For the spring tune up -you smoothie-Pass it on for your health

Health & Flavor Enhancers

Crocker has a long list of spices, herbs and other health promoters that you can add to smoothies, but the following are among those she particularly advises. Many of these are in your supermarket and if not, health-food stores will have them. Note: Always put these in with the other ingredients before you blend to be sure that they are well mixed.

Here are some suggestions to help improve general healing...
Cinnamon promotes digestion and insulin sensitivity and relieves nausea. Add one-quarter teaspoon per smoothie serving -- especially delicious with apples and blueberries.
Ginger calms nausea, aids digestion, relieves diarrhea and flatulence and may soothe pain of arthritis. Try one-quarter teaspoon of powdered ginger per serving or one-half inch of crystallized or peeled fresh ginger, coarsely chopped. (Ginger is not recommended for anyone with a bleeding disorder, gallstones, or who is taking a blood thinner, and it is not recommended for children under age two.) Ginger is a good complement to pears and peaches.
Dandelion supports liver, gallbladder and kidney health, helps with high blood pressure and is a mild laxative. Add one teaspoon of crushed, dried roots to vegetable smoothies.

To boost the immune system...
Astragalus boosts the immune system and alleviates adverse effects of chemotherapy. Use one teaspoon of dried, powdered astragalus per serving. It has little or no taste. Note: If you are using steroids, you should discuss with your doctor whether it's okay to consume astragalus.
Burdock, a mild laxative (it contains the fiber inulin), has prebiotic properties and is a diuretic. Crush dried roots into a fine powder, and use one to two teaspoons per serving. It has a crisp, slightly sweet taste. Burdock often is used in sushi, so it goes well with sweet or savory smoothies.
Cayenne stimulates blood circulation and digestion, is a diuretic, and has a beneficial effect on the nervous system. Start by adding just one-eighth teaspoon of powdered cayenne per smoothie serving and increase to one-quarter teaspoon if the spicy flavor doesn't bother you. Cayenne can be used in fruit or vegetable smoothies.
Cloves have antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, and help relieve nausea, flatulence and diarrhea. If you don't mind the strong taste, add one-eighth teaspoon of ground cloves per serving.  Cloves mix well with apples and peaches.

Other healthful candidates...
Flaxseed is a good vegetable source of omega-3 fatty acids, plus it contributes to regularity. Add one tablespoon of ground flaxseeds per serving. Note: Flaxseed will thicken your smoothie -- especially if you leave the smoothie standing awhile before you drink it.
Lecithin is an excellent source of choline, which improves memory. Add the contents of two capsules or one tablespoon of granules to one to two cups of smoothie.
Sea vegetables provide a high concentration of vitamin A, protein, calcium, iron and other minerals. These work as a diuretic and may be an immune enhancer and also reduce risk for cancer. Add one to two tablespoons of powder or crumbled leaves to vegetable smoothies -- their salty taste isn't good with fruit. You may want to start with a smaller amount and increase as you get used to the taste. 
Wheat germ is a good source of vitamin E and thiamin. Use two tablespoons per smoothie.
Blue-green algae, a type of sea vegetable, is rich in carotenoids and chlorophyll. Add two tablespoons per serving to vegetable smoothies.
Coconut oil improves cholesterol ratio by raising HDL (good cholesterol). (See Daily Health News, "Coconut Oil Helps Keep Weight Off," November 25, 2010.)
Protein is helpful for satiety and stabilizing blood sugar. Good choices include one tablespoon of powdered whey or two tablespoons of nuts, such as almonds or cashews.

Easy Smoothie Instructions

Always make smoothies in a blender, not a juicer, to retain fiber and those important cell wall constituents. Cocker recommends using a blender with numerous speeds, including one for crushing ice.

--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc  -"Turnaround Consultants"  .

Sunridge Lodge   "Back to Eden"  Quality 24/7 care
261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford  backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -
 
Brant Positive Action Group  "a positive community affirmative action group"

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations 

Be Happy

Are happy people healthier?

People who laugh a lot are much healthier than those who don't. Dr. Lee Berk at the Loma Linda School of Public Health in California found that laughing lowers levels of stress hormones, and strengthens the immune system. Six-year-olds have it best - they laugh an average of 300 times a day. Adults only laugh 15 to 100 times a day.

the other side of tobacco-point of view

Tobacco is good for the brain

 The feds want you to believe nicotine will turn your mind into mush... but in reality, a good smoke might be the best "brain food" there is!

  New research confirms that nicotine can slash inflammation levels in the brain and actually halt the self-destruct sequence that leads to Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and other neurodegenerative diseases.

  Those diseases often start when acetylcholine, a key neurotransmitter, goes AWOL.

  Without it, your brain's immune cells go haywire -- and instead of attacking dead cells, they attack the brain itself.

  But in a series of lab tests at the University of South Florida College of Medicine, researchers found that nicotine can actually fill in for the missing acetylcholine -- keeping the immune cells in check and lowering levels of inflammation.

  You'll find this study in the Journal of Neurochemistry, and it's a fascinating read.

  It's also a gutsy position to take in this PC age -- but it's nothing new.

  I've pointed out for years now that smoking can protect the brain from Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and other degenerative diseases -- and the benefits don't end there.

  Smoking can also prevent heart disease and even stop cancer cold.

  Don't expect to hear about any of this in the mainstream. It's practically against the law to write positive news about tobacco, but I have all the evidence you'll need right here.

  And if you're a smoker, that means it's time to stop apologizing for yourself and your habit.

  Fast food and soda have created the world's greatest public health burden -- yet McSlobs want Medicare to buy them electric wheelchairs so they can scoot around and complain about secondhand smoke.

  Enough!

  A couple of cigars a day won't hurt you, your neighbors, your neighbors' kids, or their dog -- and they could even prevent disease and help you to live a long and happy life.

  Next time someone complains about your secondhand smoke, tell them they should thank you for it instead.

  Not clouding the issue,

 William Campbell Douglass II, M.D.

--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc  -"Turnaround Consultants"  .

Sunridge Lodge   "Back to Eden"  Quality 24/7 care
261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford  backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -
 
Brant Positive Action Group  "a positive community affirmative action group"

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations 

Smoking alternative

 
Snail toxin could fight smoking habit

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (UPI) -- A U.S. researcher says toxins produced by marine cone snails could help fight tobacco addiction by blocking the action of nicotine on the brain.

Chris Armishaw of Florida's Torrey Pines Institute for Molecular Studies has been searching for drug compounds to block nicotine cravings, treat withdrawal symptoms, and reduce the negative side effects such as depression and mood swings often experienced with other anti-smoking drugs, TCPalm.com reported Wednesday.

"Tobacco addiction is the leading preventable cause of death in the Western world," Armishaw said. "One particular class of molecules derived from cone snail venom is the alpha-conotoxins, which block the action of nicotine in the brain."

Marine cone snails are found in tropical reefs of the Indian and Pacific oceans and utilize a venom-laced harpoon that shoots out of their shells to stab and shock their prey of fish, worms and other marine snails.

Armishaw's research has found the venom could be used to develop new molecules, the alpha-conotoxins, to treat conditions such as pain, depression and drug addiction.

With subtle modifications to the alpha-conotoxins, he found, they could block specific functions in the nervous system that lead to tobacco addiction.

"An improved understanding of the molecular mechanisms of nicotine addiction in the brain is crucial in order to develop smoking cessation drugs, which in turn lower the burden on the health system," Armishaw said.

Copyright 2011 by United Press International

--
Hollecrest & Associates Inc  -"Turnaround Consultants"  .

Sunridge Lodge   "Back to Eden"  Quality 24/7 care
261 Oakhill Drive, Brantford  backtoeden.ontario@gmail.com
"Building elder peer communities that are cozy,caring and comfortable" -
 
Brant Positive Action Group  "a positive community affirmative action group"

promoting goodwill and timely cost effective creative solutions to enhance the competitive well being of Brant, Brantford and Six Nations