10 SUPERFOODS

Herb Of The Week / 10 SUPERFOODS

PREFACE:
Today is a very important milestone for me. After two years of tobacco
abstinence, this is the day that I've designated as a day to stop
keeping count.


Many people who were inspired by me have started smoking again. Many
people inspired by me have quit again and again since I quit. But
once again here's the secret for me:

I came to a point where I realized that I was already delivered from
any afflictions (including addictions!!) over 2000 years ago by the
suffering, death and resurrection of Our Redeemer.
After trying to quit a few times in the past, I believe the final
revelation was given to me by the Holy Spirit which I believe to be
the MIND of God; allowing us to have thought processes (flashes of
insight) that we otherwise wouldn't have.

It was as simple as remembering Isaiah 53:5 (Amplified Bible):

"But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our
guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and
well being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded]
Him we are healed and made whole."


If you smoke, you are *ALREADY* cured. You are just smoking out of
habit. (pun intended!)

Now.... on to Ten Superfooods:

1. BEANS
According to scientists, the skin of beans contains the same heart
healthy antioxidants found in red grapes and wine. These antioxidants
are called flavonoids and help prevent heart disease and cancer. As
you know by now, antioxidants protect cells from free radical damage.
Free radicals are compounds that can alter DNA, protein molecules,
enzymes and cells. The resultant damage may lead to heart disease,
cancer and aging. According to nutritionists, beans could possibly be
the most complete food there is. Many poor people worldwide, (and in
this country) have lived off of beans alone. Beans and rice together
are supposed to provide a so-called complete protein, although the
jury is still out on the validity of the "complete protein" theory.
Beans are full of protein and soluble fiber and are also low in fat.
They are packed with lots of essential vitamins and minerals including
folic acid, which is particular good for women. They provide lots of
carbohydrates for energy.

2. OILS (FISH OIL and NUTS)
For proper functioning the body needs the essential fatty acids
(EFA's) that are present in plant and animal oils. Researchers and
scientists are only just beginning to scratch the surface of the
endless nutritional benefits of essential oils. One immediate benefit
is the lowering of cholesterol. There are two types of cholesterol
within your bloodstream. HDL, which is “good”, and LDL, which is
"bad". One type of essential oil, omega-3, works to reduce the
amounts of LDL (the "bad" cholesterol) in your bloodstream.

Omega 3 EFA's are found in high concentrations in fish oil.
Surprisingly the fish with the most omega-3 fatty acids are cold-water
fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, and herring. The fish that
we think of as canned fish. The Omega-9 fatty acid found in olive oil
prevents the formation of plaque in the arteries and the hardening of
the arteries and helps to regulate blood sugar and has antioxidant
properties that help to prevent cancer.

Nuts such as walnuts, almonds and pecans are seeds of life. They
contain all the necessary nutrients for the little seed to begin life
as a tree. They are all good natural sources of vitamin E and many
vital minerals such as selenium, a powerful antioxidant that works
synergistically with the vitamin E as an anti-cancer agent and is good
for proper brain functioning amongst other things. Also vitamin E is
required for the body to make good use of the nut oil.

3. WHOLE GRAINS
Aside from being low in fat, whole-grain foods, being rich in
vitamins, minerals, fiber, and essential fatty acids are also very
helpful in providing a more stable and longer-lasting supply of
energy. A whole grain is a grain or cereal that still has its outer
covering, which is nutritionally rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber.
Grain foods that include both the outer bran layer and the inner germ
layer are good sources of fiber, which may help control type II
diabetes. In addition, these foods are high in many nutrients,
including folate and vitamin E, two vitamins that have been linked to
a reduced risk of stroke. Grains are also rich sources of antioxidants
and photochemical, substances thought to help the body fight disease.
Be wary of products labeled “100% wheat,” “stone-ground,”
“multi-grain,” “seven-grain,” “12-grain,” or “organic.”
They often
contain very little whole grain. Instead, look for whole-grain
products that say 100% whole wheat.

4. CRUCIFEROUS VEGETABLES
Vegetables such as watercress, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, brussel
sprouts, and cabbage are known as cruciferous vegetables. They
activate your body’s natural antioxidant defense systems. The
phytonutrients in cruciferous veggies, such as sulforaphane and
indole-3-carbinol protect against prostate, bladder, colon,
pancreatic, gastric, breast and other hormone related cancers. These
vegetables are also high in fiber, rich in vitamin C and very low in
calories.

5. ALLIUM VEGETABLES
The benefits of garlic and other allium vegetables, such as garlic,
chives, onions, scallions, and leeks, may come from their abundant
flavonoids, such as quercetin, and also from their sulfur-containing
compounds. Both onions and garlic contain allium compounds that may
fight colon, prostate, esophageal & skin cancer. Allium compounds also
reduce cholesterol and inhibit blood clotting that can lead to stroke.
They provide an enormous boost to the immune system.
Allium vegetables may be more beneficial when uncooked. So you may
want to add them to salads, salad dressings, and other raw recipes to
get the most from them.

Garlic is known as a cure all for almost everything and anything. It's
a natural antibiotic. It has been called the "poor man's penicillin".
As you might know antibiotics don't fight viral infections like colds
and flu. But garlic is antiviral. It regulates sugar and insulin
levels for diabetics. It calms the nerves. It kills intestinal
parasites. For colds it's a decongestant and expectorant and
antispasmodic (preventing coughs). It prevents stomach cancer.

Onions are also antibiotic and antiviral and helpful for asthma,
bronchitis, diabetes and practically everything else including
anticancer properties. Red and yellow onions are far better than white.

6. BERRIES
Eating dark berries may provide athletes with a range of healthful
phytonutrients that have powerful antioxidant effects including
anthocyanins that actually repair and protect DNA. Berry choices
include blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, crowberries,
blueberries, black currants, bilberries, elderberries, chokeberries,
and lingo berries. It is interesting to note that frozen berries are
just as nutritious as fresh ones. So if berries are out of season in
your area, you can still reap their benefits by visiting the freezer
section of your local grocery store.

7. TOMATO PRODUCTS
Not often do you find a natural food that actually benefits
nutritionally by being cooked and processed. This seems to be the case
for tomatoes. It appears that even though some vitamin C is lost when
tomatoes are heated, the antioxidant power is increased during the
process. Researchers have found that the antioxidant lycopene, which
is the pigment that makes tomatoes and other fruits like pink
grapefruit and watermelon red, is made more readily digestable to the
human body after heating. Foods rich in lycopene include canned
tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato juice, tomato paste, salsa, and ketchup.

8. MUSHROOMS
The modest-looking mushroom might not strike you as a superfood, but
the low-growing fungus offers towering health benefits. Rich in
vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals - plus glutamic
acid that may help boost the immune system, combat cancer, fight
infection and even protect against autoimmune diseases such as lupus
and rheumatoid arthritis.

9. YOGURT
Yogurt with live and ACTIVE acidophilus cultures will restore the
right balance of helpful bacteria in the digestive system. Some yogurt
will also contain bifodophilus cultures. Artificial and chemical
preservatives in foods as well as antibiotics kill the "friendly"
bacteria in our digestive system. Unfortunately the harmful bacteria
colonies grow back before the healthy ones do. The live cultures in
yogurt help to restore the proper balance. Acidophilus has also shown
to prevent and/or treat yeast infections. This is also caused by an
imbalance of "good" bacteria in those areas. Yogurt causes the body to
produce interferon, which is a powerful immune system booster.
Interferon is used to fight Hepatitis and some people have claimed to
be able to reduce the symptoms of AIDS to near normal by ingesting
continuous low dosages of interferon. Yogurt has been linked to
longevity. Use plain yogurt mixed with a little honey and nuts and
maybe real fruit. Beware of the fancy fruity yogurts contain LOTS of
sugar. The refined sugar may upset the balance that you are trying to
correct.


10. BLACK STRAP MOLASSES
The unprocessed, unrefined product derived as a byproduct of the
process of refining sugar cane into table sugar. It is the
concentrated byproduct left over after mostly all the sugar's sucrose
has been crystallized. It contains significant amounts of a variety of
health
enhancing minerals left over from the refining process. So in addition
to being a good source of quickly assimilated carbohydrates,
blackstrap molasses is a healthful sweetener that
contains extremely significant amounts of a variety of health
enhancing minerals such as iron, calcium, copper, manganese, potassium
and magnesium. Switching from nutrient-poor sweeteners like white
sugar or corn syrup, or from potentially harmful fake sweeteners like
aspartame or saccharin to nutrient-dense blackstrap molasses is one
simple way that eating healthy can sweeten your life. Look for
unsulphured variety preferably from organic sugar cane. Molasses
should be stored in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator or
a cool, dry place.
Unopened containers should keep for about one year, while opened
containers should keep for about six months.

-------------------------------


But.....

Until next time remember .... most illness (upwards of 80% according
to experts) can be attributed to FOUR important factors that can
weaken your immune system and your ability to fight off disease:


By good utilization of search engine technology, we can look up
information as in depth as we desire in our own free time. As we
mention all the time, with every post, that you can research anything
mentioned in this newsletter by yourself. Some good search engines are
www.mamma.com or www.google.com. or www.dogpile.com or
www.askjeeves.com ...etc. By entering one or more keywords you can do
your own research.


1. Anxiety, depression, anger, resentment, guilt and other STRESS
factors
2. Improper and/or inadequate NUTRITION habits
3. A sedentary lifestyle that does not include enough EXERCISE
4. Not enough rest and quality SLEEP time

The United States Surgeon General warned Americans in a landmark 1988
report on Nutrition and Health that "diet related diseases account for
68% of U.S. deaths"


Remember, we ALWAYS recommend that you ALWAYS consult a professional
herbalist, naturopathologist or physician. We are just passing along
what we hope to be useful information.


Bye-Bye,

Q