Really Good Reasons To Eat These Really Good Foods

Disclaimer: Always consult your physician before making any major changes in your diet or exercise, especially if you have major health concerns or are taking prescription medications.

I've discovered a few foods that help keep us healthy so I thought I'd share the news. My husband often says "If I'd known I was going to live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself." We all seem to be consumed with getting rid of the aches and pains our former diet created. It did, you know. Most of the arthritis and cancer is coming from eating the high fats and sugars for years and years. It's not too late!

I'm not so sold on the way the world is "turning" these days, but I'd like to be around long enough to see it take a turn for the better...and while I've got my feet on the ground, it would be nice to groan less.

Here are a few easy tips that you can do this weekend to begin a healthier you:

1. Drink Green Tea! Not only does it help you lose weight, it also fights cancer cells! if you drink 6 - 8 glasses a day, you can just about watch your belly fat disappear!! I'm living proof!! However, understand that you can't eat fatty, sugary foods all day and think the green tea will cancel that out. But, if you drink even just six 8 ounces glasses of green tea, and replace your sugary foods with veggies and fruits, and do that daily walk, you will not have to be on a painful diet to see good results. (Always check with your physcian, which I will say repeatedly throughout this article.)
2. Are you needing to lose some pounds? We all know how much walking and getting some regular exercise helps us with new energy and limber limbs. We can also lose weight by standing around more. Get off the couch!! Folding clothes, or cleaning out a closet, and doing other small activities (just basically moving around in the house qualifies) 1 hour MORE than what you do now, can double your weight loss and decrease your chance of developing diabetes.
3. Got Any Cheeeeese? Eat 1 cup of low or non-fat cottage cheese a day. One cup contains high amounts of leucine, which is an amino acid that helps reduce blood sugar levels. And, guess how quickly? 48 hours!! Now that's a quick result. Most of the time, we make new food choices and because we may not notice a difference immediately, it's easy to forget it and slip back to old habits. If you're overweight by 20 or more pounds, you can probably safely assume you need to lower blood sugar levels. Leucine helps muscle cells use excess blood sugar. Make sure the meats you eat are mostly chicken and fish, enjoy eggs, seeds, and red meat sparingly. They also contain good amounts of leucine. Frankly, eating 1 cup of cottage cheese (how about with a tomato?), is going to give you 2,800 mg of leucine!! Lynn and I have been enjoying cottage cheese, tomatoes and unsweetened fruit for supper a few nights a week and my mirror says I'm looking better....ok, I'm prejudiced.
4. Got any mushrooms? Well, buy a lot because if you eat 6 or more white button mushrooms a day (thats the hard part) your breast cancer risks reduce by two-thirds. (International Journal of Cancer )

1. Ever heard of Holy Basil? (Has no relation to the basil in your pantry) Well, neither have I, but I've just read some interesting news about this herb: holy basil is full of antioxidants called rosmarinic acid and eugenol. We all read about antioxidants and you may be numb now, thinking "what's the big deal about anti-whatevers?" Have you also read about "cortisol" the "stress" hormone? Holy basil helps us produce less cortisol, which allows our pancrease to more effectively control our blood sugar. A good dose of holy basil is 400 mg to 900 mg everyday. The herb can be found at most vitamin or health food stores or here online. (Read more about holy basil.) Other benefits of the holy basil herb are improving memory,helping fight colds, and reducing cholesterol. Again: Always check with your physcian before taking any supplements.
2. Still concerned about diabetes? If you're in the risk category, here are some other delicious food items that help cut the risk of developing diabetes: Carrots (raw or steamed, 1 cup), guacamole (1/2 cup - I KNEW that delicious concoction had to be good for us!), shredded coconut (1/4 cup), and cherries (fresh, 1 cup).  

Tomatoes contain lycopene which is a wonderfully strong antioxidant that particularly fights cancer. When choosing vegetables, fresh is always best, but with tomatoes, it doesn't matter.  Canned tomatoes are just as healthy, so dig in!  Use liberally.

We've heard forever that calcium is good for our bones, but recent research indicates that we need at least 1800 - 2000 mg per day to prevent breast cancer and keep our intestinal tract producing normal cell growths. We want the colon to empy out waste daily so we are not so prone to colon cancer! Most of us don't get enough vitamin D which is vital to healthy colons and breasts.

If you need a distraction from the political world and economic woes, spend your money wisely and invest in better health for you and yours this year. It's a distraction that pays!

We ARE what we eat, and maybe what we 'DON'T' eat shows more than we think!

Making just a few changes will help you feel better, and then, you can add even more nutritious food to your daily menu!  See you on the green tea aisle!