antioxidant that prevents oxidative stress in the brain which normally damages
brain cells leading to rapid brain aging and associated cognitive decline. In
studies with groups of individuals taking beta carotene and comparing them to
controls (no beta carotene), it was found that the brain was able to function
much more efficiently, particularly with respect to verbal memory.
Hemp
Seeds (and
other healthy nuts & seeds like chia seeds, walnuts, almonds, pistachios,
cashews, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds)
Hemp
seeds are high in omega fatty acids which are anti-inflammatory and help
protect the nervous system. How do they do this? To put it simply, they “feed”
and repair the myelin sheaths that protect our nerves, which if not protected,
can lead to serious health issues like multiple sclerosis (a disease caused by
myelin sheath damage). Omega fatty acids in hemp seeds and other nuts and seeds
also help lift depression and those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, and can
reduce the harmful effects of chronic stress.
Dark
Green Leafy Vegetables (think
collards, kale, swiss card, beet greens, green & red leaf lettuce,
dandelion greens, and dark green herbs like basil, mint, parsley, cilantro,
dill, arugula, and watercress)
Dark
leafy green vegetables are known for their ability to keep the brain sharp
through aging. These greens are rich in folate (a B vitamin, as mentioned
earlier) and can protect against cognitive decline in older adults. Folate
helps reduce blood levels of homocysteine (a blood marker of cardiovascular
disease), which when high, have been linked to lower cognitive test scores.
Leafy green vegetables are also very mineral and vitamin dense, which help keep
our brain sharp, and our thoughts clearer.
Bananas
Bananas
are a great brain food. For one, they help lift depression due to their high
tryptophan content (a protein that the body converts into serotonin), which
helps you relax and improve mood. Secondly, they are remarkably high in
potassium (same with medjool dates!) which is a mineral that helps send oxygen
to the brain and thus makes you feel more alert. They are also rich in B
vitamins which are very important in calming the nervous system and protecting
the myelin sheath around our nerves.
Watermelon (and other water rich foods
like melon, zucchini, cucumbers and celery)
Ensuring
you stay hydrated is a great way to keep your memory sharp, moods balanced and
motivation strong. If you are dehydrated (which more than 95% of the population
normally is), you reduce oxygen flow to the brain and could temporarily shrink
neurons. Consuming water rich foods like watermelon, cucumbers and celery will
prevent this from happening and can help you focus better on the tasks at hand.
Source : Live Love Fruit
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