Kale Is a Superfood

Kale ..
is loaded with nutrition. Along with broccoli and other brassicas, kale contains sulphoraphane, (particularly when chopped or minced), a chemical that has potent anti-cancer properties.
Kale is especially rich in Vitamin K, A and C,beta carrotene, lutein and zeaxanthan. Kale also contains a number of essential minerals including manganese, copper, tryptophan and calcium. Kale also contains dietary fiber, potassium, Vit B6, B 2, B1 and B3, iron and magnesium.
The young tender kale greens are good for salads. The mature kale is a great winter vegetable, when other greens are less plentiful. It is somewhat frost tolerant, so it can be grown as a winter vegetable in milder climates.
Mature kale can either be stir-fried, steamed or else slow-cooked in a crock-pot. Boiling decreases the nutritional value. I like to put chopped kale in the crock-pot with about a cup of water and tsp. of sea salt, then let it cook slowly for several hours. You can add some carrots or small potatoes if you like. I add a Tbsp of vinegar and Tbsp of olive oil along with a couple of cloves of minced garlic.
This is quite yummy!

Food Pyramid Revised

The Food Pyramid Revisted

The USDA has recently revised their recommendations for a healthy diet. The food pyramid has now been replaced by a food plate.

The new food recommendations call for a much greater amount of vegetables and fruit, with smaller portions of carbohydrates, fats and meat.

Harvard's School of Public Health a slightly different version of the healthy eating plate from USDA's presumably due to the influence of agribusiness and commodity interests on the USDA.

You can see a comparison on their website, along with 5 tips for using the healthy plates and pyramid. The healthy plate-pyramid are handy guidelines for anyone who desires to make positive changes in their diet because diet is a basic factor in health outcomes.


 photo credit: IPhilVeryGood via photopin cc

Anti-Cancer, a New Way of Life: review

Cancer changes life. I found this book while undergoing treatment for breast cancer.  After I had undergone a lumpectomy and radiation treatments, I wanted to learn more about cancer and more important, be a part of my own healing.

Dr. David Servan-Schreiber*, was a physician and scientist, wrote Anti-Cancer: A New Way of Life to share his experiences with cancer, and what he learned as a result of his ordeal. He was at the top of a successful career as a psychiatrist and research scientist when he discovered by chance that he had a malignant brain tumor. After receiving his unwelcome diagnosis and undergoing the treatment for disease, he found that his physicians could not answer many of his questions regarding what he might do to increase his own ability to fight the cancer.

His thesis is simple: All of us have cancer cells in our bodies, but not all of us will develop cancer.
What are the factors that contribute to the formation of this disease, and what if anything can we do to prevent cancer or discourage it if we already have it?

Dr. Servan-Schreiber shared his journey, research, and what he learned about diet, environment, emotions, stress and lifestyle and how these factors can influence the body's immune response.

He concluded that the causes of cancer are similar to the causes of other chronic diseases, including unhealthy diet high in sugar and fat, exposure to toxins and pollution, high stress lifestyle, lack of exercise, and the loneliness of modern life for many people.  His focus is holistic, looking at the connections between the body, mind and spirit.

I realized that I needed to make significant changes in my life. I had been living at a distance from my family that made it difficult to see them often, so I moved to where they live.

I was disappointed that Dr. Servan-Schreiber has no religious beliefs though, as I personally believe that religious faith can be a strong factor in health and well-being. But overall this is a positive, encouraging book.

The anti-cancer diet is based on the Mediterranean diet.  It is primarily plant-based, including 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. It is low glycemic, and also high in omega-3 foods.

Dr. Servan-Schreiber strongly recommended foods that are high in anti-oxidants, but he did not discuss nutritional supplements as a factor in getting enough anti-oxidants.

I found that trying to get enough anti-oxidants and omega-3 fatty acids through my diet alone was complicated.  So I also take a comprehensive nutritional supplements which include mega antioxidants, chelated minerals, and omega 3 fatty acids.

Adopting the anti-cancer diet and lifestyle along with taking nutritional supplements daily has markedly improved my health, given me more energy and greater immunity to colds and flu.

*David Servan-Schreiber (April 21, 1961 – July 24, 2011)^[1] was a French physician, neuroscientist and author. He was a clinical Professor of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.^[2] He was also a lecturer in the Faculty of Medicine of Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1. (from Wikipedia)

5 Tips to Increase Your Resistance to Colds and Flu

Typically as the days get shorter and temperatures drop in late fall and early winter, those are the seasons when we are most likely to come down with a cold. It may seem that we notice others coughing and sneezing, and then we are too.

Though it's impossible to completely avoid all germs that are in our environment, or those persons around us who have colds or flu, there are some basic things that we can do to help our bodies resist and fight off infections.

Be sure to get adequate rest. Stress is a factor in a weakened immune system. Getting enough sleep of 7 hours or more every night helps your body to refresh and renew itself from the stresses of work and everyday life.

Exercise. Having a regular exercise routine of at least 30 min. a day reduces stress, increases muscular strength and gives a boost to your body's immune system as well. It is best to not go more than one day without exercise of some form.

Fresh air. The indoor air is stale and dry. The shorter days of winter with less sunlight contributes to feelings of lower energy and even depression from seasonal affective disorder. Fresh air and plenty of oxygen are beneficial to health, so spend make it a point some time outdoors in the fresh air and sunshine each day that weather permits.

Drink plenty of water. During the winter the air is significantly drier both outside and inside. To keep your body properly hydrated, make sure that you are drinking at six to eight glasses of water per day.

Healthy Nutrition. Consume healthy meals including at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Fresh fruit or raw veggies make a healthy snack. They contain vitamins and minerals that are powerful anti-oxidants to help your immune system to be strong and aid in both resisting infections as well as quicker healing from them.

USANA Essentials

Supplementing your diet with anti-oxidants can help your body to build its immune system against all types of infections, helping you to have fewer and milder colds.
For more information about Usana nutritional supplements including Essentials and other anti-oxidants, contact me:  website