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Foods to help... in time of grief?

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Artiste:
Mother tells me NOT to eat fruit with certain pills; so ask your DOCTOR!

To prevent stones and other things, it seem that fruits help at lot. New discoveries?

This are not foods in times of grief maybe... and think of them to prevent some illness or sickness??

Here is a quote:


--- Quote --- Prescriptive Fruits An orange a day keeps the nutritionist at bayProvided by EatingWell.com
PrescriptiveFruits"In our tattered abecedary of food, C is for Citrus—not to mention the vitamin that cures scurvy, fights infections, heals bruises, protects lungs and maintains healthy cartilage, bone and skin. These days, however, citrus fruits are about much more than vitamin C.
They abound in phytochemicals—170 and still counting. Also called phytonutrients, these components are found only in plants (phyto) and provide natural protection from human health hazards. Although science is still unraveling the roles that phytochemicals play, their tongue-twisting names are destined to become household words associated with disease prevention.
Lutein and zeaxanthin (pronounced zee-ya-zanthin) in oranges are antioxidant phytochemicals that protect eyes from macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness after age 65. Tangeritin, found in its namesake, tangerine, inhibits blood-clot formation and fights inflammation associated with heart disease. Pink and red grapefruit contain lycopene, another antioxidant that protects against prostate cancer.
Most people mistakenly think that the good stuff is only in citrus juice, but the fibrous white pectin we peel away is also rich in phytonutrients. The small juice vesicles, larger segment membranes, the central core and the white layer below the skin make citrus a pectin warehouse. We've long known that pectin, containing water-soluble fiber, promotes intestinal health and cholesterol reduction. But researchers more recently have learned that citrus pectin may also stop cancer cells from multiplying and spreading.
There are other reasons to eat whole fruits rather than turning to citrus juices. Eating a whole fruit enforces reasonable portion control and saves calories compared to drinking a glass of citrus juice. Segment by segment, these fruits foster the healthy habit of slower eating.
Oranges lead the citrus hit parade and are good sources of a group of B vitamins, known collectively as folate. Researchers have studied folate's role in suppressing blood levels of homocysteine, a component of protein that's a risk factor for heart disease.
Investigators in the Nurses' Health Study, following 86,000 women, found that each 100-microgram increase in folate consumption per day—the amount in two cups of orange sections—reduced the risk of heart disease by 5.8 percent. Women who exceeded the recommended dietary allowance of folate—400 micrograms—had the lowest risk of heart disease.
Potassium, abundant in all citrus fruits, strengthens and tones heart muscles and arteries while helping to regulate blood pressure. More recently, researchers discovered that citrate, an acid found in the fruits, helps prevent the formation of kidney stones.
Nutrition guides would like us all to be consuming three daily servings of fruit. With their high density of vitamins and phytonutrients, along with their extraordinary flavor packed into a scant 60 calories, citrus fruits are a great candidate to fill at least one of these every-day eating
prescriptions. 
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Pray that this helps,

hugs!

Artiste:
I found this to be interesting this morning. Maybe you will too in dire stress or otherwise!!

Maybe it can help you or someone.

RMay I say: remind yourself that your body is DIFFERENT from others; so caution as to what foods you need and can take.

At least eat! I have NOT slept for 3 days, and know that some food helps one to recover well... even if you have AIDS or another cancer(s) or something else; check with your doctor before taking certain foods too!

Above all, a decent breakfast is best, you know that??  Hugs!!


--- Quote --- This month's new behaviour: Start your engines
Posted Fri, Feb 29, 2008
POST A COMMENT »
When the fuel light goes off on your car's dash you stop at the closest gas station and fill'er up. When your body's fuel light goes off first thing in the morning many people ignore the signal and dash out running on empty.

Yes, filling up your body's tank before leaving the house is this month's new healthy behaviour.

Breaking the fast or breakfast is one of the most important healthy eating rules that you can follow. When you wake up your body and your brain, both need fuel. Breakfast eaters think faster and clearer, solve problems more easily and are less likely to be crabby during the day. Which if you have a teenager is reason enough to insist they eat breakfast.

Trying to lose weight? Skipping breakfast may sound like a great way to save calories, but breakfast skippers ended up eating the calories they missed and then some. In a study published by Obesity Research, people who lose weight and maintain that weight loss are breakfast eaters not abstainers.

In my perfect world everyone would have time for a sit-down breakfast. If that includes you, go for a whole grain cereal that's low in sugar, salt and fat. Buyer beware, just because it says whole grain on the front of the package doesn't necessarily mean that it's a healthy pick. Make label reading your latest hobby and scrutinize each and every one you read. There isn't a standardized serving size between similar products so make sure that you're comparing equal serving sizes when you're comparing brands.

If you don't know what ½ cup (125 mL) or 1 cup (250 mL) of cereal looks like, measure it out into your bowl so you can eyeball it the next time. Pour on the skim or soy milk, sprinkle with 1 tbsp. (15 mL) ground flaxseed and ¼ tsp. (1 mL) ground cinnamon. Top with ½ banana or ½ cup (125 mL) of your favourite fresh or thawed frozen berries.

Finish your breakfast off with ½ cup (125 mL) calcium-fortified orange juice and you're good to go. The calorie count for a healthy breakfast for the average person should be between 400 and 550 calories. My breakfast is around 400 calories.

When we're in a hurry I set the table the night before with the bowls, empty juice glasses, spoons, cereal boxes, cinnamon, bananas and a knife. It really helps speed things up. The next morning it feels like the Breakfast Fairy came while we were sleeping. All that's left is getting out the ground flaxseed, milk and juice. 

On weekends, try a bowl of steel cut oatmeal. For price and flavour I like the PC Blue Menu Steel Cut Oats, topped with ground flaxseed, cinnamon, walnuts and some dried fruit.

We all need something for breakfast to get our engines revved and ready to go. But if you really don't have time in the morning, here are some Dash and Dine ideas for a breakfast on the run:

Trail mix:
Make this version the night before.

In a portable container, toss together 2 tbsp. (30 mL) of your favourite unsalted nuts, 1 cup (250 mL) Cheerio's or other whole grain cereal, ¼ cup (60 mL) dried fruit — raisins, dried cranberries, dried mango or apricots.
Calcium-fortified orange juice
PB morning:

2 slices 100% whole grain whole wheat toast — make sure the label says whole grain whole wheat — Dempster's makes a Whole Grain line.
Spread with 1 to 2 tbsp. (15 to 30 mL) peanut butter; wrap it up in wax paper and go.
Calcium-fortified orange juice
Egg lovers:

The night before, hard cook two omega-3 eggs, peel and store in the fridge overnight.
Calcium-fortified orange juice
An apple a day:

1 large apple
2 tbsp. (30 mL) unsalted nuts (walnuts are a great combo with the apple)
Calcium-fortified orange juice
Blender mornings:
Whirl this in a blender until smooth, pour into a thermos and shake before drinking.

1 cup (250 mL) skim or soy milk
½ cup (125 mL) vanilla lower fat yogurt
½ cup (125 mL) frozen blueberries
½ banana
¼ tsp. (1 mL) ground cinnamon
Related links:

Add ten every day
Say bye bye to gimmicks, hello to health

 
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Take care above all with GOOD food!!  Hugs too!! Laughs and smiles!! Rest!!

Artiste:
This is long, and worth while to think about:


--- Quote --- Best ways to avoid cancerRebecca Ruiz
Forget fad diets or avoiding food additives.
Experts say neither will do much good in the battle to prevent cancer, the nation's second leading cause of death. The disease is expected to claim the lives of 559,650 Americans this year, according to the American Cancer Society. A sobering statistic, no doubt. Still, the good news is that cancer-related deaths are decreasing annually at 2.1%, doubling the rate of years previous. Researchers attribute the decline to improved methods of detection, increased levels of screening and changes in lifestyle.

But while the list of such preventive measures can be overwhelming, there are very basic steps, including regular screenings and positive habits, that can both lead to a healthier body and minimize one's risk of cancer.
Dr. Vilma Cokkinides, program director for Risk Factor Surveillance at the American Cancer Society, suggests a simple approach. "Don't think of it as following guidelines," she says, "think of it as a lifestyle."
Screening And detection
If you fear exams or postpone checkups for months, wait no longer to march over to the doctor's office and discuss cancer risks and detection techniques. Research has shown that screening drastically improves the chances of preventing cancer and cancer-related deaths, especially those due to colorectal, breast and cervical cancers, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Regular screening begins at different points depending on age, gender, medical and family histories, and the type of cancer. Cokkinides recommends that adults discuss testing for breast, cervical, prostate, endometrium, colon and skin cancers with a physician. There are myriad screening techniques, so be inquisitive with a physician or specialist about which might elicit the clearest results.
Lifestyle lessons
There are good habits, like regular checkups and screening, and bad ones, like smoking, drinking, eating poorly and exercising infrequently. To many cancer experts, the scourge of high-risk behaviour is smoking, followed by obesity. Half of smokers will die from tobacco-related diseases, and tobacco use is responsible for 30% of all cancer-related deaths each year, according to the American Cancer Society.
The obesity epidemic similarly worries researchers.
"The underlying mechanisms implicating weight are very complex," says Cokkinides, "but it's thought that it has to do with fat and sugar metabolism, immune function, hormone levels and cell growth."
Obesity and being overweight have been linked to an increased risk for breast, colon, endometrium, esophagal, kidney and pancreatic cancers, among others. Roughly two-thirds of all Americans are considered overweight or obese.
In combating weight issues, Cokkinides says, people can also cultivate better eating and exercise habits, which have been shown to positively affect cancer risk. Instead of trying to find the next miracle food, consistently eat a diet rich in fresh fruit, vegetables and whole grains, and minimize foods high in fat and refined sugar as well as consumption of red and processed meats and alcoholic beverages. Regular exercise--at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week--can also decrease the risk of developing certain cancers.
The future of prevention
Dr. William Nelson, a medical oncologist and the director of translational research at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, envisions a future of "personalized medicine" in which current preventive measures are combined with cutting-edge technology to provide patients with precise indications of their risk factors.
This includes preventive drugs and genetic testing, which are both currently available to the public, but benefit a small fraction.
"Our tools for informing people about their risks," he says of preventive drugs and genetic testing, "have the promise to describe risk for a disease and risk for treatment side effects."
Those with high risk for breast, prostate and colorectal cancers should consult a physician about preventive drugs. Anu Chittenden, a genetic counsellor at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, recommends genetic counselling for those with a strong family history of cancer. Though the procedure is available for different cancers, it is largely known for detecting genes linked to breast and ovarian cancer. About 10% of women with breast cancer will have a gene mutation. Chittenden urges patients to first have a relative with the cancer tested to yield important genetic information, and to consult a genetic counsellor trained to interpret the results.
Though Nelson anticipates that new technologies will have a profound impact on how cancer is diagnosed and treated, he still believes the best prevention is done daily.
"Cancer is giant risk-benefit analysis," he says. "Go after the broad lifestyle changes!

 
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Do according to your body, know and help it too!! Be happy and safe!!

Keep care,

hugs!

Artiste:
In Winter times, we get dry throats, and at other dusty or hot times too.

My former lover (Wayne now deceased) brought me often to his mother's place. She and he grew plants in her backyard. And she enjoyed always making us tea with fresh mint that she just picked from her garden. Being a mennonite, she liked that we loved her tea.


Horehound is part of that family of mints... too. We, Richard (now deceased too) and I, used to make candy with that pure essence. And here is a recipe with it and about that plant, which can help prevent colds or your throat when you have a cold or a dry one:


--- Quote --- The name horehound is derived from "Horus", the Egyptian god of sky and light. Ancient herbalists prescribed it for fevers and malaria and as an antidote for snakebites, rabid dog bites and ingested poison. Horehound was traditionally carried in sachets as a protection against sorcery. When mixed with ash leaves and placed in a bowl of water, horehound is supposed to release healing vibrations and should be placed in a room with a sick person
When drunk as a tea, the herb will promote mental acumen and clarity.

A native of Europe, but now naturalized throughout North and South America, horehound is a hardy perennial of the mint family - with its telltale square stem - and, like most mints, can become invasive if not controlled. The herb can be started from seed or cuttings in the early spring. The seed should be sown just below the surface and cuttings should have about a one-foot spacing. Rings of small white flowers will appear from June to September in the second year of growth, but the leaves may be cut for use or drying in the first year.

Horehound won't win any beauty prizes in your garden, but ironically, when dried, the leaves and flowers make an attractive addition to arrangements of everlastings. The herb will flourish under the most marginal of circumstances, in poor dry soil for example along the edge of driveways and other neglected areas. The only threat to horehound is to sit in very wet conditions over winter. A couple of more ornamental species of the herb are silver horehound, with its woollier leaves and whiter flowers and the denser Spanish horehound, with pink flowers. Unfortunately, both of these are only hardy to Zone 7. The Mediterranean plant, black horehound (Ballota nigra), although also a member of the mint family, is a different species with a very unpleasant odor.

Other than as a tea, horehound has no culinary application, although the herb was once used to flavor ale in England. Horehound is the champion herb for chest problems and has enjoyed this role for thousands of years. The Greek physician Dioscorides (AD 40-90) advocated a decoction of horehound for tuberculosis, asthma and coughs. The herb is an effective immune booster and is quite nutritious, containing vitamins A, B, C and E, essential fatty acids, iron, potassium and marrubin (an expectorant).

Horehound has proven to be effective in loosening phlegm and mucus in the bronchial tubes and in the lungs. It will also relieve coughs and sore throats. The German government's committee of herbal experts known as Commission E, has sanctioned horehound for use against bronchial problems, including laryngitis.

To make your own Horehound Cough Syrup, you'll need:
· ½ cup of fresh horehound leaves (or ¼ cup of dried)
· 2 cups of water
· 3 cups of liquid honey

Place the horehound a stainless steel pot with the water and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and allow to steep for about 10 minutes. Strain and then add the honey. Mix well and bottle. The amount of honey can be adjusted for taste and consistency.

For making Horehound Cough Drops:
· 1 cup of fresh or dried horehound;
· 1 cup of water;
· 2 cups of brown sugar;
· 2 Tbsp. honey;
· Enough icing sugar to cover finished drops.


Put the horehound leaves and water in a stainless steel saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 20 minutes and then cool. Strain and squeeze out the herbs. Put the liquid back into the pan and add the brown sugar and the honey. While continually stirring with a wooden spoon, bring the liquid back to simmer. Keep stirring and when the liquid falls from the spoon in a thread, test it by dropping it into a cup of cold water. If you have a candy thermometer, the temperature should reach at least 300 degrees F. When the mixture hardens enough to crack with your teeth, it's ready. If you overdo it and the mixture crystallizes, just add more water and a little more honey. When ready, poor the mixture into a lightly buttered baking dish. When cool enough, score the top to facilitate breaking the hardened mixture into squares or diagonals. Once broken up, shake icing sugar over the horehound cough drops to keep them from sticking together. Store in a moisture-proof glass jar.

 
 
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I just shared that with someone on Bettermost. And maybe, you will find to helpful too?
I think that any mint can be used for tea?

Note: insist on purchasing horehound candy that was made with pure essence. If you go to the Stratford Shakespeare theatres festival, in Ontario, Canada, you can obtain that pure candy at the bonbons store downtown.

Au revoir,
hugs!

Artiste:
Here is a pic of horehound.

You can buy it fresh or grow it easily!!

Hugs!

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