In the wake of ecomonic shake downs, i say FRUGAL is the new COOL!!
I have observed that no matter how much i try to preserve my lettuce,it goes soggy and into the trash. Boo hoo hoo!!
Meat, fish and other perishables you put in your fridge don't have a very long shelf life the way they're packaged. That's why you could be saving lots of money a year just by vacuum sealing your food.
Vacuum-sealing helps keeps flavour in and bacteria out, so you can store your food up to five to six times longer. For example, fish generally lasts four months in the freezer, but when vacuum-sealed, it will last two years.
Meat will typically stay good for five months, but it will last up to three years if you use the vacuum sealer. That's five to six times longer than regular old freezer bags.
And it is not restricted to your freezer. Vacuum sealing works on foods that you keep in your fridge, as well. Lettuce, which for instance, gets soggy pretty fast. That's why so much of it is thrown out and not used. However, when it's sealed it can last for two to three weeks.
So, if you're looking for a way to save money, vacuum seal these items and keep your food, and your budget, from going bad. This will save you lots of money
This is a genius mask especially for oily, pimple-prone skin .It is also great for full blown acne. The turmeric is anti-inflammatory and antibacterial, and the yogurt is intensely soothing and gently exfoliating. The honey is soothing and the lemon will add a pop of brightness to your skin. Turmeric can stain, so be sure to put a towel around your neck while you are wearing the mask! This will save you a lot of money!
Ingredients:
2tbsp plain yogurt
1tsp ground kurkur(turmeric) powder
1tsp honey
A couple of drops of lemon juice
Simply mix all the ingredients together, and apply to your face. Leave for 20 minutes, and rinse off with warm water. Moisturize as usual. Eat up any remainder like I do.
As we head into the worst harmattan phase especially in Kano,Nigeria it’s the perfect time to give your hands the gift of the nourishing balm! High quality ingredients are the secret behind this amazing DIY!
Ultra Healing Hand Balm Recipe
½ cup cocoa butter
½ cup shea butter
½ cup sunflower oil
1 tbsp olive oil
15 drops lavender essential oil
Coconut oil has been revered for its many health benefits.Of recent, coconut oil has been popping up as an ingredient in beauty products. Why? Coconut oil has moisturizing and nourishing properties, which can help keep your skin and hair healthy. It’s also a chemical-free alternative to many of the store-bought creams, lotions and conditioners you may be using on your skin, hair and face. Unlike conventional beauty products, coconut oil contains no parabens, phthalates, sulfates or other harmful ingredients.
I have created created a list of my favorite uses —try them all out and start saving big money!
HAIR MASK
I decided to go natural with my hair,I had a big chop. My natural hair is of the toughest species and coconut oil helps me.
Blow drying, curling, straightening and bleaching your hair can leave your lhair dry and damaged. Repair your hair naturally with a deep-conditioning coconut oil mask. Spread a palm ful of coconut oil evenly through your hair and leave on overnight. In the morning, simply wash out the coconut oil to reveal shiny and healthy looking hair!
MASSAGE OIL
I am in the business of giving commercial home massages to women and I found coconut oil useful.
I just add a few drops of an essential oil e.g lavender to coconut oil for a natural and relaxing massage oil.
CUTICLE OIL
Beautiful hands and nails at home. Treat yourself to an at-home manicure with the help of coconut oil! Soften your cuticles by simply massaging coconut around your nails.
MOISTURIZER
People say I look younger than my age. I will share only one secret for now.
As part of my anti-aging regimen,i replaced usual moisturizer with coconut oil to keep the skin hydrated and soft.
EYE MAKEUP REMOVER
As part of my money saving scheme in this economic volcano as I like to call it, I stopped using commercial make-up removers.
If you’re looking for a gentle way to remove makeup that doesn’t require scrubbing, coconut oil is just what you need. Dab coconut oil on a cotton ball and gently spread across your eyes. You’ll be surprised how quickly your makeup dissolves! Finish up by washing your face as usual.
OIL PULLING
This is an ancient Ayurvedic technique that uses natural substances to draw out toxins in your body. Oil pulling with coconut oil is an easy way to improve oral health and can be done in 4 easy steps:
Put 1-2 teaspoons of coconut oil into your mouth
Swish for 20 minutes
Spit oil into the sink
Brush teeth well.
LIP BALM
Especially during this harsh harmattan in Kano. No one likes chapped lips, and it’s important to make sure you’re not contributing to the problem by using chemical-filled lip balms. In fact i found my lips reacting to lip balms.Many lip balms contain harmful ingredients like petroleum jelly or synthetic fragrances that actually end up drying out your lips even more. Luckily, coconut oil is an inexpensive and safe way to soothe even the driest lips! Use it as you would any lip balm by spreading across your lips and let the healing begin!
SHAVING CREAM
Shaving regularly can strip the skin of vital oils and cause unsightly razor burns. Combat itchy, red skin by shaving with coconut oil.
BODY SCRUB
An at-home exfoliating treatment is a great way to ensure your skin is ready to soak up the hydrating effects of coconut oil. Combine coconut oil and sugar for a homemade and environmentally friendly body scrub. Use in the shower to gently polish away dry flakes for soft, glowing skin.
This mask is for oily, pimple-prone skin – also great for full on acne. The turmeric is anti-inflammatory/antibacterial, and the yogurt is intensely soothing and gently exfoliating. The honey is soothing and the lemon will add a pop of brightness to your skin. The Turmeric can stain, so be sure to put a towel around your neck while you are wearing the mask!
Ingredients:
2tbsp plain organic yogurt
1tsp ground Turmeric powder
1tsp raw honey
Few drops of lemon juice
Simply mix all the ingredients together, and apply to your face. Leave for 20 minutes, and rinse off with warm water. Moisturize
Lower back pain is one of the most common problems people have. This pain can be mild or become so intense that it makes it difficult to get anything accomplished.
The best part about relieving lower back pain is that it does not have to take long. You can complete these 7 stretches in just 7 minutes and get on with your day. Your back will feel better and you will be able to go on with your day. Follow the steps in order shown:
For this exercise lay flat on your back on the floor. Pull one leg up straight to stretch out the hamstring. Hold for 30 seconds and then repeat with the other leg
Sit on the floor and put your feet together. Hold on to your ankles. Hold this position for 30 seconds, take a 10 second break and then hold for 30 more seconds.
While lying flat on your back on the floor bring your knee to your chest and hold for 30 seconds. Repeat the exercise with the other leg.
While lying on your back, cross one leg over the other and hold. Keep your back straight on the floor while crossing your leg over. Hold the position for 30 seconds and then repeat on the other side.
Lie on your back and bring up one leg to a 90 degree angle. Bring the other leg up and cross it over your raised leg. Hold this position for 30 seconds and then switch legs. The easiest way to think about this stretch is like you are sitting in a chair with your legs crossed, only lying on your back on the floor.
Lie down on the floor on one side and pull your top leg up towards your back. Hold the position for 30 seconds and then turn over and do the same stretch on your other side
Put one leg forward and bend down. The back leg should be straight out behind you. Hold for 30 seconds and then repeat on the other side.
Ingredients ½ cup homemade apple sauce ½ cup rolled oats 1 tablespoon of brown sugar ½ teaspoon of cinnamon 1 tablespoon of powdered milk (dairy)
Mix all these together in a bowl and then put in a glass jar to keep in your bathroom. This scrub exfoliates the dead skin cells from the skin make the skin glowing.
For those of you who are tired of buying fabric softeners e.g comfort etc;here is a quick recipe you can make yourself at home:
1/2 gallon white vinegar
50 drops essential lavendar oil (optional)
Add the essential oil to the vinegar
Add 1/2 cup to your laundry load and there you are!!
You’ve probably heard about the multitude of benefits that apple cider vinegar offers for your health, including aiding weight loss efforts. If you’re skeptical, it may be because you haven’t heard how it can help you reach or maintain your ideal weight.
While there hasn’t been a ton of research conducted, despite all of the claims about its therapeutic health purposes from decreasing the risk of cancer to lowering cholesterol, that’s really not all that surprising given that it’s a common problem for most natural therapies.
Apple cider vinegar is not something that can be patented as a cure or relief for any type of symptoms, as it’s a natural product, just like coconut oil, fruits and vegetables or any other natural food product.
The traditional uses are vast. To name just a few, it has been used to ease digestion, aid in flu prevention, reduce inflammation, regulate pH balance, alleviate allergy symptoms, ease nausea and heartburn, as a staple in detox regimens, and for a number of skin conditions, including reducing acne and smoothing wrinkles.
Known in some circles as “Mother Nature’s Perfect Miracle Food,” unpasteurized and organic apple cider vinegar truly has much to offer, despite the fact that it has survived a litany of malicious sneers by those who only consider a natural substance to be a credible remedy if it has been studied over and over again, and produced “viable” scientific evidence to earn its merit.
It’s just not like that with apple cider vinegar. Ask anyone why it works for them and they may tell you: “Not sure, it just does.” Now, that is not to say that there isn’t evidence for its potency and far-reaching applicability to a plethora of conditions – that exists as well, it just isn’t front and center.
It is a well-known fact that obesity is seriously hazardous to one’s health. The increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and stroke that obese individuals face has been heavily researched, and the number of obese children and adults is still on the rise.
While there is no replacement for a healthy diet and exercise to manage weight, apple cider vinegar does seem to show some potential for managing hunger and weight control.
Vinegars of all kinds have been used for a very long time as a weight loss aid because they help make you feel full. A study conducted found that those who ate a piece of bread with apple cider vinegar felt fuller than those who ate the bread alone.
In another study, overweight Japanese participants were grouped based on body weight, body mass index (BMI) and waist size. Members of each group drank 30 ml, 15 ml or 0 ml of this vinegar per day for 12 weeks. The people who drank 30 ml and 15 ml had lower BMI, waist circumference and visceral fat than those in the control group, who did not drink apple cider vinegar.
A study published in the Journal of Functional Foods found that sipping on apple cider vinegar before a meal can help reduce the release of sugar into the blood and improve insulin sensitivity.
The lead study author, Carol Johnston, PhD, associate director of the School of Nutrition and Health Promotion at Arizona State University, noted, “Acetic acid, the main component in vinegar may interfere with the body’s ability to digest starch.”
It’s the ability to block starch that can help you lose weight. Johnston explains, “If you’re interfering with the digestion of starch, less is being broken down into calories in the bloodstream. Over time, that might cause a subtle effect on weight.”
There have also been some studies that found drinking a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar mixed with a glass of water before meals helps to stimulate satiety and prevent overeating, but one recent study revealed that the effect may be due to vinegar’s unpalatability causing nausea, rather than the vinegar itself, per se.
If you’d like to try it, remember to only purchase raw, unfiltered organic apple cider vinegar l. Try mixing a tablespoon into a glass of water, ideally warm, though not too hot as that can kill its important enzymes.
If you don’t like the taste, add a sprinkle of cinnamon and/or a teaspoon of raw, organic honey. Drink a glass of the mixture up to 30 minutes before each meal.
You probably already know that a diet rich in vegetables is good for your health and your waistline, but did you know certain veggies can support better sexual health?
Fresh organic vegetables are filled with phytonutrients and high levels of compounds that work to fight inflammation, like polyphenols and a host of vitamins – and, these particular veggies can even work to rev up your sex life.
Avocados
As avocados are rich in heart-healthy fats, they can help keep the heart beating strong, which means the blood is flowing to all the right places. Heart health is essential for a good sex life – men with underlying heart disease are twice as likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction (ED).
Peppers
Peppers are packed with capsaicin, which is known to trigger the release of feel-good endorphins that act like natural painkillers. They also increase the heartbeat along with the flow of blood and oxygen, helping to make things hotter in the sack.
Beets
Beets are rich in nitrates, and the bacteria on your tongue helps to convert them to nitrites, which are then converted to nitric oxide in the stomach. ED medications work by increasing nitric oxide levels, which increases blood flow to the penis by dilating blood vessels. Studies have also found that consuming beets can improve endurance levels in athletes – it’s not a far stretch to think they might help improve endurance in the bedroom.
Beets may be one of the best veggies for revving up your sex life, and improving your health.
dr dileem says these aphrodisiacs will save you a lot of money!
These beautiful gifts of nature have long been the center of controversy—with wildly opposing opinions about whether or not they are really good for us.
So….
Are nuts the essence of nutrition, tasty treats brimming with health benefits?
Or…
Are they to be avoided at all costs, given their fat-inducing high calorie content and questionable
nutritional advantages?
What’s the truth?
Are nuts really bad for you?
Or are they actually good for you?
As I will explain, it’s a bit of a mixed bag.
In the end, nuts are good for your health – as long as you don’t go nuts.
Nuts are good for your health as long as you don't go nuts!!
Are Nuts Good for You?
The simple answer to the question ‘Are Nuts Good for You” is YES!
A mountain of studies point conclusively to the fact that nut consumption is indeed very beneficial for your health and is associated with reducing the risk of a variety of chronic ailments including stroke, heart disease and cancer.
Nuts are best known for their benefits in the prevention of liver, breast and colon cancer. Research shows that early nut consumption can lower the risk of breast cancer with the protective effect being strongest for women with a family history. Other studies have revealed that even two handful of nuts a week may protect against deadly pancreatic cancer.
The Walnut Factor
In terms of health advantages, walnuts appear to be the ‘star’ nut. Widely studied, the humble walnut promotes health by:
Lowering blood cholesterol
Preventing sudden cardiac death
Improving artery function
Decreasing cancer cell proliferation
And the walnut ‘wow’ factor also protects your heart. In a study where participants were fed a fatty meal and then a handful of English walnuts, the impact of the meal on endothelial function was significantly lowered. We have the seasonal african walnuts here in Nigeria and they are also as beneficial. African walnuts also enhance male fertility.*Winks*
What makes the walnut so mighty?
Walnuts strength stem from their HIGH antioxidant activity content.
In fact, walnuts have five times the antioxidant activity of peanuts.
Just think…
25 walnuts have the antioxidant equivalent of 100 oranges!
Walnuts’ high antioxidant content are linked to their health-promoting phytochemicals. When you consider walnuts’ phytochemical and antioxidant content—along with the fact they are a rich source of magnesium—it is really no wonder they are so effective in ‘fighting’ cardiovascular disease.
Nuts—Why the Question Might Not Matter
However, for those of you who are already eating a whole food, plant-based diet complete with a ‘rainbow’ of fruits, veggies, legumes and whole grains and low in added oils, salt and sugar, the chronic disease-fighting benefits of nuts might be somewhat of a moot point.
Let me explain why…
Most of the studies conducted on nuts are done on people who are eating the Standard American Dietand therefore are already at high risk for developing chronic diseases such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
But if you are eating a whole food plant-based diet, you most likely have improved endothelial function and reduced risk of developing any of those diseases. Given that, it’s pretty tough to know how many more benefits nuts can add to your already health-promoting plant-based diet.
Do Nuts Make You Fat?
In recent years, many studies have emerged which appear to show that nuts do not make you gain weight (despite their high calorie count and fat content). The most common explanation for this is that nuts have a high satiety quotient (i.e. they fill you up) as well as low metabolizable energy, both which lead to reduced calorie consumption.
But the real truth about nuts and weight gain (or loss) is a bit more complex. To fully understand how eating nuts will affect your weight, we need to revisit two important concepts: calorie density and the dietary compensation theory.
Recall that each food has its own calorie density. Interestingly, a small amount of food can have a much higher calorie density than a large amount. For example, olive oil has 40 times the calorie density of broccoli, so one tablespoon of olive oil has more calories than a whole pound of broccoli.
We eat a similar weight of food every single day, regardless if those calories come from low, medium or high density foods. So it stands to reason, if we change the calorie density component of the food we consume, our caloric intake will go up or down depending on the shift. Simply put, if we start eating a lot of high calorie density foods, our caloric intake will dramatically increase. If we start eating lower calorie density foods, our caloric intake will decrease.
Not surprisingly, given the refined, calorie-rich foods that are now the staple of the Standard American Diet and now becoming the New standard Nigerian way of life, the likelihood of over-eating calorie-dense foods is much higher than calorie-sparse foods.
And to add insult to injury, these refined, high calorie foods tend to be less satisfying, so we keep eating more and more simply to feel full.
The Importance of Satiation
The concept of satiation is directly linked to the dietary compensation theory:
When you eat foods with high satiety levels, you ‘compensate’ by NOT eating something else.
In other words, when you eat something that satiates fully you will—either intentionally or unintentionally—remove at least some of those calories from other food sources.
Nuts of course are no exception. In fact, in two separate studies of peanuts and almonds, subjects “compensated” for 54% – 66% of the nuts they consumed by eating fewer calories from other food sources.
So let’s go back to the original question–does eating nuts make you gain or lose weight?
The answer really depends on what kind of diet you are eating to begin with.
In the majority of studies conducted to explore this issue, the diets of the participants were already calorie dense. Thus, when you added nuts, what happened was one calorie dense food source simply replaced another. This meant weight wasn’t gained (or at least not to the expected extent)—and in some instances was lost (particularly if the nuts replaced an even higher density food like oils).
The opposite of course is true. If you add nuts to a (low-fat) whole food plant-
based diet which is by definition low calorie-dense, you will probably gain weight. Simply put, the ‘compensation’ factor will not be similar to those who are eating the Standard American Diet (SAD) or the Mediterranean Diet (which with its use of oils and animal foods also has a higher fat content and calorie count). In effect, with both SAD and the Mediterranean Diets, you are simply ‘exchanging’ the original calories with nuts. Conversely, when you eat more nuts on a diet that is low in fat (a whole food plant-based diet), you are replacing ‘calorie-sparse’ foods with ‘calorie-dense’ foods (nuts) and your caloric intake will increase. So will your weight.
In conclusion, incorporating nuts into a high fat, calorie dense Standard American Diet now fast becoming the New Standard Nigerian diet diet may not increase weight gain due to the high satiation property of nuts as well as the compensation factor. Adding nuts to a healthful (low-fat) whole food plant-based lifestyle however might indeed lead to weight gain; the only real way to avoid this is to control the quantity of nuts consumed.
What’s the Best Way to Eat Nuts?
In the end whether or not you gain weight with nuts will be related to HOW MANY you eat…
So how much is that?
The general consensus says that an ideal daily quantity is about a handful.
And the best way to eat nuts?
Eat them whole. Eat them raw. (Or lightly toasted which is an incredibly delicious way to prepare them – but buy them raw.)
Nuts are delicious and can add an additional texture (not to mention a variety of health-promoting phytochemicals) to many dishes.
The important thing is not to go nuts with nuts. They should be eaten in small amounts, like a garnish, and you should always eat them whole. Think of your one handful of nuts as a condiment rather than a generous meal. If you do that, you won’t eat more than a handful and you won’t compromise your weight.
A Nice Addition… but Not Mandatory
Nuts can be a nice addition to a diet—but they are certainly not a mandatory one. If you do love nuts, enjoy them but just be sure that you control the daily amount you consume.
If you are someone who simply doesn’t like that nutty taste (or are allergic to them!), you can rest assured that you can skip the nuts and still get rich, fully balanced nutrition simply by eating “a rainbow” of fruits, veggies, legumes and whole grains.
These Nail Polish Brands Contain a Chemical That Could Mess With Your Hormones
It may leach through your nails and into your bloodstream.
Want some toxins with that mani-pedi?
A new study by researchers at Duke University and the Environmental Working Group found that a common nail polish chemical and suspected endocrine disruptor called TPHP is leaching into the bodies of nail polish-wearers.
The researchers theorize that the chemical leached through the cuticles, or that another ingredient in the polish made the nails more permeable.
TPHP, also known as TPP, is commonly used as a fire retardant in furniture and a hardener in plastic goods. According to the authors, research suggests that the chemical causes changes in hormone regulation, metabolism, and reproductive systems.
The study, published today in Environmental International, found that women who painted their nails with polishes containing TPHP saw a sevenfold increase of a TPHP metabolite (a substance formed when the body metabolizes TPHP) just 10 to 14 hours after painting their nails.
"It is very troubling that nail polish being marketed to women and teenage girls contains a suspected endocrine disruptor," said Johanna Congleton, a co-author of the study, in a press release. "It is even more troubling to learn that their bodies absorb this chemical relatively quickly after they apply a coat of polish."
TPHP is a common addition to nail polishes; an analysis of EWG's Skin Deep database found that about half of all nail polishes—or 1,500 polishes in the database—contain the chemical, including popular brands like OPI, Sallie Hansen, and Revlon. (Below are a few big-name brands;here's the complete database.)
To figure out if the chemical was being absorbed from fumes or directly from the nails, some women in the study wore gloves and applied polish to synthetic nails, while others applied polish directly to their own nails. The TPHP metabolite levels of the former group didn't change significantly while the latter group saw a sevenfold increase, suggesting that fumes weren't the main vehicle for the chemical. Nails are impermeable to most molecules, so the researchers theorize that the chemical leached through the cuticles, or that another ingredient in the polish made the nails more permeable.
It's still unknown if the levels of TPHP coming from nail polish are harmful to the body, as most of the studies on the effects of TPHP have been conducted on animals.
It's also unknown if there's a less toxic chemical that could replace TPHP in nail polishes. The chemical acts as a plasticizer, making the polish flexible but durable. It may have replaced a chemical called DBP, which fell out of popularity when it was found to be a hormone disruptor. If companies move away from TPHP, as they did with DBP, the challenge is making sure the replacement isn't just as toxic as the original. "I'm assuming that if you need a plasticizer, there are other options available," said Congleton in an interview. "But I would want to be able to identify what those are and make sure the right questions have been asked."
for now dr dileem is staying of nail polish. Maybe i will try the popular henna of hausa land!!
Good stomach health is the foundation of optimum health, and essential in making sure you have a strong immune system. With flu ,cold and harmattan season upon us, let’s all make sure that we give our stomachs a chance by eliminating the following foods and beverages.
Diet Soda: Diet soda may be even worse than regular soda because the artificial sweeteners are just the worst for your digestive system. It’s no wonder that a new study published earlier this year connects diet sodas and increased belly fat and leads to obesity. Part of this may be due to the way that the sweeteners alter our stomach bacteria.
Sugar: This is such a huge one because consuming large amounts of sugar will simply feed the “bad” bacteria in your gut (yes, there is good, and bad bacteria). If you have been through a lot of stress and/or been on a course of antibiotics, your stomach may contain an overgrowth of yeast. Sugar just feeds this yeast.So starve the yeast and allow the good bacteria to flourish.
Fried & greasy foods: Fried foods put a heavy burden on your digestive system – they just do. So during cold and flu season I recommend avoiding them as much as possible. And if you do sit down to a platter of fish & chips, take a ginger juice before your meal.
Raw Food: If you are a health nut like me, you probably eat a lot of raw foods (especially in the form of salads) – this is great because you are getting all those healthy enzymes, but remember that certain veggies are more easily digestible when they are lightly steamed/cooked.
Coffee: Coffee is acid-forming in your body. The best way for your digestion to function optimally is when your body is in an alkaline state. Avoiding coffee (and red meat) is the first step toward alkalizing your body.
Alcohol: Sorry to disappoint you but alcohol doesn’t do your digestion any favors. It contains a lot of sugar, and is also acid forming.
White refined flours: Generally speaking breads, baked goods, crackers and pastas that are made with highly refined flours , are not good for your stomach because they lack dietary fiber, and they are likely stuffed with all kinds of other unfriendly ingredients. As a rule i use whole grain flour. If i cant find it in the market, i make mine myself at home.
Dairy Products: The sugar lactose, that is found in most dairy products can cause bloating and other digestive problems if you are intolerant. Many of us are intolerant without knowing it. Again, I recommend abstaining for 6 weeks and see if you feel better.
Cabbage has been eaten for over 3,000 years. You’re either someone who loves the flavor of raw cabbage in salad or someone who finds the taste too odd and the smell unbearable. Scientists have found this reaction is due to our genetic make-up. A gene called, TAS2R38 creates a protein that binds to a chemical called plenylthiocarbamide (PTC), which causes the bitter taste sensation. If you have this gene, you probably find cabbage inedible.
Cabbage Has Cancer-Preventing Properties
Red cabbage has 36 varieties of anthocyanins and flavonoids linked to protection from cancer (according to the US Department of Agriculture’s research service ‘ARS’). 3-4 servings of cabbage is suggested for maximum cancer protection.
Close to 500 studies have found a connection that revealed cabbage’s anti-cancer properties are likely stem from:
Antioxidants
Antioxidants such as Vitamins A and C, and phytonutrients stimulate enzymes that detoxify the body. A phytonutrient, Sulforaphane, can prevent cancer from spreading/recurring by targeting cancer cells. This may protect against colon, prostate and breast cancer.
The George Mateljan Foundation noted:
“Without sufficient intake of antioxidants, our oxygen metabolism can become compromised, and we can experience a metabolic problem called oxidative stress. Chronic oxidative stress in and of itself can be a risk factor for development of cancer.”
Anti-inflammatory Properties
Anthocyanin is plentiful in red cabbage and is a very effective anti- inflammatory. This is the plants natural pigment which gives it its color. Anthocyanin can also improve brain function, heart health and protect against cancer. ARS has found anthocyanin to have twice as much antioxidants as Vitamin C which protects the body from oxidant stress.
This natural pigment also changes the function of fat cells which may help fight the symptoms of metabolic syndrome (heart conditions and diabetics).
Glucosinolates
Glucosinolates are phytochemicals that break down into cancer-preventing agents. One of these substances, Indole-3-carbinol, stops the cycle of breast cancer cells.
In the lining of the colon and bladder, isothiocyanate combine with amino acid N-acetylcysteine and antioxidant glutathione. This forms the anti-cancer agent and either provides the cells with extra glutathione, or causes the cells to produce more of their own.
The George Mateljan Foundation explained:
” … glucosinolates are cabbage’s trump card with regard to “anti-cancer” benefits. The glucosinolates found in cabbage can be converted into isothiocyanate compounds that are cancer preventive for a variety of different cancers, including bladder cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, and prostate cancer.”
Cabbage Is Rich in Vitamin K1 and B Vitamins
K1 is a fat soluble vitamin that assists with blood clotting and bone metabolism. K1 is also known to prevent Alzheimer’s by limiting neuron damage. One serving of cabbage has 85 percent of your daily requirement of vitamin K1.
Cabbage contains folate, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B5 and Vitamin B6. They slow brain shrinkage by as much as seven-fold in the parts of the brain known to be affected by Alzheimer’s disease.
Digestive Benefits and Ulcer-Healing Properties
Cabbage juice is a fantastic treatment for stomach ulcers. It lines the stomach with a group of mucilaginous polysaccharides that protect itself from its own stomach acid. Having a few teaspoons of cabbage juice before eating, will do wonders to improve your digestion. It is not advised to drink more than 250 ml daily, for more than a month at a time (it can interfere with the thyroid hormone). Those who have thyroid problems should stay away from cabbage.Glucosinolates, isothiocyanates (anti-inflammatory), antioxidant polyphenols, and the amino acid glutamine contained in cabbage may also have benefits for the stomach as well as digestion.
Raw sauerkraut is made from raw cabbage and a little help from a probiotic bacteria. Large amounts of live cultures of lactobacillus rhamnosus JAAS8 are helpful at keeping belly bugs at bay and can help you loose weight.
The cabbage most used (white and green cabbage) when making sauerkraut is 10 times as effective in helping anti-cancer drugs stop the spread of MDA-MB-231, a type of breast cancer.
Sauerkraut that has been rinsed of its salt is a great addition to a diet for kidney failure, due to its extremely low amount of phosphorous.
Beets are rich in nitrates, and the bacteria on your tongue helps to convert them to nitrites, which are then converted to nitric oxide in the stomach. ED medications work by increasing nitric oxide levels, which increases blood flow to the penis by dilating blood vessels. Studies have also found that consuming beets can improve endurance levels in athletes – it’s not a far stretch to think they might help improve endurance in the bedroom.
studied, the humble walnut promotes health by:
