Super Foods for Women

Everyone, including women, need to eat nutrient-rich foods to maintain their health. One area in your budget you should probably try to increase is your food budget. We all spend money on our health. It is a toxic, crowded world and there is no escape from that expense. You can choose if you spend less money on food and more on medicine, or more on better food and supplements and less on medicine. With the latter, you'll have a better quality of life, but it does take more time and effort.

The nutrients we need our food to be rich in include:

• Protein for muscle and strength

• Iron for our blood

• Folic acid for the formation of both red and white blood cells

• Chromium for healthy blood sugar

• Calcium for bones and teeth

• Magnesium for many things including healthy organs

• Vitamin D for heart and bone health

• Vitamin C for immunity and antioxidants

• B vitamins for adrenal health and to fight stress

• Enzymes for digestion and nutrient absorption

• Fiber to get the most out of your food and help fight disease

• Essential fatty acids to nourish your brain and vascular system

• Lots of good, clean water

The best way to get all of these nutrients every day is to incorporate super foods foods into your diet that will do double duty. Super foods usually provide more than just a few vitamins and minerals. They nourish your body with essential vitamins and minerals, while also helping to fight disease, providing you with balanced health.

The top 10 super foods for women:

1. Dark green leafy vegetables. This is what humans were designed to eat as the main portion of our diet, and what Americans don't get enough of - things like kale and Swiss chard. The nutrients are too numerous to list, but include lots of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, antioxidants, powerful phytochemicals, and more that will ensure optimum functioning for your body. This is where you'll get your folic acid, hormone support, liver support, disease prevention, proper pH, and even some iron and protein. Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and Brussels sprouts are invaluable as well.

2. Lean meat, beans, and legumes. You must have a clean, healthy source of protein and iron. Grass-fed beef or lamb is good choices, as are many beans and lentils. Low in fat, high in fibre beans are very nutritious and a staple in vegetarian diets.

3. Whole grains. Important for fiber and energy, carbohydrates are downright dangerous to your health when they are over-processed and from GMO sources. Whole wheat does not mean whole grain. Consider some of the less used (and processed) ancient grains such as quinoa, spelt, and amaranth.

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4. Fresh organic fruit. Full of flavonoids, antioxidants, enzymes, fiber (eat the peel!), and vitamins, fruit is the 'sweets' you were designed to eat (not sugar). On the super food list: blueberries, goji berries, cranberries, cherries, kiwis, etc.

5. Nuts and seeds. EFAs, ALAs, fiber, good fats, and these super foods are disease fighters. Chia seeds and flax seeds (and meal) have lignans that fight breast cancer by inhibiting the growth and development of tumors. Almonds, walnuts, pistachios, and other nuts provide healthy fats necessary for everything from a healthy heart to healthy joints.

6. Avocado. Full of healthy fats, antioxidants, and phytonutrients, avocados will lower triglycerides, nourish your brain, and prevent wrinkles. One of the best anti-aging foods you can consume, avocados is versatile - add to a smoothie, spread on a sandwich, or top a wrap with slices.

7. Fish. The essential fatty acids (EFAs) found in fish such as wild-caught salmon and sardines are essential to your health. They are also a good source of low-fat protein. If you are concerned about the health of our oceans, you can get your EFAs from things like flax and walnuts.

8. Chocolate. That's right. If you stick to this list, you'll need a reward. Why not some antioxidant-rich dark chocolate? A good-for-you treat, a little goes a long way and will help satisfy your sweet tooth.

9. Spice it up. Cooking at home allows you control over the ingredients you consume, and the opportunity to make your food extra nutritious by adding some time-honored flavorings known for their health benefits. Cook with garlic, onion, mushrooms, cinnamon, turmeric, rosemary, and others. All have wonderful flavors and immune-boosting properties.

10. Spirulina and chlorella. Not necessarily easy to eat, these amazing super foods are worth their weight in gold to your health. Add to smoothies or take as a supplement to fight and prevent disease and maintain optimum health. For more information, check out the links below.

Ask yourself before you eat if the food you are looking at is nutrient-rich or nutrient-poor, and eat accordingly. Try to eat at least eight different colored foods each day. Raw foods are the only way to get enzymes, which are the key to good digestion and fewer allergies. You must grow your own food or buy organic food to get enzymes, or take supplements, as all other foods are irradiated which kills them. You also need probiotics for good gut health. Eat fermented foods such as sauerkraut or yogurt, especially after taking pharmaceutical antibiotics. Make and take your food rather than eating out; that's the best way to know what you're getting and to avoid the time crunch that ends up with you at the drive-thru window. Don't forget to address underlying emotional issues because they will affect your health in the long-run. Lastly, do invest some time in top quality whole-food based vitamins and supplements for those days when you don't get enough super foods.

Source: www.naturalnews.com

The Benefits of Yoghurt

Not only is yoghurt delicious, but it also contains vitamins and minerals, is high in protein and can be a healthy substitute or addition to other foods. 

Benefits

Yoghurt is milk fermented by bacterial action. If has a slightly lower sugar content than the milk from which it is made, and is an excellent source of protein. This is because the protein in yoghurt is more finely divided than in milk, and therefore more easily digestible. In addition, yoghurt contains high concentrations of vitamins A and D, essential for healthy teeth, skin and bones. 

It is also a good source of the B vitamin riboflavin, a nerve strengthener, and of the bone-enriching mineral calcium. 

The often-exaggerated claims made for yoghurt stem from the action of the bacteria it contains. In the human intestinal tract, yoghurt bacteria produce lactic acid, which controls, and in some cases can destroy, putrefying bacteria

If not eliminated, these bacteria can cause discomfort, indigestion, and sometimes illness. Therefore, yoghurt is often recommended as an antidote for digestive problems. It can also be useful in combatting the effects of antibiotics, which kills off the healthy bacteria in the intestines. 

However, the main value of yoghurt is as a cheap source of protein and as a healthier alternative to other foods. It contains all the goodness of dairy produce without the drawbacks. For medical opinion has now generally concluded that excessive consumption of dairy foods is probably a major factor in heart disease. The saturated fats they contain clog up the arteries carrying blood to the heart. Yoghurt, especially the varieties made with low-fat milk, provides a good low-fat alternative to cream, butter and milk. 

Yoghurt can be substituted directly for cream of soured cream in many recipes. Try it, for example, in beef stroganoff, or instead of butter on baked potatoes and other vegetables. It also makes an excellent salad dressing, ideal for dieters because it is much lower in calories than oil. It can be added to sauces and used instead of milk on cereals or muesli. Mixed with wheat germ and /or fresh or dried fruit, it makes a good energy-giving snack or dessert, nutritionally richer than cakes and biscuits. A number of health food cookery books contain recipes for cakes and biscuits that substitute yoghurt for butter. 

Many commercial types of yoghurt contain rennet or other thickeners, and the fruit varieties very often have preservatives and added sweeteners, so if you want to be sure of getting full food value from yoghurt, the best way is to make it yourself. It is cheap and easy to make, and home preparation ensures that you always have a fresh, adequate supply. If you want to use yoghurt as an aid to a calorie-controlled diet, you should make it with low-fat dried milk instead of ordinary milk. Again, many cookery books contain a basic yoghurt recipe. 

Once you have mastered the technique, you can then go onto making yoghurt cheese - a light, creamy white cheese, using yoghurt and salt, or a low-fat cheese, using low-fat dried milk.