Wednesday, September 30, 2015
10 Potent Foods That Kill Pain Fast May 15, 2014 by admin Leave a Commen
Pain – the chemical signal that tells us something in our body has been damaged – is more often than not, an unwelcome visitor. For those who experience pain every day due to arthritis, migraines, tendonitis, or other chronic conditions, it may be tempting to turn to chemical pain-relievers to free yourself from the ongoing discomfort. Before you do, take a look at this list of natural pain-relievers from Mother Nature’s medicine cabinet.
1. Dark Cherries
According to a study performed at the John Hopkins Pain Treatment Center, anthocyanins – a group of bioflavonoids or plant pigments found in cherries and other dark fruits – are effective in blocking pain signals caused by inflammation. Enjoy a serving of 20 cherries to alleviate joint aches, gastrointestinal discomfort, PMS symptoms, and other pain caused by inflammation.
2. Ginger Root
Ginger root is another aspirin-mimicking anti-inflammatory. A daily supplement of powdered ginger has been shown to lessen aches and pains from physical exertion by suppressing the body’s production of toxic compounds known to cause inflammation and tissue damage in the joints. A ginger paste may be similarly effective when applied topically to sore joints and muscles.
Chewing on a slice of fresh ginger root is also super effective for treating stomach pain and nausea caused by illness, as well as for preventing morning sickness during pregnancy.
3. Cold-Water Fish
There are many health benefits to gain by adding cold-water fish like herring, mackerel, tuna, salmon, and sardines to your diet. Among them are abilities to fight chronic pain from back and neck injuries and to help heal damaged joints. Additionally, Omega-3 fatty acids in cold-water fish improve cardiovascular function and decrease inflammation around damaged cartilage, promoting healing and overall good health.
4. Tahini
Made from ground sesame seeds, tahini is a delicious dish which delivers a high dose of magnesium, a mineral most people don’t get enough of. Magnesium has a long list of amazing health benefits including the ability to fight muscle tension. To treat head-aches and sore muscles, whip up a batch of raw tahini using this guide.
5. Turmeric
Curcumin, a natural phenol present in turmeric root, is another natural anti-inflammatory. Add this fragrant golden spice to your list of pain-fighting foods for a boost of flavor and beautiful color.
6. Aloe Juice
We all know that aloe vera gel is at the top of the list as far as treating burns. What most people don’t know is that aloe juice is also an excellent remedy for stomach ulcers. Caused by H. pylori bacteria, ulcers are painful lesions in the lining of the stomach which cause nausea, weakness from blood loss, and extreme pain. Drinking aloe juice twice daily not only helps to relieve these symptoms, it has also been proven to speed the healing process of this painful condition.
Recommended Reading: 12 Reasons You Should Drink Aloe Vera Juice Every Day
7. Papaya
The enzyme papain found in the flesh of papaya fruit is another natural anti-inflammatory that works well in conjunction with bromelain (found in pineapple juice and stems.) Papain is often used following surgery to reduce pain and swelling. While papaya extract may be taken as a supplement, the fruit is also full of anti-oxidants and vitamins which support a multitude of bodily functions. If you can find fresh papaya, enjoy it by itself or try adding it to a smoothie, salad, or salsa.
8. Yogurt
Human intestines are home to billions of microflora which are necessary for digestive health. When these symbiotic organisms become unbalanced (called disbiosis,) we may experience any number of health problems, many of which often seem totally unrelated to the gut (painful rashes, hair loss, hormone imbalance, etc.) Yogurt containing live and active cultures help to repopulate and stabilize these microflora which can definitely help with problems like IBS, excessive gas, and painful bloating.
9. Hot Peppers
Capsaicin, the chemical that makes hot peppers hot is a common ingredient in many topical pain relievers. Capsaicin overloads nerves, draining them of substance-P – the chemical messenger that carries pain signals to the brain. While only offering temporary relief, hot pepper extract is a fast and effective pain remedy. Buy capsaicin cream from this page on Amazon, or make your own. ***Always be sure to wear protective gloves and eye wear when handling hot peppers to prevent accidental injury.***
10. Peppermint
The menthol in peppermint is great for preventing muscle spasms. For sore hands and feet, apply peppermint oil to wrists and ankles. To ease a bad headache, rub crushed peppermint leaves on your temples or brew some peppermint tea for a muscle-relaxing treat.
How To Use Marijuana To Treat Lyme Disease Without Antibiotics or Steroids
Lyme disease has been controversial for some years. Many medical practitioners misdiagnose it, while several think that it’s mental. With Lyme disease, there are so many symptoms, so many debilitating, agonizing manifestations, that it’s often misdiagnosed as multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue, lupus or a mental issue.
Lyme disease is caused by a spirochetal bacteria of the Borrelia genus. Spirochetes are composed of about 40% DNA and have double-membrane envelopes that make them difficult to trace and kill. They’re apparently able to hide in deep tissue and change shapes to disguise their identities.
They’re somewhat similar to the bacteria behind syphilis, as Lyme disease affects the nervous system and brain also.
Going through the medical system with Lyme disease is like being a ball in an old fashioned pinball game machine. Being on antibiotics forever is risking serious adverse events or at least reducing one’s immunity to invite all sorts of other complications.
All this without a complete cure. But now there is considerable hope with cannabis.
Cannabis Lyme Successes
There are two levels of handling Lyme with cannabis: managing symptoms well by smoking marijuana, or completely reversing the disease with cannabis oil. Not many are aware of cannabis oil pioneered by Rick Simpson a few years ago. Rick has said that most of the healing qualities of cannabis are lost in the smoke.
Alexis, diagnosed with late-stage Lyme disease, is an example of someone handling symptoms without pharmaceuticals by smoking marijuana. She was on antibiotics long enough for her gastrointestinal tract to be damaged and to be hospitalized with hemorrhagic colitis.
Medical Marijuana vs. Antibiotics
She was taken off antibiotics and put on several strong pain prescriptions that were barely effective while putting her into lower emotional states. Then she tried smoking marijuana.
That routine handled most of her nausea, enabled her to eat well enough to avoid wasting away, helped her sleep better and eased her pain while elevating her mood. She maintains that marijuana has been the best thing for her Lyme disease.
Alexis wrote, “In the hospital, I have needed to have morphine or lorazepam through an IV to accomplish what smoking two grams of cannabis does on the comfort of my couch, in a fraction of the time.” [1] But Alexis is looking for a long-term solution.
Cannabis Oil
Some have discovered that solution using cannabis oil for Lyme disease. Cannabis oil is a highly concentrated substance that’s extracted and reduced from large amounts of cannabis with a good balance of THC and other cannabinoids.
It has become increasingly available in states that allow medical marijuana. But it’s also available “underground” if you search on the internet. This is the stuff that has been curing cancer lately.
Shelly White’s Lyme disease was so debilitating that she had endured at least 10 seizures daily for a year and a half. She began smoking marijuana from a pipe and then switched to inhaling it through a vaporizer. Just from that, her seizures had stopped. Then she decided to go to the next level of using cannabis oil.
A Hope For a Cure
After a month of the oil, she was able to return to work and school. At the time of writing her story, she was happy to announce that she could now move out and live on her own and enjoy a normal social life. [2]
An internet radio show called “High Noon” interviewed a couple of Lyme disease victims who had been using cannabis oil successfully, Pamela Baily and Lisa Sikes. Listen via the link at source [3].
“Lymies” should look into cannabis since it handles so many ailments associated with Lyme disease. [4]
Source(s):
What Is the Natural Allopathic Protocol Useful For? September 30, 2015 under Medicine ~ Mark Sircus
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Tuesday, September 29, 2015
Coffee: What Just 2 Cups Per Day Is Doing To Your Liver
The health effects of coffee are quite controversial.
Depending on who you ask, it is either a super healthy beverage or incredibly harmful.
But despite what you may have heard, there are actually plenty of good things to be said about coffee.
For example, it is high in antioxidants and linked to a reduced risk of many diseases.
However… it also contains caffeine, a stimulant that can cause problems in some people and disrupt sleep.
This article takes a detailed look at coffee and its health effects, examining both the pros and cons.
Coffee Contains Some Essential Nutrients and is Extremely High in Antioxidants
Coffee is more than just dark brown water… many of the nutrients in the coffee beans do make it into the drink.
A typical 8oz (240 ml) cup of coffee contains (1):
- Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): 11% of the RDA.
- Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid): 6% of the RDA.
- Vitamin B1 (Thiamin): 2% of the RDA.
- Vitamin B3 (Niacin): 2% of the RDA.
- Folate: 1% of the RDA.
- Manganese: 3% of the RDA.
- Potassium: 3% of the RDA.
- Magnesium: 2% of the RDA.
- Phosphorus: 1% of the RDA.
This may not seem like a lot, but try multiplying with 3, 4, or however many cups you drink per day. It can add up to a significant portion of your daily nutrient intake.
But where coffee really shines is in its high content of antioxidants.
The average person who eats a typical Western diet actually gets more antioxidants from coffee than fruits and vegetables… combined (2, 3).
Bottom Line: Coffee contains a small amount of some vitamins and minerals, which add up if you drink many cups per day. It is also high in antioxidants.
Coffee Contains Caffeine, A Stimulant That Can Enhance Brain Function and Boost Metabolism
Soft drinks, tea and chocolate all contain caffeine, but coffee is the biggest source.
The caffeine content of a single cup can range from 30-300 mg, but the average cup is somewhere around 90-100 mg.
Caffeine is a known stimulant. In the brain, it blocks the function of an inhibitory neurotransmitter (brain hormone) called Adenosine.
By blocking adenosine, caffeine actually increases activity in the brain and the release of other neurotransmitters like norepinephrine and dopamine. This reduces tiredness and makes us feel more alert (5, 6).
There are numerous studies showing that caffeine can lead to a short-term boost in brain function… including improved mood, reaction time, vigilance and general cognitive function (7, 8).
Caffeine can also boost metabolism (calories burned) by 3-11% and even increase exercise performance by 11-12%, on average (9, 10, 11, 12).
However… some of these effects are likely to be short-term. If you drink coffee every day, then you will build a tolerance to it and the effects will be less powerful (13).
There are also some downsides to caffeine, which I’ll get to in a bit.
Bottom Line: The main active compound in coffee is the stimulant caffeine. It can cause a short-term boost in energy levels, brain function, metabolic rate and exercise performance.
Coffee May Help Protect Your Brain in Old Age, Leading to Reduced Risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease and a leading cause of dementia.
Studies have shown that coffee drinkers have up to a 65% lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease (14, 15, 16).
Parkinson’s is the second most common neurodegenerative disease and caused by the death of dopamine-generating neurons in the brain.
Coffee drinkers have a 32-60% lower risk of Parkinson’s disease. The more coffee people drink, the lower the risk (17, 18, 19, 20).
Bottom Line: Several studies show that coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease in old age.
Coffee Drinkers Have a Much Lower Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is characterized by elevated blood sugars due to resistance to the effects of insulin.
This is a very common disease… it has increased 10-fold in a few decades and now afflicts over 300 million people.
Interestingly, coffee drinkers appear to have a significantly reduced risk of developing this disease, some studies showing that coffee drinkers are up to 23-67% less likely to become diabetic (21, 22, 23, 24).
In one large review study that looked at 18 studies with 457,922 individuals, each daily cup of coffee was linked to a 7% reduced risk of type 2 diabetes (25).
Bottom Line: Numerous studies have shown that coffee drinkers have a significantly lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
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Coffee Drinkers Have a Lower Risk of Liver Diseases
The liver is an incredibly important organ that has hundreds of different functions in the body.
It is very sensitive to modern insults like excess alcohol and fructose intake.
The end stage of liver damage is called Cirrhosis, and involves most of the liver being replaced with scar tissue.
Coffee drinkers have up to an 84% lower risk of developing cirrhosis, with the strongest effect for those who drink 4 or more cups per day (26, 27, 28).
Liver cancer is also common… it is the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Coffee drinkers have up to a 40% lower risk of liver cancer (29, 30).
Bottom Line: Coffee drinkers have a significantly lower risk of cirrhosis and liver cancer. The more coffee they drink, the lower the risk.
People Who Drink Coffee Are at a Much Lower Risk of Depression and Suicide
Depression is an incredibly common problem.
It is the world’s most common mental disorder and leads to a significantly reduced quality of life.
In one Harvard study from 2011, people who drank the most coffee had a 20% lower risk of becoming depressed (31).
In one review of 3 studies, people who drank 4 or more cups of coffee per day were 53% less likely to commit suicide (32).
Bottom Line: Studies have shown that people who drink coffee have a lower risk of becoming depressed and are significantly less likely to commit suicide.
Some Studies Show That Coffee Drinkers Live Longer
Given that coffee drinkers have a lower risk of many common, deadly diseases (and suicide), it makes sense that coffee could help you live longer.
There is actually some good evidence to support this.
A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2012 looked at the habits of 402,260 individuals between 50 and 71 years of age (33).
In this study, people who drank coffee had a much lower risk of dying over the 12-13 year study period:
The sweet spot seems to be at 4-5 cups per day, with men having a 12% reduced risk and women a 16% reduced risk.
You can read more about it in this article on how coffee can make you live longer.
Bottom Line: Some studies have shown that coffee drinkers live longer, which makes perfect sense given that they have a lower risk of many diseases. The strongest effect is seen for 4-5 cups per day.
Caffeine Can Cause Anxiety and Disrupt Sleep
It wouldn’t be right to only talk about the good stuff without mentioning the bad.
The truth is… there are some important negative aspects to coffee as well (although this depends on the individual).
Consuming too much caffeine can lead to jitteriness, anxiety, heart palpitations and may even exacerbate panic attacks (34).
If you are sensitive to caffeine and tend to become overstimulated, then perhaps you shouldn’t be drinking coffee.
Another unwanted side effect is that it can disrupt sleep (35). If coffee reduces the quality of your sleep, then try avoiding coffee late in the day, such as after 2pm.
Caffeine can also have some diuretic and blood pressure raising effects, but this usually goes away with regular use. However, an increase in blood pressure of 1-2 mm/Hg may persist (36, 37, 38).
Bottom Line: Caffeine can have various negative effects, such as causing anxiety and disrupting sleep, but this depends greatly on the individual.
Caffeine is Addictive and Missing a Few Cups Can Lead to Withdrawal
One issue with caffeine, is that it can lead to addiction in many people.
When people consume caffeine regularly, they become tolerant to it. It either stops working as it used to, or a larger dose is needed to get the same effects (39).
When people abstain from caffeine, they get withdrawal symptoms like headache, tiredness, brain fog and irritability. This can last for a few days (40, 41).
Tolerance and withdrawal are the hallmarks of physical addiction.
A lot of people (understandably) don’t like the idea of being literally dependant on a chemical substance in order to function properly.
Bottom Line: Caffeine is an addictive substance. It can lead to tolerance and well documented withdrawal symptoms like headache, tiredness and irritability.
11 Amazing Health Benefits of Using Baking Soda
February 02, 2015 | 834,686 views
By Dr. Mercola
You probably have at least one box of baking soda in your home right now. If you're like many Americans, you might have a box in your pantry for baking, one in your refrigerator to absorb odors and another under your kitchen sink to use for cleaning.
What you might not have considered is that baking soda can be used for health purposes, too, so you might want to stash another box in your medicine cabinet.
What Exactly Is Baking Soda?
It's 100 percent sodium bicarbonate, which can be used as a leavening agent in baked goods. When mixed with an acid, baking soda reacts, making bubbles and giving off carbon dioxide gas, which causes dough to rise. Anecdotal reports throughout history suggest that many civilizations used forms of baking soda when making bread and other foods that required rising.
In its natural form, baking soda is known as nahcolite, which is part of the natural mineral natron. Natron, which contains large amounts of sodium bicarbonate, has been used since ancient times. And no, you don't need to get aluminum-free baking soda (you are confusing that with baking powder), as baking soda is already aluminum free.…
For instance, the Egyptians used natron as a soap for cleansing purposes. However, it wasn't until 1846 that Dr. Austin Church and John Dwight began to manufacture and sell the compound we know as baking soda today. By the 1860s, baking soda was featured in published cookbooks but was still primarily known as a cooking additive.1 By the 1920s, however, its versatility was expanded on and by the 1930s it was widely advertised as a "proven medical agent."
11 Ways to Use Baking Soda for Your Health
You can purchase a box of baking soda for under $1, making it one of the least expensive home remedies to keep on hand. In addition to using it for minor accidents and injuries, baking soda can become a part of your regular hygiene routine.
1. Natural Deodorant
If you want to avoid the parabens and aluminum found in many deodorants and antiperspirants, try a pinch of baking soda mixed with water instead. This simple paste makes an effective and simple natural deodorant. You can also simply brush some dry baking soda under your arms.
2. Insect Bites and Poison Ivy
Apply a paste made of baking soda and water to insect bites to help relieve itching. You can also try rubbing the dry powder onto your skin. This is also effective for itchy rashes and poison ivy. Baking soda helps to relieve minor skin irritation and itching by neutralizing toxins and irritants on your skin's surface.2
3. Heartburn, Indigestion, and Ulcer Pain
Most over-the-counter antacids contain some form of bicarbonate. Baking soda works by immediately neutralizing stomach acid, helping to relieve heartburn, indigestion and even ulcer pain. I have personally recommended this to many, including family members, and have been surprised how remarkably effective it is.
Dosing is typically ½ teaspoon fully dissolved in a half a glass of water, taken every two hours (do not take more than seven ½ teaspoons in 24 hours, or three ½ teaspoons if you're over 60).3
This should only be used as an occasional (not chronic) treatment, however, and be careful not to consume excessive amounts, which can cause serious electrolyte and acid/base imbalances.4
4. Foot Soak and Exfoliator
Add three tablespoons of baking soda to a tub of warm water for an invigorating foot soak. You can scrub your feet with a baking soda paste for additional exfoliation. A paste made from three parts of baking soda combined with one part water can be used as an exfoliator for your face and body, too. It's natural, inexpensive and gentle enough to use every day.
5. Relaxing Soak
Baking soda and apple cider make a wonderful spa-like bath for soaking. It also cleans the tub and the drain, as a bonus!
6. Hand Cleanser
Mix three parts baking soda with one part of water to make a natural hand cleanser that will scrub away dirt and neutralize odors.
7. Splinter removal
Add a tablespoon of baking soda to a small glass of water, then soak the affected area twice a day. Many splinters will come out on their own after a couple of days using this treatment.
8. Sunburn Remedy
Add ½ cup of baking soda to lukewarm bathwater, then soak in the tub for natural relief. When you get out, let your skin air dry, rather than toweling off the excess baking soda, for extra relief. You can also add a mixture of baking soda and water to a cool compress and apply it to the sunburn directly.
9. Enhanced Sports Performance
Distance runners have long engaged in a practice known as "soda doping" -- or taking baking soda capsules -- before races to enhance performance, a measure that's thought to work similarly to carbohydrate loading. It's also been shown to improve speed among swimmers.5 While I don't suggest you try this at home, it's another example of baking soda benefits. Researchers noted:6
"Essentially, sodium bicarbonate is an alkali substance that increases the pH of the blood. This seems to reduce and offset the acidity produced in the muscles during intense, anaerobic exercise that produces lactic acid most quickly, such as fast running or swimming."
10. Tooth and Gum Paste
Baking soda has a mild abrasive action that helps to remove plaque and polish, clean, and deodorize your teeth.7 One review of data from five controlled clinical studies found that toothpaste containing baking soda "enhanced plaque removal effectiveness of tooth brushing to a significantly greater extent" than brushing with a non-baking soda toothpaste.8
Baking soda also has antibacterial activity and has been found to kill Streptococcus mutans bacteria – a significant contributor to tooth decay.9 For an incredibly effective tooth and gum paste, use a mixture of six parts of baking soda to one part of sea salt.
Place them in a blender and mix for 30 seconds, then place in a container to use. Wet the tip of your index finger and place a small amount of the salt and soda mixture on your gums.
Starting with the upper outside gums and then the inside of the upper, followed by the lower outside of the gums then the lower inside, rub the mixture onto your teeth and gums. Spit out the excess. After 15 minutes rinse your mouth. This mixture is incredibly effective at killing bacteria.10
You need to exert some caution in this area though as many believe baking soda can be too abrasive on your enamel, and Dr. Curatola believes that killing the oral microbiome may be highly counterproductive.
11. Teeth whitener
For a natural way to whiten your teeth, crush one ripe strawberry and mix it with 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda. Spread the mixture onto your teeth and leave on for five minutes. Then brush your teeth and rinse. This method should be used no more than once a week, as excessive use could potentially damage your tooth enamel.
How to Use Baking Soda as a Natural Cleanser
If you find it hard to believe that something as simple and inexpensive as baking soda could really clean your home, consider this: baking soda was used to clean and restore the inner copper walls of the Statute of Liberty during its 1986 restoration. It effectively removed grime without damaging the copper11 – so think it might work around your home, too? Here are some of baking soda's top uses for cleaning:
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Baking soda is great to scrub your bath and kitchen with. Put it in a glass grated cheese container with a stainless steel top that has holes in it, and just sprinkle the baking soda on the surfaces and scrub. You may add a few drops of your favorite essential oil to this. Lavender and tea tree oil have potent anti-bacterial qualities.
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Baking soda mixed with apple cider vinegar is a bubbly combination that has many uses. As a drain cleaner, sprinkle baking soda down the drain, then add apple cider vinegar and let it bubble for 15 minutes, then rinse with hot water. This is a safer alternative to dangerous drain cleaners.
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Soak pots and pans in hot water and baking soda for 15 minutes to easily wipe away baked-on food.
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Use baking soda to scrub your barbecue grill.
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Clean baby toys in a mixture of 4 tablespoons of baking soda and 1 quart of water.
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Baking soda can also be used as a fabric softener in your laundry, or to get your clothes whither and brighter (add one cup to your laundry load).
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Baking soda is a natural carpet cleaner. Sprinkle it onto carpets, let it sit for 15 minutes, then vacuum it up.
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To polish silver without using toxic silver polish, fill your kitchen sink with hot water, add a sheet of aluminum foil and baking soda, and let the silver pieces soak until clean. It is an easy and fun way to clean silver.
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Sprinkle baking soda in your shoes for a natural deodorizer.
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In the event of a minor grease fire in your kitchen, use baking soda to help smother out the flames.
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Sprinkle baking soda on a vegetable brush to help remove dirt and residue from fruits and veggies.
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Make a paste of baking soda and water and use it to scrub away grime from your shower and bath.
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Top Anti-Inflammatory Foods, Herbs, and Spices February 02, 2015 Dr. Mercola
Top Anti-Inflammatory Foods, Herbs, and Spices
February 02, 2015 | 980,859 views
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By Dr. Mercola
Herbs and cooking spices contain a wide variety of antioxidants, minerals and vitamins, and help maximize the nutrient density of your meals. Every time you flavor your meals with herbs or spices you are literally "upgrading" your food without adding a single calorie.
In fact, on a per gram fresh weight basis, herbs rank even higher in antioxidant activity than fruits and vegetables, which are known to be high in antioxidants. Many studies have also shown that most spices tend to have unique medicinal qualities.
In the featured study,1 researchers from three Universities devised an experiment to evaluate the “true world” benefits of herbs and spices, by feeding them to people in quantities that are typically consumed simply by spicing up your meals. As noted by Dr. Michael Greger MD, who produced the video above:2
“The researchers could have taken the easy route and just measured the change in antioxidant level in one’s bloodstream before and after consumption, but the assumption that the appearance of antioxidant activity in the blood is an indication of bioavailability has a weakness.
Maybe more gets absorbed than we think but doesn’t show up on antioxidant tests because it gets bound up to proteins or cells. So the researchers attempted to measure physiological changes in the blood.
They were interested in whether absorbed compounds would be able to protect white blood cells from an oxidative or inflammatory injury—whether herb and spice consumption would protect the strands of our DNA from breaking when attacked by free radicals.”
Four Spices That Pack a Powerful Anti-Inflammatory Punch
For one week, 10 to 12 subjects in each of 13 groups consumed a small amount of a particular spice each day. For example, those in the oregano group ate just half a teaspoon of oregano daily for seven days. Blood samples were drawn one hour prior to consumption, and at the very end of the experiment.
The participants’ blood was then analyzed for antioxidant capacity. The researchers also analyzed how well the blood could dampen an induced inflammatory response in white blood cells.
This was done by placing the participants’ blood onto white blood cells that had been damaged by oxidized cholesterol (commonly found in fried foods). Even at the “everyday” dosage amounts given, four spices were found to be significantly effective at quelling the inflammatory response:
As noted in the featured article: “[T]he results represents what might happen when cells in our body are exposed to the levels of spices that circulate in our bloodstream after normal daily consumption—not megadoses in some pill. Just the amount that makes our spaghetti sauce, pumpkin pie, or curry sauce taste good.”
Other Potent Anti-Inflammatory Spices
An earlier study published in the Journal of Medicinal Foods3 found a direct correlation between the antioxidant phenol content of spice and herb extracts and their ability to inhibit glycation and block the formation of AGE compounds (advanced glycation end products), making them potent preventers of heart disease and premature aging.
Here, cloves were ranked as the most potent of 24 common herbs and spices found in your spice rack. In all, the following were found to be the top 10 most potent anti-inflammatory herbs and spices:
- Cloves
- Cinnamon
- Jamaican allspice
- Apple pie spice mixture
- Oregano
- Pumpkin pie spice mixture
- Marjoram
- Sage
- Thyme
- Gourmet Italian spice
Inflammation Is at the Heart of Most Chronic Diseases
It’s important to realize that chronic inflammation is the source of many if not most diseases, including cancer, obesity, and heart disease, which essentially makes it the leading cause of death in the US.
While inflammation is a perfectly normal and beneficial process that occurs when your body's white blood cells and chemicals protect you from foreign invaders like bacteria and viruses, it leads to trouble when the inflammatory response gets out of hand. Your diet has a lot to do with this chain of events.
While among the most potent, ounce for ounce, herbs and spices are certainly not the only anti-inflammatory ingredients available. A number of foods are well-known for their anti-inflammatory properties, and making sure you’re eating a wide variety of them on a regular basis can go a long way toward preventing chronic illness.
Top Seven Anti-Inflammatory Foods
The following foods and nutrients deserve special mention for their ability to quell inflammatory responses in your body:
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1. Animal-based omega-3 fat
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Animal-based omega-3 fats—found in fatty fish like wild Alaskan salmon and fish- or krill oil—help fight inflammation throughout your body. It’s particularly important for brain health. Research published in the Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology4 in 2012 confirmed that dietary supplementation with krill oil effectively reduced inflammation and oxidative stress.
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2. Leafy greens
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Dark leafy greens such as kale, spinach, collard greens and Swiss chard contain powerful antioxidants, flavonoids, carotenoids, and vitamin C—all of which help protect against cellular damage. Ideally, opt for organic locally grown veggies that are in season, and consider eating a fair amount of them raw. Juicing is an excellent way to get more greens into your diet.
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3. Blueberries
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Blueberries rate very high in antioxidant capacity compared to other fruits and vegetables. They are also lower in sugar than many other fruits.
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4. Tea
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Matcha tea is the most nutrient-rich green tea and comes in the form of a stone-ground unfermented powder. The best Matcha comes from Japan and has up to 17 times the antioxidants of wild blueberries, and seven times more than dark chocolate.
Tulsi is another tea loaded with anti-inflammatory antioxidants and other micronutrients that support immune function and heart health.
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5. Fermented vegetables and traditionally cultured foods
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Optimizing your gut flora is important for a well-functioning immune system, and helps ward off chronic inflammation. In fact, the majority of inflammatory diseases start in your gut, as the result of an imbalanced microbiome. Fermented foods such as kefir, natto, kimchee, miso, tempeh, pickles, sauerkraut, olives, and other fermented vegetables, will help ‘reseed’ your gut with beneficial bacteria.
Fermented foods can also help your body rid itself of harmful toxins such as heavy metals and pesticides that promote inflammation.
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6. Shiitake mushrooms
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Shiitake mushrooms contain strong compounds with the natural ability to discourage inflammation, such as Ergothioneine, which inhibits oxidative stress.
They also contain a number of unique nutrients that many do not get enough of in their diet. One is copper, which is one of the few metallic elements accompanied by amino and fatty acids that are essential to human health. Since your body can't synthesize copper, your diet must supply it regularly. Copper deficiency can be a factor in the development of coronary heart disease.
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7. Garlic
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Garlic has been treasured for its medicinal properties for centuries. It’s also one of the most heavily researched plant foods around. Over 170 studies5 show it benefitting more than 150 different conditions. Garlic exerts its benefits on multiple levels, offering anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal, and antioxidant properties.
It's thought that much of garlic's therapeutic effect comes from its sulfur-containing compounds, such as allicin. Research6 has revealed that as allicin digests in your body it produces sulfenic acid, a compound that reacts faster with dangerous free radicals than any other known compound.
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Your Diet Is Key for Reducing Chronic Inflammation
The running thread linking a wide variety of common health problems—from obesity and diabetes to heart disease and cancer—is chronic inflammation. The key to reducing chronic inflammation in your body starts with your diet, and being liberal in your use of high-quality herbs and spices is one simple way to boost the quality of your food. They're an inexpensive "secret weapon" that just about everyone can take advantage of. Spicing up your meals is not enough, however, if processed foods comprise the bulk of your diet.
It's important to realize that dietary components can either prevent or trigger inflammation from taking root in your body, and processed foods do the latter, courtesy of pro-inflammatory ingredients like high fructose corn syrup, soy, processed vegetable oils (trans fats), and other chemical additives. Besides adding anti-inflammatory foods to your diet, you’ll also want to avoid the following pro-inflammatory dietary culprits as much as possible:
- Refined sugar, processed fructose, and grains. If your fasting insulin level is three or above, consider dramatically reducing or eliminating grains and sugars until you optimize your insulin level, as insulin resistance this is a primary driver of chronic inflammation. As a general guideline, I recommend restricting your total fructose intake to 25 grams per day. If you’re insulin or leptin resistant (have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, or are overweight), consider cutting that down to 15 grams per day until your insulin/leptin resistance has normalized
- Oxidized cholesterol (cholesterol that has gone rancid, such as that from overcooked, scrambled eggs)
- Foods cooked at high temperatures, especially if cooked with vegetable oil (such as peanut, corn, and soy oil)
- Trans fats
Replacing processed foods with whole, ideally organic foods will automatically address most of these factors, especially if you eat a large portion of your food raw. Equally important is making sure you’re regularly reseeding your gut with beneficial bacteria, as mentioned above. To help you get started on a healthier diet, I suggest following my free Optimized Nutrition Plan, which starts at the beginner phase and systematically guides you step-by-step to the advanced level.
NATURAL ANTIBIOTICS:
NATURAL ANTIBIOTICS:
» Most antibiotics start having an effect on an infection within a few hours, but it is important to remember to complete the whole course of medication to prevent the infection from coming back. When you do not complete the course, there is a higher chance the bacteria may become resistant to future treatments.
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» Consume More Probiotics
» The Power Garlic
Garlic is an intense, regular anti-microbial that doesn’t murder off the solid microscopic organisms like the medication structures do. Dissimilar to substance anti-infection agents, garlic is additionally a powerful antiviral and antifungal, so by simply taking only a couple of cloves of garlic every day, you can free yourself of contaminations. Garlic has a demonstrated reputation for being a phenomenal thing to battle microbes including, viral, contagious and parasitic diseases notwithstanding taking out staph, strep among others
Garlic is an intense, regular anti-microbial that doesn’t murder off the solid microscopic organisms like the medication structures do. Dissimilar to substance anti-infection agents, garlic is additionally a powerful antiviral and antifungal, so by simply taking only a couple of cloves of garlic every day, you can free yourself of contaminations. Garlic has a demonstrated reputation for being a phenomenal thing to battle microbes including, viral, contagious and parasitic diseases notwithstanding taking out staph, strep among others
» Onions
A relative of garlic, onion has comparable therapeutic properties, and can be eaten to assist lessen with tormenting, irritation, and expand course. Onions have additionally been demonstrated to be valuable as a home grown absence of pain and calming substance, that expands course, lightens angina, and is utilized as a part of the basic’s treatment icy and influenza, and for a constant hack.
A relative of garlic, onion has comparable therapeutic properties, and can be eaten to assist lessen with tormenting, irritation, and expand course. Onions have additionally been demonstrated to be valuable as a home grown absence of pain and calming substance, that expands course, lightens angina, and is utilized as a part of the basic’s treatment icy and influenza, and for a constant hack.
» Grapefruit Seed Extract
Grapefruit seed extract was originally developed as an antiparasitic, but quickly showed that it could inhibit the growth of fungi, viruses, and bacteria as well. The active ingredients of Grapefruit Seed Extract or GSE, are non-toxic and gathered from the seed and pulp of certified organically grown grapefruit.
Grapefruit seed extract was originally developed as an antiparasitic, but quickly showed that it could inhibit the growth of fungi, viruses, and bacteria as well. The active ingredients of Grapefruit Seed Extract or GSE, are non-toxic and gathered from the seed and pulp of certified organically grown grapefruit.
» Habañero and Horseradish
These are stimulants that stimulate and energize and empower the body (profiting it’s protections against attacking infections). Moreover, they help to convey blood to all parts of the body, and they additionally help raise the body’s temperature, which expanding the resistant’s movement framework
Fruits and Vegetables Containing High Levels Of Vitamin C
These are stimulants that stimulate and energize and empower the body (profiting it’s protections against attacking infections). Moreover, they help to convey blood to all parts of the body, and they additionally help raise the body’s temperature, which expanding the resistant’s movement framework
Fruits and Vegetables Containing High Levels Of Vitamin C
Vitamin C is known to help strengthen the body’s immune system and ability to fight disease, and throughout the years, studies have shown vitamin C to even help heal snake bites, bacterial and viral infections. Fruits high in vitamin C are recommended because they can help stave off or eliminate certain infectious bacteria. Vitamin C is essential for growth and development, and serves in the function of skin repair, making it very important in wound healing, strengthening the human immune system and increasing the body’s ability to resist infection.
» Manuka Honey
Scientists have found that Manuka honey connected topically can execute an extensive variety of pathogens, including MRSA, a substance eating microscopic organisms. Researchers likewise found that the treated microscopic organisms didn’t develop any resistance, rendering the honey ineffectual. Mindfulness about manuka honey is developing, and numerous wellbeing nourishment stores, online merchants, and even supermarkets are starting to convey items asserting to be medicinal manuka honey
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Scientists have found that Manuka honey connected topically can execute an extensive variety of pathogens, including MRSA, a substance eating microscopic organisms. Researchers likewise found that the treated microscopic organisms didn’t develop any resistance, rendering the honey ineffectual. Mindfulness about manuka honey is developing, and numerous wellbeing nourishment stores, online merchants, and even supermarkets are starting to convey items asserting to be medicinal manuka honey
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»Cinnamon
Cinnamon has a long history both as a spice and as a medicine because it’s essential oils qualify as an “anti-microbial” food, and has been studied for it’s ability to stop the growth of bacteria as well as fungi. Cinnamon’s antimicrobial properties are effective to the point that late research exhibits this flavor can be utilized as a different option for customary nourishment additives. When you blend Cinnamon with Manuka Honey, the mix makes for an incredible decongestant, a topical glue that can be connected to the teeth and skin.
Cinnamon has a long history both as a spice and as a medicine because it’s essential oils qualify as an “anti-microbial” food, and has been studied for it’s ability to stop the growth of bacteria as well as fungi. Cinnamon’s antimicrobial properties are effective to the point that late research exhibits this flavor can be utilized as a different option for customary nourishment additives. When you blend Cinnamon with Manuka Honey, the mix makes for an incredible decongestant, a topical glue that can be connected to the teeth and skin.
» Apple-Cider Vinegar
ACV or Apple-Cider Vinegar, Apple juice vinegar contains malic corrosive, which is a substance known for having hostile to viral, against bacterial and hostile to contagious properties.
ACV or Apple-Cider Vinegar, Apple juice vinegar contains malic corrosive, which is a substance known for having hostile to viral, against bacterial and hostile to contagious properties.
» Ginger
Ginger has been generally used to treat colds and influenza, however it has been found that when we devour it, are temperature is raised making us sweat. When we sweat a compound is created that battles microbes bringing about an antimicrobial impact.
Ginger has been generally used to treat colds and influenza, however it has been found that when we devour it, are temperature is raised making us sweat. When we sweat a compound is created that battles microbes bringing about an antimicrobial impact.
» Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus may be used as a topical antibiotic, and has antiseptic properties when applied to skin. If essential eucalyptus oil is used, it should be diluted in a carrier oil, such as almond or olive oil.
Eucalyptus may be used as a topical antibiotic, and has antiseptic properties when applied to skin. If essential eucalyptus oil is used, it should be diluted in a carrier oil, such as almond or olive oil.
» Echinacea
This herb contains active substances that enhance the activity of the immune system, relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and have hormonal, antiviral, and antioxidant effects.
This herb contains active substances that enhance the activity of the immune system, relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and have hormonal, antiviral, and antioxidant effects.
» Olive Leaf
Olive Leaf has an amazing property unparalleled by modern medicine; it can inhibit or destroy a wide range of harmful bacteria, fungi and yeasts while allowing beneficial bacteria to multiply.
Olive Leaf has an amazing property unparalleled by modern medicine; it can inhibit or destroy a wide range of harmful bacteria, fungi and yeasts while allowing beneficial bacteria to multiply.
» Myrrh
Myrrh has been used by herbalists for centuries and is even mentioned in the Bible. It is antiseptic, antibiotic and antiviral. It can be taken internally, used as a gargle or used as a wash for wounds. The Herb Guide recommends myrrh for bad breath, bronchitis, mouth sores and sore throats.
Myrrh has been used by herbalists for centuries and is even mentioned in the Bible. It is antiseptic, antibiotic and antiviral. It can be taken internally, used as a gargle or used as a wash for wounds. The Herb Guide recommends myrrh for bad breath, bronchitis, mouth sores and sore throats.
» Other Herbs and Spices
There are also a whole list of herbs and spices that have natural antibiotic properties including: Wild Indigo, Allspice, Oregano, Thyme, Cumin, Tarragon, Cloves, Bay Leaf, Chili Peppers, Rosemary, Marjoram, Caraway Seed, Coriander, Dill, Basil, Nutmeg, Cardamom, Pepper, Anise, Fennel, Mint, Sage, Mustard, Parsley, Coriander
Egg-free Dairy-free Crème Brulee Joe Tatta August 13, 2015
Joe Tatta August 13, 2015
Okay, this isn’t really crème brulee at all! But if you’re avoiding eggs, dairy and sugar, this recipe comes mighty close. It calls for unflavored gelatin (pure collagen protein) which helps create a thicker consistency, but the real benefit is how it helps to strengthen the joints, heal the gut, and improve skin tone. I recommend a clean source like Great Lakes Gelatin.
Serves 4
Time to prepare: 20 minutes plus time to chill
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked spaghetti squash
1 cup hot water
1 Tb unflavored gelatin
½ tsp pure powdered stevia
¾ tsp dried ground ginger (powder)
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tb grassfed butter
optional toppings: shredded coconut, coconut sugar, and/or pine seeds
Method:
(To cook spaghetti squash, cut in half, deseed, and boil in a pot of water for approx 15 minutes or until very tender when pierced with a fork. Reserve 1 cup of cooking water for recipe.)
Stir gelatin into 1 cup hot water until fully dissolved. Stir in stevia, ginger and vanilla.
Place cooked spaghetti squash, water mixture, and butter in a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Pour into 4 ramikins. Chill.
To serve: sprinkle optional toppings of shredded coconut, pine seeds, and/or coconut sugar. Coconut sugar (unrefined) has a lower glycemic index than normal cane sugar and can even be quickly “torched” to achieve the look of crème brulee, though it won’t harden as normal cane sugar will.
For more delicious and healthy recipes visit www.joetatta.com.
Monday, September 28, 2015
Are You Low in This Powerful Nutrient? Potassium
September 28, 2015 | 34,702 views
By Dr. Mercola
Potassium, a mineral and electrolyte, is essential for your cells, tissues, and organs to function properly. It plays a vital role in heart health, digestive, and muscular function, bone health, and more.
While potassium is found in many foods commonly consumed in the US – including fruits, vegetables, dairy products, salmon, sardines, and nuts – only 2 percent of US adults get the recommended daily amount of 4,700 milligrams (mg).1
This is especially problematic because potassium is a nutrient that needs to be kept in proper balance with sodium in your blood. If you consume too much sodium, which is common if you eat a lot of processed foods, you’ll have an increased need for potassium.
Others who are at particular risk of low potassium, or hypokalemia, are those with chronic malabsorption syndromes, such as Crohn’s disease, or those taking heart medicine (particularly loop diuretics).2
However, anyone who eats a poor diet – an excess of processed foods and not enough fresh, whole foods – is potentially at risk of inadequate potassium levels.
However, anyone who eats a poor diet – an excess of processed foods and not enough fresh, whole foods – is potentially at risk of inadequate potassium levels.
Optimizing Your Potassium Level Helps Lower Your Blood Pressure
The number of deaths due to hypertension, or high blood pressure, increased nearly 62 percent from 2000 to 2013, according to a new report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).3 Currently, about 70 million US adults struggle with the condition, which amounts to one in every three adults.
Only 52 percent of those who have been diagnosed have their blood pressure levels under control, and another one in three US adults has pre-hypertension, which means blood pressure is elevated and at risk of progressing to full-blown hypertension.4
Yet, many are not aware that an imbalanced sodium-potassium ratio may lead to hypertension, as a higher level of potassium may blunt the effect of excess salt on blood pressure.5
A recent meta-analysis revealed that daily potassium supplementation is associated with a reduction of blood pressure in patients with high blood pressure. The researchers noted:6
“The reduction in blood pressure significantly correlates with decreased daily urinary sodium-to-potassium ratio and increased urinary potassium. Patients with elevated blood pressure may benefit from increased potassium intake along with controlled or decreased sodium intake.”
Similarly, one four-year observational study (the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology [PURE] study), which included more than 100,000 people in 17 countries, found that while higher sodium levels correlate with an increased risk for high blood pressure, potassium helps offset sodium’s adverse effects.7
In the study, those with the lowest risk for heart problems or death from any cause were consuming three to six grams of sodium a day — far more than US daily recommended limits. So while there is a relationship between sodium and blood pressure, it’s not a linear relationship, and potassium plays a role.
Increasing Potassium May Be More Important Than Decreasing Salt for High Blood Pressure
The authors proposed that instead of recommending aggressive sodium reduction across the board, it might be wiser to recommend high-quality diets rich in potassium instead.
This, they surmised, might achieve greater public health benefits, including blood-pressure reduction. As noted by one of the researchers, Dr. Martin O'Donnell of McMaster University:8
This, they surmised, might achieve greater public health benefits, including blood-pressure reduction. As noted by one of the researchers, Dr. Martin O'Donnell of McMaster University:8
“Potatoes, bananas, avocados, leafy greens, nuts, apricots, salmon, and mushrooms are high in potassium, and it's easier for people to add things to their diet than to take away something like salt.”
For comparison, according to a 1985 article in The New England Journal of Medicine, titled "Paleolithic Nutrition,” our ancient ancestors got about 11,000 mg of potassium a day and about 700 mg of sodium.9 This equates to nearly 16 times more potassium than sodium.
In contrast, daily potassium consumption with the Standard American Diet averages about 2,500 mg, along with 3,600 mg of sodium.
Researchers have also determined that increasing average potassium intake to the recommended 4,700 mg a day would reduce systolic blood pressure by between 1.7 and 3.2 mm Hg on a population-wide scale.
Researchers have also determined that increasing average potassium intake to the recommended 4,700 mg a day would reduce systolic blood pressure by between 1.7 and 3.2 mm Hg on a population-wide scale.
This decrease, they suggest, is similar to the reduction that would occur if Americans lowered their salt intake by 4 grams a day.10 This isn’t to say that I advise consuming all the salt you want, of course, particularly if it’s processed salt.
The easiest way to achieve an imbalance in your sodium-to-potassium ratio is by consuming a diet of processed foods, which are notoriously low in potassium while high in processed salt.
Potassium May Lower Your Risk of Stroke
Consuming enough potassium isn’t only a matter of maintaining a healthy blood pressure; it also helps to lower your risk of stroke (which makes sense, since elevated blood pressure is a major risk factor for stroke).
Research found that women without hypertension who consumed the most potassium (nearly 3,200 mg/day) had a 21 percent reduced risk of stroke.
Further, women who consumed the most potassium were 12 percent less likely to suffer from a stroke, and 12 percent less likely to die during the study period, than those who consumed the least.11 According to the study’s lead researcher:12
Further, women who consumed the most potassium were 12 percent less likely to suffer from a stroke, and 12 percent less likely to die during the study period, than those who consumed the least.11 According to the study’s lead researcher:12
“Potassium may play a role in improving blood vessel function in our brains. This could allow better oxygenation of our brain tissue, and prevent tissue death that occurs from lack of oxygen to the brain… The effect of potassium consumption on reduced stroke risk could also be due to a better diet overall, though we did not investigate this in our study.”
Separate research also revealed that for every 1000-mg/day increase in potassium intake, the risk of stroke decreased by 11 percent. “Dietary potassium intake is inversely associated with risk of strok.,”
The researchers wrote, “in particular ischemic stroke.”13 (Ischemic stroke, the most common type, results from an obstruction in a blood vessel supplying blood to your brain.)
The researchers wrote, “in particular ischemic stroke.”13 (Ischemic stroke, the most common type, results from an obstruction in a blood vessel supplying blood to your brain.)
Why You Should Strive to Get Your Potassium from Your Diet
It’s typically preferable to get your nutrients from foods instead of supplements, and this is certainly the case with potassium. Potassium in fruits and vegetables is potassium citrate or potassium malate, while that found in supplements is typically potassium chloride.
The citrate, malate, and other compounds in dietary potassium, particularly that in produce, helps your body produce alkali, which may promote bone health14 and even help preserve lean muscle mass as you get older.15 As researcher Dr. Bess Dawson-Hughes, of Tufts University, explained to Nutrition Action:16
“If you don’t have adequate alkali to balance the acid load from the grains and protein in a typical American diet, you lose calcium in the urine and you have bone loss…
When the body has more acid than it is easily able to excrete, bone cells get a signal that the body needs to neutralize the acid with alkali… And bone is a big alkali reservoir, so the body breaks down some bone to add alkali to the system.”
When the body has more acid than it is easily able to excrete, bone cells get a signal that the body needs to neutralize the acid with alkali… And bone is a big alkali reservoir, so the body breaks down some bone to add alkali to the system.”
That bone loss could lead to brittle bones or even osteoporosis over time. But while potassium in fruits and vegetables may help build bone health, the potassium chloride in supplements may not.
Research by Dawson-Hughes found that people who were in the neutral range for net acid excretion, meaning they had a fairly healthy balance for bone and muscle health, were eating just over eight servings of fruits and vegetables a day along with 5.5 servings of grains.
When they rounded this out, it came to about half as many grains as fruits and vegetables. For many Americans a simple recommendation to increase your alkali (and potassium) while reducing acid is to eat more vegetables and fewer grains.17
What Else Is Potassium Good For?
There’s no doubt that potassium is a superstar for heart health, lowering both your risk of high blood pressure and stroke. It’s also beneficial for lowering your risk of heart disease. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center:18
“Studies show that [people with] a higher sodium-potassium ratio have a higher risk of heart disease and all-cause mortality. Other studies show that heart attack patients who have moderate potassium levels… have a lower risk of death.”
As mentioned, eating a diet rich in potassium is also associated with bone health, particularly in elderly women, and, possibly, reducing the risk of osteoporosis. Symptoms of low potassium include weakness, lack of energy, muscle cramps, stomach disturbances, an irregular heartbeat, and an abnormal EKG (electrocardiogram, a test that measures heart function).19 If you’re wondering what your potassium levels are, ask your physician for a blood test.
Is Your Sodium-to-Potassium Ratio Out of Balance?
If you eat a lot of processed foods and not many vegetables, there’s a good chance your sodium-to-potassium ratio is unbalanced. If you’re not sure, try a free app like My Fitness Pal, which allows you to enter the foods you eat and then calculates the ratio automatically. It's generally recommended that you consume five times more potassium than sodium, but most Americans get two times more sodium than potassium. If your ratio is out of balance…
- First, ditch all processed foods, which are very high in processed salt and low in potassium and other essential nutrients
- Eat a diet of whole, unprocessed foods, ideally organically and locally grown to ensure optimal nutrient content. This type of diet will naturally provide much larger amounts of potassium in relation to sodium
- When using added salt, use a natural salt. I believe Himalayan salt may be the most ideal, as it contains lower sodium and higher potassium levels compared to other salts
I do not recommend taking potassium supplements to correct a sodium-potassium imbalance. Instead, it is best to simply alter your diet and incorporate more potassium-rich whole foods. Green vegetable juicing is an excellent way to ensure you’re getting enough nutrients for optimal health, including about 300 to 400 mg of potassium per cup. Some additional rich sources of potassium are:
- Lima beans (955 mg/cup)
- Winter squash (896 mg/cup)
- Cooked spinach (839 mg/cup)
- Avocado (500 mg per medium)
Other potassium-rich fruits and vegetables include:
- Fruits: papayas, prunes, cantaloupe, and bananas. (But be careful of bananas as they are high in sugar and have half the potassium of an equivalent amount of green vegetables. It is a myth that you are getting loads of potassium from bananas; the potassium is twice as high in green vegetables)
- Vegetables: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, avocados, asparagus, pumpkin, Swiss chard, and beet greens
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