6 Good Reasons to Include Berries in Your Diet

How much do you know about berries? Are you aware that berries are fleshy fruits produced from a single ovary? Do you know that not all berries are perfectly round? That not all berries are sour? That some berries are poisonous to humans? And lastly; do you know that edible berries are also among those great fruits out there that are highly recommended by health professionals with Littmann steth hanging on neck?

Yes, professionals who expertly use Littmann steth would highly advise each and everyone to regularly eat berries such as blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries because they bring a lot of good benefits to the health. Among the top six good reasons of including berries in your diet are:

• Can prevent mental decline and other age-related illnesses.  A new scientific review, which was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, revealed that regular consumption of berries can help maintain good cognitive health because of their high levels of antioxidants, which helps protect cells from harmful free radicals that often cause inflammation in the brain and then resulting to neuronal damage.
• Can help to keep a healthy and properly functioning digestive system. Berries contain high amount of fiber, which is very essential for a healthy diet. According to health experts with Littmann steth, insoluble fiber aids and speeds up the exertion of waste and toxins from the body. Soluble fibers, on the other hand, contribute to a healthy circulatory system by slowing down sugar absorption to maintain blood sugar to normal level, which is very beneficial for diabetic persons.
• Help keep the tissues and blood vessels strong and healthy. Berries are known to have lots of tannin. Health professionals with Littmann steth hanging on their neck reveals that tannin is very essential in strengthening and tightening the various tissues of the body. Moreover, it also helps increase blood coagulation. With high amount of tannin in the body, cuts or wounds heal faster.
• Can help promote a strong immune system and a healthy skin. Similar to other citrus fruits out there, berries are also an excellent source of vitamin C. Such vitamin is known for fighting off minor infections like sore throat, common cold, and irritation of the mouth. Vitamin C likewise helps in maintaining healthy and young looking skin.
• Can help prevent the production growth of cancer causing cells. Aside from containing high amount of antioxidants, berries are also found to be rich in ellagic acid. These compounds are all beneficial in reducing free radicals that are known for developing cancer.
• Can help promote a good urinary tract health. To patients with urinary tract infections or problems, health professionals who expertly use Littmann steth would recommend them to drink berries juice because in order to take advantage of the compounds that help prevent bacteria like E. coli from sticking on to the cells along the walls of urinary tract and often causes UTI.

Low Potassium Diet: Healthy Eating Plan for People with Kidney Disease

Most of the people nowadays are very much dependent on easy-to-prepare foods. So, it is no longer surprising if the prevalence of chronic illnesses just like kidney disease keep on rising. And since March 8 is World Kidney Day, I decided to feature here some low potassium foods for people with kidney problems.

Although potassium is the perfect mineral that helps keep the blood levels in a healthy range, excessive intake of it could also cause major kidney damage. This is the reason why the a low potassium diet (less than 100 mg per serving) is among the best healthy eating plans for people with kidney disease because the said organ can no longer remove the excess potassium in the urine.

Good Sources of Low Potassium Diet:

One-half cup of mandarin oranges (98 mg)

Ten small grapes (93 mg)

One-half cup of sweetened applesauce (78 mg)

One-half cup of fresh blueberries (63 mg)

One-half cup of red bell pepper (88 mg)

One-half cup of green cabbage (60mg)

One-half cup of boiled cauliflower (88 mg)

One clove of garlic (12 mg)

One-half cup of raspberries (93 mg)

One tablespoon of olive oil (less than 1 mg)

One-half cup of cucumber slices (88 mg)

One cup of iceberg lettuce (87 mg)

Once-half cup of frozen green beans (85 mg) 

image source: google image search engine

A Healthy Gift Idea for Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving Day is just around the corner and for sure most Americans are now so busy finding for the best presents they could give to their love ones since giving gifts is among the highlights of this celebration. And when it comes to Thanksgiving gifts, nothing is better than giving our loved ones with something that will offer benefits to the health like a cornucopia basket filled with healthy fruits and vegetables that are in season. So what are the healthy fruits and veggies that are in season?

Corn – Good for the heart and best source for energy. Corns are cholesterol free, very low sodium, good sources of vitamin C, manganese, folate and dietary fiber.

Brussels Sprouts – They are good for the heart and contain lots of cancer-protection substances. Brussels sprouts are low fat, saturated fat free, very low sodium, cholesterol free, low calorie, good source of dietary fiber, high in vitamin C, good source of folate.

Pumpkin – Good for the heart and eyes. Pumpkins are fat free, cholesterol free, sodium free, good source of vitamin C and excellent source for vitamin A.

Sweet Potato – Sweet potatoes are fat free, saturated fat free, low sodium, cholesterol free, good source of dietary fiber, high in vitamin A, high in vitamin C, good source of potassium.

Pineapple – Contain lots antioxidant protection and immune support, vitamins for energy production, and with anti-inflammatory properties. Pineapples are fat free, saturated fat free, very low sodium, cholesterol free, and high in vitamin C

Grapes – Contains lots health-supportive phytonutrients that help boost almost all systems of thebody. Grapes are fat free, saturated fat free, very low sodium, cholesterol free

Cranberries – Good for the heart, for digestive tract, for kidney, and contain lots of anti-cancer properties. in fact, this fruits has been featured in my last post regarding dash diet. Cranberries are fat free, cholesterol free, sodium free, and good source of vitamin C as well as fiber

Pear – Good for the eyes, heart, colon, and helps prevent postmenopausal breast cancer. Pears are fat free, saturated fat free, sodium free, cholesterol free, excellent source of dietary fiber, good source of vitamin C.

By the way, when it comes to fruits baskets or simply cornucopia baskets, you can always find them both in local and online stores

The DASH Diet: Serving it Right

At risk of hypertension or currently suffering from high blood pressure? Here’s good news to everyone! According to the book entitled The DASH Diet Action Plan: Based on the National Institutes of Health Research: Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, adopting healthy eating practices such as including more fruits and vegetables in everyday diet at the same time opting for low-fat or non-fat dairy, low-sodium diets  instead of processed foods are among the effective preventative measures to lower blood pressure and support healthy weight loss.

Below are some list of DASH diets (obtained from Yahoo! Health), which according to healthcare professionals who are expert in using stethoscopes when served correctly, they are guaranteed to lower the blood pressure level of an person.

4 Stalks of Celery a Day

Studies have shown that consumption of celery has a number of benefits to both man and animals. This food for lowering blood pressure is no longer new as Doctors of Traditional Chinese Medicine has already been using celery or celery root to hypertensive patients for almost a century now because it is rich in phthalides, a phytochemical that helps relax the muscle tissue in the artery walls so as to increased blood flow.

2-6 Ounce of Cold Water Fish a Week

Doctors who use littmann cardiology stethoscopes and doctors who use fetoscopes both agreed that consumption of cold-water fish (2-6 ounce per week) really have health benefits. This type of fish is said to be rich in anti-inflammatory omega 3-fats that helps lower blood pressure and other toxins that causes heart attack and stroke.

1 Serving of Broccoli a Day

Being hailed as a super-food because of its powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, the ability of broccoli to reduce the risk of hypertension is without doubt. Aside from antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, this super-food is also packed with lots of fiber, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and vitamin C, which all helps normalize blood pressure.

3- 4 Cups of Whole Oats a Day

According to research, whole grain oats is full of fiber and magnesium that both have beneficial effects on blood pressure. Therefore, aiming for one serving of whole grain oats everyday can help reduce the person’s risk for high blood pressure. Besides lowering blood pressure, whole grain oats help slow atherosclerosis or the deposition of plaques of fatty materials in the inner walls of arteries.

 1 Cup of Cooked Black Beans a Day

Including a cup of cooked black beans in everyday diet can help maintain the blood pressure at a normal level. Black beans are good sources of folate or folic acid, a B-complex vitamin that is very essential in maintaining the blood pressure at a normal and healthy level. Not to mention the great amount of fiber and magnesium that black beans provide.

1 Cup of Berries a Day

Whether they are fresh or frozen, most doctors using littmann cardiology stethoscopes would recommend their hypertensive patients to eat at least one serving or one cup of berries a day. Berries, either raspberry, blueberries, or strawberries are very rich in fiber, calcium, vitamin C, potassium and other antioxidants that help get rid of plaques buildup in the inner walls of arteries.

1 Serving of Low-Fat Dairy per Meal

Researches show that those who consume a serving of low-fat dairy per meal have lesser chances of incurring high blood pressure. Including low-fat dairy in everyday diet is imperative as it increases the bioavailability of calcium at the same time offer blood-pressure lowering calcium and potassium. Best sources of low-fat dairy products that are guaranteed to prevent hypertension are skim milk, cheese, and yogurt.


image source: health.yahoo.net

Top Reasons to Add Dark Chocolates in Your Daily Diet

Many studies revealed that including a small amount of dark chocolate in your daily diet offers a number of health benefits. Dark chocolates contain a host of heart-healthy and mood-enhancing phytochemicals. To name some, we have phenols, flavonols, antioxidants, resveratrol, theobromine, caffeine, serotonin, etc.

I provided below some of the healthy benefits a person could get when he or she consumes a small serving of dark chocolates every day. By the way, a small serving simply means 30 calories of dark chocolate a day and that is just as big as Hershey’s bite-size chocolate KISSES.

• Prevents Aging and Cancer – Dark chocolates are full of antioxidant and resveratrol. These are substances that protect the cells from chronic inflammation, heart disease, and cancer.

• Lowers Blood Pressure – Dark chocolates are rich in cocoa phenols. These are protective compounds found in plants and fruits. They are known to help the body process nitric oxide. Nitric oxides are essential compounds that help increase blood circulation at the same time lower blood pressure.

• Lowers LDL Cholesterol – Dark chocolates contain large quantities of flavonoids or flavonols. These are the same chemicals found in red wine that help lower low density lipoprotein (bad) cholesterol levels. One-third of dark chocolates fat is in the form of stearic acid, a naturally-occurring fat that exerts a neutral effect on LDL cholesterol levels.

• Good for the Heart – Since dark chocolates contain ingredients that can help lower blood pressure and LDL cholesterol at the same time improve blood flow; healthcare professionals who expertly use blood pressure device believe that this type of chocolate is definitely good for the heart.

• Stimulates Pleasure and Relaxation – Dark chocolates contains a ingredient that induces the brain to release endorphin. Endorphin is naturally produced in the brain that stimulates pleasure and relaxation.