Tart Cherry Juice

Tart cherries are bursting with the antioxidant benefits of five different anthocyanins, as noted by the University of Michigan Health System. Antioxidants from tart cherries are readily absorbed and keep your bloodstream antioxidants elevated for up to 12 hours after you've eaten them. A study published in the August 2004 issue of the journal "Behavioural Brain Research" found that tart cherry anthocyanins may reduce joint pain and inflammation. In the animal study, doses of 400 milligrams per kilogram body weight of anthocyanins produced comparable benefits to the prescription non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug indomethacin. Researchers concluded that the pain-relieving benefits of tart cherry may due to anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of anthocyanin compounds.

Drinking even small quantities of Montmorency tart cherry juice has been linked to decreased levels of uric acid in the blood along with a key biomarker for inflammation, known as C-reactive protein, according to a pair of new studies.

Cherries have been revered for their anti-inflammatory properties for years. Tart cherries, specifically, were declared in 2012 to have the highest anti-inflammatory content of any food. Prior research has found tart cherry juice can cut inflammation levels in lab rats by as much as 50 percent.

I have recently begin to drink tart cherry juice and I can tell a difference!  Less pain for me. Food is medicine.  The older I get I come to realize this is true!\

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder. ~~Unknown~~

Cantaloupe Juicing

I broke out my juicer today and juiced a half cantaloupe. I love this juice as it is refreshing and so good for the body. Here are some of the many benefits!

The high amount of beta-carotene and vitamin C (anti-oxidant) in cantaloupe makes it an excellent fruit in helping to prevent many degenerative diseases. I get excited just thinking how much more my body can absorb these precious nutrients when I drink of its juice.

Anti-coagulant: A unique compound in cantaloupe helps decrease the viscosity of the blood, hence preventing the abnormal formation of blood clots in the cardiovascular system.

Arteriosclerosis: Regularly consuming vitamin C retards the development of hardening of the arteries.

Cancer prevention: The high vitamin C content acts as a good anti-oxidant that protects cells from damages by free radicals. Regularly drinking juices high in anti-oxidants keep cancer at bay, especially against intestinal cancer and melanoma.

Cataracts: The natural vitamin A from beta-carotene in this juice lowers the risk of cataract and generally helps improve your vision too.

Cholesterol: Drinking juices high in anti-oxidant has been proven to fight the oxidative stress that is the main culprit in oxidizing the LDLs in the blood.

High blood pressure: Potassium in this rockmelon helps excrete sodium, thus bringing down high blood pressure especially in those with salt-sensitive hypertension.

Immune system: The strong content of vitamin C stimulates white cells to fight infection, naturally building a good immune system.

Insomnia: A special compound in cantaloupe relieves the nerves and calm anxieties. A help for insomniacs.

Menstruation problems: For women, drink this wonder juice around the time of menstruation and it will help reduce heavy flow and clots.

Muscle Cramps: A deficiency in potassium can cause muscular cramps and greater susceptibility to injury. Drink cantaloupe juice to prevent these.

Pregnancy: The high content of folate (folic acid) prevents neural tube defects in infants.

Quit Smoking: The natural nutrients and minerals found in this juice provides a synergistic combination that helps the body recover from nicotine withdrawal of one who is trying to quit smoking. Smoking also quickly depletes the vitamin A in a smoker, but cantaloupe juice can help replace it with its beta-carotene.

Stress: When going through a stressful period, keep this musky melon on the side and drink its juice regularly. The potassium content helps to rebalance and normalize the heartbeat. This in turn sends oxygen to the brain and regulates the body's water balance.

Water retention: Especially in pregnant women. Muskmelon juice helps your body excrete excess sodium, thus reducing water retention.

Reducing Silent Inflammation

Silent inflammation is a killer.  I was watching Dr. Oz last week and he was talking amount many things and he mentioned inflammation and how it is the start of all disease....how it is not good to have it in our bodies.  He always scares me when I watch his show.  It is just TOO informative and makes me so AWARE of what I might be doing wrong and what I need to change.  In particular he was talking about gargling...how if we do not gargle, mucus and inflammation literally builds up in the back of our throats and esophagus-es and blocks oxygen.  Gargling reduces it.  I have always been an intermittent gargler.  My bottle of Listerine lasts me a long time.  Since last week, I have been using it each day!

After doing some more reading on the new, I learned about silent inflammation.  How aches and pains, back pain, coughs and headaches are due to that.  Well, I have had this awful cough since Christmas.  Now I have the feeling of inflammation.  I know that it borders on paranoia but I feel filled up and overrun by it.  And I feel the pressing desire to be rid of it. Silent inflammation is manifested by the coughs, aches and pains.   Food is the answer. Food is the solution.

Good fats are one thing that can reduce inflammation.  I grew up taking cod liver oil everyday. My mother was a firm believer in  wheat germ, worm medicine and cod liver oil.   I actually liked it.  I have some in the refrigerator right now that I will be taking when I get home.  I have yet to convince my child it is a good thing.   Ginger  is also something that will reduce inflammation...the fresh kind.  Eating the right kind of sugars can also reduce inflammation.  Starches are wrong and the fruit sugars are the better choice.  So, more fresh fruits like: apples, apsaragus, beans, broccoli, blackberries, blueberries, cabbage, cantaloupe, citrus fruits, green beans, honeydew melon, kiwi, leafy greens, peaches, pears, plums, raspberries, spinach and strawberries.

The best thing we can do is get rid of the free radicals that are everywhere. Antioxidants are what we all need.  These are the things that will keep cancers away.  The key foods we need here are berries, kale and other leafy green vegetables, grains like quinoa , seaweeds or sea vegetables and cacoa or chocolate. The  darker the better.  I feel like I am ready to make a change.  Really.  Less meat and more fruits and vegetables.  I am already a seaweed fan so that will not be an issue.  Seaweed and its benefits are something I have been able to teach my child.  She will eat that with no problem.

I am planning a radical change within this next two weeks.  I am so anxious to have this horrible lingering, inflammation filled cough go away.  We all need to begin to see food as medicine, pay attention to our bodies in regards to inflammation and eat lots of antioxidant filled foods.  Here is to a lifestyle change. And...a big thanks to Dr. Oz for making me so aware of what I need to do!

You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder. ~~Unknown~~