Power Aztec Food: Chia Seeds

Chia Seeds - Power Foods of the Aztecs & The Mayans

If you subscribe to any number of health related newsletters, you’re frequently presented with the latest “new discovery” which claims to be the secret to longer life, better health, etc. Now, please don’t take me wrong, there are lots of new things being discovered that may very well improve your health. But, consider this. There are many centenarians living today who made it there before the latest “new discovery”. So, it pays to critically examine these claims.

For example… The Case of the Chia Seeds

One product being highly promoted lately is called Salba®. The story goes that the Aztecs and Mayans used the simple grain chia (Salvia hispanica) as a basic survival food to sustain them on long marches. Because it was also used in religious ceremonies, their Spanish conquerors almost wiped it out.

Benefits of Chia

According to the USDA National Nutrient Database, chia is:

• 16 percent protein
• 31 percent fat
• and 44 percent carbohydrate
• of which 38 percent is fiber.
• Most of its fat is the essential omega-3 fatty acid - alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).
• It’s also high in antioxidants… as much as 8 times higher than blueberries.

This mild tasting grain can be consumed directly with no cooking or processing. Its nutty taste is great on yogurt, salads, added to muffins, pancakes… you name it. For breakfast, I typically stir about a teaspoon of the whole grain into a half-cup of plain yogurt with a little honey, applesauce, or fresh fruit. I’ve found it sustains me all morning. On days when I only have a piece of fruit instead, I find my stomach starts getting that hollow feeling about 10:00 am.

So, as you can see, I’m impressed by chia. And I did make my first purchase of it under the brand name Salba®.

Problem: Chia Is Too Expensive!

The problem is Salba® is expensive. A 16 oz bottle (which only contains 12.7 oz of chia) retails for $24.95 plus shipping. According to their website, Salba® is superior to common chia. But is this claim true?

Solution: Chia Doesn’t Have To Be Expensive

According to Wayne Coates, Ph.D., who recently retired as research professor in the Office of Arid Lands Studies at the University of Arizona, it isn’t. Dr. Coates is author of the definitive book on the subject, Chia: Rediscovering a Forgotten Crop of the Aztecs (The University of Arizona Press, 2005). In a large part, he is responsible for the revival of chia as a commercial crop in Latin America. Dr. Coates continues to pursue research on this remarkable grain that is superior to other plant and marine sources of essential omega-3 oils.

Dr Coates also says there is no significant difference between white and black chia and has a comparison chart to prove it. As for as organic claims, he says insects don’t attack chia, so it doesn’t have to be sprayed. It’s mechanically harvested and needs no treatment at all.

Action Plan:

• Add chia to your home survival kit – it requires no refrigeration and has a long shelf life
• Add 1-4 teaspoons to your daily diet as a superior source of antioxidants and Omega 3 fatty acids.
• Compare prices online for chia seeds
• Don’t go after a brand name. Buy the generic chia seeds. They are as good as the expensive branded ones.

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Weightless Exercise Without Space Travel

As we grow older many body parts tend to well… sag. And the health and beauty industry have made fortunes with products that claim to reverse this process - at least temporarily. From $45 or more for the latest facial in a bottle to expensive spa treatments only afforded by the Hollywood elite, to tummy tucks and breast enhancements, there seems no end to the ways you can spend your money on treatments of dubious value.

Since most of this sag is directly related to the effects of gravity, one might think jumping on the next space flight might be just the ticket. After all, there’s no gravity in space, right? But, you’d be wrong…

Weightlessness Causes Similar Problems To Aging

You see life on earth evolved in the presence of gravity, and NASA has discovered many problems result in the human body in the weightlessness of space travel. And all of these problems are also present in aging.

• Cardiovascular deconditioning
• Balance disorders
• Weakening bones and muscles
• Disturbed sleep
• Depressed immune response

To top it off, Science Daily reports on a study done at Georgetown University Medical Center that indicates space radiation may cause prolonged cellular damage to astronauts. Beyond that, this damage could result in premature aging and an increased risk of colon cancer.

Now that your hopes of buying a house in space and living forever are crushed, what can you do?

Does Exercise Work?

There’s little doubt exercise can be of value, but it’s not easy. My wife who is on the downhill slide of her 40s complains the sags are persistent. This despite doing Pilates, weight workouts, and jogging 3 times a week for over a year.

So whats one to do?

Combining Weightlessness and Yoga: AntiGravity Yoga

I don’t know if it’s possible to do yoga in space, but Christopher Harrison has created AntiGravity Yoga. AntiGravity Yoga is a fitness regime designed to increase one’s overall health and physical agility while having fun and creating beauty. The benefits listed on their website include:

• Decompress tight joints, relieving pressure while aligning the vertebrae of the spine without strain
• Perform advanced yoga inversions without neck or back compression
• Hold challenging yoga postures longer and in correct alignment
• Stretch further with less strain
• Create better body awareness while increasing overall agility

AntiGravity Yoga is done with using the AntiGravity Hammock, which acts as a soft trapeze, supporting you as you master simple suspension techniques leading to advanced inverted poses. But unfortunately, just like space travel, it’s not available to everyone.

AntiGravity Yoga movement called “Wings” is started by and remains exclusive to Crunch Gyms. But currently AntiGravity Yoga classes are only available in LA, San Francisco, Atlanta, Chicago, Miami, & New York City. If you live near one of these, you can get more information by visiting the AntiGravity Yoga website.

At this time it appears they have no “home version” of the antigravity yoga. But we’ll keep an eye out for home versions of antigravity yoga. And let you know about it.

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How Garlic Keeps Away Diseases

Garlic - Fights Cold, Chest Infections, Heart Attacks & Cancer

Garlic? Seriously?

Garlic equals bad breath; raw garlic equals really bad breath. With this equation firmly entrenched in our mind it is no wonder that this herb has received bad press over the years. However, the medicinal benefits of garlic remain largely undisputed.

One of the first herbs to be recognized for its therapeutic abilities, garlic was considered divine in Egypt. Even though most western countries shunned it for a very long time, this pungent bulb now has an ever-growing tribe of believers.

Garlic: Cheap and Effective Medicine

Garlic is useful not just in the kitchen but also in your medicine kit. It can thin blood just like aspirin and can therefore prevent heart attacks.

It prevents arteries from clogging, and reduces blood pressure and cholesterol levels. It is also used liberally in soups to clear up a cold or chest infections. It is also used to treat intestinal worms and fungal infections, and not just in humans.

The most important thing is that garlic is said to have anti-cancer properties. Studies have shown that it can prevent digestive cancers, breast and prostate cancer.

All this at only 4 calories per clove, which is not bad at all, but eating too much raw garlic can result in heartburn, flatulence and diarrhoea and sometimes, skin rashes.

Why Is Garlic Smelly?

Garlic contains more than a hundred sulphur compounds but has a fairly neutral smell until it is cut or crushed. On doing so, one of the compounds it releases is alliin, which turns into allicin that can be absorbed into the bloodstream and lungs. Allicin ensures that garlic is kept safe from soil parasites and fungi and it is also guilty of the pungent smell that most people cannot stand.

However, this compound is invaluable because of its anti-microbial properties; it can kill 23 types of bacteria, including salmonella and staphylococcus. In fact, the more you chop or crush garlic, the more you reap its benefits.

Unfortunately, smelly allicin makes its way out through exhaled air and perspiration, which brings us back to the bad breath.

Beating Bad Breath

Cooked garlic doesn’t smell too bad, especially if you also add lots of parsley or coriander. This might not work if you plan on having lots of garlic. Note however, that allicin starts to lose its powers almost as soon as it is produced, so it is a good idea to add garlic in the dish just before you serve it.

As the fear of drug-resistant bacteria grips the world, garlic steps up as the likely saviour. It seems that bacteria would be unable to fight allicin without completely changing its enzymes that cause various diseases.

So, on your pizzas, in soups, in stir-fry veggie dishes and just plain fried in butter, don’t just turn your nose up against garlic, it’s there for a pretty good reason.

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The Power of Prunes

Did you know prunes were once considered almost as precious as salt in Europe. And that people would even work for prunes. In the 15th Century, the French even had a phrase for this: “travailler pour des prunes”. To this day, they are considered a delicacy in France and other parts of Europe. Expensive vintage Ports are described as being “superbly integrated with lush prune and raisin nuances” or “multifaceted aromatics led by smoky prunes”.

Not Just Your Grandmother’s Fruit Anymore

Prunes aka dried plums need no longer be relegated to the backbench of culinary fruits only available as a rather bland stewed side dish for breakfast. Instead you might want to try them in such exotic ways as prune and Armagnac(brandy) ice cream or serve them with a citrus fruit like kumquats or oranges, or even with chocolate. Some people even describe the moister prunes now available as being better than chocolate. More about that later…

Although prunes have long been known for their value in promoting regularity and preventing constipation due in part to the high fiber content, research has now shown they have many remarkable health benefits.

• Prunes are an excellent source of potassium, a nutrient important to our bodies for muscle strength. This is of particular concern as regards our heart muscle… So much so that doctors routinely check your level of potassium when doing blood tests. Even a slight downward deviation from the norm, can be very serious.

• Because prunes are also low in sodium they can promote lower blood pressure. A 4-year study of 40,000 professional men who ate diets higher in potassium, magnesium and cereal fiber showed a substantially reduced risk of stroke.

• Prunes also help reduce cholesterol

• They play an important role in maintaining normal blood sugar levels, making them an excellent food for those who have (or are at risk of developing) Type II diabetes.

• As it ferments in the intestine prune fiber provides food for friendly bacteria.

• Just a quarter cup of prunes will provide 16.9% of the daily value of Vit. A and 9% of the daily value of copper.

• High in antioxidants that will help reduce the damage of free radicals

• Because their soluble fiber promotes a sense of satisfied fullness after a meal, prunes can also help prevent overeating.

Natural Cancer Prevention by Consuming Prunes

• In a Swedish study of 51,823 postmenopausal women conducted over 8.3 years, it was shown the risk of breast cancer can be reduced as much as 50% with a diet high in fruit and cereal fiber. And prunes is a perfect fruit with high fiber content.

• The fiber in prunes can reduce risk for colon cancer and hemorrhoid problems.

• Research by Tufts University and USDA scientists placed prunes and raisins atop a list of the best cancer-fighting fruits. Recommended amount – ½ cup daily

Natural Treatment for Osteoporosis

According to a recent article, published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, prunes may help combat osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is common in postmenopausal women, which results in the bones becoming brittle creating a higher risk for fractures.

In two separate studies Florida State University scientists have been looking at how the antioxidants in prunes work in the body to promote the enzymes responsible for bone formation.

While the studies are on going, considering the other nutritional values of prunes it certainly would be wise to make them a part of your regular diet.

Healthy Ways to Enjoy Prunes

• Stuff them with your favorite nuts for a filling low calorie snack

• Add them to pancakes and muffins

• Substitute them for dates in Date Nut Bread

• Stuff them with cheese

• Make a fruit salad with prunes, oranges or other citrus fruits, and fresh strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries. Leave out the sugar and use plain yogurt. If you prefer it a little sweeter drizzle on a small amount of honey.

• Make your own healthy trail mix with prunes, roasted almonds, sunflower seeds and unsweetened chocolate nibs.

• Create a cinnamon spiced orange sauce with walnuts and prunes to serve over oatmeal or polenta. You can find this delightful recipe at whfoods.

Store your prunes in an airtight container. They require no refrigeration but will keep up to 6 months in the refrigerator. When shopping for prunes look for them in a see through container so you can evaluate the quality. They should be plump and shiny. Look for prunes that are dried to 35% humidity instead of the more normal 21-23%. At 35% humidity, no rehydration is needed. They can even be frozen this way. Because of the high sugar content, they won’t freeze solid and can be eaten straight from the freezer.

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FDA Bans Safer & Cheaper Bio-Identical Hormone Therapy

Disclosure: This post asks you to take 10 minutes of your time and help a good cause that could restrict FDA’s flaunting and mis-using its power. Read on…

1. The Problem: FDA Takes Action Against Compounded Menopause Hormone Therapy Drugs

The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has limited the rights of women to seek natural hormone alternatives instead of synthetic drugs (which are created from horse urine). Compounded drugs are specifically personalized to each patient by their doctor and carefully prepared by licensed pharmacists. The chemicals used in these compounds are molecularly identical to hormones produced by the human body. They are usually safer too. But yet the FDA has banned them.

2. The Start of the Problem

Wyeth Pharmaceuticals makes Premarin and Prempro - synthetic drugs.

A study funded by the National Institutes of Health specifically linked these two drugs to increased risk of stroke, breast cancer, and heart attack. As a result, sales of these 2 drugs dropped by 68%! The beneficiaries were compounded natural hormone therapy drugs.

So Wyeth Pharmaceuticals responds by sending a “citizens petition” to the FDA requesting action against natural hormonal therapy for women.

3. The FDA Bias to Take Bad Action

In an unprecedented ethical conflict of interest, the FDA receives a cut (called drug user fees) from the pharmaceutical companies based on the number of drugs they sell. Since the states and not the federal government regulate compounding pharmacies, they don’t have to pay the FDA.

And because natural hormones cannot be patented, there is comparatively little financial incentive to the drug companies to bring them to the market.

So despite an outpouring of support for natural hormonal therapy from doctors, patients and pharmacists the FDA heeded to Wyeth Pharmaceuticals citizens petition and made the move to ban bio-identical hormone therapy.

4. Is There a Solution to This FDA Problem?

In a key first step toward reigning in the FDA’s actions against women’s health, Congress has introduced House Concurrent Resolution 342 and Senate Concurrent Resolution 88. This resolution calls upon the FDA to stop their new policy of restricting women’s access to prescriptions containing estriol, a natural hormone that has been prescribed for women in the US for over 20 years.

So What Can You Do To Help?

• Write your senators and congressmen.

• Send letters to your local newspaper. (You can send this post along with your letter too.)

• Ask your friends and family to get involved.

• The Health Freedom Foundation has made this easy for you at http://ga4.org/campaign/Estriol_Resolution

Also…

• Please send this post to your friends.

• Vote for it at StumbleUpon.com and other social media websites and help us spread the message.

Thank You!

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Does Your Doctor Know Your Real Blood Pressure?

Tips On How To Be In Better Control of Your Blood Pressure Even When You Go to the Doctor

Things You Should be Aware of While Testing Your Blood Pressure

Have you ever thought about the fact your blood pressure can vary significantly during the day depending on your level of stress? And stressors can come in many forms, such as…

• Stimulants like a cup of coffee, a can of Mountain Dew, the latest “power drink” or a cigarette

• Maybe you worked all day before your appointment

• Or you failed to have a restful night’s sleep because you were a bit anxious about the appointment

• Someone cut you off in traffic, or you were late because of road construction

• Your boss just told you you’re working Saturday (and you were planning to go fishing)

And what if the person taking your blood pressure is lazy, or hasn’t the necessary training to understand the importance of being accurate, or worse, just doesn’t really care. Think this can’t happen? It certainly can (and does). When I was finishing up my nurse’s training, I was assigned to shadow the nurse in an OB/GYN clinic. Specifically I was there to learn more about prenatal care. I watched the LPN take one blood pressure after another as these pregnant women came in for their appointments. The blood pressures she wrote down didn’t vary 10 points in the readings. For this to happen with 16 patients is a statistical anomaly. In other words, the likelihood of all these readings being accurate is very slim.

Because these readings were also in the “normal” range, they were unlikely to be checked by the doctor. And in many health care settings, even abnormal readings are rarely rechecked unless there is another reason. This means you could have a blood pressure reading high enough for your doctor to prescribe a medication that either isn’t accurate or isn’t normal for you in a less stressful situation.

So what can you do about it?

6 Ways You Can Be in Better Control of Your Blood Pressure

1. Listen to classical music just before going into your doctors appointment. One study showed just 3 minutes of classical music will lower your blood pressure to pre-stress levels (add some deep breathing and it will plummet even faster). If you happen to have a portable CD or digital music player, take your tunes in with you

2. Meditate for a few minutes before your appointment taking deep slow breaths

3. Take a leisurely walk

4. Use visual imagery – imagine yourself sitting in a high mountain meadow of wild flowers on the side of pristine lake surrounded by snow-covered peaks. Now change the season to winter where you’re enveloped with absolute quiet.

5. Ask to sit in a regular chair in the exam room when you have your blood pressure taken

6. And most important of all – know your normal everyday blood pressure..

How To Know More About Your Blood Pressure Than Your Doctor

Go to your local pharmacist and have them recommend the right size blood pressure cuff for you. Yes size matters. If your arm is small, you need a small cuff. The same applies if your arm is larger than normal. Tell them you want to monitor your own blood pressure at home. Avoid cheap equipment, especially if you decide to purchase an electronic blood pressure cuff. In my experience most of the cheaper models are unreliable. Remember, you want accuracy. After all, it’s your health. Right?

It’s really not too difficult to take your own blood pressure with a manual cuff, but if you just feel uncomfortable or prefer to use an electronic model, I suggest you check out Omron Healthcare Automatic Blood Pressure Monitor with ComFit Cuff.

However you decide to do it, blood pressure is composed of 2 numbers, the systolic and the diastolic. The systolic reading is the pressure created against the artery walls when your heart beats. The diastolic is the resting pressure between beats. Although blood pressure is generally considered normal in a 10-point range either side of 120/80, everyone is different. So it’s important to know your normal range.

Once you’ve decided on a machine, make a commitment to take your own blood pressure regularly at home. Choose a quiet time, preferably the same time each day you take it. Be sure you’re rested and haven’t had any strenuous exercise, stimulants or depressants like alcohol for at least 30-60 minutes. Take two or three readings over about 15 minutes and record them in a journal with the date. Average the results of readings over two or three days a week. You’ll then know your real resting blood pressure. The next time you visit your doctor, bring along your journal for comparison.

Image Credit: ahhyeah

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3 Natural Skin Care Recipes for Younger Wrinkle-Free Skin

Use these skin care recipes to make your skin smoother and younger

Aging is a natural process and no one can stop it (yet) but we can definitely slow down the aging process and age gracefully. This post shares some do-it-yourself (DIY) recipes that can help you get rid of Wrinkles, Saggy and Dull Skin.

Benefit of these DIY Skin Care Recipes

• They are tried and tested and work very well
• They are safe and natural
• And most importantly, they’ll save you a lot of money

Recipe 1: Milk Cream, Sandalwood and Turmeric Face Pack

This face pack nourishes and tightens skin, heals adult acne, lightens age spots, cools skin and brings glow to your face.

• Sandalwood has cooling and skin tightening properties
• Milk cream nourishes your skin
• Turmeric is known for its anti-bacterial and skin brightening properties

Preparation

Take one tablespoon sandalwood powder, a pinch of turmeric powder and one tablespoon milk cream. (Boil some milk for about ten minutes and let it cool for sometime, you will be able to see a thick layer of cream on the top). Mix it together and apply on your face. Rinse off after fifteen minutes

Note: Turmeric can stain your cloth so make sure you don’t wear any light colored cloth while applying this mask.

Recipe 2: Coffee and Plum Exfoliator

• Coffee exfoliates and revitalizes your skin and has anti aging properties
• Plum is another effective antioxidant

So this combination of coffee and plum works great in getting rid of the oldest dead skin cells and makes a wonderful anti aging exfoliator.

Preparation

Take one tablespoon fine ground coffee and mix it with 3 mashed plums and one teaspoon honey. Apply it on your face and gently scrub off after ten minutes.

Recipe 3: Green Tea and Chamomile Toner

Green Tea and Chamomile is a very effective anti aging toner. This toner not only takes care of signs of aging but also soothes puffy eyes and lightens your complexion.

Preparation

Boil one cup water and steep one green tea bag and one Chamomile tea bag. Let it cool for sometime. Apply it on your face with the help of a cotton ball. Do NOT rinse.

If you follow these recipes religiously it can easily take 10-15 years off your face!

This is a guest post by Leon. If you want to read more DIY anti aging skin care recipes, visit her website.

Picture Credit: Laurafries

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5 Ways to Sharpen Your Mind

Just as physical exercise makes your body fit, mental exercise helps your brain stay alert especially when you grow older.

A recent study published in “Psychological Medicine” highlighted the fact that the risk of dementia is lowered by 46 percent for individuals who have high mental stimulation. Mental stimulation also reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other mental ailments by nearly half.

If you wish to have your mental faculties functioning at optimal levels well into your old age, try out these useful exercises that help your brains in achieving high mental stimulation:

1. Play Brain Teasers

Keep Your Brain Healthy by Playing Crosswords

Games such as jigsaw puzzles, sudoku, crossword puzzles as well as electronic games are excellent for improving your mental faculties. Not only will these games help you improve your memory but they will also help you stay alert.

2. Diet: Consume Healthy Fats

Eat Walnuts: Rich in Healthy Fats

You need to provide your brain with a regular supply of healthy fats. Some food products which contain such healthy fats include walnuts and fish oil from wild salmon. Fish oils are a major source of omega-3 fatty acids. These are useful for everything from cardiovascular health to brain protection. Also make it a point to eliminate Tran’s fats (a type of unsaturated fat) completely from your diet while increasing the intake of less saturated fat.

3. Learn a New Skill

Learn how to dance to sharpen your brain!

Learning a new skill is an excellent way of staying mentally alert. It will not only give your brain a much needed workout but will also keep your mind sharp. Go ahead and learn a new sport such as tennis or maybe an activity like fishing. A very good idea is to learn something you have never done before. For e.g.: If you enjoy dancing then go ahead and sign up for salsa lessons. Not only will you stay fit, but you will also have a whole lot of fun. Remember that when you learn something new, multiple areas of brain become active.

4. Meditate

Meditate to Rejuvenate Your Mind

Meditation is one of the best exercises that can rejuvenate your mind, body and soul. It helps your mind stay calm and thereby makes it more alert. It is an excellent practice, especially if you want to enjoy a long, healthy and stress-free life. There are various types of meditations that you can choose from. Choose a type that you are comfortable with and which you can easily practice.

5. Enjoy Outdoor Activities

Let Nature Relax Your Brain

A good way to spend some quality time with your family would be to go outdoors for a picnic or to the beach. Spending time in a place of natural beauty is far better than catching the latest flick on television. Nature has its own way of relaxing your mind. So whenever you do get an opportunity, do visit that spot you always wanted to visit.

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Vitamin K – The Forgotten Vitamin

Did you know that unlike its other more famous counterparts, the benefits of Vitamin K have often been overlooked? In fact this vitamin is often called the ‘forgotten vitamin’ as it rarely gets any press coverage. But this is going to change. According to the latest research, Vitamin K is one of the most remarkable anti aging agents and demonstrates properties that no other vitamin does.

Here are some interesting facts about Vitamin K

• Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays an important role in aiding blood clotting. What this means is that, when your body gets injured, vitamin K begins the healing process by reducing the bleeding and helping it stop.

• It also prevents the hardening of the arteries, which helps prevent heart disease and heart failure.

• Researchers have found that Vitamin K may play a major part in reducing many degenerative diseases.

• Vitamin K helps regulate the flow of calcium to the bones. Thus it helps in improving bone density.

• According to a study published in the September 2003 International Journal of Oncology, treating lung cancer patients with vitamin K2 slowed the growth of cancer cells.

• Sufficient amounts of vitamin K could reduce the susceptibility to stroke and other blood vessel related problems.

• A deficiency of Vitamin K may be a contributing factor to Alzheimer’s disease.

How to improve your consumption of Vitamin K

Asparagus - Rich in Vitamin K

Remember that Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin. This means that in order for your body to absorb Vitamin K, you will need to consume some fat along with it.

Some of the foods which are rich in Vitamin K are:

• Spinach
• Collard Greens
• Kale
• Broccoli
• Asparagus
• Olive Oil
• Yogurt
• Green Tea
• Liver & Fish liver oils
• Egg yolks
• Blackstrap molasses

Note: If you have experienced a stroke, cardiac arrest or you are prone to blood clotting, do not take vitamin K without first consulting your physician.

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Increase Vitamin C Intake in Your Diet - Consume Amla (Indian Gooseberry)

A tiny amla contains as much vitamin C as 2 oranges!

A recent survey found that nearly one-third Americans aren’t getting enough vitamin C from the foods and beverages in their diet. “When we hear so much about the obesity crisis today, it’s surprising to learn that most Americans aren’t getting enough of some nutrients in their diets,” said Andrea Astrachan, Consumer Advisor at Stop & Shop.

A simple way by which you can increase the intake of Vitamin C in your diet is by consuming Amla or the Indian gooseberry. It is the most potent natural source of Vitamin C. The amount of Vitamin C contained in this tiny fruit is the same as that contained in two oranges!

Here are some interesting aspects about Amla (Indian gooseberry)

• It is the richest natural source of Vitamin C. 100 gm. of Amla contains about 700 mg. of vitamin C, which is thirty times the amount found in oranges.
• Besides Vitamin C, it also contains calcium, iron, protein, garlic and tannic acids, sugar, phosphorus, carbohydrates etc.
• When you consume Vitamin C in the form of supplements, not all of it is absorbed in the body, however, when you eat the Indian gooseberry, its Vitamin C content is easily assimilated by the body.
• It also helps boost protein metabolism, so if you exercise and work out, you will benefit greatly from regular amla intake.

• The Indian Gooseberry helps strengthen the liver, and rid the body of toxins, which accumulate on account of consumption of alcohol, antibiotics and other medicines.
• It strengthens the body’s central nervous system.
• It is also good for the skin and if taken along with neem, it can help cure acne and pimples.
• Besides, it is also good for the hair.

• It works as a laxative and can relieve constipation
• It is a very powerful anti-inflammatory herb.
• It increases Hemoglobin and the Red blood corpuscle count of the blood.
• It is helpful for relief from Cough, Bronchitis, Asthma.

• Amla is an excellent food for the brain. It helps in improving the brain functioning as well as mental concentration.
• It has antioxidant properties and helps combat free radicals, which are the unstable ions in the body - responsible for ageing and cell degeneration.
• It is low in sugar and has high fiber content, thus making it a must-have fruit for everyone.
• It also cleanses the mouth and strengthens the teeth.

How You Can Consume Amla

1. The best way to enjoy the benefits of Amla is to consume it raw. It could be taken with a little bit of salt for taste.

2. Amla can also be consumed as a pickle.

3. Various amla squashes or juices are available in the marketplace, making it easy to enjoy.

4. You could also buy Ayurvedic Amla Powder or Amla oil and add it to your hair directly.

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