Most of you know that you need to be eating fresh fruits and veggies everyday in abundance for optimal health. However, for many of you that isn’t as easy as it may seem. You may like fruits but not vegetables. Or you may simply dislike both. So how then do you get the benefits vital for life from these fresh fruits and veggies if you simply can’t stomach them?
With an almost never ending variety of fruits and veggies on the planet with some trial and error you’ll probably be able to find at least a few you like. Different foods offer varied nutrients and it’s essential to include them all in your diet.

However, there’s one way to get in your fruits and veggies without too much toil and tribulation. This one potent source of vital nutrients is wheat grass. Yes, simple wheat grass.

Wheat Grass 101: What is this Life Giving Food?

In plain language, wheat grass is the young grass of the common wheat plant, triticum aestivum. This young grass is either juiced into a shot or milled down into a powder that’s used to create a product consumable for humans and animals.

Wheat grass is used as a supplement and is available in numerous forms.

Types of Wheat Grass Supplements:

• Juice
• Capsules
• Powder
• Pills
• Tablets

The best way to consume all foods is as close to nature as possible. For wheat grass this would mean in the form of juice or ‘shots’ as they’re called. When it comes to wheat grass shots, you can either visit an establishment that sells these wheat grass shots or make them on your own. You can purchase wheat grass kits or simply buy the needed materials separately to grow your own wheat grass and juice it.

Life-Giving Benefits of Wheat Grass

The benefits of wheat grass are many. Recent studies now back up what wheat grass proponents for years have said. Some of the most vital benefits of wheat grass come from its nutrient-rich constitution. Wheat grass is a potent source of a number of vital nutrients your body can’t do without.

One of the most noticeable (and important) nutrients in wheat grass is chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is needed by the body for a number of important processes. Chlorophyll is a natural cleanser for the body, is a blood strengthener (and in fact has a similar chemical composition to that of hemoglobin,) and boosts energy in the avid consumer.

But that’s not all wheat grass has to offer you. Wheat grass is loaded with amino acids, enzymes, vitamins, and minerals needed for optimal health and disease-free living.  Wheat grass is rich in the following:

Wheat Grass  is Loaded with:

• Iron
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Amino Acids
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E

According to the proponents and faithful consumers of wheat grass it offers many benefits such as the following:

More Benefits of Wheat Grass

• Gives your body a healthy dose of chlorophyll
• Encourages a highly oxygenated environment in your body
• Encourages an alkaline environment in the body
• Acts as an anti-bacterial halting growth of unfriendly bacteria
• Rebuilds and strengthens blood
• Restores fertility
• Contains 100 elements needed by man
• According to Dr. Ann Wigmore, wheat grass helps beat chronic disease
• Helps to restore and build tissues
• Helps to detox body
• Purifies liver
• Helps with blood sugar regulation
• Used as an antiseptic to treat: odors, Strep infections, wounds, skin grafts, sinusitis, ear infections, varicose veins, scars.
• Helps prevent tooth decay
• Aids in sore throat pain reduction
• Fights eczema and psoriasis
• Improves digestion
• Reduces inflammation
• Improves eyesight particularly night vision
• Helps with sleep
• Boosts immune system
• Improves nerves and mental well being

The scientific data is still coming in, to back up much of these claims, but real life proponents stand steadfast by their claims regarding wheat grass and its amazing benefits.

Alkalizing Wheat Grass

It’s important to note with wheat grass that it provides vital alkalizing benefits for the body. Acidosis is an all too common problem today as a result of eating highly processed foods. Cancers and other diseases flourish in acidic environments but cease to exist in alkaline ones.

Wheat grass is alkalizing in the body and chlorophyll is the proponent of this amazing, life giving benefit. If you want to prevent cancers and other chronic diseases from flourishing in your body, creating an alkaline environment is essential. Wheat grass can help you do this.

No matter what your current state of health you can benefit from adding wheat grass, especially fresh wheat grass juice, to your daily diet. Growing your own wheat grass is easy, affordable, and the very best way to get fresh wheat grass into your own daily diet.

Making Wheat Grass a Part of Your Diet

If you are interested in improving your health, it’s wise to invest in wheat grass. Take the time to learn how to grow it and juice it – which will only take a few minutes or so then get started!

You can add this amazing, miracle food to your drinks, smoothies, and even your recipes. This is a great way to get all of your chlorophyll and veggies in one shot – literally!

References:

• http://www.internethealthlibrary.com/Plant-Remedies/wheatgrass.htm
• http://www.abc.net.au/landline/stories/s689970.htm
• http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5610a2.htm
• http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/wheatgrass/AN02108
• draxe.com

According to recent research*, men and women with the highest intake of vitamin K2 are 65% less likely to suffer a debilitating hip fracture as compared to those with the lowest intake of vitamin K2.

According to recent research**, vitamin K plays a leading role in preventing the following problems commonly associated with aging:

• Osteoporosis and deteriorating bones
• Artery hardening
• Cancer

This latest study on vitamin K2 was led by Professor Bruce Ames Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of California, Berkeley, and a Senior Scientist at Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute (CHORI).

Ames hypothesizes that vitamin K2 deficiencies impact the body by the role they play in production of certain proteins. When the body lacks in vitamin K2 these essential functions are compromised. Despite higher functions still being operative, the body responds by accelerating cancers, aging, and neural decay while leaving other critical functions unchanged.

In other words, when the body lacks enough vitamin K2, it goes into emergency mode keeping up only the critical functions needed for immediate survival. The result is that the other vital processes break down leaving the body vulnerable to weak bones, cancers, and artery problems.

According a Tufts University study only 50% of the population gets adequate amounts of vitamin K from their diets. Are you getting enough vitamin K in your diet or is your body silently being depleted, leaving you at higher risk for dangerous disease?

Vitamin K 101

Vitamin K is a fat soluble vitamin with basically three main types; K, K1, and K2. For the purposes of this discussion we’re speaking of K2. A fat soluble vitamin is one that is absorbed in the intestines along with fat. Fat soluble vitamins are stored in the liver.

Vitamin K plays a vital role in blood clotting as well as bone calcification; both vital body functions for healthy living and disease free aging.

The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for adult females is 65 mg and 80 mg for men. For children and infants the RDA is 5 mg.

Common Causes of Vitamin K Deficiencies

Although deficiencies in vitamin K used to be very rare the times have changed. Sadly, as is evident by the Tufts University study, more and more people are becoming deficient in this vitamin too.

Poor diet is one of the factors playing into a vitamin K deficiency (as well as other important vitamin and mineral deficiencies). There are a few common contributors to promoting a deficiency in vitamin K. Are any of these familiar to you?

• Long term use of antibiotics
• Intestinal problems such as chronic inflammatory bowel disease
• Cholesterol lowering pharmaceuticals

Basically since vitamin K is produced by friendly bacteria in the gut, any disruption in the intestines can result in a decreased ability of the body to absorb or produce vitamin K.

This can happen from any problem in the intestines as well as eating foods such as hydrogenated vegetable oils which impact the absorption of vitamin K and the body’s ability to use it.

The disruption of friendly bacteria in the gut from antibiotics, chlorinated & fluoridated water, and fake foods is one reason I recommend almost everyone supplement with a high quality probiotic. Primal Defense by Garden of Life is an excellent supplement for this. Of course on a primarily raw and living food diet you will be absorbing a good deal of required pre and probiotics so many find you don’t need a supplement.

As with any vitamin, mineral, or other nutrient, fresh, whole foods are the very best source. Along with it you’ll get more nutrients and all your body needs to properly assimilate it.

Food Sources of Vitamin K

The best food sources of vitamin K are leafy green vegetables.

There are other foods that offer vitamin K too:

• Spinach
• Kale
• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Soybeans
• Lettuce
• Asparagus
• Collard greens
• Bok Choy
• Peas
• Parsley
• Green tea
• Lentils
• Split peas

Once again I want to emphasize that eating a variety of these foods in your daily diet is the best way to obtain vitamin K. However if for some reason you can’t consume these or they aren’t enough, consider a high quality vitamin K supplement. Generally speaking a deficiency in vitamin K is usually due to a problem with absorption rather than a lack in the diet.

If you suspect you are vitamin K deficient I urge you to pinpoint the cause and act accordingly.

Symptoms of Vitamin K Deficiency

Symptoms of a vitamin K deficiency can include:

• Easy bruising
• Gastrointestinal bleeding
• Nosebleeds
• Heavy menstrual bleeding
• Blood in the urine

People with certain diseases are more likely to be deficient in vitamin K. These include celiac disease, chronic inflammatory bowel disease, cystic fibrosis, and cholestasis to name a few.

Despite the fact that vitamin K is a fat soluble vitamin there are no well documented or known toxicity problems. However it is not recommended to take supplements of this vitamin if you are taking anticoagulant drugs.

If you not sure if you have a deficiency in this crucial vitamin ask your health care practitioner who can order tests to determine for certain if you are deficient. They can also help guide you based on test results in proper supplementation if needed and getting to the root cause of the deficiency.

Sources

*According to the Framingham Heart Study led by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

**Published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in February 2009

MedScape (2011)

Draxe.com

If you’ve ever heard the saying, “Death Begins in the Colon,” you might also know that many coroners, upon autopsy, discover diseased, toxin-laden colons. Constipation, which is related directly to a sluggish or in many cases toxin filled colon, accounts for more than 2 million doctor visits a year. And according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Americans (NIDDK) alone spend $725 million on laxatives annually. (What these suffering consumers don’t know is that these laxatives may only make their problem worse in the long run.)

According to the American Cancer Society, this year alone, 569,490 Americans will die from cancer. That’s about 1,500 people per day suffering and dying from cancer. Sadly, the past few decades have seen a significant increase in cancer diagnosis and death from cancer despite our highly advanced medical technology and early detection initiatives.

It’s vital that all Americans wake up to these deadly facts and take action. The question remains for many, “If we have the most advanced medical care in the world and early detection has become a focus of most, then why are cancer rates soaring and death from cancers killing off so many?”

Check out the following symptoms to see if your body is sending you the signals that you need to detox – soon!

Signs of Toxic Overload that a Detox can Improve:

• Constipation
• Bloating
• Gas
• Headaches
• Fatigue
• Aches and pains
• Nausea
• Belly fat (hard to lose)
• Skin problems
• Food cravings (especially for ‘fake foods’)
• Low energy
• Bad breath
• Irritability, mood swings

Death Begins in the Colon

The colon is the body’s sewage system. But like all healthy and properly functioning sewage systems it needs to be cleaned, emptied, and maintained to function properly.

When we eat highly processed, refined, or what I call ‘fake,’ foods our colons become laden with the unhealthy debris from these foods. As you know if you’ve visited my site before, I highly advocate the removal of all fake foods from your diet for just this reason (plus a few more).

These fake foods so many Westerners consuming in huge quantities are filled with toxins in the form of high fructose syrups, hydrogenated oils, dangerous food dyes, seasonings with unknown ingredients, MSG, preservatives and other ingredients that not only do our bodies not need but really do damage to our vital organs and entire body systems.

I strongly recommend that if you (or your loved ones) currently eat a mainly fake food diet to begin to eliminate these fake foods and replace them with real foods. These are any foods from nature; as close to the source as you can get; fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, pure water, and more organic foods that are grown locally and have no processing involved before they reach your mouth.

But many times this isn’t enough if you’ve been eating a highly processed, fake food diet for any period of time.

The Detox Bandwagon: What You Must Know First

Like I said, your colon is like a sewer, the cleaner it is, the better it will function and the healthier (and happier) you’ll be. But if this system is clogged up, slow moving, and laden with substances you don’t want sitting inside of you, it becomes a cesspool of waste stewing inside of your precious body – the only body you have.

It’s vital, let me repeat, vital, to help your colon to remove these deadly wastes. The colon is on overload and in most Westerners simply unable to keep up with the demands being placed on it. We need to take action and rid our bodies of these deadly toxins stewing in the colon.

People have become more aware of colon detoxification in recent years, however, the approach many have taken, is again, simply not helpful to the body. If you do a Google search for colon detox you’ll get back close to 2 million results. Most of these are advertisements for colon detox products being sold. Let me tell you, most of these products being sold are simply ‘fad detox’ kits with the motive not of getting you healthy but of profit.

If you want to really rid your colon of unhealthy, accumulated debris and boost your vitality and overall health you simply don’t need any of these advertised detox products to do so. In fact, these aren’t even the best means to achieving a healthy, debris and toxin-free colon. There’s a much easier, healthier way. Let me tell you exactly how to do the most effective and all natural detox for robust health.

The Daniel Detox: Achieving Optimal Colon Health the Right Way

I don’t know if you read the Bible but if you do, I’m sure you’ve heard of Daniel. Daniel went through a three week fast that consisted of eating only fruits, vegetables, and drinking water in order to purify himself.

If you want to do the easiest and healthiest detox you can follow Daniel’s advice consuming only raw, whole foods like fruits, veggies, vegetable juices, and pure water for a period of time. This period of time depends much upon the individual person, state of health, prior lifestyle habits including eating, exercise, alcohol and/or drug use, smoking habits, and exposure to pollutants in the workplace or elsewhere.

A good time amount to start with is one week, but consider doing up to three weeks. It’s best if you have any pre-existing health conditions to first consult with your health care practitioner and a holistic health care provider for suggestions and precautions.

What to Eat, What to Avoid

Not only should you eat plenty of organic, raw fruits and vegetables you should also drink lots and lots of water. Be sure that the water you’re drinking is free of fluoride or other chemical additives common in public water. If you’re able, opt for water that has a high alkaline level.

There are some other whole foods you’ll want to work into your eating while detoxing. Consider garlic, wheatgrass, blue algae, hemp protein and hemp seeds, flax seed, legumes, nuts, extra virgin olive oil, and herbal and green teas.

Avoid dairy, meat, processed foods, grains, sugar, alcohol, and caffeine during your detox.

If you want to use a detox product or ‘kit,’ only use ones that are made from whole food sources and use high quality supplements. Garden of Life offers a high quality, whole food based detox product called RAW Cleanse that you can find online and is the best I have found.

No matter how healthy you may eat, we are all exposed to toxins on a daily basis. Our bodies were not meant to cope with such an excess of toxins, and it’s vital to do regular detoxing to support your colon and body in the fight to remove these deadly, disease causing toxins. Engaging in a raw food detox is the best way to improve your health and give your body the help it needs to get rid of toxins.

Sources

American Cancer Society (2010)

OM-X (2002)

NIDDK (2010)

DrAxe.com

You see, a lot of people try to eat their way to happiness by eating the “instant joy” foods like ice cream, donuts, cookies and yes, even twinkies. Sugar can, indeed, make us momentarily uplifted because this refined molecule temporarily boosts blood sugar and actively alters brain chemistry. But like any drug, the depression after it wears off is far worse than the brief happiness it appeared to give us. And in the worst cases, we sometimes fall into a pattern of treating that mental rut with yet another hit of sugar to try to keep the happiness going.

This downward cycle of sugar dependence leads us to long-term obesity, diabetes and depression.

As author Timothy Brantley says in The Cure: Heal Your Body, Save Your Life:
“How did these foods affect their moods? Food Group A (Standard American Diet). The subjects all had radical energy fluctuations, staying in a cycle of having to manipulate to produce quick energy after a radical drop. The subjects all remarked that they never realized how addicted they were to sugar and other stimulants, like caffeine, simply to function. The roller-coaster effect on their energy swung them into high and low moods, and many of them got sick consistently.”

The Standard American Diet is obviously not the solution we’re looking for. But what works better?

Foods for long-term happiness
Fortunately, there are a huge number of other foods that promote long-term happiness. That’s what this article is about: Sharing with you the good news on foods that can support healthy moods and promote a positive outlook on life for the rest of your life.

And I have to say that list starts with omega-3 oils. High-quality omega-3s provide one of the most powerful and sustainable boosts to healthy moods of any commonly-available food.

You can get omega-3 oils from quality marine oil supplements like Moxxor, chia seeds, Udo’s Oil, flax seeds and other quality nutritional supplements.

Beware of grocery store foods that claim to be “made with omega-3s” because the actual quantity of omega-3 oils in those foods is usually so tiny that it hardly matters to your daily nutritional intake.

Enjoy healthy nuts
Pecans are extremely beneficial to supporting not just healthy moods but healthy brain function as well. It’s the oils in the nuts that do the trick.

Other nuts can also be strongly supportive of healthy moods in the long term: Almonds, pistachios, macadamia nuts and walnuts all have powerful health-supporting properties that affect brain function and therefore mood experiences, too. Eat more raw nuts and you’ll create better brain balance for the long term!

Adaptogens and green tea
Green tea seems to provide a subtle mood lift without all the problems of typical stimulants. Just make sure you’re getting decaffeinated green tea, and check your source to make sure it doesn’t suffer from fluoride contamination (some green tea products grown in certain countries have been known to carry a lot of fluoride).

Adaptogenic herbs are also very, very good at helping your neurology better handle stress. This can often translate into an easier day, reduced stress and improved moods. Adaptogens include ginseng, ashwagandha, rhodiola, cordyceps mushroom and many others.

Herbal tonics for mood support
While we’re in the realm of herbs, there are several herbal tonic products that are well known to help support healthy moods. St. John’s Wort has been clinically shown to work as well as antidepressant drugs to ease symptoms of depression. I usually take it with dandelion or yellow dock to provide additional liver support.

Several Traditional Chinese Medicine herbal formulas are also known to help support healthy moods. Chinese herbs are always used in combination, never in isolation, but one herb that’s found in many mood-supporting formulas is Bupleurum.

Eat lots of fresh fruits and veggies
In addition to the omega-3 oils, nuts and herbs mentioned here, focus on consuming large quantities of fresh fruits and vegetables. You simply cannot over-eat fresh fruits and vegetables, so eat all you want. They’re loaded with mood-lifting nutrients that can also help prevent cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

Be sure to buy organic produce wherever possible!

What to avoid
This section can be summed up in just two words: Sugar, Caffeine.

Seriously. If you want to maintain healthy moods, it’s crucial to avoid refined sugar and caffeine from all sources. That means no caffeinated coffee, no donuts, no cookies, no Pepsi, etc.

These two chemicals do more to destroy healthy moods in the long term than probably any other chemicals in the food supply. And yet, ironically, they are precisely the two chemicals that people reach for to try to get short-term mood lifts.

They do provide short-term boosts, much like a drug. Heroin might make you feel good in the short term, too, but it’s highly addictive and causes huge health problems over the long haul. Sugar and caffeine are similarly addictive and problematic; except they’re legal and you don’t inject them with a syringe. (Well, at least I hope not.)

If you suffer from mood swings or depression right now, the first and most important change you need to make in your diet is to eliminate refined sugars and caffeine. The second change to make is to start bringing in mood-enhancing health foods such as omega-3s, raw nuts and lots of fresh produce.

But the really important step is to find new ways to enjoy your feed by expanding your experience of all the amazing tastes to be found in the universe of foods provided by Mother Nature. RAW foods is the key here!! Hence why I even started my company. You’ll be amazed at the new spectrum of tastes and sensory experiences provided by raw foods — and you’ll experience huge long-term health benefits from the raw foods, too!

Stay happy with healthy foods
Yes, food can make you happy, but only if you focus on consuming health-enhancing foods that are natural, non-refined and packed with nutrients. Don’t compromise your mental experience of life by turning to sugar, caffeine and other short-term stimulants. Or if you’re on those right now, find ways to slowly transition off them while embracing some of the healthier choices I’ve covered here.

In the long term, you’ll discover that healthy foods = healthy moods.

But give it time: It may take 30 days of eating right before you really feel the full effects with improved mood. Foods are not isolated chemicals that kick in right away. Transitioning to a healthier body and brain with healthy food takes some time. But it’s time well spent. After all, you get to eat your way to a more positive outlook on life. And that sounds kinda fun anyway, doesn’t it?

Typically followers of a raw food diet consume at least 75% of their diet as uncooked and otherwise unprocessed plant based foods including but not limited to fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Nothing is to be heated above 118 degrees F in order to preserve the integrity of the enzymes associated with digestion and absorption. Dehydration of food is permissible but only if the process is kept below 118 degrees. Followers of a raw food diet see increased energy, weight loss, reversal of diseases and overall better health.

Following a raw food diet has some definite benefits that can now be backed up through scientific research. For instance, according to a study found in The Journal of Nutrition following a raw food diet long-term can help lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, and lower the levels of total cholesterol and triglycerides. Another study conducted by Dr. Luigi Fontana and his team found that followers of a raw food diet have low body mass index (BMI), high Vitamin D levels, low levels of C-reactive protein, and lower levels of IGF-1. Vitamin D level is important because it is closely related to bone strength. C-reactive protein is “an inflammatory molecule that is becoming linked with the risk of heart disease, diabetes and other chronic disease,” which means that a low level should indicate less risk. IGF-1 is “a growth factor linked to risk of breast and prostate cancer,” which again means that a low level should indicate less risk.

A study on raw food diet followers conducted over a period of 2 years by Lenka J. Zajic (who holds a Masters in Vegan and Live Food Nutrition from the Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center in Arizona) showed some interesting results in women especially. Zajic’s study shows a marked improvement in women’s menstrual cycles as well as a drop in overall stress levels and a decrease in the amount of sleep needed to feel well rested. Zajic claims that “There seems to be no question that, at least initially, eating a raw foods diet can reduce or cure many health complaints.”

To conclude recent mainstream scientific studies have shown that following a raw foods diet can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, prostate cancer, diabetes, and other chronic diseases while aiding with maintaining a healthy weight, BMI, cholesterol levels, triglyceride levels, and strong healthy bones.

(1) http://altmedicine.about.com/od/pop…
(2) http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content…
(3) http://www.nzherald.co.nz/diabetes/…
(4) http://www.iowasource.com/food/lenk…

Lots of things can dry out your skin in the summer – salt from the ocean, water from swimming pools, over exposure to the sun. If you’re left feeling a little dry after a day outside try a little honey and aloe vera juice. Take one teaspoon of raw honey and mix it with one teaspoon of aloe vera juice. Apply the sticky mixture to your skin and let it sit for 15 minutes; then, rinse. The honey grabs onto water creating a water tight film that locks in moisture. Honey also heightens your skin’s natural bacterial fighting power and will help fight breakouts. The aloe vera is not only a powerful hydrator, but it also contains almost 75 nutrients that help treat sunburn, cuts and even breakouts.

Your hair can dry out for the same reasons as your skin does. When your hair is dry it can become dull, frizzy and brittle. If this happens to you grab half a banana and 1/4 cup of plain, regular yogurt. (Don’t get the low fat variety. You need the extra thickness so the mixture will stay on your hair). Mix the banana and yogurt in a blender until it has a smooth texture (about 45 seconds). Work the mixture into your hair, wrap a towel around your head and wait 10 minutes. Then rinse, shampoo and style.

The potassium in the banana will fill gaps in the hair’s cuticle which will make your hair feel smooth. Plus the many vitamins in bananas will improve your hair’s elasticity and over time will lessen breakage. The lactic acid in the yogurt helps maintain the ph balance of your scalp and hair so your hair will stay shiny and manageable, no matter how much time you spend outdoors.

In laboratory tests, researchers found that the immune cells responsible for seeking out and destroying pathogens, known as T cells, cannot function if the body’s vitamin D levels are too low.

“We have discovered that the first stage in the activation of a T cell involves vitamin D,” researcher Carsten Geisler said. “If the T cells cannot find enough vitamin D in the blood, they won’t even begin to mobilize.”

Vitamin D is naturally produced by the body upon exposure to sunlight, but widespread use of sunscreen and lessening time outdoors has contributed to widespread deficiency. Although vitamin D can also be found in some foods such as eggs, fatty fish and fortified milk, it is difficult if not impossible to get high enough levels from these sources.

In contrast, researchers believe that just 15 minutes of sun on the face and hands every day will enable a light-skinned person to produce enough vitamin D, with darker skinned individuals needing two to three times as much. In latitudes far from the equator where the sun is weaker, more time outdoors may be needed, especially during the winter.

Because the body stops producing vitamin D on its own when levels get high enough, it is impossible to get vitamin D poisoning from sunlight. The body produces enough vitamin D in only a fraction of the time it takes to burn.

“Scientists have known for a long time that vitamin D is important for calcium absorption and the vitamin has also been implicated in diseases such as cancer and multiple sclerosis, but what we didn’t realize is how crucial vitamin D is for actually activating the immune system — which we know now,” Geisler said.

So now go out and get some sunshine!

So if sunscreen doesn’t protect us against skin cancer, what will?

Professor Georgiana Donadio, director of the National Institute of Whole Health in Boston, says that feeding your skin from the inside out gives you the best outcomes.

“Your skin is the fingerprint of what is going on inside your body,” she says, “and all skin conditions, from psoriasis to acne to aging, are the manifestations of your body’s internal needs, including its nutritional needs.”

“It’s not a matter of running out and spending a lot of money on vitamins,” she adds. “The idea is to use them in a very intelligent way that’s healthful to you. But don’t ever think they are the whole answer to dealing with a health problem, particularly aging skin.”

The same applies to preventing skin cancer.

The American Cancer Society recommends getting cancer-fighting nutrients from whole food sources rather than supplements because studies have found isolated compounds and whole food sources of nutrients have very different effects on cancer.

Antioxidants

ACS says that oxidative damage has been linked to increased risk of cancer and studies seem to show that diets rich in antioxidants such as carotenoids, vitamins C and E and other phytonutrients seem to lower risks.

Orange foods like carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin & cantaloupe contain cartenoids which can reduce sunburn and wrinkles. Citrus fruits contain quercitin. Spinach & kale are high in lutein, and tomatoes & red peppers contain lycopene.

Berries are the fruits highest in antioxidants. A study in the Journal of Agricultural & Food Chemistry found berries an easy winner in the amount of antioxidants for the price. As an added bonus, berries also tend to be lower in sugar than other fruits.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

The omega-3 fatty acids in fish suppress and slow cancer growth in animal studies and are linked to reduced risk of heart disease.

A healthy balance of omega-3 fatty acids to omega-6 is essential. Too many omega-6 polyunsaturated fats (from sunflower, safflower and other vegetable oils) will work their way to the skin’s surface, where sunlight oxidizes them. This creates dangerous free radicals which will damage DNA, leading to aging of the skin and skin cancer.

Selenium

Studies published in the 1996 Journal of the American Medical Association reported that selenium supplements reduced risk of death from skin cancer by 50% and resulted in 37% fewer malignancies. Selenium supplements should be taken in moderation though. Your best bet is to consume it from whole food sources like brazil nuts, walnuts, free-range chicken or grass-fed beef.

Tea

Tea contains many powerful antioxidants. Kingston University researchers recently tested 21 plant and herb extracts for their potential health benefits in 2009. They were surprised to find that white tea was the best performer.

White tea prevented the breakdown of collagen and elastin in the skin and suppressed enzymes associated with inflammation and some cancers.

Vitamin A

What most of us don’t realize is that vitamin A in supplements is usually toxic. Taking in beta carotene (from foods such as carrots, pumpkin & sweet potatoes) and letting your body convert it is your best bet.

Vitamin B

Biotin is the B vitamin that is the basis of skin cells. Deficiencies are rare because it’s in many foods such as bananas, eggs, and rice and our bodies make some on their own.

In 2008 University of Sydney researchers found that nicotinamide (vitamin B₃) can protect the immune system and prevent UV damage to the skin. B₃ is found in meats (like grass-fed beef, free-range chicken and venison), salmon and nuts.

Vitamin C

Many studies, says ACS, have found that vitamin C in fruits and vegetables lower the risk of cancer, but no studies had shown that vitamin C supplements reduce cancer risk.

However, a recent study by scientists at the University of Leicester and Institute for Molecular and Cellular Biology in Portugal has found that vitamin C supplements may protect skin cells. Skin cells in culture were exposed to sunlight and vitamin C and the scientists found evidence that the supplement seems to help clean up DNA damage done by the sun.

Citrus fruits and vegetables such as bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower and leafy greens contain vitamin C.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is inextricably linked to your overall health . Your best source of Vitamin D is from the sun. It may surprise you to hear that the sun itself does not necessarily cause skin cancer, but can help prevent it! Other good sources of vitamin D are salmon and eggs.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E has long been touted as a skin treatment, but supplementing with large doses of vitamin E can be harmful. It naturally occurs in asparagus, olives, nuts, seeds and spinach.

I like the way author Raymond Francis puts it when he says, “Unless you do something foolish, the sun will not cause disease in healthy people who have adequate amounts of nutrients like carotenes, lycopene, essential fatty acids, and vitamins A, C, E, and zinc and selenium.”

Sources

American Cancer Society (2010)

National Institutes of Health (1987)

Science Daily (2009)

Medical News Today (2008)

Colette Bouchez (2006)

Science Daily (2009)

Raymond Francis (2002)

draxe.com

1. Make a list of the foods mentioned in this article. Buy a wide variety of those foods from the grocery store or farmer’s market this week.
2. Load up on antioxidant rich vegetables and fruits like carrots, bell peppers, spinach, kale and berries.
3. Get at least 15 minutes of sunlight each day. Get enough to turn a light shade of pink, then put on protective clothing or use a natural sunscreen that is free of toxins.

Many varieties of sea vegetables have traveled out of health food stores and into local supermarkets and American homes. Why? According to the George Mateljan Foundation, “they offer the broadest range of minerals of any food, containing virtually all the minerals found in the ocean—the same minerals that are found in human blood.”

Although we associate sea vegetables with Asian cuisine (they have been consuming it for over 10,000 years), almost all sea-bordering countries have included seaweeds in their diet: Iceland, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, Scotland, the Pacific Islands and South American countries.

Sea vegetables aren’t really plants: they are technically algae and there are thousands of different varieties. The most popular are Arame, Dulse, Hijiki, Kelp, Kombu, Nori and Wakame.

Arame is a mild and sweet, lacy and wiry sea vegetable.

Dulse is a chewy and soft seaweed. (my personal favorite!!)

Hijiki is a strong-flavored sea vegetable that looks like wiry, black pasta.

Kelp varies from light brown to dark green in color.

Kombu is sometimes sold as a soup flavoring and is very dark.

Nori is the purple-black variety of seaweed that turns green when toasted and is the one we’re most familiar with for its use in sushi rolls.

Wakame may be sold in strips or sheets like Kombu and is often used to flavor soups.

Source of Healthy Nutrients

What are some of the many nutrients sea vegetables contain? They’re an excellent source of natural iodine and vitamin K, a great source of folate and magnesium and a good source of iron, calcium, riboflavin and pantothenic acid.

In addition, seaweeds contain beta carotene, niacin, potassium, phosphorous, selenium, vitamins A and C and 18 different amino acids.

Sea vegetables also contain lignans, phytonutrients that inhibit cancer tumor growth and estrogen synthesis in fat cells that are linked to breast cancer.

More Health Benefits

The folic acid in sea vegetables may reduce the risk of colon cancer, prevent birth defects and help protect blood vessel walls.

The natural iodine in seaweeds helps to regulate thyroid function.

Their magnesium content can reduce blood pressure and help to prevent asthma, heart and migraine attacks. Magnesium may also help restore normal sleep patterns to menopausal women.

Some sea vegetables contain fucans, compounds similar to carbohydrates that can reduce inflammation in the body.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) says that compounds in many types of algae have slowed cancer cell growth in both animal and laboratory research but studies haven’t been conducted to determine seaweed’s ability to do the same in humans.

ACS also points out that seaweed supplements are very different from the whole-food form and that nutrient content changes as sea vegetables are dried. They recommend eating whole seaweed rather than taking supplements to take in a healthy variety of plant-based foods.

Heavy Metal Concerns

One of the reasons sea vegetables are such a great source of nutrients is due to their absorptive abilities (kelp stem was once used to widen the cervix in medical procedures.) This capability makes seaweeds vulnerable to polluted waters. Sea vegetables can sponge up arsenic, cadmium and lead. They’ve even been used to measure the content of such pollutants in bodies of water by marine ecologists.

In particular, hijiki may contain high levels of arsenic if you don’t buy organic varieties. There is still a lack of consensus among scientists about whether or not the inorganic forms of arsenic found in seaweeds are as harmful as the organic forms but sea vegetables are still included in The World’s Healthiest Foods because of their health benefits and because dangers can be avoided by buying organic varieties.

Wondering how to add sea veggies to your diet? sprinkle on top of salads, add to soups, use as a substitute for salt as a flavor enhancer, mix re-hydrated sea vegetables with shredded carrots and ginger and add salad dressing, throw in to a green smoothie in the morning and the list goes on and on.

Bottom line: Don’t be afraid to try these amazing types of sea vegetables, go try them out and enjoy experimenting with how the different flavors work for you. I will include some recipes for you on my website too, so check that out as well. Remember to buy ORGANIC to make sure you aren’t buying contaminated sea veggies. I buy a lot of mine online from a reliable source and as well you can buy at your local Whole Foods too.

Enjoy and post your favorite recipe with sea veggies here too.

Sources

George Mateljan Foundation (2002)

American Cancer Society (2008)

George Mateljan Foundation (2010)