Chlorella

I want to follow up on green foods today by writing about chlorella. You can incorporate green foods into your diet by adding this green alga in supplement form.

Chlorella’s name derives from the Greek “chloros” meaning “green”, and “ella” means “small”. This wondrous plant is eaten whole generally in powder or capsule, or tablet form.

Chlorella does what most green, leafy vegetables do and more. The many health benefits of this versatile supplement have been studied and reported in scientific literature.

Chlorella is one of the best foods there is because it is densely packed with the following nutrients:

• Vitamin A in the form of caretenoids (beta-carotene) and alpha-carotene, and lutein.
• Vitamins C, D, E, and K.
• A high content of chlorophyll.
• The potent antioxidant, alpha-lipoic acid.
• The  energizing B-vitamins - thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), pyridoxine (B6), niacin, pantothenic acid, folic acid, vitamin B12, biotin, choline.
• Minerals such as phosphorus, calcium, zinc, magnesium, and iron.
• Protein.
• Probiotic bacteria, inositol.
• Healthy fats like alpha-linolenic acid, oleic acid, a balanced supply of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.
• Nucleic acids for building DNA and RNA.

·         Chlorella contains the perfect combination of nutrients that your body needs for healing. Taking it may strengthen your body by helping it function better.

If these facts about chlorella have piqued your curiosity, I suggest you read up on this super food, and draw your own conclusions. In the meantime, I will continue to take my chlorella supplement on a daily basis.

Green, Leafy Vegetables

I am a firm believer in the health benefits of leafy, green vegetables such as lettuce, kale, Swiss chard, and collard greens.  I believe that our bodies require a dose of green stuff in order to function more efficiently and stay healthy. For that reason, I usually add one or more leafy greens to my daily meals. The health benefits of these types of vegetables are well known, and even the least informed consumer understands the importance of eating a little lettuce, broccoli, or cabbage with their main meal of the day.

Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t care for green, leafy vegetables or regard them as an unimportant addition to their diets. Scientific research shows that green, leafy vegetables should play a bigger role in a person’s diet because they actually contain more vital nutrients than other foods. 

If you are still not convinced of the importance of eating green, leafy vegetables, consider the following nutritional values of those types of vegetables:

1.     Green, leafy vegetables are rich in most essential vitamins, especially vitamin K which plays an important role in keeping our blood and bones healthy.

2.     They also contain many minerals in their natural form. Some of these greens may even contain more calcium than milk.

3.     They also contain phytonutrients including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which protect our cells from damage and our eyes from age-related problems, among many other beneficial effects. Dark green leaves even contain small amounts of Omega 3 fatty acids.

4.     They also contain large amounts of fiber that has been shown to help with elimination and prevent obesity by making you feel fuller after eating.

5.     Last but not least, green, leafy vegetables contain chlorophyll which provides many healthy benefits.  One of the best properties chlorophyll has comes from the fact that its molecular structure is almost identical to hemoglobin. Consequently, when you take chlorophyll, it can actually help to do the job of hemoglobin. Chlorophyll helps to rebuild and replenish the red blood cells, boosting energy and increasing wellbeing almost instantly. Eating or drinking chlorophyll helps restore better health and vitality. It also helps eliminate bad breath and offensive body odor.

 Finally, you should know that green, leafy vegetables should be eaten preferably in their raw form, or lightly cooked in order to reap their full benefits.  After reading this post, I hope you will upgrade your greens to a higher spot on your priority list.

Guavas

First of all, I must tell you that I grew up eating guavas. I was lucky enough to live in a house that was next door to house where there was a robust, and prolific guava tree. As you can imagine, my brothers and I had our fill of green and ripe guavas from that generous tree. Looking back, I realize why we were so healthy then; the guavas had a lot to do with our good health.

The list of health benefits attributed to guavas is too long for this short post. However, I will mention some of the most common nutritional and curative properties attributed to this super fruit.

Guavas in their natural form have been shown to possess the following properties:

1.    Guavas are rich in vitamins A, B, C, E, and K. Their content of vitamin C is even greater than that of citrus fruits.

2.    Guavas also contain important minerals such as magnesium, copper, manganese, and potassium, which can help keep you healthy and stabilize blood pressure.

3.    They contain flavonoids like beta-carotene, lycopene, and lutein,  which are known to have antioxidant properties, and may protect your eyes, skin, and mucus membranes.

4.    Guavas have a high content of dietary fiber, which helps control diabetes, and protects the colon and the prostate. 

5.    Guavas are rich in astringents (compounds that make your gums feel tighter and fresher), so when you eat a raw guava your mouth feels healthier, and the astringent qualities also add substance to loose bowels, which helps treat diarrhea. These astringents are alkaline in nature and have disinfectant and anti-bacterial properties, so they help to treat diseases such as dysentery and gastroenteritis by stopping microbial growth and removing excessive mucus from the intestines.

6.    Even the leaves of the guava tree have healing properties. The juice of the guava leaves has been known to cure swollen gums, toothaches and oral ulcers. It can also accelerate the healing process of wounds.

Finally, guavas are one of the least sprayed and chemically treated exotic fruits so they are safer to eat in their natural form than other fruits and vegetables. If you eat guavas in this manner you will be getting the most benefits out of them.

Medicinal Mushrooms

First of all, I must confess that I never ate a mushroom before I became an adult. I had only read or heard about edible mushrooms here and there. To be honest, I didn’t think mushrooms looked very appealing in the first place. However, I was intrigued by their look.   Eventually, I ended up buying some mushrooms at a local supermarket. Then, I began to develop a taste for them.

In my opinion, the problem with mushrooms is that you either like them or hate them. Personally, I like to eat them together with some type of meat. However, before you dismiss the idea of consuming mushrooms in any form, you should consider their medicinal properties.

 Nowadays, I use mushrooms mainly in supplemental form to strengthen my immune system. I have found that they play an important role in keeping me healthy, especially during the cold season. I think the reason for their beneficial effects on my health is their long list of health benefits.

Here is a list of some of the health benefits of medicinal mushrooms:

1.     Mushrooms contain potent antioxidants.

2.     They also contain vitamins such as some forms of vitamins B, and D.

3.     They contain minerals such as iron, potassium, and selenium.

4.     Mushroom extracts have been shown to increase immune system activity.

5.     Some types of mushroom have been shown to possess natural cancer-fighting properties because they contain a type of polysaccharide called beta glucan. Beta glucan is found in several mushrooms, yeasts, and other foods.  Beta glucan is believed to stimulate the immune system and activate certain cells and proteins that attack cancer, including macrophages, T-cells, natural killer cells, and interleukin-1 and -2.

If you are interested in trying any of these types of mushrooms, you should begin with some of the most popular types such as reishi, shiitake, maitake, cordyseps, or chaga mushrooms. Alternatively, you can try taking them in a multi-mushroom complex form. This way, you will be guaranteed to take advantage of their various benefits.