Green and Fuzzy, Kiwi Is the Fruit for You

One of the most underestimated fruits is probably the kiwi. Small, green, and squishy in texture, it is not usually on a person’s mind when they think of grabbing a piece of fruit. An exotic berry from the vine plant Actinidia deliciosa, the kiwifruit’s fuzzy outer surface protects the delicious inside from external forces before it is ready to enjoy.

Originally called the Chinese Gooseberry, to market the fruit more globally, it was renamed “melonette” in the 1950s and then to “kiwifruit” by exporters in New Zealand. A kiwi is the national bird of New Zealand and people from the country are also called “Kiwis,” so in order to alleviate any confusion, kiwifruit is not abbreviated in New Zealand, but most everywhere else the fruit is shortened and known simply as kiwi.

Rutgers University recently conducted a study of the 27 most popular fruits—although I do not think I can name that many types of fruit off the top of my head—and named kiwi the “most nutritionally dense” among all of them. The kiwi, with its tangy, saliva-inducing taste, gives you a day’s worth of vitamin C, blood-pressure helping potassium, the antioxidant-rich vitamin E, and lutein, which helps promote good vision. Calorie-counting alert: a kiwi carries only 50 calories and doesn’t involve any muss or fuss to eat. Slice kiwis on top of a fruit tart and bake, layer them in a yogurt parfait or on top of pancakes, or simply slice and spoon into your mouth to enjoy its best benefits.

With more fiber than apples and twice the amount of vitamin C as an orange, (minus the seeds, rind, and pulp that tend to get in the way), kiwi also helps reduce damage from free radicals which can lead to long term diseases like cancer later in life.

A study published in early 2009 shows the New Zealand-born kiwifruit as a natural body strengthener, great for protecting the body from winter colds and flu season. Zespri kiwifruit, a popular international kiwi exporter, was put into an experiment to test it against the body’s natural defenses. Research showed that the kiwi was able to boost the natural defenses of the body, improve muscle performance and digestive health, and reduce cell damage and inflammation. The findings were published in Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, a Cambridge journal. Zespri’s study merely supports previous reports that the fruit has powers not unlike other defined “super foods” like blueberries, pomegranates, spinach, and garlic among many others.

The end result of the study is that it assumes the unassertive kiwi can increase the body’s natural response triggers that are associated with afflictions and diseases such as diabetes, arthritis, obesity, heart disease, and cancer. Kiwifruit protects against enzymes associated with cancers of the lower digestive tract and helps muscles repair from stress caused by exercise. Health science manager from Zespri Incorporated, Lynley Drummond says that the specific report was done to note the added benefits of kiwfruit because it is well known that eating (or drinking) fruit is good for maintaining health, “We all know that consuming fruit is good for us, but we wanted to know if kiwifruit in particular has a beneficial effect on the body’s natural defence system….These studies are an exciting step forward and support growing evidence that Zespri kiwifruit can strengthen the immune system and protect the body in many ways.”

So next time you are in the pharmacy aisle in your local supermarket or department store, you may want to forego the expensive cold remedies, vitamins, syrups, preventative flu teas, and effervescent tablets and swing by the produce section first before you open your wallet. If you are feeling under the weather or lethargic—before you get serious symptoms—slice open a kiwi, smile at the tiny black seeds staring back at you, and give your immune system a little boost.

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Cutting Calories Can Improve Brain Function

Making an effort to cut out those extra (unnecessary) calories could improve your memory by as much as 20 percent, in addition to helping you decrease your waistline. This creates a whole new perspective on the adage “you are what you eat!”

According to a new study published in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a connection has been established between calorie-restricted diets and improved memory function. Although prior studies with animals have shown memory improvement, this is the first study that has shown how calorie restriction can influence memory function in humans.

The study included 50 participants ages 50 to 72. These men and women were in the normal weight to overweight range. Participants were assigned to one of three groups. Members of one group were asked to decrease their calorie intake by 30 percent while eating foods they would normally consume but in smaller portions. The second group was not asked to decrease calorie intake, but instructed to boost the amount of healthy, unsaturated fat consumed by 20 percent. The third group was asked to make no dietary changes at all.

Dr. Agnes Flöel of the University of Münster in Germany, a neurologist and member of the research group, said that although dietitians counseled the study participants, the group members supervised their own food consumption for a period of three months. After the 90-day period, study participants were given tests requiring the memorization of words to measure levels of memory function. Although two of the groups showed no difference in memory scores, the group who lowered their calorie intake had an average of a 20 percent improvement in memory performance.

According to Dr. Flöel, the lower calorie intake group experienced a decline in insulin levels and less signs of inflammation. This could explain the better memory scores as their brain cells were kept in better health. These participants also lost from four to seven pounds. Dr. Flöel explained how lower insulin levels could increase the sensitivity of receptors within the brain that, in turn, improve insulin signals and allow memories to be retained for a longer period of time. She also described how inflammation is believed to promote aggregation of toxic proteins and promote insulin resistance that suggests a decrease in inflammation would help brain function.

Researchers have shown keen interest in conducting studies that involve limiting calorie intake. Many animal studies have revealed that eating less promotes a longer, healthier life. However, human studies have had mixed results and the impact on cognitive function remains unclear. Some studies have linked self-supervised dieting to cognitive decline, although several experts believe that this was simply due to the dieters becoming preoccupied with thoughts of food and weight loss.

The researchers noted that they were surprised to find that participants in the unsaturated fat group experienced no improvement in memory. They suspect that this may have been due to the fact that most of the group members did not consume fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Hence, they are conducting a larger study requiring the unsaturated fat group to eat a lot of omega-3 fats.

The research group plans to study calorie restriction and omega-3 in elderly people who have mild cognitive impairment as the study results offer a route for exploring the role of insulin and inflammation on ageing-related cognitive decline.

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Healthy Diet Food: Fabulous Fish

Don't ignore fish when you are planning your weekly diet. Fish is a fabulous food - lots of variety in taste and texture, versatile and low in saturated fat. It's also low in calories - the perfect healthy diet food.

Aim to include a fish dish in your diet at least twice a week - and more is better!

• Oily fish (Mackerel, Herring, Sardines) contain Omega-3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat which can help to reduce total blood cholesterol. Omega-3 in the diet protects the heart and circulation and may reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers.
• Medical studies have shown that Omega-3 oils play an important part in aiding the development of our brains.
• Sea food contains an abundance of essential minerals - iron, zinc, iodine and selenium.
• Fish is a good source of Vitamins helping to maintain healthy nerve tissues, strong bones and teeth and a glowing complexion.
• Fish is a low fat and/or good fat source of protein, essential for the healthy growth and maintenance of muscles and body tissues.
• As well as your brain, your love life could benefit from eating sea food as part of a healthy diet. Shellfish such as oysters have a reputation for acting as an aphrodisiac!

Fish - Healthy Diet Food

	Calories
Haddock, Smoked, Raw (1 Serving/85g)	58
Lobster, Boiled (1 Serving/85g)	88
Prawns, Peeled (1 Serving/100g)	99
Herring, Grilled (1 Serving/85g)	154
Trout Rainbow, Raw (1 Serving/150g)	202
Scampi, Whole (1 Serving/100g)	229
Mackerel in Tomato Sauce (1 Can/125g)	254
Salmon, Fresh (1 Serving/163g)	290

If you'd like to have a closer look and see how healthy your diet is, have a look at the tools and databases in Weight Loss Resources. You can check if your diet is balanced, how many calories you eat (and how many you need!), track how many servings of fruit and veg you eat in a day, and look up the calorie, protein, carbohydrate, fat and fibre content of over 20,000 foods.

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Increased Vitamin D Intake to Treat Depression, Obesity and Cancer

It is estimated that over 1 billion people around the globe are deficient in vitamin D. This widespread vitamin D deficiency may be related to the increase of many diseases, such as cancer, depression, obesity, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, and osteoporosis.


What does vitamin D do in the body?
Vitamin D is a precursor to a hormone called calcitriol, which has been known to help build strong bones and teeth. This important nutrient is responsible for maintaining normal calcium metabolism. Vitamin D also promotes normal cell growth and helps maintain hormonal balance as well as supporting the immune system. Calcitriol becomes a component of the cells, and thereby helps regulate metabolic processes. Recent news about vitamin D points to its use in preventing obesity and insulin resistance. Research conducted over the past 60 years shows that vitamin D intake reduces the incidence of cancer, especially breast and prostate. Vitamin D is also under investigation for treating depression. High doses of vitamin D have been effective in treating symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), suggesting that vitamin D regulates melatonin and other neurotransmitters.

Vitamin D deficiency symptoms
Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency include muscle pain, weak bones, low energy, fatigue, low immunity, depression, mood swings and sleep difficulties. Kidney problems, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and multiple sclerosis may also be signs of vitamin D deficiency.

Foods that contain vitamin D
Fatty fish are the best sources of vitamin D, especially mackerel, salmon and sardines. Eggs, dairy and organ meats are also good sources. It is a good idea to add fatty fish and fortified daily products to your diet, but even so, many people need nutritional supplementation to obtain adequate vitamin D.

Vitamin D from sunlight
While Vitamin D can be synthesized in the skin when exposure to sunlight, you must live where the UVB rays are strong. North of latitude 40 is the dividing line, where the sun is only strong enough in the summer to trigger vitamin D production. Above this line, which runs from New York City to Northern California, exposure to sunlight is NEVER strong enough to produce vitamin D through the skin.

Increasing the daily dose
New research from the University of California suggests raising the daily recommendation from 200- 400 IU per day to 2,000 IU per day. Eighteen researchers have begun a "call to action," suggesting that health authorities begin encouraging 2,000 IU daily intake of vitamin D for most people. Dr. Jonathan Wright has long recommended at least 2,000 IU per day, but has found that most people need as much as 4,000 IU to prevent deficiency. In 2001, a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition noted that supplemental doses 1,000 IU were not enough to raise the blood levels to normal, in half of the study participants.

Overdose?
Daily sun exposure can equal 10,000 and 20,000 IU of vitamin D, and produce no ill effects. Research on dietary doses of up to 10,000 IU a day has shown no adverse effects. Many health professionals, from Andrew Weil, MD,( http://www.drweil.com) to Jonathan Wright, MD, have long been recommending doses of 2,000 IU or more.

Get tested
A simple blood test can discern vitamin D levels in the blood. Optimal levels are now considered to be between 50-70 ng/mL. (Test results as low as 20 ng/mL have been considered normal levels in the past.) Get tested today, and ask your health professional about increasing your daily vitamin D supplementation to 2,000 IU, as the new research suggests.

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Tea Tree Oil: Natural Treatment Alternative

Tea tree oil, also known as melaleuca oil, is often used as an essential oil for a variety of ailments. Extracted from the leaves of a plant native to Australia, the pure form of the oil is very strong and usually diluted for use in cosmetics and medicines. Historically, tea tree oil got its name because the leaves of the melaleuca alternifolia plant were first steeped as a tea. Traditionally, the leaves were used topically for treating burns, lacerations, and infections.

Tea tree oil has been effective in helping or healing many maladies from athlete’s foot and acne to dandruff, nail fungus, eczema, ringworm, and even annoyances like lice and mosquito bites. This antiseptic, antiviral, and antifungal oil is wonderful for stopping pain and irritation while providing a soothing disinfectant for your skin. For acne sufferers, tea tree oil has been proven great for killing the bacteria and flushing out the toxins while keeping the skin’s natural oils without over-drying. For helping coughs and colds, tea tree oil helps to break up mucus.

As an essential oil used in aromatherapy, tea tree oil is found in many face and body creams, soaps, lotions, hair products and candles. Even though tea tree oil is a natural product, there have been studies done to prove its effectiveness as a treatment for certain ailments.

A controlled trial investigated three groups with athlete’s foot. Out of 158 sufferers, one group used 25 percent tea tree oil solution, the second group worked with 50 percent, and the final group was the placebo. Used twice daily for four weeks, the 50 percent solution group showed 64 percent cured in relation to only 31 percent in the placebo group. Another trial used tea tree oil to fight acne and it was tested against benzoyl peroxide and had fewer skin side effects overall but both groups showed significantly less skin irritations, inflammation, and breakouts.

Natural health products have been more popular in recent years and because they are branching out of their niche environment, more scientific studies are being conducted in order to test these natural products on conditions and diseases we have yet to find cures for. Tea tree oil has not been forgotten and emerging information is making headlines due to a rising health outbreak in the United States.

MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, has been in the news recently due to outbreaks of the infection caused by mistakes and sloppy corners used in hospitals across the country. MRSA cannot be treated with normal antibiotics and the virus is easily transferred through large environments of sick people (from hospitals to nursing homes) causing pneumonia and other serious infections. A Northern Ireland study conducted by Queen’s University Belfast, shows that tea tree oil may provide a simple approach to preventing the virus from spreading.

In the news published earlier this month, lead author of the study Dr. Bronagh Blackwood from the university and his colleagues are testing results of patients using a body wash with 5 percent concentration of tea tree oil to combat MRSA. Earlier studies have shown that tea tree oil-infused body wash has seemed to eliminate the virus from the skin because a lot of these infections start at the surgical site. Blackwood’s team is experimenting with newly-diagnosed MRSA patients on people in hospital’s intensive care units and even though they are only a year into the trial they are hopeful for a positive outcome, “We started this trial in November 2007,” Blackwood continued, “We aim to complete it in November 2010.”

Tea tree oil should be used with caution and under supervision from a natural healer or healthcare provider in order to be used properly and in its correct form. It should be noted that tea tree oil should be checked for potency before use, because in its undiluted and purest state, it can cause skin irritations like blistering, itching, and rashes. Also tea tree oil is supposed to be used topically only and never to be ingested, ask a professional before using if pregnant or breast-feeding.

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Coconut, Not Your Average Oil

When I have a little time on my hands, whether I am feeling stressed or bored or just in need of a task, I bake. One of my favorite ingredients to use is coconut. The rich sweet flavor, the soft chewy texture if it’s inside a baked good, and especially the nutty toasted crunch after it’s been baked and sprinkled over cakes, ice creams, or just about anything else you can think of. There are a lot of varieties of coconut sold at stores: flaked, whole, shredded, flour (good for people with wheat flour allergies), raw, unsweetened, dried, milk, and the most unusual type which I have been hearing about recently: coconut oil.

Claiming to be a “miracle cure” everyone has seemed to be raving about it from a new diet to an unbeatable moisturizer, Jennifer Aniston has supposedly been known to swear by it as well as professional international sports teams for multiple aspects of the oil's promising effects. Coconut oil promises a lot, but is it enough to withstand the dangers to your diet?
According to the Coconut Research Center based in Colorado, scientists are aware of the saturated fat content but are also aware of the more substantial positives found in the oil, like fiber, minerals, and vitamins. Used for centuries in Asian and Pacific cultures, they call it the “Tree of Life” for its many remarkable uses. Both food and medicine, coconut oil goes beyond what Americans describe as “dietary oil,” used to prepare foods and for taste without all the calories, dietary oil is a type of oil used for its natural fatty acids and often marketed as a weight loss supplement.

The researchers from the Center urge us to take another look at coconut oil, beyond its dietary purposes. Around the world, traditional alternative medicines have been using this oil to treat a myriad of symptoms and conditions, “asthma, baldness, bronchitis, bruises, burns, colds, constipation, cramps from menstruation, dysentery, earache, fever, flu, gingivitis, gonorrhea, jaundice, kidney stones, lice, malnutrition, nausea, rash, scabies, skin infections, sore throat, swelling, syphilis, toothache, tuberculosis, tumors, typhoid, ulcers, upset stomach, and wounds,” among others. In Western medicine, however, studies have shown that scientists have had some luck in proving coconut (in certain forms) may be a healing substance in the lab.

The possibilities are endless, from killing bacteria and parasites, to boosting the immune system and the body’s energy, acting as an antioxidant, as well as having a lower cholesterol content than other oils, it seems science knows something we don’t. A new study recently conducted and presented by Drs. Gilda Sapphire Erguiza, from the Philippine Children's Medical Center and Daniel Rauch, from the New York University Langone Medical Center, found that children diagnosed with community-acquired pneumonia healed faster while on normal antibiotics when also given a dose of coconut oil according to their weight, though researchers have more to investigate as to why this effect took place.

On the opposite side of the crowd, nutritionists and the health-conscious weigh in on why coconut oil shouldn’t be a part of a regular diet. Just look at the numbers: Coconut oil has a whopping 117 calories per tablespoon and with the artery-clogging qualities of a saturated fat to boot. Coconut oil on its own has 87 percent saturated fat compared to a juicy burger that contains merely 38 percent. With most American diets already high in fats and saturated fats, adding additional oil on top of all the rest probably won’t be good for your overall health.

The fatty acids in foods are measured in length that tells of the danger to our bodies: short, medium, and long. Most fatty acids we consume are of the long variety and essentially it takes our bodies longer to break them down and metabolize within our system. Most of the long-chain varieties are what we consume—98 to 100 percent—from plants and animals daily. Coconut oil is medium-chain or known as MCFA. Some nutritionists warn about the high saturated fat content of coconut oil but advise to use caution and think about what we are substituting it for within our diet in order to keep a balance and keep our heart in check.

Whatever your choice, for or against the “miracle cure” of coconut oil, remember that everything even supplements and natural remedies should be used in moderation no matter how healthy they may seem and to always consult a doctor before trying anything new so as to prevent future complications. I always knew I loved coconut, but I didn’t know it could be for more than just taste.

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Prickly Pear: A Natural Way to Enhance Vitality

It turns out the cactus is not just found in the desert anymore. From grocery stores to nutritional stores, specialty boutiques and natural product aisles, a specific form of cactus has been making a name for itself. Plucked from the desert in the western United States and most of Mexico, a cactus known as the “prickly pear” is gaining popularity in the alternative medicine world. The prickly pear cactus is being harvested because every component of the plant can be used to enhance your body’s vitality.

Prickly pear cacti have flat and round plates with two different types of spines and they produce both flowers and fruit. Citizens of Mexico have long been treating minor aches and pains for centuries. People have started to use the desert’s star plant as a dietary supplement and in North America it is sold in supermarkets in its fruit form.

Chockful of rich “flavonoids,” a term which sounds more like a made-up cartoon cereal term for kids to find on the back of their box in the morning but are actually helpful plant-based metabolites. Flavonoids are primarily known for their antioxidant activity and have been called “nature’s biological response modifiers,” because of the support behind their ability to change the body’s reaction to allergens and viruses. Many reports have also said that flavonoids are also responsible for fighting off carcinogens creating anti-cancer activity, which is why the compounds found in green tea, red wine, chocolate, and certain fruits have been promoted for years.

Every part of the prickly pear cactus can be used and the pads—the big, flat, green dinner-plate-sized area of the plant—have a huge dose of nutrients. Minerals like potassium, calcium, iron, and magnesium are found in the pads as well as beta-carotene (a form of vitamin A) and vitamin C. High levels of these ingredients are also found in the big, green, leafy vegetable spinach which has long been a source of healthy diets.

Mexican and Indian tribes have used the cactus to make all kinds of food products from soups and pickles to jam and cheeses because the climate necessitates multiple uses for any and all produce. It can also be used topically like aloe vera to help heal minor lacerations on the skin. The anti-inflammatory uses are great against bug bites, rashes, or even allergic reactions.

Studies have shown that the cactus helps heal inside the body as well. By protecting the immune system and staving off free radicals in your system, the prickly pear can potentially slow down the aging process and continue to help your organs function at their best. Also, the spiny fruit can lower your blood pressure by helping keep LDL (low-density lipids or “bad”) cholesterol levels down and erase the threat of an overworked heart.

Since the prickly pear cactus has been catching on, athletes have been using it to get more energy out of their workout time and exercise-related injuries and soreness have supposedly been helped by speedy recoveries fueled by the extract of the prickly pear. Aside from being low fat, high in fiber, and generally nutritious, the prickly pear cactus has one of the highest rates in studies of the herbal hypoglycemic.

Recently published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology and Diabetes Care, the pads of the cactus have contributed to a certain amount of effectiveness over Type II diabetes care. Another study from the University of Arizona tested the prickly pear pectin—found in the fruit of the plant—to decrease LDL cholesterol levels and it was also suggested that the pectin may help the body stabilize its glucose response, another way to ward off or maintain diabetes.

Whether or not you live near the naturally-grown prickly pear cacti found in the west and southwestern United States and parts of Mexico, or if you happen to find the transplanted type found in Europe, the cactus can still be a part of your life. You can either admire the orange, yellow, or red flowers growing from this incredible plant from pictures or find all parts of it in teas, capsules, powders, or liquid extract in order to get the best out of the prickly pear cactus and your body.

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Low Cholesterol Diet

By Peter Emerson

Nowadays, cholesterol is becoming a real threat to many people. The main reason behind this is that people tend to consume more products that are rich in saturated fats, such as whole milk dairy products, poultry, and egg yolks.

Additionally, most people also rely on food chains for their daily diet or perhaps on processed foods, especially if their schedule is too hectic to accommodate home cooking. So if you are one of these people who love to eat these kinds of foods, it’s time to reassess your diet and start eating a low-cholesterol diet.

The low-cholesterol diet is a diet low in saturated fat, which helps lower your cholesterol level and protect you from various heart diseases. The foods that should be included in this diet are fat-free dairy products, lean meats, fish and shellfish, skinless poultry, and whole-grain foods. Fresh fruits and green vegetables, especially when combined with large quantities of olive oil and monostaturates, should also be included because these are rich in vitamins and minerals that are good for your body and reduce your risk for high cholesterol. In addition to these, certain foods that contain plant stanols or plant sterols such as cholesterol-lowering margarines and salad dressings can also be added to your diet to boost your body’s LDL-lowering power.

Meanwhile, foods that are high in cholesterol and saturated fats should only be eaten in moderation. If possible, these should not be included in your diet. Avoid liver and other organ meats, egg yolks, full-fat dairy products, high-fat processed meats, and fried foods. Limiting the intake of these foods can greatly reduce your cholesterol levels and decrease your chances of developing heart disease, as well as protect you from future heart attacks.

A simple low-cholesterol diet is a big help to you, but only if you observe and follow these guidelines regularly. Remember that your health is in your hands.

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