Dr. Lance Dreher has sound advice (re: pH/Alkalinity).

Please take a look at Solutions by Dr. Fitness if you are interested in keeping your body healthy. I have posted the link before, but I feel the need to post it again.

Saint Patrick's Day

   

I thought I'd post a few links for Saint Patrick Day's recipes with some healthy substitutions since March 17th is right around the corner. (I was able to open these links without membership or registration.)

 I have included a link about beer 'benefits' and history,  some fun facts about Saint Patrick's Day and a link to crafts.



Cooking Light
Eating Well
Lifescript

I received an email forward from my sister; it was suggested that I forward it to my friends. What I decided to do is cut-and-paste the email here and add links to articles concerning lemons and limes and their beneficial nature. 

I drink 32 ounces of lemon water every morning to keep my pH alkaline. I have archived posts on pH at this blog.

The email read as follows:

 

[ This is something that we should all take seriously. Even doctors are now saying that there is value in trying LEMON. So, a tablespoon of "real lemon" (the concentrate in a bottle) in a glass of water every morning. What can it hurt?  This is the latest in medicine, effective for cancer! Read carefully & you be the judge. Lemon (Citrus) is a miraculous product to kill cancer cells. It is 10,000 times stronger than chemotherapy.  Why do we not know about that?  Because there are laboratories interested in making a synthetic version that will bring them huge profits. You can now help a friend in need by letting him/her know that lemon juice is beneficial in preventing the disease. Its taste is pleasant and it does not produce the horrific effects of chemotherapy. How many people will die while this closely guarded secret is kept, so as not to jeopardize the beneficial multimillionaires large corporations?  As you know, the lemon tree is known for its varieties of lemons and limes. You can eat the fruit in different ways: you can eat the pulp, juice press, prepare drinks, sorbets, pastries, etc... It is credited with many virtues, but the most interesting is the effect it produces on cysts and tumors. This plant is a proven remedy against cancers of all types. Some say it is very useful in all variants of cancer. It is considered also as an anti microbial spectrum against bacterial infections and fungi, effective against internal parasites and worms, it regulates blood pressure which is too high and an antidepressant, combats stress and nervous disorders. The source of this information is fascinating: it comes from one of the largest drug manufacturers in the world, says that after more than 20 laboratory tests since 1970, the extracts revealed that: It destroys the malignant cells in 12 cancers, including colon, breast, prostate, lung and pancreas...The compounds of this tree showed 10,000 times better than the product Adriamycin, a drug normally used chemotherapeutic in the world, slowing the growth of cancer cells. And what is even more astonishing: this type of therapy with lemon extract only destroys malignant cancer cells and it does not affect healthy cells. Institute of Health Sciences, 819 N. L.L.C. Cause Street , Baltimore MD1201 SEND TO EVERYONE ... Please! ! ! ] LEMON/LIME LINKS:

World's Healthiest Foods

Nutrition and You

Livestrong.com

Health, How Stuff Works

ehow.com 

lifescript.com

Super-Duper Foods!

 I found this list of super foods at medhelp.org.  I'm not sure you can access if you aren't a member, although it's easy enough to join and MedHelp is free.

• SALMON: Heart health/brain function.  A 4 ounce serving two to three times a week.
• BLUEBERRIES: Antioxidant/ anti-aging. 1/2 cup delivers as much antioxidant power as five servings of other fruits and vegetables.
• DRIED APRICOTS:  1/2 cup daily. High in potassium (dried apricots contain nearly three times as much potassium as bananas and potatoes) Higher potassium intake can lower the risk for painful kidney stones.
• CHERRIES: Try 20 tart cherries (or 10 ounces of juice) when you have an ache. Eating tart cherries can help relieve pain from muscle aches, gout and arthritis better than anti-inflammatory drugs. The pigments that give cherries their red color (anthocyanins) are most likely responsible for this pain-killing, anti-inflammatory effect.
• FULL-FAT DAIRY: Limit your intake to one cup of whole milk or a half cup of ice cream per day. Researchers found that women who ate one or more daily servings of full-fat dairy foods (as opposed to  low-fat dairy) were less likely to suffer ovulation problems. The speculation: it might have something to do with how hormones attach to fat molecules.
• YOGURT:  6-8 ounces (serving size). Yogurt contains probiotics (beneficial bacteria) which improve the gut's ability to digest foods that cause flatulence. These beneficial bacteria are also being studied for their potential ability to improve immunity. They turn lactose into lactic acid, so the lactose intolerant (60% of adults) can probably enjoy yogurt, without the unpleasant side-effects.
• TEA: Black or green tea without milk or sugar can make breath sweeter. Contains polyphenols, a type of antioxidant that can inhibit the growth of bacteria that causes bad breath.
• ALCOHOL: One or two drink per day: 1.5 ounces of liquor, five ounces of wine, or (not and!) 12 ounces of beer. Sugary cocktails are generally high in calories, and not a good option if you are watching your weight or want to avoid sugar.  In conjunction with losing weight and exercise, one or two alcoholic drinks per day can significantly increase HDL levels.
• EGGS: Here's the deal. Eggs contain biotin. If your fingernails are thin and brittle, you may be low on biotin. Although you can get plenty of biotin from egg yolks (as well as liver), the studies used 2500 mcg (the average egg has approximately 20 mcg) so it would be impossible to reach that amount through diet alone to improve your fingernails...but eating two eggs a day will ensure you are getting enough biotin (adults need 30 mcg per day). PERSONAL NOTE: I try to avoid egg yolks, so I will (for the most part) stick with my supplement and eat liver and onions, on occasion.
• OYSTERS: (Men, listen up!) Try six medium, raw oysters on the half shell. They are the richest food source of zinc, which is necessary for testosterone production. (Even short-term zinc deficiencies can reduce semen volume and testosterone levels.) Oysters (depending on variety) contain 10 times more zinc than wheat germ and beef (other excellent sources).
• GARLIC: A clove a day keeps the vampires--and potential suitors--away. Seriously, regular consumption can keep you from contracting viruses. Garlic contains allicin, which blocks enzymes that play a role in bacterial and viral infections.  Eating garlic can also help you recover faster from a cold. To boost the allicin, crush or mince the garlic and allow it to sit for 15 minutes at room temperature before eating.
• CINNAMON: At least 1/2 teaspoon daily. Cinnamon (safe and easily added to the diet) may have an insulin-like effect, helping to control blood sugar levels. More research is needed.
• GINGER: 1/2 teaspoon of real ginger minced in tea or per serving in stir-fry. (Note: most mainstream ginger ale has little, if any, real ginger). Or try candied ginger (delicious and spicy). Ginger is proven to relieve nausea. Most evidence is for pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting, while studies are mixed on whether ginger is effective for nausea caused by chemotherapy, anesthesia and motion.
• COFFEE: One cup daily to improve short-term memory and reaction time.
• TURMERIC: Approximately 1.5 teaspoons mixed in yogurt, tea, grains and curries. Turmeric is considered one of the most potent anti-inflammatory foods on the planet.

Sinus Trouble? Watch Your Diet.

Sinus trouble? If you are suffering from sinusitis, you must watch your diet.

Try to keep it alkaline (pH).

A diet rich in Vitamin A  is recommended (it helps build healthy mucus membranes in the throat and head.) Some good sources of Vitamin A: tomato, pumpkin, mango, papaya, leafy vegetables, egg yolk, curds and whole milk (which, in this particular case, should probably  be avoided since diary products are known to cause sinus problems). Better sources of calcium are sardines, seaweed, and leafy green vegetables.

Other recommendations:

• Eating fruit is preferred to drinking fruit juices since juices have a higher concentration of carbohydrates and contain preservatives.

• Avoid refined sugar (your body can't break it down).

• Caffeine weakens your adrenal glands so it should be avoided.

• Mustard and mayonnaise cause your body's pH to be imbalanced.

I have included links to various sites that offer suggestions for alleviating sinus problems. Don't forget to read my disclaimer on the right. :-)

Christina's Home Remedies (E book)
Sinus Wars
Doctor Yourself
Cure Zone
Organic Authority

Soothe Your Sore Throat

This seems to be the season for stubborn sore throats. I have added some links that might give some relief. The first one includes recipes for gargling.

LINKS:

TLC
Mayo Clinic
Natural Sore Throat Cures
My Healthy Foods

Strictly USA

Buy American
@ Strictly USA
This link is to a website of strictly America-made goods. It is not about healthy eating but it is about a healthy USA.