Top 13 Healing Fruits

Fruit is not only nature's candy but nature's natural way to protect our bodies from many different diseases.  Here are the top 13 healing fruits and what they can do for your body, so eat up buttercup :)

 

 

 

Apples: Low in calories, high in fiber, and an excellent source of boron.  Boron is a mineral that aids in mental alertness.

Apricots: These little guys are packed with beta-carotene!  Beta-carotene helps keep your skin healthy and glowing and also protects your body from numerous types of cancer.

Avocados: Avocados have the power to lower your cholesterol by as much as 9 to 43 percent!  In addition to lowering your cholesterol, avocados are rich in potassium and magnesium.  Having a healthy dose of potassium keeps your blood pressure regulated and your muscles healthy.

Bananas: This is another food rich in potassium and is also a low-fat source of Vitamin B6.

Nectarines: Get your daily fiber with this fruit.  Nectarines are also an excellent source of Vitamin A and potassium.

Oranges: This citrus fruit is packed with Vitamin C and calcium and is low in sodium.

Peaches: Satisfy your sweet tooth with this fruit that is full of both Vitamin A and Vitamin C and fiber.

Grapefruit: This fruit is low in calories and a great source of Vitamin C.

Prunes: Well, we all know that prunes are loaded with fiber but they also aid in lowering your blood cholesterol.

Watermelon: This juicy low-calorie treat protects your body from esophagus and stomach cancer.

Strawberries: You can stay fuller longer with this fruit because it contains soluble fiber and has a dose of Vitamin C.

Honeydew Melon: Potassium and Vitamin C is found in this melon.

Pomegranates: This fruit contains extremely powerful antioxidants that decreases your risk of all cancers.  They are also rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin B, calcalcium, and phosphorus.  If you only eat one fruit, choose pomegranates because they prevent your risk from all cancers and diseases.

 





Cure Your Cravings with Healthy Substitutions

Put your cravings to rest by finding out what your body actually needs!  When you reach the roots of your cravings you save calories and feel satisfied faster! 

 

 

 

Craving…	What you really need…	Healthy foods that have it!
Chocolate	Magnesium	Fruits, legumes, raw nuts & seeds
Sweets	Chromium	Broccoli, chicken, grapes, cheese,
		& dried beans
	Carbon	Fruits
	Phosphorus	Chicken, beef, poultry, fish, eggs,
		dairy, nuts, grains, & legumes
	Sulfur	Horseradish, kale, cabbage, cranberries,
		& cruciferous veggies
	Tryptophan	Cheese, raisins, sweet potatoes, & spinach
Bread (toast)	Nitrogen	Foods high in protein: fish, meat, nuts, beans
Greasy snacks, fatty foods	Calcium	Mustard & turnip greens, broccoli, kale, cheese,
		legumes, & sesame
Coffee or Tea	Phosphorus	Chicken, beef, poultry, fish, eggs,
		dairy, nuts, grains, & legumes
	Sulfur	Egg yolks, red peppers, cruciferous veggies,
		garlic, & onion
	Salt	Sea salt, apple cider vinegar on a salad
	Iron	Meat, fish, poultry, seaweed, & greens
Alcohol or Recreational	Protein	Meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, & nuts
Drugs	Avenin	Granola & oatmeal
	Calcium	Mustard & turnip greens, broccoli, kale, cheese,
		legumes, & sesame
	Glutamine	Raw cabbage juice & supplement glutamine
		powder for withdrawal
	Potassium	Potatoes, spinach, & seaweed
Chewing on Ice	Iron	Meat, fish, poultry, seaweed, & greens
Burned Food	Carbon	Fruit
Soda or Carbonated Drinks	Calcium	Mustard & turnip greens, broccoli, kale, cheese,
		legumes, & sesame
Salty Foods	Chloride	Fish & Sea Salt
Acidic Foods	Magnesium	Raw nuts & seeds, legumes, & fruits
Cool Drinks	Manganese	Walnuts, almonds, pecans, pineapple, &
		blueberries
Pre-Menstrual Cravings	Zinc	Red meats, root veggies, leafy greens, &
		seafood
General Overeating	Silicon	Nuts & seeds. AVOID: refined starches
	Tryptophan	Cheese, raisins, sweet potatoes, & spinach
	Tyrosine	Vitamin C supplements or orange, green, & red
		fruits & veggies
Tobacco	Silicon	Nuts & seeds. AVOID: refined starches
	Tyrosine	Vitamin C supplements or orange, green, & red
		fruits & veggies
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Asian Chicken Salad

Craving fattening Chinese food but know you should eat a salad?  Try this Asian chicken salad, it's phenomenal!  This salad can cure your craving without feeling bloated and guilty afterwards. 

Dressing Ingredients:

2 tsps. of ginger

2 tsps. of sweet chili sauce

2 Tbsps. of brown sugar

2 Tbsps. of rice vinegar

2 Tbsps. of soy sauce (I prefer reduced sodium)

1 Tbsp. of sesame seed oil

2 Tbsps. of olive oil

Gently whisk ingredients together until smooth. This dressing has 2-3 servings.

 

Salad Ingredients:

1 cup of chopped romaine lettuce

1 cup of mixed veggies (broccoli, snap peas, carrots)

1 serving of chicken (I used Tyson Grilled & Ready chicken breast strips and they were AMAZING! I highly suggest using this pre-cooked chicken!)

1 Tbsp. of olive oil

1 tsp. of ground fresh pepper

I sauteed the mixed veggies and pre-cooked chicken in olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes and sprinkled it with the pepper (I love warm veggies and chicken on my salad! Yummy!).  Then top the lettuce with the veggie and chicken mixture and drizzle on the dressing.

 

Fight Against Cellulite

Being in your 20s has a lot of perks but one downfall that you may have noticed is…cellulite.  But don’t think that you are the only one with a few dimples because 85% of women have cellulite somewhere on their body.  And just because you have cellulite it does NOT mean you are overweight or fat.  While there is no known cure for cellulite there are a few tips and tricks that can help decrease its appearance.  Remember, everyone is different so one approach that works for someone else may not work for you.

TOMATO PASTE & KETCHUP

Tomato paste and ketchup both contain high amounts of lycopene (even more than you would get from eating a garden-fresh tomato!).  Lycopene helps prevent the breakdown of collagen and when you preserve collagen, you are keeping a healthy top layer of skin overlying your fat layer (everyone has a fat layer), which then reduces the appearance of cellulite.


BROMELAIN
Bromelain is a complex mixture of enzymes that is found in pineapple and other fruits and is an anti-inflammatory.  In addition to bromelain being an anti-inflammatory it also promotes fat cell metabolism!  You can purchase bromelain extract at health food stores.

HYDRATION
Here’s one more reason to drink water and eat your fruits and veggies; hydrated skin reduces the appearance of cellulite! Fresh fruits and veggies that are high in water content like leafy greens, cucumbers, and melons are low in calories which aid in controlling your weight and fighting against cellulite.

SCAMS
There isn’t a proven cure for banishing cellulite, so do NOT waste your money on expensive lotions, devices, and treatments.  The best way to fight against your cellulite is through a healthy diet, exercise, and proper hydration.

CAFFEINE

Not only will an extra cup of coffee or tea help give you an energy boost it will also perk up your skin cells.  In other words, caffeine also helps reduce the visibility of cellulite.  Please note that if you are adding sugar, cream, and milk into your coffee or tea you are reducing the cellulite-fighting benefits.

 

Credit: http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/combating-cellulite-with-food?page=2#copy

Holiday Slim Down

It’s that time of year again when you are feeling plain BLAHHH from an overdose of sugar cookies, fudge, and a few too many cocktails.  Instead of waiting until New Year’s to get back on track start TODAY.  Over the years I have picked up various slim-down tips and techniques from numerous health related magazines and Websites but after trying anything and everything (seriously) I found that there are really only three ways to get REAL results fast and here they are.

DRINK WATER!  Drinking water helps beat bloat and flattens your midsection by flushing away the excess sodium, especially from alcohol.  Add a little bit of fresh lemon for flavor and to kick-start your metabolism. 

AVOID BARCODES.  In other words, eat more fruits and veggies and less processed and packaged foods.

WALK.  Take a few extra mini-walks throughout the day; try to get outdoors if you can.  Even if it’s only a 10 minute walk you are engaging in physical activity and nothing beats the clarity you experience when walking outdoors.

Now let’s be clear, I am not promising that you will lose 15 pounds in a week or anything crazy.  However, if you do follow these tips without consuming mass amounts of leftover holiday goodies you will lose a puffy tummy and regain your lost energy.  So if you want to look and feel healthier today without starving to death or yo-yo dieting then these tips are for you!