Don't drink another drop of water until you see this!!

Frozen Blueberries Are Better For You

5 Reasons Why You Should Freeze Your Blueberries

I think we’re all already aware that organic berries are very good for our overall health. The vitamins that they contain spread a number of benefits throughout our body, but is it possible to make them even more healthy?Apparently, yes. Yes we can.

More and more research is pointing in the direction that freezing fruits can actually make them even healthier. This appears to be the case with organic blueberries, where anthocyanin concentration is actually more potent after a short stay in the freezer. In case you don’t know, anthocyanins contain a number of anti-inflammatory qualities, and are known to benefit your overall brain health.

Some research even suggests that anthocyanin may possess anti-carcinogenic properties that could completely revolutionize the medical industry.

What does freezing do?

When you freeze blueberries (for short OR long periods of time), the low temperatures penetrate deep within the fruit and disrupt the tissue structure – this makes the anthocyanins more available and absorbable.

The berries actually have their sharp, blue color because of the anthocyanin in the tissue. Organic berries already have higher nutritional content than alternatives, but freezing them can actually improve on these 5 benefits:

1. Improving Heart Health

Eating frozen blueberries can significantly lower your risk of heart disease. This is because the nutrients regulate and relax the elasticity of your arteries in the vascular wall, keeping them from getting damaged. Consequently, this also improves your blood flow, giving you a healthy blood pressure in the process.

2. Reduced Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease & Other Forms of Dementia

The anthocyanin in the berries can actually improve your memory functions, and protect your brain against cell damage and loss. The protection makes your encoding and retrieval processes more fluid, making it easier to recall information.The berries can also improve your nerve cell growth, and make communication easier between nerve cell processes. This actually slows down the rate that they age, and ultimately, die.

3. Improved Nervous System Health

The antioxidants in blueberries  provide your nerve cells with protection, as mentioned previously. They also keep your brain healthy from various forms of toxin pollution that it is exposed to every day. They effectively create a safeguard around your nervous system to keep it healthy and strong for a longer period of time.

4. Improved Motor Function

Older adults, who suffer from impaired movements above the age of 70+ years, generally perform and behave more functionally after consuming frozen blueberries. They have heightened cognitive ability, which shows improved motor ability in comparison to other men and women in the same age group.

5. Improved Digestion

The antioxidants in blueberries protect your digestive tract from any damage from outside sources. The scary thing is, many of the people who lack antioxidants in their diets consequently develop cancer as a result of poor gastrointestinal health. People at risk of developing colon cancer should definitely bring more frozen blueberries into their diets.

Blueberries are already so healthy, but freezing them allows for you to get the benefits in such a higher concentration than refrigerated ones. They will taste just as good, but will be so much healthier without even showing it.

Try them out next time you pick up a batch. Grab a few extra ones to pack into the freezer for a few weeks, and make them a regular start to your mornings.

Sources:

http://www.sdstate.edu/news/articles/undergraduate-researcher-evaluates-frozen-blueberries.cfm?utm_source=homepage-banner&utm_medium=online-website&utm_campaign=blueberries

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=8

http://wellnessmaine.com/2013/08/22/blueberries-maines-fruit/

http://www.naturalnews.com/043674_blueberry_extracts_cadmium_toxicity_heavy_metals.html

Online Library | Articles | Green Vegetables Protect the Heart | DrFuhrman.com

Online Library | Articles | Green Vegetables Protect the Heart | DrFuhrman.com

Raw Pomegranate Bark

While browsing Pinterest today I stumbled upon rawmanda.com and fell in love with this recipe. Its perfect for Valentines Day. i hope you enjoy it too!

I went out west to visit my sister in southern California this summer and was greeted by a huge pile of enormous pomegranates that were grown in her backyard. It really is amazing how much you can grow on your own in a small space out in California.

Her backyard is what I consider to be paradise. I remember I was smiling from ear to ear when I saw her beautiful garden for the first time. Besides having boatloads of pomegranates growing back there, she also has persimmon, passion fruit, jujubes, giant lemons, limes, and tons of herbs. Sometimes I think my sister and I should trade places or maybe one day I’ll be able to join her out there.

I needed to come up with a recipe that would use a good amount of pomegranates. I wanted to make something quick and easy to avoid completely taking over her kitchen. The answer was simple, make raw pomegranate chocolate bark!

In case you’re a pomegranate newbie like me, you should know the fastest and best way to avoid making a mess in your kitchen while opening one of these fruits. Trust me, I’ve had my battles opening pomegranates and it is never pretty. Not only has this fruit created a “bloody” mess and a disaster area in my apartment, I’ve also wasted a lot of time meticulously picking the seeds out.

THE BEST WAY TO OPEN A POMEGRANATE

• First, tap all around the outside of your pomegranate with a wooden spoon.
• Cut along the ridges in a bowl of water, you will be able to see and feel these ridges.
• Gently pull the pomegranate apart under water and the seeds should fall right out. The white piths will float up to the surface of the water and the seeds will sink down to the bottom.
• You might have to pull out a few seeds, but trust me it will be way less manual labor than if you didn’t tap the pomegranate with a wooden spoon.
• Skim the top of the water and throw out the white piths along with the skin.
• Strain out the water and your left with your ruby red pomegranate gems!

Now that you know the secret to opening pomegranates we can move on to the good stuff, chocolate bark! Store bought chocolate is usually highly processed with tons of ingredients you probably don’t want to be consuming. With a recipe this simple, you’ll have no reason to spend your precious dollars on that junk anyways.

Using just raw carob or cacao powder, liquid sweetener (date paste) and coconut oil you can easily make your very own chocolate bark. You can add whatever you like to jazz up the chocolate bark just like I did here with pomegranate seeds and sea salt. If you don’t have pomegranates, feel free to replace them with another fresh fruit, dried fruit, nuts or seeds!

Want to drizzle some chocolate sauce over your dessert? This chocolate bark recipe is perfect for that too. Instead of letting the chocolate harden in the freezer, just pour it over your ice cream after combining the ingredients.

Does this raw chocolate recipe seem to good to be true? I’ll let you be the judge. Go ahead and try it out for yourself, you will not regret it!

5.0 from 2 reviews

POMEGRANATE CHOCOLATE BARK

 

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PREP TIME

5 mins

COOK TIME

20 mins

TOTAL TIME

25 mins

 

Author: Amanda Le

INGREDIENTS

• ⅔ c cacao powder (use carob for caffeine-free)
• ½ c maple syrup (or other liquid sweetener i.e. date paste)
• ⅓ c coconut oil, melted
• 1-2 pomegranates, de-seeded
• 1 tsp sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add the first 3 ingredients to a bowl and mix well until you have a uniform consistency.
2. Pour mixture into a parchment or Saran Wrap lined pan.
3. Pour pomegranate seeds evenly across the chocolate and push them down gently.
4. Sprinkle with sea salt.
5. Place chocolate bark in the freezer for 20 minutes.
6. Break chocolate sheet apart carefully with the pomegranate side facing down so you don't squirt yourself with juice from the seeds!

NOTES

Store leftover chocolate bark in an air-tight container in the freezer.

source: http://rawmanda.com

Health Benefits of Himalayan Pink Salt

Lemons - God's Perfect Fruit

Did you know the Ancient Egyptians believed that eating lemons and drinking lemon juice was an effective protection against a variety of poisons, and that recent research has confirmed this belief?

There are many health benefits of lemons that have been known for centuries. The two biggest are lemons’ strong antibacterial, antiviral, and immune-boosting powers and their use as a weight loss aid because lemon juice is a digestive aid and liver cleanser. Lemons contain many substances--notably citric acid, calcium, magnesium, vitamin C, bioflavonoids, pectin, and limonene--that promote immunity and fight infection.

These are well-known health facts about lemons. But there’s so much more to this little yellow fruit. Here are 15 that I’ll bet you didn’t know. Whether you use them in the form of juice, teas, drinks, dressing, poultices or in the bath, take advantage of lemons’ natural healing power.

Fight Fatigue

Long distance walkers, world travelers, and explorers look upon the lemon as a Godsend. When fatigue sets in, they might suck lemon juice by piercing the top of the fruit with a straw, giving themselves a quick-acting medicine and a lovely refreshment.

Explorers also use lemon for protetion against many infections of the tropics. A small amount of lemon juice will quench thirst more effectively than many times the amount of water. Experienced travelers declare that when they add lemon juice to ordinary drinking water, in various localities, it acts as an antiseptic and prevents illness due to allergy to different water supplies.

Lemon oil also seems to be able to stimulate brain activity so whenever you feel tired for no reason or are finding it hard to focus or concentrate, add 4 drops of lemon oil to a water-filled aromatherapy lamp. Alternatively, drink a glass of lemon water every few hours.

Healing Hypertension

Garlic and onions have been shown to be effective in the fight against hypertension, and they combine well with the healing power of lemon. Add 3 crushed garlic cloves and 1 chopped onion to 1 quart or cold skimmed or low fat milk or soy milk. Slowly bring to the boil and let it stand for 5 minutes. Pour through a sieve and chill. Add the freshly squeezed juice of 3 lemons and sip throughout the day.And if you suffer from high cholesterol, don’t forget that the pectin power in lemons along with its other metabolism and circulation boosting nutrients can help lower cholesterol.

Abolish Acne

Lemon contains citric acid, which can be effective in treating acne. The vitamin C found in citrus fruits is vital for that healthy glowing skin while its alkaline nature kills some types of bacteria known to cause acne. In addition to drinking lemon juice with water first thing in the morning, here are some suggestions on how to prepare a homemade acne treatment using lemon:

With your finger or a cotton ball, apply fresh lemon juice on acne and leave it overnight. Wash with water the following morning. There may be an uncomfortable sensation of burning at first, but it will soon disappear.

Mix one part of freshly squeezed lemon juice with an equal part of rose or honey water. Put the mixture on affected areas for at least half an hour. Wash it afterwards with water. This application should be repeated twice daily, ideally in the morning and the evening.

Abandon Your Anxiety

Research has shown that lemon balm has a calming effect and therefore may be able to help remove fatigue, exhaustion, dizziness, anxiety, nervousness, and tension. It is also believed that inhaling lemon oil helps in increasing concentration and alertness. It can therefore be used as a room freshener in offices to increase the efficiency of the employees. If you’re feeling tense sprinkle a few drops of lemon balm essential oil

Put Insomnia to Rest

Several studies have found that lemon balm combined with other calming herbs (such as valerian, hops, and chamomile) helps reduce anxiety and promote sleep. In a recent double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 18 healthy volunteers received two separate single doses of a standardized lemon balm extract (300 mg and 600 mg) or placebo for 7 days. The 600 mg dose of lemon balm increased mood and significantly increased calmness and alertness.

Pulverize Pain

Even though it tastes bitter, lemon juice has a powerful alkaline effect in the body and is therefore a natural agent against excess acid, which is in part responsible for rheumatism. Drink the freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon in a glass of lukewarm water 3 times a day and if you experience severe pain add the juice of 2 lemons 3 times a day.

Lemon oil has pain-relieving qualities, so to inhibit inflammation and ease pain, massage the affected area daily with several drops of lemon oil mixed with 1 tablespoon (15ml) jojoba oil.

Save your Stomach

Drink the juice of 1 freshly squeezed lemon in a glass of lukewarm water after each meal. The lemon acid will stimulate the production of stomach acid and the activity of stomach muscles stomach muscles.

Canker Sore, No More

The proven antibacterial and antiviral properties of lemons can accelerate the healing process in the case of cankers. Mix the juice of freshly squeezed lemon into a glass of lukewarm water and rinse your mouth with this solution; do this three times a day. There may be a burning sensation when the lemon juice comes into contact with the canker, however, the more frequently you use it, the less burning there will be.

Leave the Fever

Chills and fevers may be due to a variety of causes, but the lemon is always a helpful remedy. Here is a method that can ease symptoms: add the juice of 1 lemon to a cup of hot water with honey and drink at once, then every 2 hours until the fever or chill subsides.

Cold and Flu Got You Blue?

When you have a cold, the healing power of lemons works both internally, by supplying urgently required vitamin C to your defense cells, and externally, through the application of its antiviral properties to the virus on the mucous membranes in the nose and throat.

At the first indication of a cold – a runny nose or sore throat –try to give your body as much immune-boosting vitamin C as you can so that the virus is eliminated before it gets a chance to take hold. Drink the freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon in a glass of lukewarm water every 2 hours.

If you have a sore throat, add the juice of 1 lemon and 1 teaspoon (5ml) of sea salt to 1 cup (250ml) lukewarm water. Gargle three times a day for 1 minute to diminish the burning sensation. If it’s a case of tonsillitis, gargle every 2 hours for at least 30 seconds with the freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon. Tilt the head back to allow the antibacterial and antiviral properties of the juice to flow into the back of the throat. You can swallow the juice when you have finished gargling thereby benefiting from an immune-boosting vitamin C shot.

Say Adios to Varicose

Lemon oil has vessel-strengthening properties that can help fight varicose and spider veins. For spider veins, take 2 to 3 drops of lemon oil every day and mix in a small bowl with jojoba, avocado or almond oil and massage the affected area.

For varicose veins,add 6 drops of lemon oil to 1 ½ oz (50 ml) wheat germ oil, and 2 drops each of cypress and juniper oil. Use this mixture daily for a gentle massage of the legs from bottom to top, in the direction of the heart. For a vein and vessel-rejuvenating bath add 8 drops of lemon oil to a warm bath. Also add 4 drops of cypress oil blended with 1 tablespoon (15ml) of honey. Soak in the bath for 15 minutes and when you come out, pat your skin dry – don’t rub it.

Erase Eczema

If you suffer from skin infection such as eczema, a lemon wrap may offer relief. Add 8 drops of lemon essential oil to 1 cup (250ml) lukewarm water and 1 tablespoon (15ml) of liquid honey. Honey also has anti-inflammatory effect and strengthens the healing power of lemon.

Soak a linen cloth in the liquid, squeeze out the excess, and gently place the cloth on the affected area for 15 minutes, 2 to 3 times a day. Not only will this ease the infection, it will counter the overwhelming urge to scratch.

Freshen Your Breath

Lemons can help freshen breath that has gone sour after consuming certain spices, alcohol, cigarettes, or that is caused by insufficient salivation. To keep breath fresh, thoroughly rinse your mouth several times a day with the freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon in a glass of lukewarm water. Chewing on a lemon slice after every meal will also help.

Smite a Bug Bite

If the stinger is still in the skin, take it out with a pair of tweezers. Massage 1 to 2 drops of lemon oil, mixed with 1 teaspoon of honey, into the skin around the bite.

To repel insects, add 20 drops of lemon oil to 1 cup (250ml) of water and spray into the air. It smells great and repels insects at the same time. Another home remedy is to place a cotton ball soaked in lemon oil in your bedroom. If you are sitting outside in the evening, apply lemon scent to skin areas not covered in clothing. Or, add 10 drops of lemon oil to 1 ½ oz of sunflower oil and rub into the skin.

Source: www.beliefnet.com

FDA Finally Admits Chicken Meat Contains Arsenic!

After years of sweeping the issue under the rug and hoping no one would notice, the FDA has now finally admitted that chicken meat sold in the USA contains arsenic, a cancer-causing toxic chemical that’s fatal in high doses. 

But the real story is where this arsenic comes from:It’s added to the chicken feed on purpose!

Even worse, the FDA says its own research shows that the arsenic added to the chicken feed ends up in the chicken meat where it is consumed by humans. So for the last sixty years, American consumers who eat conventional chicken have been swallowing arsenic, a known cancer-causing chemical.

Until this new study, both the poultry industry and the FDA denied that arsenic fed to chickens ended up in their meat. The fairy-tale excuse story we’ve all been fed for sixty years is that “the arsenic is excreted in the chicken feces.” There’s no scientific basis for making such a claim… it’s just what the poultry industry wanted everybody to believe.

But now the evidence is so undeniable that the manufacturer of the chicken feed product known as Roxarsone has decided to pull the product off the shelves (www.grist.org). And what’s the name of this manufacturer that has been putting arsenic in the chicken feed for all these years? Pfizer, of course — the very same company that makes vaccines containing chemical adjuvants that are injected into children. 

Technically, the company making the Roxarsone chicken feed is a subsidiary of Pfizer, called Alpharma LLC. Even though Alpharma now has agreed to pull this toxic feed chemical off the shelves in the United States, it says it won’t necessarily remove it from feed products in other countries unless it is forced by regulators to do so. As reported by AP: “Scott Brown of Pfizer Animal Health’s Veterinary MedicineResearch and Development division said the company also sells the ingredient in about a dozen other countries. He said Pfizer is reaching out to regulatory authorities in those countries and will decide whether to sell it on an individual basis.” (www.usatoday.com)

Arsenic? Eat more!

But even as its arsenic-containing product is pulled off the shelves, the FDA continues its campaign of denial, claiming arsenic in chickens is at such a low level that it’s still safe to eat. This is even as the FDA says arsenic is a carcinogen, meaning it increases the risk of cancer.

The National Chicken Council agrees with the FDA. In a statement issued in response to the news that Roxars one would be pulled from feed store shelves, it stated, “Chicken is safe to eat” even while admitting arsenic was used in many flocks grown and sold as chicken meat in the United States.

What’s astonishing about all this is that the FDA tells consumers it’s safe to eat cancer-causing arsenic but it’s dangerous to drink elderberry juice! 

The FDA recently conducted an armed raid in an elderberry juice manufacturer, accusing it of the “crime” of selling “unapproved drugs.” 

(www.naturalnews.com) 

Which drugs would those be? The elderberry juice, explains the FDA. You see, the elderberry juice magically becomes a “drugs” if you tell people how it can help support good health.

The FDA has also gone after dozens of other companies for selling natural herbal products or nutritional products thatenhance and support health. Plus, it’s waging a war on raw milk which it says is dangerous. So now in America, we have a food and drug regulatory agency that says it’s okay to eat arsenic, but dangerous to drink elderberry juice or raw milk.

Eat more poison, in other words, but don’t consume any healing foods. That’s the FDA, killing off Americans one meal at a time while protecting the profits of the very companies that are poisoning us with their deadly ingredients.

Oh, by the way, here’s another sweet little disturbing fact you probably didn’t know about hamburgers and conventional beef : Chicken litter containing arsenic is fed to cows in factory beef operations. So the arsenic that’s pooped out by the chickens gets consumed and concentrated in the tissues of cows, which is then ground into hamburger to be consumed by the clueless masses who don’t even know they’re eating second-hand chicken crap. (www.naturalnews.com)

Source: http://worldtruth.tv/fda-finally-admits-chicken-meat-contains-cancer-causing-arsenic/