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Showing posts from February, 2011

Bring on the Beet!

  http://thumbs.ifood.tv/files/images/food/beautiful-beet-01.jpg Top five reasons to eat beets: 1.       Lowers Cholesterol: Beets are very rich in fiber. In the body, dietary fiber binds bile, fatty acid, and cholesterol together. Thus making the stool bulkier by relieving constipation and making it easier for the body to excrete waste. Beets can lower serum cholesterol by 30 to 40%! The removal of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) cholesterol decreases the chances of a heart attack, stroke, or heart disease. Therefore, eating beets will help lower cholesterol and fight disease. Read more on making healthy food choices at American Heart Association . 2.       Builds Blood: One beet can provide 10% of your daily iron needs. Iron functions in the body as a cleanser and is the foundation for building red blood cells in the body. Beets can therefore aid in normalizing blood pressure. Learn more about iron rich foods with the American Red Cross . 3.       Fights Free Radicals: Beets conta

The Benefits of Vitamin D

http://maxlindatravel.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/img_1591.jpg In addition to aiding in bone health, Vitamin D may prevent viruses from affecting our cells. We obtain Vitamin D from our diets as well as is consumed in our diets as well as made in the body. Vitamin D2 is manufactured by plants while Vitamin D3 is manufactured in our skin when exposed to ultraviolet-B (UVB) rays from sunlight. Since Vitamin D is made in the skin, it interacts with sunlight. Therefore, there is a natural tendency for many individuals to make less Vitamin D3 in the winter months. This can be compensated by consuming plant sources which synthesize Vitamin D2. Monterey mushrooms, for example are a great source of Vitamin D. It is important to continuously monitor our Vitamin D levels. Increasing our intake of Vitamin D during the winter months will aid the body in maintaining our Vitamin D levels and prevent the drop during the winter months. According to Real-Depression-Help.com , decrease in sunligh