Foods for Better Health & Wellness

Kalee Carson

The Reason for Yellow!!

Labor Day is upon us and the summer is winding down. Kids are going back to school, and days are getting shorter. Many of us are still trying to enjoy the last bits of the summer fruits and vegetables before they are gone from store shelves.

Pineapple

One thing that previously was very seasonal was Pineapple, however now, due to the many places that the fruit is grown it is fairly well available the year round in most parts of the country. It is second only to bananas as the most popular tropical fruit in the US! I don’t know about you, but I LOVE pineapple, and could probably eat a whole one alone!

Pineapples are actually a composite of flowers whose fruitlets come together around its core. They have a scaly skin and a crown of blue-green leaves with a very fibrous yellow flesh. The area closer to the base has higher sugar content and so it is sweeter and more tender.

Pineapples do not mature after harvesting, but they will continue to ripen. Look for a fruit that is golden-reddish in color, with a fragrant aroma- not sour or fermented, and a fresh green crown. You will know the fruit is fully ripe and ready to eat when you can easily pull a leaf from the top center of the crown.

Full of Vitamins

One of the most notable things about pineapple is that they contain bromelain. Bromelain is an enzyme that starts the digestive process of breaking down protein; because of this, it is very helpful for people who have digestive issues. They also contain vitamin C, folic acid, potassium, and dietary fiber. Many doctors recommend their patients to use them as their “fruit of choice” in their meal planning to aid in digestive health. Its vitamin C content also makes it a good choice for those of us who are working to keep our immune system strong.

Pineapple is also known to have powerful anti-inflammatory properties and is very useful in the prevention and treatment of sports injuries for those who exercise regularly. It can help with the pain of arthritis, joint pain, tendonitis, and bursitis. You know all those pesky “itis” type things we tend to get as we age!
Pineapple is very good to add to facial masks that you might make for yourself at home, since the alpha-hydroxy-acids that are found in many of the expensive store bought creams are naturally found in the fruit.

Natural Tenderizer

In cooking, pineapple is a natural meat tenderizer. The bromelain enzyme also helps to break down the meat protein making it more tender, so adding it to your marinades will make the meat tender naturally rather than by chemical means.

Throw some slices on the grill while you are cooking your food and top them with some vanilla yogurt and a drizzle of honey for a light refreshing dessert!!

It has been scientifically proven that it retains its nutrient value for up to 6 days once it has been cut up as long as it is kept chilled. This makes it easy to buy and prep it for later use and if need be, you can buy the fruit already cut up and know that the nutritional value is still there!!

Organics vs. Non-organics

I would like to address an issue here. I believe that we should give our bodies the very best that we can afford in nutrition, supplements, water, and topicals. For that reason I generally suggest organic products first and foremost, however, we can’t always afford those products all the time, so I recommend that you weigh the importance of the item for the purpose you are using it. There are some things that I never compromise on and I will indicate those things as I write about them. They are very much worth the extra money and the quality is usually far better. That being said, we’ll move on!!

Herbs and Spices

Another thing that most of us use on a daily basis to make our food taste better in cooking are herbs and spices. How often do you think about the health benefit you are getting from those flavor enhancing items that make our food so tasty? Many of them contain vitamins, minerals and other important elements that can make us healthier. I have an herb garden growing on my back patio with several fresh herbs and in the fall I grow my own tomatoes and other vegetables in pots right there on the patio. It is very rewarding to grow your own and I keep them organic so I know they are pure.

Turmeric

This week I want to tell you about turmeric, which is a root in the ginger family. I’m sure you’ve probably never really thought about why the mustard that you put on your hot dog is yellow and yes, of course, mustard seed is slightly yellow in color, but the real magic is in the turmeric! It is one of the components of the Indian seasoning curry powder as well, but there is a whole world of uses for the spice besides these two.

Because of the many health benefits that turmeric has, it is one of the things that I recommend you use in its organic form. So many of the herbs and spices that we purchase in the grocery store today are processed, and unfortunately full of fillers and pesticides. Once you find out how beneficial this spice is, you will understand the importance of using it in its cleanest form.

Ayurveda

India is the home of Ayurvedic medicine and spices and herbs are the heart of their practice. Ayurveda in the original Sanskrit means life-knowledge, and is a 5,000-year-old system of natural healing that has its origins in the Vedic culture of India. It offers a body of wisdom designed to help people stay vital while realizing their full potential. It provides guidelines on ideal daily and seasonal routines, diet, behavior and the proper use of our senses.

Curcumin

Even Marco Polo recorded in his diary, in 1280 AD, that turmeric had all the properties of “true saffron” including color and smell but yet was not saffron. It has been used as a substitute for over 700 years. Ayurveda recognizes turmeric as one of the most healthful of the spices. One of the main healthful ingredients is curcumin, which is what gives turmeric its yellow color. That is also where all the health benefits are, and boy are there a lot of them!!
Curcumin supports important blood and liver functions, healthy joints and overall well-being, which in turn promotes radiant skin.
It helps:

• Cleanse your skin and maintain its elasticity
• Provide nourishment to your skin
• Balance the effects of skin flora
• Helps prevent wrinkles

Overall it helps the body fight against stress and the free radicals caused by stress. Its’ antioxidant powers are very strong, as a matter of fact 5 to 8 times stronger than vitamin E and stronger than vitamin C. Strong enough to scavenge the hydroxyl radical -- considered by many to be the most reactive of all oxidants.

Here are some of the general health benefits of curcumin:

• Promoting your immune system
• Helping you maintain your healthy digestive system
• Supporting your healthy bones, joints, and overall skeletal system
• Helping you maintain cholesterol levels that are already within the normal range
• A Potent, Yet Safe Anti-Inflammatory
• Cancer prevention-studies have linked the frequent use of turmeric to lower rates of breast, prostate, lung and colon cancer
• Reduced Prostate Cancer- In combination with cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower.
• Evidence that eating foods spiced with turmeric could reduce the risk of developing childhood leukemia
• Cardiovascular Protection- Curcumin may be able to prevent the oxidation of cholesterol in the body
• Protection against Alzheimer’s Disease- studies show that in elderly Indian populations, among whose diet turmeric is a common spice, levels of neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's are very low

It would seem that Turmeric is truly becoming the world’s newest true super food! I am a big fan myself and try to incorporate it into my diet as often as possible. I add it into my morning smoothie daily. I also use an anti-inflammatory supplement that combines MSM (METHYLSULFONYLMETHANE), and curcumin to help with a couple of different inflammation issues. I cook with it as often as I can work it in, using it to season meat dishes and stews, and I add it to veggie dips all the time!! People ask me all the time why my dips taste so good!!

It can be a very tasty addition to many dishes including curries, pickles, vegetable dishes, egg dishes, barbecue, salads, and dips! So give it a try!!

I hope you have all enjoyed the information that I have brought to you this week. As the seasons begin to change I will bring you new articles about autumn foods, herbs, and spices to add to your ever expanding horizons!!

Until then, Stay Healthy

Love,
Kalee

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