Promoting healthy lives, diets, minds, and spirits and hoping that you will participate! Healthy starts from within, you are in control of your own destiny! Join in at Cynthia's Health Hut!
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Kristin Schiffer, like so many celebrities, has transformed her life and body through the power of superfoods and daily green smoothies. It wasn’t that long ago that Schiffer was struggling – struggling to keep her weight in check, struggling to find enough energy to get through the day, and struggling with all of the tell-tale signs of aging. Taking a cue from the world’s most glamorous celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow, Schiffer began to infuse her daily diet with superfoods and green juices. Her results were too incredible to believe. Now a healthy, youthful, energetic, and beautiful 40-something, Schiffer reveals her 99 superfood secrets and favorite green smoothie recipes in her hot new book, Green Smoothie Recipes: 99 Fountain of Youth Superfood Secrets.
Superfoods are not a trend. In fact, superfoods have been used to keep people healthy and youthful all around the world for centuries. It wasn’t until recently, however, that science was able to explain what people groups have known instinctively for hundreds of years – certain foods, when consumed in their raw, natural state, have the ability to heal illnesses, prevent diseases, promote overall health, aid the body’s natural functions, and enhance skin, hair, muscle, and general appearance.
With her personal experience backed by centuries of tradition and new medical research, we here at Little Pearl are excited to offer a new book that has the ability to dramatically change lives. There are no longer any excuses for people to feel lethargic, weighed down by aches and pains, or unhappy about their health and appearance. The 99 superfoods she discusses have the potential to unlock the fountain of youth we have all been searching for. And with dozens of her favorite green smoothie recipes, you will be ready to jumpstart a new life and a new you today!
| Blog: |
| Cynthia’s Health Hut |
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Topics:
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| Organic, Health, Exercise |
Love It or Hate It… Broccoli is Good for You!
“I do not like broccoli. And I haven’t liked it since I was a little kid and my mother made me eat it. And I’m President of the United States and I’m not going to eat any more broccoli.” –George Bush
The same year President Bush made this statement, Johns Hopkins University published a cancer study showing that broccoli prevented the development of tumors by 60 percent and helped reduce the size of the tumor by 75 percent!
These finding are just a “taste” of the many health benefits of broccoli. Discover these, the trivia and history behind this plant and some awesome recipes. Broccoli is a powerfood. Unless you are in a select group of individuals, (page 3) broccoli is your friend!
9 Health Benefits
1. Cancer Prevention
Broccoli contains glucoraphanin, which the body processes into the anti-cancer compound sulforaphane. This compound rids the body of H. pylori, a bacterium found to highly increase the risk of gastric cancer. Furthermore, broccoli contains indole-3-carbinol, a powerful antioxidant compound and anti-carcinogen found to not only hinder the growth of breast, cervical and prostate cancer, but also boosts liver function.
Broccoli shares these cancer fighting, immune boosting properties with other cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and cabbage.
2. Cholesterol Reduction
Like many whole foods, broccoli is packed with soluble fiber that draws cholesterol out of your body.
3. Reducing Allergy Reaction and Inflammation
Broccoli is a particularly rich source of kaempferol and isothiocyanates, both anti-inflammatory phyto nutrients. Research has shown the ability of kaempferol to lessen the impact of allergy-related substances on our body. Broccoli even has significant amounts of omega 3 fatty acids, which are well know as an anti-inflammatory.
4. Powerful Antioxidant
Of all the cruciferous vegetables, broccoli stands out as the most concentrated source of vitamin C, plus the flavonoids necessary for vitamin C to recycle effectively. Also concentrated in broccoli are the carotenoids lutein, zeaxanthin and beta-carotene, other powerful antioxidants.
5. Bone Health
Broccoli contains high levels of both calcium and vitamin K, both of which are important for bone health and prevention of osteoporosis.
6. Heart Health
The anti-inflammatory properties of sulforaphane, one of the isothiocyanates (ITCs) in broccoli, may be able to prevent (or even reverse) some of the damage to blood vessel linings that can be caused by inflammation due to chronic blood sugar problems.
7. Detoxification
Glucoraphanin, gluconasturtiin and glucobrassicin are special phytonutrients that support all steps in the body’s detox process, including activation, neutralization and elimination of unwanted contaminants. These three are in the perfect combination in broccoli. Broccoli also contains isothiocyanates (which you read about in inflammation) which help control the detox process at a genetic level.
8. Diet Aid
Broccoli is a smart carb and is high in fiber, which aids in digestion, prevents constipation, maintains low blood sugar, and curbs overeating. Furthermore, a cup of broccoli has as much protein as a cup of rice or corn with half the calories.
9. Alkalizes Your Body
Like many vegetables, broccoli helps keep your whole body less acidic, which has a host of health benefits. Read the dangers of an over acid body at: Balance Your Body.
Green Green Smoothie II
Makes 2 Servings
1 1/4 cups cold filtered water
2 handfuls organic spinach
1 organic cucumber, chopped
3 stalks organic celery, chopped
2 organic Granny Smith apples, cored and chopped
Small handful fresh cilantro
Small handful fresh parsley
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp cayenne powder (optional)
20-30 drops pure stevia liquid (optional)
2 Tbsp flax seed oil (optional)
2 tsp probiotic powder (optional)
2 scoops plain or vanilla protein powder (optional) (I use Natural flavor Vega O.N.E)
Add spinach, cucumber, celery, apple, cilantro and parsley to blender. Pour water over top. Starting the blender on Low speed, blend until smooth, gradually moving to High speed (that’s the trick for getting a smooth blend). Add lime juice, cayenne, stevia, flax oil, probiotic powder, and protein powder. Combine briefly on Low until all the protein powder is just dissolved. Serve immediately.
While many feel the recent meta-analysis fuels the ongoing debate about organic foods, the fact is that organics have far more benefits than the strictly nutritional. Nutrition is extremely important, and organic foods are packed with the vitamins, nutrients, and enzymes you need for good health.
Of extreme importance, organic foods respect the environment, have fewer toxicity-related health risks, and support local economies. I for one, firmly stand behind the decision to choose organic. I believe you vote with your purchases, and when you choose organic you choose to support a healthy, clean earth, and put healthy, clean produce into you and your family’s bodies.
I can relate to this alot, I keep going up 5 lbs, down 5 lbs.
You’re eating the same kind of foods, about the same amount and exercising about the same amount you always have, but suddenly you notice that it’s harder to keep the weight off or lose those few extra pounds.
Nothing has changed you tell yourself, except your a bit older than you used to be. What you may not be aware of is that your body has changed making weight loss more difficult.
Over 40 Weight Loss
As we age, our metabolism slows down which means you are burning fewer calories than when you were younger. There is no magical age in which this happens, but seems to occur more often when people reach 40 to 50 years of age. The secret to weight loss at any age is actually a very simple formula; consume fewer calories than you burn.
The problem is that as we age, we often fail to…
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I personally try to drink 1/2my body weight in water.
Incredible as it may seem, water is quite possibly the single most important catalyst in losing weight and keeping it off. Although most of us take for granted, water may be the only true “magic potion” for permanent weight loss.
Water suppresses the appetite naturally and helps the body metabolize stored fat. Studies have shown that a decrease in water intake will cause fat deposits to increase, while an increase in water intake can actually reduce fat deposits.
Here’s why: The kidneys can’t function properly without enough water. When they don’t work to capacity, some of their load is dumped onto the liver. One of the liver’s primary functions is to metabolize stored fat into usable energy for the body. But if the liver has to do some of the kidney’s work it can’t operate at full throttle. As a result, it metabolizes less fat more fat remains stored in…
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Image Reblogged from MotiveWeight.Blogspot.com
We all get stuck in ruts and have times when it is hard to motivate ourselves. How do we keep the interest, create new healthy habits and keep eating foods that are good for us when there is so many bad food choices and it is easier to watch a movie then to exercise? I’ve been in a holding pattern and not doing my exercise and eating too much sugar. I go through this when STRESS enters my life and people that I love try to manipulate me or a death in the family. I recently lost my father and cat of 28 years. So fighting off the depression has been a challenge. The POSITIVE is that I do continue to eat healthy foods mixed in with the bad ones and I keep up with deep breathing meditations for lots of great oxygen to circulate through my system.
I love food, especially veggies and fruits, so I create lots of tasty combinations and do the 6 small meals per day to keep me from grabbing a bag of chips or carton of ice cream. It helps that I snack on small pieces of 85% dark chocolate or Cacoa Nibs – YUM and Almonds are a good snack too.
I have been upping my Vitamin B Stress supplements and Vitamin D as well, I have found through the years that I need more of these just to keep myself from going down the road of doom and gloom.
The challenge is the exercise – which is one of the best things I have found for fighting off the depression. I am looking focusing on creating new habits to try and help me get motivated. I find that I have to up my ratio of happy tunes and movies or shows so that I don’t fall deeper into depression. I have found that using the MaxT3 surge system can be done in small increments of time so that you are on 20 seconds off 20 seconds and you can start with just 5 minutes a day. So currently my goal is to motivate myself and to not expect myself to do more than 5 minutes a day and if I do more great! Part of creating new goals and Healthy Habits is to know when you are expecting more from yourself than you can give. If I set a goal and fail at it, it only adds to the depression and makes me want to eat more Sugar. So I try not to set myself up to fail. But the big question still is what new way can I motivate myself to get off the couch and move my body when the stress/depression has me so tired that all I want to do is sleep. Sometimes a buddy system helps where I help each other because it’s not all about me. I think I will call my buddy and ask her to give me that verbal butt kick to get me moving.
Do You Have Any Suggestions? What are your ways to motivate yourself and create new habits I’d love to hear them! Love, Light and Happiness to you all have a great day/night!
Ingredients:
1-2 scoops Vanilla Perfect Whey Protein Powder (Purchase here)
3-4 tablespoons Organic Yogurt
½-1 cup Berries
½ teaspoon Stevia or Xylitol (To taste-most do not need any additional sweetening if using perfect protein)
Add water to desired thickness
Ice cubes
*Suggestion – for a twist on flavor you can use Chocolate Perfect Protein for a Chocolate Raspberry smoothie!
Directions:
Add all ingredients except for water in blender, add a small amount of water and a few ice cubes, blend in blender adding more water and ice until you achieve the desired consistency.
Garnish with fresh raspberries or blueberries
Cynthia's Health Hut 