Top 5 Raw Foods to include in Your Diet

1. Cultured vegetables - (or fermented) vegetables are some of the best foods you can put in your body. They’re not only an easy to digest raw food (the fermentation process pre-digests the starches in the foods and makes them easier for your body to process and absorb), but they are also a super source for a wide range of enzymes and probiotics that help build immunity, improve digestion and nutrient absorption and enliven your overall health. Use them as a condiment, in a salad or atop a soup, or toss in a quesadilla or rice and bean bowl. Check out the Classic Sauerkraut, Kimchi and other products from Firefly Kitchens in our Green Grocery.

2. Coconut - are one of the most naturally hydrating foods, especially the young varieties. The natural electrolyte composition of coconut water is better at re-hydrating the body than any other sport/nutrition drink and is the best match to what your body already produces. Coconuts are also packed with healthy fats that help lower cholesterol, fuel your brain and heart function, and have natural antibacterial and anti-fungal properties.

3. Chia Seeds - they have more omega 3’s and antioxidants than flax and have been used for centuries as a life sustaining food. In addition, Chia seeds are an easily digested food, provide easy access nutrients to the body and are one of the most complete plant-based sources of protein available. One of the most amazing things about chia is its ability to expand and absorb liquid. This makes chia seeds a great source of extended hydration as they break down and slowly release this absorbed liquid in your digestive system, as well as a good tool for weight loss and management as they can absorb liquid and expand inside your stomach as well, creating a long lasting feeling of satiation.

Source : fullcircle.com/goodfoodlife/2012/02/02/10-best-raw-foods-to-add-to-your-diet-today/

The Importance of Fresh Vegetables

    Buying your vegetables from a local organic source is the ideal way to ensure that your vegetables are both fresh and high-quality. I strongly advise you to avoid wilted vegetables of any kind, because when vegetables wilt, they lose much of their nutritional value. In fact, wilted organic vegetables may actually be less healthful than fresh conventionally farmed vegetables!

    Another reason to buy your organic vegetables from a local source is that fresher vegetables also contain the highest amounts of biophotons.

What are the Biophotons?

    Biophotons are the smallest physical units of light, which are stored in and used by all biological organisms – including your body. Dr. Fritz-Albert Popp was the first to suggest that this light inside all biological organisms must originate, at least in part, from the foods you eat. When you eat plant foods, the light waves (photons) are thought assimilate into the cells in your body. The purpose of these biophotons is much more important than many have realized, because they are the transmitters of important nutritional bio-information used in many complex vital processes in your body.

    Every living organism emits biophotons, or low-level luminescence (light with a wavelength between 200 and 800 nanometers). It is thought that the higher the level of light energy a cell emits, the greater the vitality and potential for the transfer of light energy to your body. In other words, the more light a food is able to store, the more nutritious it is when you consume it. Fresh, organic vegetables are naturally rich in this biophoton light energy.

Source : articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/11/29/recommended-vegetable-list.aspx

A Documentary on diabetes

Cures for both type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes have not yet been discovered, but progress is being made to prospectively cure type 1 diabetes in this generation.

As studies continue, the root causes and mechanism behind both forms of the disease are becoming more clearly understood all the time.

People with type 2 diabetes can go into remission, but while a cure is still elusive for type 1 diabetes, research from major angles is contributing towards a potential cure.

Herbs and Supplements for high blood Pressure

There are many different types of complementary and alternative treatments believed to be effective for treating high blood pressure (hypertension). Scientific evidence indicates that a diet that is low in saturated fat and salt and rich in complex carbohydrates (vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and fruits), increased physical activity, and regular practice of relaxation techniques such as yoga, Tai Chi, or Qigong, can help to lower high blood pressure.

Diet to Lower High Blood Pressure

One of the simplest and most effective ways to lower your blood pressure is to eat a healthy diet, such as the DASH diet. Doctors recommend:

    Eating more fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy foods
    Cutting back on foods that are high in saturated fat, cholesterol, and total fat
    Eating more whole grain products, fish, poultry, and nuts
    Eating less red meat and sweets
    Eating foods that are rich in magnesium, potassium, and calcium

Physical Activity to Lower Blood Pressure

A solid body of evidence shows that men and women of all age groups who are physically active have a decreased risk of developing high blood pressure. Findings from multiple studies indicate that exercise can lower blood pressure as much as some drugs can. People with mild and moderately elevated blood pressure who exercise 30 to 60 minutes three to four days per week (walking, jogging, cycling, or a combination) may be able to significantly decrease their blood pressure readings.

Source :www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/guide/hypertension-complementary-alternative-treatments


Herbs and Supplements

There are many ways to treat high blood pressure, including lifestyle changes and/or medications. If you are interested in turning to traditional and herbal treatments for lowering your blood pressure, you have many options.

If you are thinking of trying herbs for medical reasons, whether that means using the whole herb or a supplement, speak to your doctor first. Some herbs, especially in large quantities, may produce undesirable side effects or interfere with other medications.


Basil


Basil is a delicious herb that goes well in a variety of foods. It also might help lower your blood pressure. Extract of basil has been shown to lower blood pressure, although only briefly. Adding fresh basil to your diet is easy and certainly can’t hurt. Keep a small pot of the herb in your kitchen garden and add the fresh leaves to pastas, soups, salads, and casseroles.


Cinnamon


Cinnamon is another tasty seasoning that requires little effort to include in your daily diet, and that may bring your blood pressure numbers down. Consuming cinnamon every day has been shown to lower blood pressure in people with diabetes.

Include more cinnamon in your diet by sprinkling it on your breakfast cereal, oatmeal, and even in your coffee. At dinner, cinnamon enhances the flavor of stir fries, curries, and stews.


Cardamom


Cardamom is a seasoning that comes from India and is often used in the foods of South Asia. A study investigating the health effects of cardamom found that participants given powdered cardamom daily for several months saw significant reductions in their blood pressure readings.

You can include cardamom seeds or the powder in spice rubs, in soups and stews, and even in baked goods for a special flavor and a positive health benefit.

Source : www.healthline.com/health/high-blood-pressure-hypertension/herbs-to-lower#Cardamom5

The DASH Diet to lower high blood pressure

The Heart and Stroke Foundation encourages Canadians to eat a healthy diet, control salt intake, and be physically active to lower blood pressure. The latest results from the DASH study – Dietary Approaches to Stopping Hypertension – has confirmed these recommendations, providing more encouragement for people to choose a healthier diet. Research has shown that following a plan for healthy eating can reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure and lower already elevated blood pressure.

What are the DASH studies?

The DASH Diet is based on two studies, DASH and DASH-Sodium, that looked at ways of reducing blood pressure through changes in diet. In the DASH study, people were given one of three eating plans: a plan similar in nutrients to what most North Americans eat; the same plan but with extra vegetables and fruit; or the DASH diet, which is rich in vegetables, fruit and low-fat dairy foods and lower in saturated fat, total fat and cholesterol.

The results were compelling. The diet higher in vegetables and fruit and the DASH diet both reduced blood pressure. The DASH diet had the greatest effect on blood pressure, lowering levels within two weeks of starting the plan. Not only was blood pressure reduced, but total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or "bad cholesterol" were lower, too.

In the DASH-Sodium study, participants were given one of three sodium plans: the DASH diet with 3,300 mg of sodium per day (a normal amount for many North Americans); 2,300 mg of sodium (a moderately restricted amount); or 1,500 mg of sodium (a more restricted amount, about 2/3 of a teaspoon of salt). Blood pressure was lower for everyone on the DASH diet. However, the less salt people consumed, the greater the decrease in blood pressure. People who already had high blood pressure had the largest decrease in blood pressure.

Source :.heartandstroke.com/site/c.ikIQLcMWJtE/b.3862329/k.4F4/Healthy_living__The_DASH_Diet_to_lower_blood_pressure.htm

Aim to eat a diet that's rich in:

    Fruits
    Vegetables
    Whole-grain, high-fiber foods
    Fat-free and low-fat or 1 percent dairy products
    Beans
    Skinless poultry and lean meats
    Fish, especially fatty fish contain omega 3 fatty acids such as salmon, trout and herring (eat at least twice a week)

...And low in:

    Saturated and trans fats
    Sodium

And limit:

    Added sugars

Be sure to work with the chefs in your household and plan together for any dietary changes that are needed. When dining out, look for healthy options.

Source : heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HighBloodPressure/PreventionTreatmentofHighBloodPressure/Managing-Blood-Pressure-with-a-Heart-Healthy-Diet_UCM_301879_Article.jsp

Shopping For Raw Food Diet

Introduction to the living and raw foods diet

Raw and living foods are foods that contain enzymes and have not been heated or cooked in any manner. Raw foodists, or people whose diets consist of at least seventy-five percent raw and living foods, believe in eating an uncooked, unheated, unprocessed and organic plant based diet (http://www.rawfoods.com). Raw foodists hold that the act of cooking food destroys the majority of vitamins, minerals and essential enzymes naturally found in food. These believers also claim that cooking food renders it toxic and is the major cause of health problems (Andrukitas, 1998). The intensity of beliefs held by raw foodists vary with each individual, yet they all support the ideology that cooking is an unnatural process that destroys important and vital nutrients in foods.

What are Living and Raw Foods?

Living and raw foods are foods that are organic and have not been heated, cooked, or processed in any way. Living and raw foods are foods that are rich in nutrients, vitamins and enzymes. Such enzymes aid the body in the digestion and absorption processes (http://www.rawtimes.com). The difference between living and raw foods is distinguished by the fact that living foods have a higher enzyme content than raw foods. This is true because the enzymes in raw foods are dormant. To activate the enzymes in raw foods, raw foodists simply soak peanuts for example, in water for a period of time until sprouting occurs and the enzymes in the raw food are awakened or brought to life. (http://www.rawfoods.com).

 What are the Parameters of a Raw Foodist Diet?

Raw foodists eat all fruits, vegetables, sprouts, nuts seeds, grains, sea vegetable and many other organic products that have not been processed. It is important to note that raw and living foods constitute a raw foodist�s diet only if they are grown and produced organically. Processed foods are grown using pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers that raw foodists believe are harmful to the body. They therefore make it policy to eat food grown without any of these harmful chemicals (http//www.rawfoods.com). In addition, raw foodists drink purified water and only organic products such as freshly made juices (made with one�s own juicer and consumed immediately) and coconut milk directly from the coconut.

Source : vanderbilt.edu/AnS/psychology/health_psychology/rawfoods.htm


What You Can Eat and What You Can't

Think uncooked, unprocessed, mostly organic foods. Your staples: raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and sprouted grains. Some eat unpasteurized dairy foods, raw eggs, meat, and fish.

Your food can be cold or even a little bit warm, as long as it doesn’t go above 118 degrees.

You can use blenders, food processors, and dehydrators to prepare foods.
Level of Effort: High

You may need to ramp up your kitchen skills. Eating out can be tricky, and if you go organic, you may need to go to specialty stores for a wider selection than your usual grocery store.

Source : webmd.com/diet/raw-foods-diet

Insulin Therapy For Diabetics

Insulin therapy is often an important part of diabetes treatment. Understand the key role insulin plays in managing your blood sugar, and the goals of insulin therapy. What you learn can help you prevent diabetes complications.

The role of insulin in the body

It may be easier to understand the importance of insulin therapy if you understand how insulin normally works in the body and what happens when you have diabetes.

    Regulate sugar in your bloodstream. The main job of insulin is to keep the level of sugar in the bloodstream within a normal range. After you eat, carbohydrates break down into sugar and enter the bloodstream in the form of glucose, a sugar that serves as a primary source of energy. Normally, the pancreas responds by producing insulin, which allows sugar to enter the tissues.

    Storage of excess glucose for energy. After you eat — when insulin levels are high — excess glucose is stored in the liver in the form of glycogen. Between meals — when insulin levels are low — the liver releases glycogen into the bloodstream in the form of sugar. This keeps blood sugar levels within a narrow range.

If your pancreas secretes little or no insulin (type 1 diabetes), or your body doesn't produce enough insulin or has become resistant to insulin's action (type 2 diabetes), the level of sugar in your bloodstream increases because it's unable to enter cells. Left untreated, high blood sugar can lead to complications such as blindness, nerve damage (neuropathy) and kidney damage.

Source : www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/in-depth/diabetes-treatment/art-20044084

Has your doctor told you that you need to take insulin? You'll want to get familiar with what it is and how you use it.

Insulin is a hormone that controls blood sugar. There are many types of insulin used to treat diabetes. They include:

    Rapid-acting insulin. This starts to work within a few minutes and lasts for a couple of hours.
    Regular- or short-acting insulin. It takes about 30 minutes to work fully and lasts for 3 to 6 hours.
    Intermediate-acting insulin. This takes 2 to 4 hours to work fully. Its effects can last for up to 18 hours.
    Long-acting insulin. It can work for an entire day.

Your doctor may prescribe more than one type. You may need to take insulin more than once daily, to space your doses throughout the day, and possibly to also take other medicines. Your doctor will tell you exactly what you need.

Source : www.webmd.com/diabetes/guide/overview

High Blood Pressure Diet

Track What You Eat

Some people are not aware of how many calories they eat and drink each day. They may underestimate how much they eat and wonder why they can’t lose weight.

Writing down the foods you eat, including the portion sizes, can let you see the truth about your food intake. You can then start cutting back -- reducing calories and portions -- to lose weight and manage your blood pressure.

Avoid Salt (Sodium)

A high-sodium diet increases blood pressure in many people. In fact, the less sodium you eat, the better blood pressure control you might have.

To lower the sodium in your diet, try these suggestions:

    Use a food diary to keep track of the salt in the foods you eat.
    Aim for less than 2,300 milligrams (about 1 teaspoon of salt) each day. Ask your doctor if you should go lower, to 1,500 milligrams.
    Read the nutritional facts label on every food package.

    Select foods that have 5% or less of the “Daily Value” of sodium.
    Avoid foods that have 20% or more Daily Value of sodium.

    Avoid canned foods, processed foods, lunch meats, and fast foods.
    Use salt-free seasonings.

Know What to Eat

Potassium, magnesium, and fiber, on the other hand, may help control blood pressure. Fruits and vegetables are high in potassium, magnesium, and fiber, and they’re low in sodium. Stick to whole fruits and veggies. Juice is less helpful, because the fiber is removed. Also, nuts, seeds, legumes, lean meats, and poultry are good sources of magnesium.

Source : webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/high-blood-pressure-diet

Deli Meat

Processed deli and lunch meats can be real sodium bombs. (Bacon counts in this category, too.) These meats often are cured, seasoned, and preserved with salt. A two-ounce serving of some lunchmeats could be 600 milligrams of sodium or more. If you have a heavier hand with the cold cuts, you’ll get even more sodium. Add bread, cheese, condiments, and pickles, and your simple sandwich can quickly become a sodium trap.

Frozen Pizza

All pizzas can be bad for those watching their sodium intake. The combination of cheese, cured meats, tomato sauce, and bread adds up the milligrams quickly. But frozen pizza is especially dangerous for hypertensive people. To maintain flavor in the pizza once it has been cooked, manufacturers often add a lot of salt. One-sixth of a frozen pizza can be as much as 1,000 milligrams, sometimes even more. The thicker the crust and the more toppings you have, the higher your sodium number will climb.

Pickles

Preserving any food requires salt. The salt stops the decay of the food and keeps it edible longer. However, salt can take even the most innocent cucumber and make it a sodium sponge. The longer vegetables sit in canning and preserving liquids, the more sodium they can pick up. A whole dill pickle spear can contain as much as 300 milligrams of sodium. Reduced sodium options are available, containing about 100 milligrams of sodium each.

Source : healthline.com/health/high-blood-pressure-hypertension/foods-to-avoid#Pickles5

How to Start a Raw food Diet

Lose the labels. Lose the percentages. Who are you competing with? Seriously. Set your own bar. Neither a label nor a percentage ever made anyone healthy. And if attaining optimum health and well-being is not what's propelling you forward, then you best revisit #1.

Eliminate refined and processed foods from your life. Do that first, before you even think about transitioning to a living foods lifestyle. This is perhaps the single most beneficial thing you can do for your health and well-being.

Self proclaimed or not, you cannot be "addicted to cooked food." But you can, and probably are, addicted to the chemicals, preservatives, coloring agents and other additives in your processed foods. Steam some fresh organic broccoli and tell me how addicted you are to cooked food.

List Of Foods To have Or not to have on Diabetes

Are you constantly asking yourself, "What can I eat?" It's time to stop worrying! Living with diabetes doesn't have to mean feeling deprived. We'll help you learn to balance your meals and make the healthiest food choices.

Once you get the hang of eating a healthy diet, you can relax and dig in to a wide variety of delicious meals and snacks.

Source : diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/

When you've got diabetes, your food choices matter a lot. Some are better than others. To help you choose the best and worst foods from major food groups, use this guide.

Foods that are in thxdxasdase "worst" group can be occasional treats. In general, however, it will be easier to manage your diabetes if you choose most of your foods from the “best” lists.

Your body needs carbs. But you want to choose wisely. Use this list as a guide.

Best Choices

    Whole-grain flours, such as whole wheat flour
    Whole grains, such as brown rice
    Cereals containing whole-grain ingredients and little added sugar
    Whole-grain bread
    Baked sweet or white potato or baked steak fries
    Whole-grain flour or corn tortillas
    Corn, popcorn or products made from corn

Worst Choices

    White flour
    Processed grains, such as white rice
    Cereals with little whole grain and lots of sugar
    White bread
    French fries
    Fried white-flour tortillas

Vegetables and Diabetes

Most vegetables contain fiber and are naturally low in fat and sodium (unless they are canned or frozen in sauces). Starchy vegetables, such as potatoes and corn, aren't included in this category. They are considered part of the breads, grains, and other starches group.

Best Choices:

    Fresh vegetables, eaten raw or lightly steamed, roasted, or grilled
    Plain frozen vegetables, lightly steamed
    Low sodium or unsalted canned vegetables
    Lettuces, greens, kale, spinach, arugula

Worst Choices:

    Canned vegetables with lots of added sodium
    Vegetables cooked with lots of added butter, cheese, or sauce
    Pickles (if you need to limit sodium; otherwise, pickles are okay)
    Sauerkraut, (same as pickles; limit only if you have high blood pressure)

Source : webmd.com/diabetes/diabetic-food-list-best-worst-foods