Here’s an easy way to age-proof your body. Eat vegetable soup!

Eating two cups of soup made by simmering chopped tomatoes, green bell peppers, onions, garlic and olive oil in a pot of water with some spices can lower your risk of cancer, heart disease, stroke and other age-related diseases. Why? Because it boosts your blood levels of vitamin C by 22%. Vitamin C is an antioxidant superstar that helps keep every cell in your body healthy.

Protect your heart with camellia tea oil.

Camellia tea oil is made from the seeds of tea plants. It contains large amounts of catechins, the same powerful antioxidants found in green tea. These help reduce cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and guard against artery damage. They may also assist in weight loss and boost memory.

It’s a perfect oil for stir-frying since it can be heated much higher than olive oil before it starts to smoke. Give it a try and see what you think.

Pinot Noir can save your sight.

It turns out that people who drink anywhere from two glasses of red wine per month to three glasses per day are 50% less likely to develop cataracts when compared with nondrinkers, heavy drinkers and beer drinkers. Scientists speculate that wine’s enormous amount of resveratrol may be what stops cataracts from forming.

Broccoli seems to have a protective effect on the eyes as well, but hey, sometimes it’s just more fun to drink wine than eat broccoli!

shelli

Here’s a recipe for Yogurt-Cheese.

This is a tasty substitute for butter, mayo, sour cream or creme fraiche.

Ingredients:

1 pint or quart of yogurt (unflavored). Remember to use a healthy organic yogurt!

Put the yogurt into a strainer over a bowl. If you use a colander, line it with cheesecloth or a handkerchief. Cover with a cloth and put in the fridge overnight or for the day. Then discard the liquid that lands in the bowl, and scrape the “yogurt cheese” into a container for the fridge.

Here’s how to use the yogurt-cheese.

1. On toast, spread thickly with jam.

2. As a substitute for mayo on sandwiches.

3. As a finish to pasta when the recipe calls for any form of cream.

4. As a dip for crackers or veggies.

You can flavor it for whatever you’re using it with. Add some honey for fruits or desserts or add salt and pepper and herbs for mayo uses.

Alison, who sent me this idea, says that after a while you’ll get to like it better than the fatty foods.

Do you have any foods like Yogurt-Cheese you’d like to share with us? If so, send them along because as promised, I do pass them along!

shelli

Popular from Europe to Japan, and getting more popular in America as well, kale is hardy, tender and HEALTHY!

Kale, a yellow-green vegetable native to the Mediterranean, is an ancestor of more recent vegetables such as cabbage and broccoli.

It comes in several varieties including curly and flat forms. It does not have a head like cabbage and is a hardy crop, keeping it immune to insects and disease. It thrives through the winter and early spring. Kale with smaller leaves is generally more tender and mild. In the refrigerator it will keep several days but is best used within one or two days after buying it.

Kale is traditionally used in salads and stir-fries, as well as soups and stews. I use it in smoothies as well.

Kale is superrich in nutrients, with proportionally more vitamins and minerals than other vegetables. It has good amounts of fiber, vitamin C, carotene, potassium and calcium. Kale helps protect against allergies, cancer, diabetes and osteoporosis.

Fresh organic kale is available year round in most natural food stores. For those of you with gardens, plant some kale and enjoy its benefits.

I’m always encouraging people to try different foods. If you’re stuck in a cabbage/broccoli/spinach rut, get some kale and give it a try! And if you have any particular recipes using kale that you absolutely love, send them to me and I’ll be sure and pass them along!

shelli

Detoxification is an interesting, important topic, so I thought I’d tell you about 4 ways to increase your deep-tissue detoxification.

From pesticides, pollution, plastics, fragrances and other sources, our bodies are bombarded by so many chemical toxins in our environment, we can’t possibly get rid of them all. Some of these end up incorporated into bodily tissue, where they can stay for decades.

Here are steps you can take to help your body release and repair from those toxins.

1. Add more fiber to your diet.

Fiber binds to toxins and carries them out of the body. Twenty five grams per day is the recommended fiber level for women (38 for men). You can also use fiber supplements like psyllium seeds.

2. Get adequate exercise.

Getting your blood pumping improves the movement of lymph though the lymphatic system. This helps lymph fluids circulate throughout the body, removing toxins and other harmful materials. Exercise helps reduce overall body fat, which helps the body release stored toxins.

3. Saunas assist the body’s adipose tissue in releasing toxins through a process called heat depuration.

Infrared saunas are often recommended for two reasons: the temperature doesn’t get as high as air saunas, and the infrared rays penetrate deeper into the skin to better target fat tissues.

Try starting with 15-minute sessions, and be sure to stay properly hydrated. If you have high blood pressure, check with your health practitioner before using a sauna.

4. Chelation is a process in which certain agents are used to rid the body of toxic chemicals and heavy metals.

The chelation molecule has the ability to make these toxins soluble in blood, allowing them to be eliminated. Most of this is done under the supervision of a health provider.

OK, I’ll throw in one more to the detoxification helper list.

Did you know that Omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, found in flax and fish oil, have the ability to be incorporated into cellular membranes, improving cell function and assisting in detox?

See, those fatty acids and their benefits somehow sneak their way onto almost every what’s-healthy-for-you list!

Detoxification is important, so give your body the help it needs by including these detox methods.

shelli

Do you know the “Big 3″ that experts say would be wise for nearly everyone to supplement with?

Even experts who don’t usually talk about many supplements seem to be talking about these, so I thought we’d take a look.

1. Which vitamin deficiency was recently found to be a possible cause of cognitive and mental flexibility problems?

Vitamin D.

It’s recently been linked to playing an important role in protecting us from a wide range of age related problems such as cancer, heart disease, and stroke, as well as cognitive decline. The thing to note is that as we age our skin becomes less effective at producing Vitamin D, so even if you get enough sunshine you still might not produce enough of it as you get older.

Start by having your Vitamin D levels checked the next time you have a blood test. If it’s not in the normal range, talk to your health practitioner about supplementation.

Other possible benefits of taking supplemental D are lower blood pressure, stronger bones, better immunity and lower risk of heart disease. If any of these speak to you, take a look at Vitamin D supplements.

2. Which nutrient has been linked to preventing a variety of health problems including cancers, heart problems, menopausal problems, Alzheimer’s and so many others it’s hard to count?

I’ll give you another hint.

As we age, our supply of this nutrient decreases and by age 80 our levels of it are cut by more than half.

Did you answer CoEnzymeQ10 or CoQ10 for short?

If you’re taking Statin drugs, listen up. They have been found to decrease the body’s supply of CoQ10.

What does CoQ10 do?

Well, for starters, it’s an essential nutrient in energy production for your body. It helps your heart muscle pump more efficiently and tolerate stress better. People with breast, colon, kidney and lung cancer have been found to have low levels of CoQ10.

I encourage you to take your CoQ10 research further and see if you’d benefit from taking it as a supplement.

3. I’m guessing since Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids wasn’t listed as the first two, you knew it would be coming as number 3!

Just to give you a sample of the reports I’ve seen recently about Omega-3 benefits: one report said it eases depression and hot flashes in menopausal women.

Another talked about its ability, along with Vitamin C and E, to boost pancreatic health. I’ve written many times about the benefits of healthy fats, so I know Omega-3 is on your radar screen.

Not supplementing with them? Do consider it!

OK, if I had to pick a fourth I’d likely throw in a probiotic. Healthy digestion is so important to your overall health, so if digestion is an issue for you, please don’t let it go unaided.

Hope this list helps you zero in on where to start when you’re thinking of supplementation beyond REAL food.

As always, real food is number one!

shelli

Want three ways to hedge against dementia?

Who doesn’t, right?

Three studies presented in July at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference pointed towards exercise, tea consumption, and vitamin D as promising to keep dementia at bay.

1. Those who engage in moderate to heavy levels of physical activity have a lower risk of developing any type of dementia. How much lower? About a 40% lower risk.

2. Studies have been done examining the relationship between tea consumption and change in cognitive function over time. Researchers found that people who consume tea had significantly less cognitive decline, between 17-37%, than those who were not tea drinkers. The greatest benefit accrues when you drink tea 1-4 times per week.

3. Researchers find that the odds of cognitive impairment were about 42% higher in people who are deficient in vitamin D. If you’re severely deficient, the odds jump way up to 394%. That’s a scary finding!

I recently had my vitamin D levels checked, so I’m OK in that respect.

And I don’t know about you, but after I finish writing this article I’m going out for an invigorating walk and after that I’ll make a nice cup of tea!

shelli

Seems like I’m always talking about and looking for ways to cut back on our intake of sugar.

I recently read that for the past 100 years in the United States, blood pressure has been rising.

Today, 30% of American adults are diagnosed with hypertension. That’s a lot of people!

Researchers have been able to link both fructose and high-fructose corn syrup to high blood pressure in rats.

But what about in people?

Researchers from the University of Colorado checked to see whether added sugar intake was linked to blood pressure among the thousands of Americans who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2003 and 2006.

They found that those who ate and drank more fructose from added sugars (as opposed to healthy sources like fruit) had higher blood pressure AND larger waistlines than those who didn’t.

How many grams of fructose seemed to be the cut off point? 74 grams a day would do it.

How much is that exactly? Well, 2 bottles of soda a day would just about get you there.

Don’t drink soda?

Here’s what I suggest.

Just for a week, (yes, you can do this, it’s only 7 days) keep track of what you eat and the added sugar.

Then, cut back on foods with a lot of added sugar.

READ labels: you’ll be amazed when you start to pay attention to how much added sugar you take in each and every day.

And your heart, kidneys and waistline will thank you!

shelli

We’re talking turkey!

I know you may think you know everything about turkey, but keep reading, OK?

Did you know, for instance that turkey is a great lean source of protein (which means less calories)?

It’s also a great source of niacin (helps heart function), phosphorous (bones and kidneys), iron (anemia), zinc (stress and healing), potassium (kidney function), and other B vitamins (brain and heart).

Also, ground turkey, which is easy to eat all year long, can be used in nearly any recipe that calls for ground beef.

Here’s something to remember, though.

Lean ground turkey (93 percent lean, 7 percent fat) made from white and dark meat, has the same amount of calories and fat as lean ground beef. Only ground turkey, white meat only, offers a noticeable reduction in calories and fat.

See, that wasn’t too much to read!

Now if you want three of my favorite turkey recipes (turkey chili, turkey burritos and turkey meatloaf) send me an email and I’ll send you the recipes.

So this week, don’t let the turkeys get you down!

shelli

Here’s a question I get asked at least once a week.

Are whole eggs or egg whites better for me?

I was staying with a friend recently and she started to make breakfast. I went over to see what she was cooking and saw she was getting ready to fix some eggs.

Much to my surprise I noticed she was cracking the eggs open and separating the egg whites into a bowl and throwing out the yolks.

I asked her why she was throwing out the yolks. Here’s what she said, “I thought the egg yolks were bad for you because of the cholesterol and fat in them.”

Fair enough. I know there’s a lot of information out there that would lead her to reply like this, HOWEVER…..

The yolk is where all the NUTRITION is!

This is a great example of how confused most people are about nutrition.

Most people now think that the egg yolk is the worst part of the egg, when in fact, the YOLK IS THE HEALTHIEST PART OF THE EGG!

Does this sound like you?

By throwing out the yolk and only eating egg whites, you’re essentially throwing out the most nutrient dense, antioxidant-rich, vitamin and mineral loaded portion of the egg.

Egg yolks contain B-vitamins, minerals, vitamin A, folate, choline, lutein, and many other nutrients as well.

In fact, the egg whites are almost devoid of nutrition compared to the yolks.

Even the protein in egg whites isn’t as powerful without the yolks to balance out the amino acid profile and make the protein more bio-available.

And if you eat egg yolks from free range chickens, they’ll be loaded with healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

Yolks contain more than 90% of the calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, thiamin, B6, folate, and B12 of the egg. In addition, the yolks contain ALL the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K in the egg, as well as ALL of the essential fatty acids (EFAs).

The most common objection I hear, even when people know about the nutritive value in the yolks, is “But I heard that whole eggs will send my cholesterol levels through the roof!”

This is actually FALSE.

First of all, when you eat a food that contains a high amount of dietary cholesterol such as eggs, your body down-regulates its internal production of cholesterol to balance things out.

And, if you don’t eat enough cholesterol, your body simply produces more, because cholesterol has dozens of important vital functions in the body.

Lately, there have been studies indicating that eating whole eggs actually raises your good HDL cholesterol to a higher degree than LDL cholesterol, thereby improving your overall cholesterol ratio and blood chemistry.

And please remember that high cholesterol is NOT a disease!

Heart disease is a disease, but high cholesterol is NOT.

Cholesterol is actually a VERY important substance in your body. It is WRONG to try to “lower your cholesterol” just because it’s in the best interest of pharmaceutical companies for everyone on the planet to be on statin drugs.

If you’re interested in the topic of cholesterol specifically, I wrote a much more in depth article for my Joyinmovement newsletter. Go to www.joyinmovement.com and look under the link for newsletters. You’ll see it in the archive.

Getting back to the nutritive value of egg yolks, yolks contain the antioxidant lutein, as well as other antioxidants. Antioxidants help protect you from inflammation within your body (which is the REAL culprit in heart disease, not dietary cholesterol), giving you yet another reason why the yolks are actually GOOD for you.

Need more proof that whole eggs are better for you than egg whites?

I recently read a University of Connecticut study that showed that a group of men in the study that ate 3 eggs per day for 12 weeks while on a reduced carb, higher fat diet increased their HDL good cholesterol by 20%, while their LDL bad cholesterol stayed the same during the study.

However, the group that ate egg substitutes (egg whites) saw no change in either and did not see the improvement in good cholesterol (remember that higher HDL levels are associated with lower risk of heart disease).

Whole eggs are not a “bad” food that will wreck your body. They are FAR superior to egg whites.

Some people ask about the extra calories in the yolks.

I see this as a non-issue.

Even though egg yolks contain more calories than just eating the egg whites, the yolks are so dense with good nutritional value in those calories.

This helps you regulate your appetite for the remainder of the day, so you end up eating less calories overall.

In addition, the healthy fats in the egg yolks help to maintain a good level of fat-burning hormones in your body.

Overall, this means that the extra fats (healthy fats) and calories from the yolk are so nutrient-dense that they actually HELP you to burn off body fat!

Make sure to eat organic free range eggs from healthier chickens. These have the highest nutrient value.

This is due to the fact that a free-roaming hen allowed to roam on plenty of land will eat a variety of greens, insects, and worms transferring MUCH higher levels of nutrients to the eggs compared to an unhealthy hen that is trapped inside a dark factory farm hen house in horrible conditions and fed nothing but piles of corn and soy. It’s a DRASTIC difference in the nutrition that you get from the egg.

So next time a health or fitness professional tells you that egg whites are superior, you can quietly ignore their advice knowing that you now understand the REAL deal about egg yolks.

And can we all please STOP with this silliness about eating an omelete with 4-5 egg whites and only 1 egg yolk. If we want real taste and real health benefits, we’d all be better off eating ALL of our eggs with the yolks.

After all, do you REALLY think that our ancestors thousands of years ago threw out the yolks and only ate the egg whites?

NOT A CHANCE!

They intuitively knew that all of the nutrition was found in the yolks. Unfortunately, our modern society has been brainwashed with misinformation about fats and cholesterol.

I personally eat whole eggs almost every day. I recently had a check-up and all my blood work done and I’m fit, trim and healthy as can be, so enjoy your eggs and let me know if you have any creative new egg recipes and I’ll pass them along!

shelli

Some assorted health and nutrition information for you!

** Yogurt may be one of the greatest foods on Earth.

The bacteria in yogurt break down the food in your gut into smaller molecules and nutrients. Then our bodies digest foods more efficiently and successfully. The results are amazing.

This may sound strange, but when you eat yogurt you’ll save money on toilet paper because you’ll use less of it!

Why?

Your stools are formed almost perfectly when you eat yogurt regularly.

I recognize that point might not motivate you to eat yogurt, so how about this point: people who eat yogurt live longer.

Yogurt even cuts the risk of cancers like bladder cancer. Eat it plain without all the sugar added. I like it best mixed with berries and a small portion of nuts.

** Here’s what nuts can do for you:

Walnuts improve the fats in your bloodstream, lower LDL (bad cholesterol) and raise HDL (good cholesterol).

Almonds protect against dementia with natural vitamin E.

Pecans protect against cardiovascular disease.

Peanuts (OK, OK I know they’re legumes) contain resveratrol, which prevents heart disease.

Pistachios lower cholesterol and have chemicals similar to those in leafy green vegetables, lutein, for example.

Cashews help support your immune system.

But be careful about portion sizes. Nuts are calorie-dense because they’re high in fat (fats have more calories per weight than carbohydrates and protein). So do what I do and eat only a handful a day of mixed nuts.

** Stop using the “white toxins” immediately!

White flour, white sugar, and white rice are all poor food choices.

They are converted into blood sugar quickly, releasing a chain effect of hormonal chemicals into the body. This chain effect leads to inflammation, aches and pain, and may lead to disease processes.

That’s why I call them the white toxins. Take these out of your diet and see if you feel the difference. I’m guessing you will!

*** Real men don’t eat soy.

Not unless they want to grow fatty breasts.

It turns out soy protein contains genistein and daidzein, which are known phyto-estrogens (plant-produced estrogens). High levels of estrogen (the hormone that makes women look and act like women) in men cause reduced levels of testosterone, loss of muscle tissue, increase in body fat, and a decrease in libido and sexual function. If the men in your life eat a lot of soy-based products, encourage them to check out this information.

shelli