Posts Tagged ‘Brussels Sprouts’

Heart Disease Prevention-What Does A Rainbow Have to Do with Heart Disease

Monday, December 7th, 2009

The rainbow is beautiful to look at and a refreshing symbol to behold after a good rain. It is also a reminder of God’s love for us. The rainbow also can be a reminder on steps to take to avoid developing heart disease. Yes, it’s a powerful heart disease prevention model.

The colors of the rainbow can be a reminder of the colors of the fruits and vegetables that we should eat on a daily basis for optimum health and a healthy heart.

The blue and purple of the rainbow can remind us to eat purple grapes, blueberries, blackberries, elderberries, and black currents. These contain anthocyanins, which can reduce the risks of cancer, heart attack, diabetic complications, age-related memory loss, and Alzheimer’s disease. They can also help control high blood pressure.

Many of the dark purple foods contain phenolics, which may slow the effects of aging and are powerful antioxidants. This group includes prunes, plums, and raisins.

The green color in the rainbow can remind us to eat green peas, honeydew melons, kiwifruit, broccoli, green lettuces, kale, spinach, and leafy greens. These contain lutein, which helps maintain good vision and reduces the risks of macular degeneration and cataracts.

Another green group includes cabbage, broccoli, bok choy, Brussels sprouts, rutabaga, Swiss chard, cauliflower, watercress, and turnips. These contain indoles, which are good for reducing the risks of cancer and tumor growth in cancer patients.

The yellow orange colors of the rainbow can remind us of foods that contain bioflavonoids, which work with vitamin C to reduce the risk of heart attack and cancer. They also have powerful antioxidants that help maintain strong bones, healthy skin, and good vision. The foods in this group include tangerines, oranges, lemons, grapefruit, peaches, apricots, nectarines, papaya, pineapple, pears, yellow raisins, and yellow peppers.

The dark orange of the rainbow can remind us to eat pumpkin, apricots, peaches, carrots, sweet potatoes, mangoes, butternut squash, and cantaloupes. These contain beta-carotene, which can boost the immune system, is a powerful antioxidant, helps maintain good vision, and reduces the risks of heart attacks and cancer.

The red band of the rainbow can remind us to eat tomato based products, watermelon, pink grapefruit, and guava. These foods contain lycopene and can reduce the risk of breast, skin, and prostrate cancer. They also reduce the risk of heart attack.

Other good foods in the red band are red onion, kidney beans, raspberries, cherries, strawberries, beets, cranberries, red apples (with the skin), and red cabbage. These contain anthocyanins, which are powerful antioxidants. They can help control high blood pressure and can reduce the risks of cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, heart attack, and diabetes complications.

A healthy goal is to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. It would be good to try to include fruits and vegetables from the different colors of the rainbow. There are many other fruits and vegetables that are not listed here. Include as many of them as possible for added variety and even better health a healthy heart. These are simple heart disease prevention tips you can begin to use today!

So the next time you see a rainbow, let the rainbow’s colors remind you to eat the colorful fruits and vegetables that will help your body to be healthier.

Remember to sign up for my “You Deserve to Have A Healthy Heart” newsletter.

To Your Success,
Monique Hawkins
540-858-2885
SKype: Monique371
mentormonique@gmail.com

Women’s Heart Problems-Why Phytochemicals Are Good For You

Friday, December 4th, 2009

Women’s heart problems is a major problem in our western culture. The factis, there are simple lifestyle and diet changes that women as well as men can decide to follow that will drastically reduce their chance of ever developing heart disease. If a women does develop heart problems, these diet and lifestyle changes can still help her overcome the disease.

As time goes by the typical western diet seems to increasingly contain more fatty processed foods and less natural plant based foods than ever before. The results of this disturbing trend can be seen in the alarming statistics on cancer, heart disease, stroke and many other degenerative diseases.

Aside from the obvious dietary problems of high fat, protein and simple carbohydrate intake is the considerably inadequate intake of plant based foods and all the health giving benefits they bring with them.

Enter Phytochemicals

Many people are aware that eating plant based foods add much needed fiber, vitamins and minerals to the diet but what is less well known is the many benefits of the phytochemicals that these plants contain.

Phytochemicals come in a variety of forms and different vegetables have higher concentrations of a particular phytochemical than others. Some of the main phytochemicals include:

Carotenoids – Found in broccoli, carrots, pumpkin, spinach, squash, sweet potato and yams.

Flavonoids – Found in cabbage, cucumber, parsley, tomatoes, broccoli, carrots, soybeans and berries.

Isoflavones – Found in peas, beans and legumes.

Indioles – Found in brussels sprouts, cauliflower, turnips, bok choy, broccoli, cabbage and kale.

Lignans – Found in walnuts, flaxseeds and many other nuts and seeds.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids – Found in walnuts and flaxseeds.

Plant Sterols – Found in eggplant, soybeans, peppers, tomatoes, squash, cucumber, cabbage and broccoli.

The list above is only a small segment of the entire phytochemical family which encompasses a very large and extensive range of nutrients.

Benefits of Phytochemicals

Phytochemicals act in numerous ways to assist your body in combating disease and health problems such as:

1) Help to protect the cells by blocking carcinogens that try to enter the cell walls.

2) Helps to fight the malignant changes within cells that have already been penetrated by carcinogens.

3) Appear to boost enzyme activity to increase the benefits of the various protective enzymes consumed within the diet.

4) Combines with numerous vitamins to boost antioxidants activity to scavenge free radicals before they can cause damage within the body.

Although it is not important to know the names and benefits of the large range of phytochemicals that exist, what is important is to understand that maintaining a diet that contains a variety of fruits and vegetables will combine the benefits of the phytochemicals and vitamins to help you achieve optimal health.

By reducing your high fat/processed food intake and increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables you will greatly reduce your chances of falling victim to the ever-growing list of degenerative diseases which plague the general population today as a result of following a typical western diet.

It is not only the damaging effects of high fat, high sugar foods in the western diet that allow cancer, heart disease etc to develop, but the absence of the protective phytochemicals that are only found in plant foods as well.

By adding plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet you will bring a host of phytochemicals to fight the damaging effects of free radicals and carcinogens and give you a level of health that most people will envy. You will have a healthy heart and reduce the chance of developing womens heart problems!

Remember to sign up for my “You Deserve to Have A Healthy Heart” newsletter.

To Your Success,
Monique Hawkins
540-858-2885
SKype: Monique371
mentormonique@gmail.com