Heal-All Miracle Smoothie

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This smoothie is a great heal-all. It contains ingredients that reduce inflammation, purify and cleanse the skin and liver, naturally boost our energy, improve the functioning of our immune system and help us de-stress. Best of all, it can be quickly made in the morning and super charge you for the rest of the day.

Ingredients:
- 1 cup organic raspberries
- 1 ripe banana
- 2 cups leafy greens of your choice (choose from butter leaf, romaine, kale, baby greens, sprouts, etc.)
- 2 ribs celery
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- water & meat from 1 young thai coconut
- 3-4 inches ginger
- LOVE

Put all ingredients into a high speed blender and pulse blend for 30 seconds. Enjoy!

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10 Fruits You Should Be Adding To Your Smoothies Today!

6 Ways To Buy Organic On A Budget

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1. Put your green bargaining cap on and talk with farmers at the markets to negotiate a lower price for your produce. We know they work hard for their money but it can’t hurt to ask. Bartering for fare isn’t as strange as it sounds. Maybe they’ll unload the less popular fruits and vegetables for less too.

2. Everyone’s looking for the perfect specimen. You might want to choose produce that’s been passed over, because of minimal bruising and spotting, and ask for a lower price. Let’s face it, basil is going to wilt anyways once you chop it up or cook it so buying some that’s already on its way isn’t going to affect its flavor. It just means that you’ll want to use it sooner than later — which isn’t a bad thing.

3. More and more of the bigger food warehouse stores (like Sam’s Club, for example) are carrying organic items. If you can buy in bulk (dried beans, rice, canned tomatoes, organic coffee, etc.) this will save you a few dollars too. If you want to buy vegetables in greater quantities because of price, some will freeze nicely if slightly blanched beforehand. Asparagus, green beans, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, turnips and squashes can all be frozen.

4. Before you go to the Farmer’s Market and get pulled into the romance of it all (“I must have those gorgeous garlic scapes – now what do I do with them?”), plan ahead and go with a set list in mind. If an item is too expensive because it’s just come in season, wait a week and the price may go down.

5. The proliferation of websites that sell organic food and related items is ever-growing and with the incentive of free shipping on some sites, this may be a great alternative for you. Amazon.com is even dabbling in selling organic grocery store items, so you’ll have a variety of sources from which to choose.

6. Just as you search for coupons in your local supermarket flyers (or watch them haphazardly fall out of your weekend newspaper), many of the organic brand websites offer a way to print out coupons too. If you don’t have access to a printer, some of the websites will simply send you the coupons if you supply your snail mail address.

What To Do When You Can't Find Organics Or Pesticide-Free Fruits and Vegetables? If you don't have the advantage of buying organic and your local supermarket only carries fruits and vegetables that have been sprayed with pesticides, reduce your risk by finding out which ones are the worst. Check: Reducing Your Risk To Pesticides: 47 Fruits and Veggies and Their Pesticide Load

Source: http://preventdisease.com

Delicious, Fresh, Raw Vegan Taco's

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This recipe is based on my love for mushrooms and zucchini (which makes up the base of the "meat") - it turned out insanely amazing, and leaves you feeling great! So enough talk, and more recipe. See below for the ingredients, and simple process to create your own fresh, raw vegan tacos! 

Ingredients:

"Meat"

1-2 cups cremini mushrooms, chopped finely

2 medium zucchini's, chopped into little cubes

1 medjool date, soaked in water until squishy - blend the date in the soak water to make a sort of "sauce", and add 1/2 - 1 tsp taco seasoning* (I make my own homemade, see below for recipe), mix again

Salsa:

4 Tomatoes, chopped finely

1 Garlic clove, crushed

3 tbsp finely diced red onion

1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro (aka. corriander)

Juice of 1/2 a lime

Taco essentials:

1 Head Romaine

1 Carrot, shredded (the "Cheeze")

1/2 long english cucumber, chopped into tiny pieces

Instructions:

Take the medjool date & taco seasoning sauce, and mix with zucchini and mushroom so it covers all the little pieces. Take this mixture and let it dehydrate in the dehydrator at a low temperature for a couple hours, or you can skip this step if you don't have a dehydrator and just let the flavours mingle for a couple hours in a covered bowl (it really doesn't matter if this mixture is more moist or dry, it will taste the same in the end)

To make the salsa, simply combine all the ingredients labelled under salsa, and let sit for an hour to let the flavours blend.

That's it! Now take your romaine taco shell, layer the "meat", cucumber pieces, salsa and "carrot cheeze" - this recipe is way up there on my favourite list! Give it a try!

Source: Live Love Fruit

Benefits of Magnesium

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We normally hear about the importance of iron and calcium, and vitamin’s C and D. We don’t hear much about magnesium, however, and this mineral, when one becomes deficient, can lead to severe health consequences. Not only that, but an estimated 80% of Americans are deficient in this mineral, and they may never know it since it is hard to measure with blood testing.

The enzymes in our body require magnesium to undergo their daily reactions. In fact, magnesium is found in over 300 different enzymes in the body which are responsible for things like:

1) Proper Bowel Function 

In the digestive tract, magnesium acts as a coenzyme – it breaks down food and helps assimilate the nutrients into the cells of your body. The hydrochloric acid in your stomach in also dependent on magnesium for its production and assimilation, as well as the bile in your liver.

2) Heart Muscle Contraction

Magnesium helps transport potassium, calcium and other ions across cell membranes, and without proper coordination and participation of magnesium to help these nutrients into cell membranes, then our heart would not properly function. This crucial function of magnesium in our bodies helps promote healthy muscle contraction, normal heart rhythm and healthy nerve impulses.

3) Relaxation of Blood Vessels

Magnesium is vital for muscle relaxation. Arteries and vessels are made up primarily of smooth muscle (the middle layer called the “Tunica Media”), and this muscle contracts and relaxes like a pump, allowing blood to flow through the body. Research has shown that magnesium acts to relax blood vessels (vasodilaton), which is associated with lower blood pressure.

4) Regulating Blood Sugar Levels

In fact, without enough magnesium in your body, you may be prone to developing diabetes. Magnesium deficiency has been directly linked to insulin resistance, and thus, increases your chances of becoming diabetic or developing some other chronic health issue.

5) Proper Formation of Bones and Teeth

We normally only think of calcium when it comes to maintaining healthy bones and teeth, however, magnesium is also a large player in this case as well. About half of your body’s magnesium supply is stored in your bones and it helps strengthen the structure of our bones with the help of vitamin D and calcium.

6) Creation of ATP (energy molecules of the body)

Magnesium is essential for proper ATP synthesis. ATP requires magnesium in order to be stable, and without magnesium, ATP would break down into other components called ADP and inorganic phosphate. Without enough magnesium, our ATP synthesis slows and doesn’t work as it should which can lead to serious health issues.

7) Reduces Cancer Risk

The body’s most powerful antioxidant, “glutathione,” requires magnesium to function properly. When magnesium is present, the body can properly shield itself from heavy metals, environmental chemicals, pesticides and herbicides, all factors that determine your risk for developing cancer. In fact, increasing magnesium to just 100 mg extra per day has been found to reduce a person’s risk for developing colorectal cancer by around 13 percent!

Magnesium has been found to help in a variety of health-related cases, such as those suffering fromfibromyalgia, atrial fibrillation, type 2 diabetes, PMS, cardiovascular disease, migraines, and aging. 

Incorporating magnesium into your diet is not as difficult as it may seem. In fact, many fruit and vegetables contain magnesium, which could dramatically improve your health. Chlorophyll, which creates the beautiful green colour of many of the plant foods we eat, allows the plant to capture solar energy and convert it into metabolic energy. This molecule contains a magnesium atom in its centre, and is also highly similar to the structure of our hemoglobin, meaning that lots of green leafy salads and juices nourish our blood and the cells of our body.

Men should aim for around 320 mg of magnesium per day, whereas women should aim for 230 mg/day.

The best natural sources of magnesium include (per 100 grams):

Sea Vegetables (nori, wakame, dulse) = 770 mg

Raw Cacao = 550 mg

Raw Pumpkin Seeds =  535 mg

Cilantro/Corriander = 694 mg

Almonds = 268 mg

Bananas = 27 mg

Okra = 57 mg

Swiss Chard = 81 mg

Spinach (or any dark leafy greens) = 79 mg

Hazelnuts = 163 mg

Beet Greens = 98 mg

Dates = 77 mg

Figs = 68 mg

Avocados = 29 mg

Sources:

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/12/17/magnesium-benefits.aspx

http://www.naturalnews.com/039154_health_benefits_magnesium_dietary_sources.html

Live Love Fruit

Man Cures Cancer and Gets Off 25 Meds By Eating Healthy

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Dave “the Raw Food Trucker” describes how he was able to get off diabetes medication in days and cure his colon cancer within six months after fellow truck drivers taught him how to eat a diet of raw foods and juices.

10 Fruits You Should Be Adding To Your Smoothies Today!

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Smoothies are a great way to increase your consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables. Over the past 10 years of perfecting smoothies, I have found that certain fruits work better in smoothies than others, and that including high-antioxidant rich fruits into your smoothie will give you the biggest bang for your buck. Read on to find out 10 different fruits that you should definitely start adding to your smoothies TODAY!

Cherries

Cherries are a popular summer fruit and should be eaten while they are in season. They are very high in antioxidants called anthocyanins, which help lower your risk of developing heart disease and cancer. They also help promote healthy skin and brain cells. Cherries are also great anti-inflammatory fruits, and have been shown to act just as effectively as the painkiller ibuprofen. Make sure you choose deep, dark, red cherries (not light coloured – those are un-ripe), and be sure to pit the cherries before you blend.

Bananas

Bananas are an amazing power food! They help individuals overcome depression because of their high levels of tryptophan (which is converted into serotonin in the brain; the happy-mood brain neurotransmitter). They protect against muscle cramps during workouts and counteract calcium loss during urination and build strong bones. They also improve your mood and reduce PMS symptoms and help individuals lose weight via their fat-metabolizing resistant starch. Make sure to include ripe, spotty bananas in your smoothies as these are the kind that will help you gain these awesome benefits!

Berries

Berries are one of the best foods to include in your smoothies, especially because they are the fruits with the highest levels of antioxidants. Berries help lower your risk of certain cancers, and improve memory function and urinary tract health, as well as promote healthy aging. Berries are also very high in fiber which helps to maintain a healthy GI tract, lower blood cholesterol and reduce heart disease. Another compound in berries called “ellagic acid” is a potent anti-carcinogen, which has anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties. I would recommend putting around 1-2 cups of berries per smoothie (make sure you buy organic berries! Conventional berries are one of the highest sprayed fruits out there!)

Peaches & Nectarines

Peaches and nectarines are both very high in beta carotene which is essential for eye health (helps improve vision health by increasing circulation of blood in the eyes, and other body parts). Vitamin C content in these two fruits are also wonderful for skin care and reducing dark circles under the eyes and fine lines and wrinkles. Peaches and nectarines are great toxin cleansers as well, and their high fiber and potassium content reduces kidney related diseases and reduces risk of developing ulcers. Add 1 or 2 peaches or nectarines to your next smoothie – be sure to remove the pit!

Mangos

Antioxidant compounds in mango have been found to protect against a variety of cancers like colon, break, leukemia, and prostate. Mangos are high in fiber, pectin, and vitamin C too, which helps lower serum cholesterol levels and helps clear the skin. Adding a cup or two of mango to your smoothie will ensure your body benefits from the mango’s amazing properties.

Pineapple

Who doesn’t love pineapple? Make sure you choose ripe pineapple (the green leaves on top start to turn brown when it is just about ready), otherwise, you will have battery-acid mouth for the rest of the day! Did you know that pineapples are incredibly high in vitamin C, so they help boost the immune system and keep our gums healthy. Pineapples are also high in manganese, which is a trace mineral needed by your body to help build bones and connective tissues. They also lower your risk of developing age-related macular degeneration and the bromelain in pineapple helps alleviate inflammatory-related diseases like arthritis!

Oranges

Oranges are a definite power food! They literally dissolve the mucus in your body and get rid of nasty blockages that may be causing a variety of underlying bodily issues. Oranges are rich in limonoids which help fight a number of cancers including skin, lung, breast, stomach and colon. They also help reduce the risk of kidney stones and help lower cholesterol because of the high content of soluble fiber. Not only that, but this fruit is very high in potassium, an electrolyte mineral required for proper heart and nerve function. Last but not least, we all know the orange is high in vitamin C, which keeps our immune system strong and healthy! Juice a couple oranges for your next smoothie instead of buying pasturized orange juice which is very low in bioavailable nutrients.

Papaya

Papaya is a great fruit for improving skin health and fighting against acne and skin infections. It is very rich in fiber which helps lower cholesterol levels and contains enzymes which prevent the oxidation of cholesterol (in turn, helping to prevent heart attacks). The enzymes in papaya are also wonderful for relieving constipation and diarrhea, and helps to cure infections of the colon. The seeds are great for ridding the body of intestinal worms too! Put 1-2 cups of ripe papaya in your next smoothie!

Grapes 

Grapes contain resveratrol which helps assist with weight loss by 1) reducing the cells’ ability to store fat; and 2) causing the fat to disintegrate 246% higher than normal! Resveratrol also improves blood vessel dilation, allowing blood to flow more easily through blood vessels. Grapes also protect the brain, thanks to resveratrol which cleans up brain-damaging plaques and free radicals (both of which are linked to Alzheimer’s disease). I sometimes like making an all-grape smoothie, with 1-2lbs of grapes in a blender, pulse blended for 30 seconds and you are good to go!

Kiwi

Finally, the kiwi is a great fruit to add to your smoothies! They contain a protein-dissolving enzyme which helps digest meals more efficiently and have high levels of potassium which helps manage our blood pressure. Kiwis have been found to protect the cell DNA from oxidative damage (something that leads to many cancers), and the high vitamin C content boosts your immunity. The fiber on kiwis are great for removing toxins from your intestinal tract too! Putting a couple ripe kiwis in your smoothie will allow you to reap these awesome benefits!

Source: Live Love Fruit

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Healthy Summer Drinks To Quench Your Thirst

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When the temperatures and humidity start to climb during the summer months, we naturally seem to feel thirstier. It is very important to give our bodies plenty of fluids and nutrients, especially during this time of year. The trick is to choose quality, nutritional drinks that don’t subject us to harmful substances and/or pack on empty calories. We’ll discuss some ideas for healthy drink alternatives, but first let’s lay a few ground rules about what not to take into our bodies.

Soda pop is the “all-American” drink to reach for, at least that’s what the mainstream media and advertisers want us to believe. My advice is to take carbonated soft drinks off your grocery list and leave them off permanently. Unless, of course, you want to gain weight, weaken your bones, wreak havoc with your digestive system, and expose every organ in your body to toxic chemicals. Oh, and as a side note, pop doesn’t quench your thirst well; it only makes you thirstier.

A second general guideline is to avoid the over use of caffeinated beverages and alcohol. Both of these are poisonous to your system, and they also lead to dehydration, a bad thing anytime, but especially during the dog days of summer.

Okay, so we know what not to drink. What are some good things that we should drink?

Dress-Up Your Water

Pure, filtered water is hands down the best way to quench your thirst. The body — both on a cellular and systematic level – is composed of over 70% water. We need lots of it in order for us to operate the way we’ve been designed. The health benefits of drinking plenty of water are numerous (weight loss, strong immune system, younger-looking skin, better nutrient-absorption and toxin elimination, etc.). There is no better beverage than water when you are thirsty. I know some of you may be bored with plain old water, although your body will develop an increased desire for it if you drink it consistently. Here are a few healthy tips about making water a little more tasty and palatable.

• Try a teaspoon or so of organic apple cider vinegar (ACV) in a glass of water. It gives it a bit of a bite taste-wise, but beyond that ACV provides a ton of healthy benefits such as boosting your digestive and immune systems, reducing acidic imbalance in the body (a major contributor to disease), and combating free radical damage.
• Fresh fruit-infused water is not only flavorful but also healthy. This has its roots in Spanish cuisine and is known as aguas frescas.  Adding fruit and/or vegetables and herbs will make the water more interesting, and expose you to the vitamins and minerals of the fruit without excessive amounts of sugar.
• A simple twist of lemon or lime also adds flavor, or you may want to grab a few mint leaves (preferably from your own garden) and spice up your water in this fashion. Bruising the leaves helps to release the flavor.

Chilled Herbal Teas

There are so many varieties to choose from, that you are sure to find a flavor that tickles your fancy. Most are caffeine-free, and provide minerals, antioxidants, and other useful nutrients and benefits. Just be sure to stay away from simple sugar which is high in calories and terrible for your overall wellness, and of course you should avoid toxic artificial sweeteners.

Stevia or Xylitol are good choices for a natural sweetener. If you like a bolder taste, try using organic blackstrap molasses in your tea. It has a rich, strong flavor, so go easy on it. However, molasses is also a great source of minerals such as calcium and iron, and is actually a whole food-based sweetener that nutritionally builds up the body unlike simple sugar which tears it down.

Another suggestion is to make fruit-infused herbal teas. Make this the same was as the fruit-infused water except substitute herbal tea for the water.  Be creative with the different types of teas and fruits that you put together.  There are endless possibilities in making a very healthy drink.

Healthy Smoothies

I love smoothies because you can literally add an unlimited number of healthy choices to these delicious drinks. Using a blender or food processor, you can whip up tasty and nutritious beverages including:

• Fresh organic fruits such as berries, mango, peaches, cherries.
• Organic cottage cheese and/or yogurt.
• Whole foods such as freshly ground flax seeds or nuts.
• Green veggies such as spinach, kale, avocado.
• Natural, organic protein powder such as hemp seed or pea protein.
• Potassium-rich foods such as organic bananas, apricots, oranges, or raisins are particularly helpful if you are highly-active in the heat (great for preventing dehydration and muscle cramping).
• Milk substitutes such as hemp seed milk, rice milk or almond milk (soy-free or make your own).

For an extra cool treat, try preparing your favorite smoothie and using it as a healthful alternative to ice cream.  This is very easy to do if you have a Vita-Mix or comparable blender. One word of caution though: Depending on your choice of ingredients, smoothies can be quite high in calories. Enjoy in moderation to avoid unwanted weight gain.

Source: Oasis Advanced Wellness

Sugar is far worse than most of us realize

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Sugar causes inflammation and inflammation is linked to all degenerative diseases. 

Source: Dave Sommers

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Health Benefits of Bananas

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I like to consider the banana as the “king fruit” – it feels very “complete” in terms of nutrients, and provides us with an incredible burst of energy. Bananas have been a staple food for individuals for many centuries and still to this day top at one of the top 5 fruits in the homes of families. Bananas provide an array of benefits for the human body, including (and not limited to) the list below. Read on to find out how bananas will help improve and nourish your life!

1. Reduce depression
Bananas contain catecholamines, dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine (1). They also contain tryptophan which metabolizes the neurotransmitter serotonin (the “happy” molecule) as well as tyrosine (1). Dopamine and serotonin are both neurotransmitters, with dopamine being involved in movement, motivational and pleasure seeking behaviours and serotonin being involved in physical, emotional and psychological conditions. These two chemical help to reduce depression and improve your mood (2).

2. Regulate the bowel system
Bananas are high in non-digestible fibbers like cellulose, hemicellulose and alpha-glucans (4) which helps prevent constipation and restores and maintains regular bowel function. A 7-8-inch banana has more than 3g of fibre! This composes nearly 8% of your total daily requirement of fibre, and helps ease waste through the GI tract.

Bananas will help with both constipation and diarrhea. Bananas also contain pectin, and because of this, they have the ability to absorb water in the intestine giving them a bulk producing ability.

3. Reduce blood pressure & risk of heart disease
Bananas are rich in potassium (as we all know), and potassium is required for muscle contraction as well as correct functioning of the heart and nervous system. Eating just one banana will provide you with enough potassium for the day!

Bananas also contain flavonoids which show anti-inflammatory, hypolipidemic (ability to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol), hypoglycemic and antioxidant activities. Because of their hypolipidemic properties, flavonoids in bananas can reduce the risk of heart disease, inflammation and aging (3).

4. Help our bones grow stronger
Bananas help our body retain minerals like calcium, nitrogen and phosphorous, all of which help to build healthy and regenerated tissues. How do bananas help the body absorb these minerals? Bananas contain healthy prebiotics called fructooligosaccharides which nourish the friendly probiotic bacteria in our colon (4). When we eat a banana we are better able to absorb nutrients and compounds that protect us against bad bacteria because of the prebiotic capability of the banana, helping us to produce vitamins and generate digestive enzymes. Our friendly probiotic bacterium in our intestine ferment the fructooligosaccharides and thus increase the amount of probiotic bacteria (4) which allows the body toabsorb more calcium!

5. Help individuals to quit smoking
Did you know that bananas can help you quit smoking? They help to reduce the amount of stresses and help you deal with nicotine withdrawal. Bananas contain Vitamin C, A1, B12, B6, potassium and magnesium which help to relax your body and ease off the terrible side effects of nicotine withdrawal such as stomach cramps, stress, headaches, shakiness, irritability and nausea. They also help with the mental and physical symptoms of quitting cigarettes such as keeping your hands busy with something else, other than the cigarette. Holding a banana in your hand and consuming it will keep your hands busy, and will also deliver your body with potassium and magnesium which help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

6. Help prevent anemia
Individuals with anemia have a hard time producing enough healthy red blood cells. The common treatment is to take iron pills, however, the banana can provide similar benefits. Bananas are incredibly high in iron, and help to stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood – thus, they are helpful in cases of anemia.

Around 8mg of iron is needed daily for men and women, however, during menstrual cycles women should consume up to 15mg of iron. One medium sized banana contains around 0.4mg of iron, which is high for a fruit! Consume a 6-8 RIPE banana smoothie and you will get nearly 3-5mg of iron in one shot!

7. Provide us with energy
We all know bananas are a rich source of sucrose, fructose and glucose, all of which compliment the high fibre in the banana, and thus releases the sugars slowly into the bloodstream to give us stable energy throughout the day. Bananas also contain high levels of potassium which help to keep our muscles contracting properly during exercise and prevents lactic acid build up (less cramping). Just TWO bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout!

8. Reduce menstrual pains
Bananas are rich in vitamin B6 which helps to regulate blood glucose levels and thus positively affect your mood. One study found that treating premenstrual women with 100mg of vitamin B6 per day effectively treated their premenstrual symptoms and premenstrual depression (5). Instead of taking pills like ibuprofen or Midol (and reaping the side-effects of those drugs), simply eat a banana!

9. Power our brains
Our brains run on glucose – therefore, bananas are great to help boost our brain power. Bananas also contain potassium, which research has shown can help assistant learning and memory by making pupils more alert. Children who consume a potassium-rich fruit breakfast often do better on tests than children who do not.

10. Help prevent ulcers
Bananas have also been shown to neutralize the acidity of gastric juices and thus reduces ulcer irritation (4). They also protect against the formation of ulcers and ulcer damage by increasing the thickness of the mucous membrane layer of the stomach thanks to the flavonoid in the banana called leucocyanidin!

Sources:

(1) Ohla, S., Schulze, P., Fritzsche, S., & Belder, D. (2011). Chip electrophoresis of active banana ingredients with label-free detection utilizing deep UV native fluorescence and mass spectrometry.Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry, 399, 1853-1857.

(2) Smith, K., Fairburn, C., & Cowen, P. (1997). Relapse of depression after rapid depletion of tryptophan.The Lancet, 349, 915-919.

(3) Vijayakumar, S., Presannakumar, G., & Vijayalakshmi, N. (2008). Antioxidant activity of banana flavonoids. Fitoterapia, 79, 279-282.

(4) Kumar, K., Bhowmik, D., Duraivel, S., & Umadevi, M. (2012). Traditional and medicinal uses of banana. Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, 1, 57-70.

(5) Wyatt, K., Dimmock, P., Jones, P., & O’Brien, P. (1999). Efficacy of vitamin B-6 in the treatment of premenstrual syndrome: systematic review. BMJ, 318, 1375.

Thank you to Live Love Fruit

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Foods That Boost Your Energy

8 Foods that Boost your Brain Power

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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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