Please don't fall for the myth that "fruit is bad for you!" I can't tell you how many times a client, family member, or friend asks me "is fruit really bad for you because it's loaded with sugar?" but I can tell you my response is ALWAYS "no way!" … so please EAT THE FRUIT! Now that I made my point, let's move on to a more challenging topic - picking out the perfect fruit! To help you figure out how to pick out the perfect fruit any time of the year, I enlisted the help of Julissa Garcia from Shari's Berries !!
Nutrients by the Alphabet
The Importance of Vitamins and Minerals
NutritionCommentKeeping your body healthy can be a complicated process, and with
different sources throwing a huge range of information at you, it can be hard
to decipher fact from fiction. Juggling work, a social life, and getting enough
sleep along with exercising and eating healthy can be a big task, and that is
before you even consider making sure that you get enough vitamins and other important
nutrients! Read on to learn more about these important vitamins and how to meet your daily needs with natural food sources!
Nutrients by the Alphabet: Zinc Health Benefits and Recipe
Nutrition, RecipeCommentWhen you hear about Zinc regarding your health, you probably only think of it as one of the many effective natural cold remedies and only necessary once in a great while to help you fight the common cold. Zinc, however, is required for the functions of over 300 enzymes and is needed in small amounts every day in order to maintain health. Zinc is involved in many important processes in your body and has significant therapeutic benefits for several common, chronic diseases (like fighting cancer or reversing heart disease). Read on to learn more about the health benefits and natural food sources of this powerful nutrient!
Nutrients by the Alphabet: Yerba Mate Health Benefits and Recipes
Nutrition, Recipe3 CommentsWe have all heard of green tea and know that is has tons of health benefits, but have you heard of Yerba Mate tea? Well, Yerba Mate has even more health benefits than green tea, thanks to its active compounds (including vitamins, minerals and antioxidants) and has higher polyphenol and antioxidant counts than green tea as well. While Yerba Mate may not be a nutrient, per se, it is worth being recognized in this series, so read on to learn about the numerous health benefits and natural food sources of Yerba Mate.
Nutrients by the Alphabet: Xanthophylls Health Benefits and Recipe
Nutrition, RecipeCommentI bet you didn’t know there is a powerful nutrient that starts with the letter “X”! There is actually a group of phytonutrients named Xanthophylls, which keep your body’s cells safe from dangerous free radicals and boost your overall health. Xanthophylls are non-essential, plant-based nutrients that have numerous health benefits. There are 5 main Xanthophylls (Astaxanthin, Canthaxanthin, Cryptoxanthin, Lutein, and Zeaxanthin) and they all provide a host of health benefits. Read on to learn about the numerous health benefits and natural food sources of Xanthophylls.
Nutrients by the Alphabet: Water Health Benefits and Recipe
Nutrition, RecipeCommentWe all know that drinking plenty of water a day is beneficial, but do you know why? Water is actually an essential nutrient with tons of benefits and makes up about 60% of the body! In addition to hydration, water fills the spaces in and between cells and helps form structures of large molecules such as protein and glycogen. Read on to learn about the numerous health benefits and natural food sources of Water!
Nutrients by the Alphabet: Vitamin C Health Benefits and Recipe
Nutrition, RecipeCommentWe have all heard of Vitamin C and its ability to fight off the common cold, but did you know that Vitamin C also plays a role in maintaining the health of collagen and connective tissues as well as acting as an antioxidant? Like most vitamins, Vitamin C is not made in your body on its own so you have to include plenty of food sources that contain Vitamin C in order to achieve these awesome heal the benefits. Read on to learn more about the health benefits and natural food sources of this powerful nutrient!
Nutrients by the Alphabet: Ubiquinone Health Benefits and Recipe
Nutrition, RecipeCommentYou probably haven’t heard of Ubiquinone before? Well, Ubiquinone, also known as Coenzyme Q-10, is a vitamin-like substance that is made naturally in the body. Ubiquinone acts as an antioxidant that protects cells from the effects of aging and has been use in medicinal practices for decades. Read on to learn more about its health benefits and natural food sources!
Nutrients by the Alphabet: Thiamine Health Benefits and Recipe
Nutrition, RecipeCommentHave you ever wondered how the food we eat turns into energy? Well, a coenzyme called Thiamine (or vitamin B1) is used by the body to metabolize food for energy and to maintain proper heart and nerve function. Without Thiamine, carbohydrates and protein cannot be properly used by the body to carry out various important functions. Read on to learn more about the wonderful health benefits and natural sources of Thiamine.
Nutrients by the Alphabet: Selenium Health Benefits and Recipe
Nutrition, RecipeCommentDid you know that there is a mineral that is actually vital for the human body? That's right, Selenium! Selenium is a trace mineral which is found naturally in soil and wholesome foods and plays a part in antioxidant activity, immunity, and is key to maintaining a healthy metabolism! Read on to learn more about the wonderful health benefits and natural sources of Selenium.
Nutrients by the Alphabet: Riboflavin Health Benefits and Recipe
Nutrition, RecipeCommentDid you know that there is a B vitamin that also has antioxidant properties within the body? That’s right, Riboflavin (also known as Vitamin B2) helps maintain healthy blood cells, helps regulate energy production and boost energy levels, helps prevent headaches, and provides many more benefits. Read on to learn more about the awesome health benefits and natural sources of Riboflavin.
Nutrients by the Alphabet: Quercetin Health Benefits and Recipe
Nutrition, RecipeCommentWe all know what superfoods are, but do you know what makes a superfood so super? Antioxidants! That’s right! And today we are going to talk about a type of flavonoid antioxidant called Quercetin that truly is super and provides a host of awesome health benefits (from heart health to boosting your immune system and longevity)!! Read on to learn more about those amazing health benefits and where to find good natural sources of Quercetin.
Nutrients by the Alphabet: Potassium Health Benefits and Recipe
Recipe, NutritionCommentI am sure that you have heard of Potassium before, but did you know that potassium is an important electrolyte and third most abundant mineral in the body?!? Potassium is needed for numerous cellular functions and is the main compound that interacts with sodium to perform many important functions every single day. Read on to learn the incredible health benefits of Potassium and where you can find this powerhouse mineral in natural food sources!
Nutrients by the Alphabet: Oleic Acid Health Benefits and Recipe
Nutrition, RecipeCommentWe have all heard of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids, but have you heard of Omega-9 fatty acids? Well, Omega-9, also known as Oleic Acid, is a monounsaturated fat that can be produced in the body (unlike omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids) and can be found in your favorite bakery goods and your everyday soap or skin cream. Read on to learn about the health benefits of Oleic Acid and a perfect tasty recipe for Valentine’s Day!
Nutrients by the Alphabet: Niacin Health Benefits and Recipe
Nutrition, RecipeCommentDid you know that Niacin is an important water-soluble vitamin and is a part of the Vitamin B complex? That’s right, Niacin (or Vitamin B3) provides several health benefits and helps maintain a healthy cardiovascular system, metabolism, brain function, and skin formation while also helping to fight against diabetes? Read on to learn more about the health benefits of Niacin and food sources of this important B Vitamin.
Nutrients by the Alphabet: Magnesium Health Benefits and Recipe
Nutrition, Recipe1 CommentDid you know that magnesium is a major mineral that is crucial for your health? In fact, magnesium is one of the most important minerals when it comes to maintaining optimal health since it plays major roles in bone health, nerve health, heart health, mental health, and many more health systems. Unfortunately, even if you have a healthy diet you can still suffer from magnesium deficiency which can cause a number of conditions and diseases. Read on to learn about the numerous health benefits of magnesium and were to find the best natural sources.
Nutrients by the Alphabet: Linoleic Acid Health Benefits and Recipe
Nutrition, RecipeCommentHave you heard of Linoleic Acid before? Probably not, but I am sure you have heard of Omega-6. That’s right, Linoleic Acid belongs to a family of polyunsaturated fatty acids know as Omega-6 fatty acids and is essential for human beings. There are so many health benefits of this essential fatty acid, from strengthening your immune system to helping you burn fat, so you may want to read on to learn more about these health benefits and where to find Linoleic Acid!
Nutrients by the Alphabet: Vitamin K Health Benefits and Recipe
Nutrition, RecipeCommentBy now you have heard of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and E, but have you heard of vitamin K? Vitamin K is also an essential fat-soluble vitamin that plays an important role in bone and heart health. There are two main types of vitamin K that we acquire from our diets: Vitamin K1 and vitamin K2. Read on to learn about the health benefits of vitamin K and dosage of this wonderful vitamin.
Nutrients by the Alphabet: Jiaogulan Health Benefits and Recipe
Nutrition, RecipeCommentDo you or someone you know suffer from respiratory issues, asthma, low immune function, diabetes, stress, obesity, or cancer? Well I have an herb for you. Let us introduce you to Jiaogulan - a Chinese herb. This herb is also known as Southern ginseng and has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine for hundreds of years. Jiaogulan holds the most wide-range of health benefits of any plant discovered. Read on to learn about just some of the wonderful health benefits of Jiaogulan.
Nutrients by the Alphabet: Iodine Health Benefits and Recipe
Nutrition, RecipeCommentYou have probably heard of Iodine in salt, but did you know that it is one of the body’s vital nutrients? Many adults don’t consume enough Iodine and therefor suffer from a disorder called Iodine Deficiency Disorder (IDD). Read on to learn about why Iodine is so important for your health and easy ways to increase your Iodine intake in a tasty way!