Healthy Living for Real People
Posts tagged antioxidants
Double Up On Vitamin D
Sep 13th
If you’re anything like us, you love getting out in the sun.
Now that the season is turning, we’re squeezing in as many rays as we can while it’s still nice outside.
And new research suggests that it’s actually a good idea.
The European Journal of Clinical Nutrition recently reported that doubling one’s intake of vitamin D through “frequent moderate” sun exposure or through supplementation (which will soon be our only choice in the colder months) can extend your lifespan by two years!
If your skin is very light, you may only need 10-15 minutes in the sun before you start turning pinkish – which is your signal that your vitamin D intake is done for the day and it’s time to get in the shade.
This short amount of time in the sun can help your body produce as much as 20,000 IU of vitamin D.
Dark skinned people (because they have darker, protective pigment) may need as much as six times this amount to acquire the same benefit.
So, is a tan OK after all? It’s more than OK.
Dr. Marc Sorensen, author of Vitamin D and Solar Power for Optimal Health told us, “a tan is your best defense against melanoma.”
Just make sure you’re eating a plant-based diet rich in antioxidants that equips your skin to react properly and naturally to sunlight. A diet poor in antioxidants and high in harmful oils will actually impair your skin’s ability to tolerate sunlight, which can lead to cell malfunction and skin cancer risk (your diet actually has more to do with skin cancer than sun exposure does – more on that another time).
Your turn…
What’s your take on sun exposure?
Walnuts Have Most Antioxidants
Apr 5th
New research presented at a recent meeting of the American Chemical Society revealed that one ounce of walnuts contains more antioxidants than the total of what the average person receives from fruits and vegetables in a day.
“Walnuts rank above peanuts, almonds, pecans, pistachios and other nuts,” said Joe Vinson, Ph.D., who led the latest study conducted at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania.
”A handful of walnuts contains almost twice as much antioxidants as an equivalent amount of any other commonly consumed nut. But unfortunately, people don’t eat a lot of them. This study suggests that consumers should eat more walnuts as part of a healthy diet.”
The potency of antioxidants present in walnuts was highest among the nuts tested, and 2-15 times as potent as vitamin E, renowned for its powerful antioxidant effects.
This study represents the first time that the amount and quality of antioxidants was compared in different nuts.
In addition to being rich in antioxidants, walnuts also contain more than enough high-quality protein per calorie.
In fact, many people who are struggling to avoid meat on The Hallelujah Diet say that nuts provide a satisfying substitute. Nuts also contain a wealth of vitamins and minerals and dietary fiber, plus they’re dairy- and gluten-free.
Contrary to popular assumption, the fats in nuts don’t cause weight gain. In fact, a 2009 study showed that nut consumption was associated with a significantly lower risk of weight gain and obesity.
The new research supports previous studies, which have shown that regular, moderate consumption of nuts can decrease the risk of heart disease, some cancers, diabetes, and more.
Around seven walnuts a day was the right amount to eat to get the maximum health benefit, said Dr Vinson.
Which Water In Winter?
Dec 21st
With winter officially upon us and family coming and going across the country, this is the most important time of the year to ensure your immune system is in tip-top condition.
Without the summer’s natural availability of vitamin D (sunshine), antioxidants (fresh berries), and abundant fresh air (you’d rather curl up in front of the fireplace, wouldn’t you?), your immune system can be knocked down a notch. That’s why supplementation is so important in the winter months.
However, empowering your immune system is not just about supplementation, it’s about stripping away toxins at the same time — that’s why it’s so important to drink the purest water possible, especially in winter.
The best way to strip all contaminants from your water is with a water distiller equipped with a pre- or post-distillation carbon filter. A distiller simply boils the water (leaving most contaminants behind), and re-condenses it. However, some organic contaminants have the same boiling point as water, so they come out in the water vapor. This is why it’s important to have a distiller that drips the re-condensed water through a carbon filter before you consume it. Most distillers, including Waterwise distillers available from Hallelujah Acres, use a carbon filter in conjunction with distillation.
Distillation effectively removes the toxins, but of course it leaves the water without any minerals, which makes it slightly acidic. This is why many people prefer to replace beneficial minerals by using Hallelujah Acres’ WaterMax product, which alkalizes the water, provides essential minerals, and improves its hydrating ability.
While boiling off minerals and putting them back in may seem counterproductive, it’s a necessary procedure in today’s world to isolate what’s best while removing the toxins that can compromise your immune system.
Study: Fruits & Veggies Extend Life
Nov 23rd
It appears as though the scientific community is reaffirming what plant-based diet advocates have said for years: fruits and veggies can save your life.
A news release published this week from the Journal of the American Medical Association declared that, “high blood levels of the antioxidant alpha-carotene appear to be associated with a reduced risk of dying…”
The release went on to explain that oxygen-related damage to DNA, proteins and fats may play a role in the development of chronic diseases like heart disease and cancer. Antioxidants available in plant foods, specifically carotenoids—including beta-carotene, alpha-carotene and lycopene—help counteract this damage.
Strangely enough, beta-carotene, possibly the most commonly known of the antioxidants,was not singled out as a contributing factor to better health. Rather, it was alpha-carotene.
“Alpha-carotene is chemically similar to beta-carotene but may be more effective at inhibiting the growth of cancer cells in the brain, liver and skin,” the report notes.
Consumption of yellow-orange (carrots, sweet potatoes or pumpkin and winter squash) and dark-green (broccoli, green beans, green peas, spinach, turnips greens, collards and leaf lettuce) vegetables, which have a high alpha-carotene content are suggested as the dietary winners.
So, if you’re already on The Hallelujah Diet — congratulations! You’re probably already eating (and juicing) a lot of these types of veggies and are well on your way to long, healthy life.
Study proves organic is better
Sep 2nd
It’s not your imagination after all… A new study has shown that organic food really DOES taste better, in addition to containing more beneficial nutrients.
A new study by Washington State University compared organic strawberry farms to conventionally produced strawberry farms and found that the organic farms “produced higher quality fruit and that their higher quality soils may have greater microbial functional capability and resilience to stress.”
The result is better tasting, more nutritious fruit. The study showed that organic strawberries had about 10 percent more antioxidants, ascorbic acid, and phenolic compounds than conventionally grown berries. They also contained about 10 percent less water, accounting for a sweeter flavor and for longer shelf life.
Conventionally grown strawberries are particularly infamous for their pesticide retention. The Environmental Working Group produces an annual list of the foods that contain the most pesticides, and conventionally grown strawberries are the third worst on the list.
The lead researcher was quoted, “All of a sudden, we have research that shows that organic delivers better nutrition, more dry matter and a better shelf life. That’s pretty amazing.”
Amazing indeed! That’s the power of foods that are grown the way God intended.
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