Friends and Health-Seekers! đ
It's time to have a heart-to-heart about something we often sweep under the rug: our health. But I'm not just talking about any ol' health chat; I'm here to spark a little fire under ya about taking ACCOUNTABILITY for your own wellbeing. Sound like a plan? Let's dive in! đââď¸
Now, don't get me wrong, it's easy to point fingers when things go awry with our health. 'My genes made me do it!' or 'The doughnut just jumped into my mouth!' â heard those before? đ But, letâs be real; our daily choices are the real MVPs of our health game. That veggie you chose over the chips, the stretch session instead of the couch marathon â those are the winning touchdowns. đĽŚđ
First on the roster, nutrition! It's not rocket science that veggies beat out vending machine snacks on the nutrition scoreboard. And yes, it might feel like a chore to plan meals, but hey, that's where the magic of self-care kicks in. Think of it as pampering your insides with all the good stuff they deserve.
Second, let's talk movement. No need to climb Mount Everest; a simple walk, a dance-off in the kitchen, or some sun salutations can get the blood pumping and those happy hormones dancing. đşđ Just a few intentional moves a day can totally change your health's trajectory. Onward and upward!
And lastly, mental health. Often playing hide-and-seek, but oh so crucial. Mindfulness isnât only a buzzword; itâs a lifeline. A little breathing exercise or gratitude journaling might just be the zen you need in today's turbocharged world. đ§ââď¸â¨
So, as we tiptoe into our conclusion â taking charge of your health is kind of a big deal. Itâs about making choices that say, 'Hey, I respect you, body, and I'm gonna treat you right!' Rally up those positive habits, keep them close, and watch as your vibrant health story unfolds. Remember, every step counts... Literally! đ
Stay Healthy, Stay Empowered! đŞ
My choice of supplements. Take Accountability For Your Own Health and make sure to use CreateOptionC as your referral code and get your free ebook from us.
Things I would keep in stock in my pantry
Also a good source of protein are nuts, seeds and quinoa.
- olive oil
- coconut oil
- sesame oil
- non-GMO vegan butter. (Refrigerated)
- organic garlic salt
- Himalayan salt
- organic apple cider vinegar
- Nuts of all kinds.
- Pumpkin seeds
- sun flower seeds.
- Brown Rice
- cinnamon
- Raw honey
- nutmeg
- cloves
- pine nuts
- cayenne powder
- dulse flakes,
- powdered kelp
Legumes are a good source of protein
- pinto beans
- kidney beans
- lentils
- garbanzo beans
- black eye peas
- peas.
Also a good source of protein are nuts, seeds and quinoa.
Health Benefits Of Raw Honey:
- Prevent cancer and heart disease:
Honey contains flavonoids, antioxidants that help reduce the risk of some cancers and heart disease. - Anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-fungal: âAll honey is antibacterial, because the bees add an enzyme that makes hydrogen peroxide,â said Peter Molan, director of the Honey Research Unit at the University of Waikato in New Zealand.
honey treatment may help disorders such as ulcers and bacterial gastroenteritis, because of this very thing, - Increase athletic performance.
When you workout, you deplete muscle glycogen (the storage form of carbohydrates). Glycogen is the primary fuel your muscles use for energy production; therefore, optimizing glycogen stores is important and it's one of the reasons energy levels decrease when reducing carbs.
Subsequently, after a workout, your muscles are like sponges, ready to absorb everything and anything you feed them, which is why you need to focus on the quality of this meal.
Honey is superior in maintaining glycogen levels and improving recovery time than other sweeteners.
- Reduce cough and throat irritation:
Honey helps with coughs, particularly buckwheat honey. - Balance:
Honey has been used in ayurvedic medicine in India for at least 4000 years and is considered to affect all three of the bodyâs primitive material imbalances positively. It is also said to be useful in improving eyesight, weight loss, curing impotence and premature ejaculation, urinary tract disorders, bronchial asthma, diarrhea, and nausea.
Honey is referred as âYogavahiâ since it has a quality of penetrating the deepest tissues of the body. When honey is used with other herbal preparations, it enhances the medicinal qualities of those preparations and also helps them to reach the deeper tissues.
- Blood sugar regulation:
Even though honey contains simple sugars, it is NOT the same as white sugar or artificial sweeteners. Its exact combination of fructose and glucose actually helps the body regulate blood sugar levels. Some honeys have a low hypoglycemic index, so they donât jolt your blood sugar.
There are at least 40 types â each one has distinctive taste and unique properties.
Darker honey tends to have higher antioxidant levels.
Monofloral honey (honey from a single plant species) usually has the lowest glycemic index. Example, locust honey from the Black Locust tree has a GI of 32. Clover honey, which is used commercially, has the highest glycemic index at 69.
- Heal wounds and burns:
External application of honey has been shown to be as effective as conventional treatment with silver sulfadiazine. It is speculated that the drying effect of the simple sugars and honeyâs antibacterial nature combine to create this effect. - Probiotic:
Some varieties of honey possess large amounts of friendly bacteria. This includes up to 6 species of lactobacilli and 4 species of bifidobacteria. - Beautify skin:
Its anti-bacterial qualities are particularly useful for the skin, and, when used with the other ingredients, can also be moisturizing and nourishing!
Suggestions:
If you want to get the goodness from your honey, make sure it is pure and raw.
Raw honey contains vitamins, minerals and enzymes not present in refined honey.
Raw honey contains 22 amino acids, 27 minerals and 5,000 enzymes. Minerals and trace elements: magnesium, sulfur, phosphorus, iron, calcium, chlorine, potassium, iodine, sodium, copper, and manganese, zinc, and selenium. Vitamins found in honey include thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and niacin.
Raw honey contains up to 80 different substances important to human nutrition. Besides glucose and fructose, honey contains: All of the B-complex, A, C, D, E, and K.
9 Cancer fighting benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar:
Free radicals can damage cells and tissues in your body. They can cause cancer and also make existing cancer worse. One wonderful natural food that can help your body heal itself is apple cider vinegar. Here are 9 cancer fighting benefits of apple cider vinegar you might not have known.
It helps you absorb important nutrients
Apple cider vinegar is high in is acetic acid. Acetic acid help your body absorb very important minerals that help organ system functions like your immune system. A strong immune system fights cancer better. So 30 minutes before your next meal drink a 5oz mixture of apple cider vinegar with water. You'll get a lot more out your food this way.
It supports regular bowel movements
Apple cider vinegar can stimulate your digestive system and increase the absorption of fiber, help you breakdown food and eliminate waste. Eliminating waste and toxins from your body help promote healing. When you have cancer that's a pretty important thing to have. In addition to drinking your one a day tonic before lunch or dinner, be sure to eat a meal that's rich in fiber.
It detoxes your body
Because of it's antibacterial and antimicrobial properties apple cider vinegar helps your body flush toxins. The more toxins in your body the less capable your body is of performing other healing functions because it will be too busy dealing with too many toxins.
It gets rid of candida
Candida yeast overgrowth is another bad guy that prevents your body from healing itself. One of the most important things you can do to fight this is to rebuild and support the growth of good bacteria in your gut.
It creates more good gut bacteria
The acid in apple cider vinegar promotes the growth of healthy gut bacteria, aka probiotics. Probiotics are important because they help your body fight viruses and infection and any other yuckies including cancer.
It balances your bodies PH levels
Regulating your bodies PH levels are extremely important for healing. An acidic environment makes your body sick. It creates an environment that viruses, bacteria and other illnesses like cancer. An alkaline environment promotes not only a healing environment but makes it nearly impossible for the growth of cancer to occur. And if you already have cancer an alkaline environment makes it impossible for cancer to survive. Kick cancers butt and get alkaline!
It regulates blood sugar
The acetic acid in apple cider vinegar helps balance your blood sugar levels. This is good because when you have cancer high blood sugar levels in your body make cancer grow fast.
It builds your immune system
Apple cider vinegar boosts immunity and the previous mentioned benefits supports all the ways in which apple cider vinegar does exactly this. As I said before a strong immune system is extremely important to fighting all illnesses including cancer. Since cancer is a disease that attacks your immune system the single most important thing you can do is build your immune system.
It gets rid of mucus
Mucus build up is a common root problem among all diseases. Mucus build up is not your friend. That's why even the pharmaceutical industry has created drugs to try and get rid mucus build up. However these meds create acidity in your body on top of any other potential side effects. Get ride of mucus with a safe natural and effective helper, apple cider vinegar.
For real results you always want to use an Organic and preferably raw and unfiltered vinegar. Here is an affiliate link to the apple cider vinegar I use and highly recommend.
Here is a way to drink hot chocolate in a way that is beneficial to your health as I do for myself at home. Ingredients. Organic non-GMO Cacao, Organic un-sweeten Almond milk (Or Hemp milk) Organic Cinnamon. place in sauce pan stir until hot and well blended and then add raw honey to your taste. Here are the benefits. Cacao not only supplies the body with serotonin, but also aids the body in producing its own serotonin naturally.
it also has Phenylethylamine (PEA) PEA signals the body to promote the sensation of alertness, focus, and mental acuity, all while elevating one's mood, speeding up metabolism, and boosting memory. Then it has Anandamide and this is a neurotransmitter found naturally in cacao and also in the human brain (the only two places it is has currently been discovered). Anandamide binds to the same receptors sites in the brain as THC from cannabis. Unlike THC, anandamide won't leave you in a mind-altered state, but, does produce a feeling of euphoria.
Next it has Theobromine: this chemical acts as a vasodilator, meaning it relaxes smooth muscle. Benefits of this chemical include enhanced blood flow and oxygenation to the brain in addition to long-term antioxidant properties. And then something our bodies desperately need...Magnesium: every cell in the body contains this mineral and requires it to function. Magnesium helps increase energy, calms nerves, aids in digestion, and relieves muscle aches and pains (among a whole host of other benefits). Okay the list is too long on the benefits of this one ingredient alone.
Now un-sweeten almond milk reduces blood pressure, maintains healthy heart, strengthens muscles, improves kidney health, since almonds are high in vitamin E it also maintains healthy skin. Improves vision, again a long list of health benefits.
Cinnamon High Source of Antioxidants
Contains Anti-inflammatory Properties, Protects Heart Health,
Helps Fight Diabetes,Helps Defend Against Cognitive Decline & Protects Brain Function, May Help Lower Cancer Risk, Fights Infections & Viruses, Protects Dental Health & Freshens Breath Naturally.
Honey is good for Healthy Weight Management, Counters Pollen Allergies, Natural Energy Source, Antioxidant Powerhouse, Sleep Promoter, Wound and Ulcer Healer, Diabetes Aid, Natural Cough Syrup. Now go make some healthy hot delicious chocolate the right way.
Magnesium: Why it is important to have in your diet.
Magnesium is a necessary mineral for hundreds of functions in the body. Every single cell in a human body demands adequate magnesium to function, or it will perish.
Magnesium works over 300 reactions within the body. It helps with rigidity and flexibility of your bones, regulates and normalizes blood pressure, prevents and reverses kidney stone formation, promotes restful sleep. It also supports a healthy immune system, prevents inflammation, boost heart health.
High daily intake of Magnesium can reduce the risk of developing diabetes by 33%, found in a Harvard University study. Helps ward off depression, and migraine headaches and the list goes on.
Thatâs why I avoid sugar and replace it with organic raw honey since sugar among many others reasons to avoid sugar destroys magnesium in your body. Honey in the other hand is amazing to your body. It carries all vitamins but K and all minerals except Sulfur. It is also anti-viral and anti-fungus which is why it is considered a super food.
Here are foods that carry magnesium & also carry other crucial supportive vitamins & minerals:
Dark leafy greens, like Kale, Baby Spinach, Collard Greens, or Swiss Chard. Nuts and Seeds such as Almonds, Sunflower Seeds, Brazil Nuts, Cashews, Pine Nuts, Flaxseed, and Pecans. Also other sources of magnesium that I also enjoy are: Black beans, Kidney beans, White beans, Chickpeas, Black-eyed peas, and Lentils. My absolute favorite is, Avocados. Fruits that also have Magnesium are Bananas, Strawberries, Blackberries, Grapefruit, and Figs.
These are simple, and yet amazing things you should add to your daily diet.
Cheers to good health.
http://bit.ly/1M8vkbc
All fruits and vegetables, due to their rich nutrient and fiber content, help to combat chronic inflammation and help to remove fat, but some more than others.
Apples, berries, broccoli, mushrooms, papaya, pineapple, and spinach are fresh produce to include in your diet.
Green tea which I drink every morning, is great for helping to shrink your waistline as well as for decreasing inflammation. The flavonoids in this tea have natural anti-inflammatory properties. And the compound EGCG in green tea has been shown to help reduce body fat.
Olive oil, almonds, and avocado, are heart-healthy fats that help raise your healthy HDL cholesterol levels and reduce overall inflammation. I love almonds and avocados myself. I eat those almost daily.
Research has shown that a diet with a high percentage of omega-3 fatty acids and a low percentage of omega-6 fatty acids has been linked with decreased inflammation. So you want to add that to your diet as well. Food sources of omega-3s include walnuts, flaxseed, and fish.
Most people think that this will make them get fat, but what really happens is that this good fats actually helps get rid of the bad fats. So snack on some almonds and have some avocados.
Spices such as garlic, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, and chili peppers, have potent inflammation-reducing capabilities, and have high nutrients that help fight things like cancer.
Water is key here, staying hydrated is essential to flushing inflammation-causing toxins out of your body. Drinking half your body weight in ounces of water a day, is exactly what your body needs to get things healthy and moving.
Most doctors in this country rely on powerful drugs to treat the inflammatory bowel disease known as ulcerative colitis even though their side effects can be substantial and their success rate is relatively low. Here are some suggestions I found in my research to turning this disease around. Of course, because ulcerative colitis can turn severe in some instances, it is one condition that should always be monitored by a doctor. Also talk to your doctor about the following alternative therapies that can increase the success rate of any treatment plan you may be on for this particular inflammatory bowel disease.
STEP 1: Cut the Refined Carbs
To begin to get a handle on your ulcerative colitis symptoms, you need to eliminate refined carbohydrates (SUGAR) in your diet. Refined sugars can cause a couple of major problems. First, sugar can create an abnormally high ph problem (Too Acidic) in the lower bowel. This, in turn, disrupts the normal bacterial flora in the colon (Which The normal bacterial flora is important to our health and the health of our intestinal system) and can be a reason for chronic diarrhea. Secondly, sugar helps feed certain forms of bacteria and yeast-like fungi like Candida, which can get out of control and cause systemic infections.
STEP 2: Identify Any Allergens
Corn, wheat, and milk products seem to be the most common culprits. Elimination of these foods in the beginning of treatment may be required.
STEP 3: Fill Up With Fiber
Gradually institute a high-complex carbohydrate, high-fiber diet. Include fruits, vegetables, and whole grains (excluding wheat and corn initially because they are potential allergens).
STEP 4: Seek Out Nutritional Support
Due to the chronic diarrhea and malabsorption issues that stem from ulcerative colitis, most people suffering from this inflammatory bowel disease will quickly become deficient in vitamins and minerals. Therefore, a high dosage multi-mineral/vitaminâone offering four or five times the RDA of most nutrientsâshould be taken. Extra vitamin C should also be taken, but not in quantities that could further irritate the lower bowel. Exact amounts have to be determined on an individual basis.
STEP 5: Add Oils
Increase your intake of omega-3 oils, such as those found in fish and flaxseed oil, as they have been shown to help reduce the inflammatory process. I recommend between 1 and 2 tablespoons of flaxseed oil daily.
STEP 6: Consider Protein
For long-standing cases of ulcerative colitis, I would suggest trying a predigested protein powder to correct any amino acid deficiency. You can find these powders at practically any health food store. Take about 15 grams (that's a little over one-half an ounce) three times daily. Meats can be hard on the intestinal tract so I would stick with things like fish or some chicken if youâre not a vegetarian.
STEP 7: Accelerate the Healing
The two natural substances, aloe vera gel liquid and liquid chlorophyll, have been shown to be quite effective in speeding the healing of ulcerative colitis. When considering aloe vera gel, look for "whole" aloe vera gel, not products with aloe juice in them. You should be able to find products like this in most health food stores. I suggest taking about 2 ounces, six to eight times a day, on an empty stomach. Stick with this regimen for several weeks, even if your ulcerative colitis symptoms stop before then. And to make the aloe vera even more effective, add a teaspoon of liquid chlorophyll every time you take the aloe vera. Two chlorophyll products I highly recommend are the one by Natureâs Way and the one under Bernard Jensonâs label. Both are available in most health food stores.
Restore Colon Balance
In the few cases where the above seven-step plan didnât relieve the chronic diarrhea in three or four days, I have successfully used enemas of butyric acid. Butyric acid is naturally produced by cells in the colon through the fermentation of fiber, and is the main source of energy for the cells lining the large intestine. German studies have repeatedly shown that butyric acid enemas can reduce diarrhea, inflammation, and the discharge of blood in ulcerative colitis.
Butyric acid is generally only available through doctors. A company called Tyler Encapsulations makes a kit that contains everything you need to give butyric acid enemas for two weeks. This is the time period used in the German studies, and should be adequate to restore a balance in the colon. The kit is available from Key Pharmacy at 800-878-1322.
Boost Beneficial Bacteria
Many of the treatments for ulcerative colitis, natural and pharmaceutical, address the problem of irritation to the bowel, but few are geared toward re-establishing the beneficial bacteria in the bowel. There has been remarkable turn-arounds in those suffering from the inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis, by using retention enemas containing only 1) lukewarm water, 2) yogurt with active live cultures, and 3) pulverized lactic acid yeast tablets.
To make the enema solution, you can mix one quart of lukewarm (not hot), distilled or filtered water (not chlorinated tap water) with eight ounces of room temperature plain yogurt and 6 to 8 pulverized tablets of lactic acid yeast. Use half the solution as an enema and retain the fluid as long as possible, then repeat with the rest of the solution.
This procedure can be repeated 2 or 3 times a week for a month or so if necessary. Normally, youâll get some relief from your ulcerative colitis symptoms after the first or second treatment.
Buy Some Bromelain
Bromelain is a protolytic enzyme (one that breaks down proteins) with strong anti-inflammatory powers that can help calm the lower bowel. It has also been shown to be effective at preventing the attachment of the bacteria Escherichis Coli and the infection that often follows. Simply taking a couple of bromelain tablets with each meal can help resolve ulcerative colitis symptoms.
There are dozens of different brands of bromelain available at health food stores, but determining their strength is difficult because of the way they are labeled. So start with a couple of tablets with each meal and adjust that dosage depending on your ulcerative colitis symptoms. You should begin to see results within a week.
Have Some Honey
Researchers at the Chandigarh Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research have discovered that eating regular doses of manuka honey can help in cases of irritable bowel syndrome and ulcerative colitis. (Honey is one of my favorite things to eat daily) They induced the digestive ailments in experimental rats, then fed the animals manuka honey. At examination, the rats that received the honey showed greatly reduced levels of inflammation in the bowel, and improved values for cell changes and antioxidant levels.
The dose used in the studies was 5 grams per kilogram of body weight daily. (The rats didn't weigh a kilogram, though.) For a 100-pound person this would work out to about half a pound of manuka honey a day, obviously a huge (and costly) amount for a person to be consuming regularly. I would suggest starting with a much smaller amount, a teaspoon a day, to see what effect the honey has on your ulcerative colitis symptoms. You can increase the amount if needed. Make sure you look at the ingredients in the back as many times itâs not 100% honey.
Health Benefits: of Honey
- Prevent cancer and heart disease:
Honey contains flavonoids, antioxidants that help reduce the risk of some cancers and heart disease. - Anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-fungal:âAll honey is antibacterial, because the bees add an enzyme that makes hydrogen peroxide,â said Peter Molan, director of the Honey Research Unit at the University of Waikato in New Zealand.
honey treatment may help disorders such as ulcers and bacterial gastroenteritis, because of this very thing, - Increase athletic performance.
When you workout, you deplete muscle glycogen (the storage form of carbohydrates). Glycogen is the primary fuel your muscles use for energy production; therefore, optimizing glycogen stores is important and it's one of the reasons energy levels decrease when reducing carbs.
Subsequently, after a workout, your muscles are like sponges, ready to absorb everything and anything you feed them, which is why you need to focus on the quality of this meal.
Honey is superior in maintaining glycogen levels and improving recovery time than other sweeteners.
- Reduce cough and throat irritation:
Honey helps with coughs, particularly buckwheat honey. - Balance:
Honey has been used in ayurvedic medicine in India for at least 4000 years and is considered to affect all three of the bodyâs primitive material imbalances positively. It is also said to be useful in improving eyesight, weight loss, curing impotence and premature ejaculation, urinary tract disorders, bronchial asthma, diarrhea, and nausea.
Honey is referred as âYogavahiâ since it has a quality of penetrating the deepest tissues of the body. When honey is used with other herbal preparations, it enhances the medicinal qualities of those preparations and also helps them to reach the deeper tissues.
- Blood sugar regulation:
Even though honey contains simple sugars, it is NOT the same as white sugar or artificial sweeteners. Its exact combination of fructose and glucose actually helps the body regulate blood sugar levels. Some honeys have a low hypoglycemic index, so they donât jolt your blood sugar.
There are at least 40 types â each one has distinctive taste and unique properties.
Darker honey tends to have higher antioxidant levels.
Monofloral honey (honey from a single plant species) usually has the lowest glycemic index. Example, locust honey from the Black Locust tree has a GI of 32. Clover honey, which is used commercially, has the highest glycemic index at 69.
- Heal wounds and burns:
External application of honey has been shown to be as effective as conventional treatment with silver sulfadiazine. It is speculated that the drying effect of the simple sugars and honeyâs antibacterial nature combine to create this effect. - Probiotic:
Some varieties of honey possess large amounts of friendly bacteria. This includes up to 6 species of lactobacilli and 4 species of bifidobacteria. - Beautify skin:
Its anti-bacterial qualities are particularly useful for the skin, and, when used with the other ingredients, can also be moisturizing and nourishing!
Suggestions:
If you want to get the goodness from your honey, make sure it is pure and raw.
Raw honey contains vitamins, minerals and enzymes not present in refined honey.
Health Benefits of Yucca
Digestive Efficiency: The dense and nutrient-rich root of the yucca plant also means that it is full of valuable dietary fiber. This fiber can help stimulate peristaltic motion in your bowels and keep you regular, eliminating problems like constipation and diarrhea. A diet high in dietary fiber can also help you reduce bloating, cramping, excessive flatulence, and more serious gastrointestinal issues.
Weight Loss: Due to the fact that dietary fiber makes you feel full and regulates the uptake of nutrients in an efficient way, you are less likely to snack or break from your dietary restrictions. Simple sugars often leave us feeling hungry when weâre not, simply because our bodyâs glucose levels are imbalanced. Yucca root can prevent that and help in your weight loss efforts in a way that other carbohydrates canât.
Diabetes Control: Adding yucca to your diet, as mentioned above, can help regulate insulin and glucose levels, thereby preventing the peaks and plunges of blood sugar that can lead to diabetes. Given that diabetes is considered by some to be a global âpandemicsâ, adding yucca to your diet seems like a great choice!
Heart Health: The dietary fiber of yucca can help to lower cholesterol levels and promote a healthier cardiovascular system by balancing fatty acid levels. However, the potassium found in yucca can also help relieve the tension in the blood vessels and arteries, thereby lowering your chances of stress on the heart, which can lead to atherosclerosis, strokes, and heart attacks.
Immune Health: Yucca has a high level of vitamin C, far more than most other edible roots, and this makes it incredibly important for immune system health. Vitamin C is the first line of defense for our immune system, stimulating the production and activity of white blood cells. Vitamin C also acts as an antioxidant, preventing free radicals from damaging our organ systems and causing cell mutation.
Wound Healing and Growth: Vitamin C is also a key component in the production of collagen, which we need for all blood vessels, cells, tissues, and muscles, so adding a vitamin C boost to your diet can help repair and growth throughout your body.
Ease Arthritic Pain: The resveratrol and saponins present in yucca root have been directly linked to anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, making it a very good natural treatment for inflammation issues, particularly arthritis. Studies have shown that there is a strong correlation between the two, but the precise chemical pathway remains somewhat mysterious.
Improve Cognition: The high levels of potassium and folate, both of which are known to stimulate blood flow to the brain and increase cognitive abilities, makes yucca a âbrain foodâ. Stimulating pathways in the brain and increasing blood flow is also good for combating cognitive disorders and keeping you sharp well into your old age.
Skin and Eye Health: Folic acid has also been connected to improving the overall skin and eye health in humans, mainly through its antioxidant activities. Furthermore, folic acid has been directly linked to a reduced chance of neural tube defects in infants, so pregnant mothers are encouraged to add folic acid to their diet in recommended amounts. Yucca is a great way to boost that vitamin intake!
Skin Protection: There are some photoprotective properties of yucca that make it important for protecting the skin against damage from the sun. The resveratrol found in yucca is proven to strengthen skin and increase its resistance to degradation from free radicals and sun damage that can eventually lead to skin cancer.
Health Benefits on Cauliflower
There are several dozen studies linking cauliflower-containing diets to cancer prevention, particularly the following types of cancer: bladder cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, and ovarian cancer. Cauliflower provides special nutrient support for three body systems that are closely connected with cancer development as well as cancer prevention. These three systems are (1) the body's detox system, (2) its antioxidant system, and (3) its inflammatory/anti-inflammatory system. Chronic imbalances in any of these three systems can increase risk of cancer, and when imbalances in all three systems occur simultaneously, the risk of cancer increases significantly.
Cauliflower Detox Support
Cauliflower contains phytonutrients called glucosinolates that can help activate detoxification enzymes and regulate their activity. Three glucosinolates that have been clearly identified in cauliflower are glucobrassicin, glucoraphanin, and gluconasturtiian. While the glucosinolate content of cauliflower is definitely significant from a health standpoint, cauliflower contains about one-fourth as much total glucosinolates as Brussels sprouts, about one-half as much as Savoy cabbage, about 60% as much as broccoli, and about 70% as much as kale.
Failing to give our body's detox system adequate nutritional support, yet continue to expose ourselves to unwanted toxins through lifestyle and our dietary choices, we will put our bodies at increased risk of toxin-related damage that can eventually increase our cells' risk of becoming cancerous. That's one of the reasons it's so important to bring cauliflower and other cruciferous vegetables into our diet on a regular basis.
Antioxidant Benefits
As an excellent source of vitamin C, and a very good source of manganese, cauliflower provides us with two core conventional antioxidants. But its antioxidant support extends far beyond the conventional nutrients into the realm of phytonutrients. Beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, caffeic acid, cinnamic acid, ferulic acid, quercetin, rutin, and kaempferol are among cauliflower's key antioxidant phytonutrients. This broad spectrum antioxidant support helps lower the risk of oxidative stress in our cells. Cauliflower helps lower our cancer risk by helping us avoid chronic and unwanted oxidative stress.
Anti-inflammatory Benefits
Like chronic oxidative stress and chronic weakened detox ability, chronic unwanted inflammation can significantly increase our risk of cancers and other chronic diseases (especially cardiovascular diseases).
As an excellent source of vitamin K, cauliflower provides us with one of the hallmark anti-inflammatory nutrients. Vitamin K acts as a direct regulator of our inflammatory response.
Cardiovascular Support
The anti-inflammatory support provided by cauliflower (including its vitamin K and omega-3 content) makes it a food also capable of providing cardiovascular benefits. Its glucoraphanin content is a glucosinolate that can be converted into the isothiocyanate (ITC) sulforaphane. Not only does sulforaphane trigger anti-inflammatory activity in our cardiovascular systemâit may also be able to help prevent and even possibly help reverse blood vessel damage.
Digestive Support
The fiber content of cauliflowerâover 9 grams in every 100 caloriesâmakes this cruciferous vegetable a great choice for digestive system support. Researchers have determined that the sulforaphane made from a glucosinolate in cauliflower (glucoraphanin) can help protect the lining of your stomach. Sulforaphane provides you with this health benefit by preventing bacterial overgrowth of Helicobacter pylori in your stomach or too much clinging by this bacterium to your stomach wall.