Six Foods That Naturally Improve the Health of Your Eyes
Our eyes are the key to our most important sense – our vision. They’ve been called windows to the soul, but more importantly, they’re our windows to what’s happening around us. As we age, our eyes age with us. While most of the degenerative processes are not reversible, nutrition is one of the key ways to prevent future problems.
You’ll want to eat foods that contain vitamin A, C, and E, as well as zinc and omega-3 fatty acids. Here’s a list of some foods that contain these crucial nutrients for good eye health.
Fish Like Tuna and Salmon
Research has shown that omega-3 fatty acids are crucial for the development of your eyes. They help prevent dry eyes, macular degeneration, and cataracts.
There are different ways you can get more omega-3 fatty acids in your diet. One way is by taking fish oil, why not try the old fashioned way – by eating more cold water fish.
Foods That Contain Astaxanthin
Astaxanthin is an anti-oxidant that has been shown to be extremely beneficial for eyes. It fights age related eye degeneration, cataracts, and glaucoma. Astaxanthin is produced by a microalgae called Haematococcus pluvialis.
But this begs a key question – what foods contain astaxanthin?
There are really two categories of foods that can give you this powerful antioxidant: the algae that produce it and the animals that eat that microalgae like fish, shellfish, and krill. So in addition to the first point above, this is a whole other reason to eat more seafood.
Apricots and Blueberries
The eyes require vitamin A to repair damaged tissues and cells. However, the body cannot create vitamin A naturally; instead it must obtain it from other sources. Apricots and blueberries are rich in lycopene and beta-carotene that the body uses to create vitamin A.
Kale and Spinach
Leafy greens – it seems like they’re the miracle food for everything, doesn’t it? These great foods are full of zeaxanthin and lutein, two key antioxidants for improving vision that help prevent macular degeneration.
When you eat them, try and eat them raw, in their natural form. The more you cook them, the more nutrients are depleted. That’s why salad is usually best.
Citrus Fruits with Vitamin C
Fresh fruits such as oranges, lemons, grapefruits, and berries are some of the best when it comes to vitamin C. Regular consumption of citrus fruits and berries will help reduce the risk of cataracts and other eye diseases. These fruits also provide a number of other health benefits.
Apricots and Blueberries
Our eyes require certain vitamins and nutrients to fix damaged tissues. Vitamin A is one of those important vitamins that our bodies need but can’t produce. Therefore, it must obtain it from other sources. That’s where apricots and blueberries come in (as well as any other foods that contain vitamin A components).
Apricots and blueberries are rich in lycopene and beta-carotene, which the body uses to create vitamin A. Consuming them will directly help your body fix damaged tissues and cells in the eyes.
Conclusion
Proper nutrition is just one component to eye health. Keeping up your overall health is also crucial. Avoid conditions like high blood pressure and high blood sugar to help keep your eyes strong and healthy.
Working the above-described foods into your diet on a regular basis will definitely help to improve the health of your eyes. More importantly, it will make them more resistant to some of the common degenerative problems with the eyes and keep you seeing 20/20.
Although matcha tea has only recently been given mainstream notice, the Japanese have harvested it for more than 1,000 years. Why is matcha receiving so much attention and gaining preference over green tea?
Antioxidants – Prevent Cancer
The high levels of antioxidants present in matcha have extraordinary anti-cancer properties. These antioxidants fight against free radicals and negate the effects of UV radiation. They combat aging and help prevent disease. Raw fruits, vegetables, dark chocolates – all of these are foods that people turn to for antioxidants. Yet, matcha tea has the highest levels of antioxidants.
Of all antioxidants, catechin is amongst those providing the greatest benefits. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg) is one kind of catechin most recognized for anticancer properties and matcha green tea is loaded with it.
Burns Fat Faster
If you are looking to burn fat fast, matcha green tea should be your preferred beverage. It will help you burn body fat four times faster than usual, mainly by increasing your metabolism. The advertisements for so many diet plans and medications promote empty promises and are usually accompanied by side effects. Matcha green tea, however, is safe and does not cause any problems like increased heart rate and blood pressure, common side effects with other types of treatments. Matcha green tea is your elixir if you are hoping to shed those extra pounds before your big day and you do not have a lot of time left.
Gives an Energy Boost
The energy you get from a cup of matcha green tea is truly unmatchable. Having a cup of this tea in the morning will help you get through the entire day, and this is absolutely clean energy you are getting. The boost that matcha provides is owed to its combination of nutrients, not caffeine as previously thought. It is no wonder Samurais used to drink matcha before battles. So whether you are juggling studies and a job or your children are draining you, a daily dose of matcha green tea is probably what you need.
Boosts Memory and Concentration
L-Theanine is an amino acid present in matcha green tea with psychoactive properties; it causes dopamine and serotonin production. These neurotransmitters are responsible for boosting mood and enhancing memory, thus helping with improved concentration. Not only that, these chemicals fight depression, stabilize moods, and calm you down. Looking for increased clarity for during your exam times? You might want to try matcha tea to get just that.
Detoxifies Your Body
Green is the universal color signifying health. The vibrant green color characteristic of matcha is owing to chlorophyll. In fact, while it is growing, matcha is kept in shade in order to enhance its levels of chlorophyll. This chlorophyll helps detoxify your body by removing heavy metals and toxins, thus making matcha a very effective and efficient daily detox.
Conclusion
Besides all of these benefits, matcha is great for your immune system. It keeps you healthy. You do not have to take it as medicine. You can enjoy its health benefits as a tea or use it to make muffins, brownies, puddings, soups – you name it. The reason matcha tea is more effective than normal green tea is because it contains all the nutrients the plant has to offer. Not only is the chlorophyll content high due to it being grown in shade, but the drink is made by powdering the leaves. Instead of steeping the leaves and throwing them away, losing all their nutrients, matcha is a whole food, giving you maximum nutrients.
But remember, just because matcha has so much to offer, it does not mean that you should overload your diet with it. Everything is best when taken in moderation.
Note from Author:
“Many thanks to Batool Ali, a dear friend of mine and a passionate blogger who did all the research for this article. She works for Centra Care, a Tampa Bay Urgent Care Provider.”
Things You Should Know About Garlic – DIY, Recipes, Other Tips
Most know about garlic’s antimicrobial properties. A healthy diet rich in raw garlic is the best defense against fungal, bacterial, viral, and parasitical infections. Garlic may also be used topically to treat vaginal yeast infections and athlete’s foot.
WWI soldiers used crushed garlic on infected wounds suffered in battle. Hippocrates, considered by many to be the “Father of Medicine,” also used garlic to heal cancerous tumors. Garlic’s history is as rich and plentiful as its benefits. It is a truly amazing herb and one that many naturally minded healthcare practitioners will tell you is one of nature’s most incredible plants.
Be forewarned, garlic does burn the skin. It’s not pleasant, but the results are amazing. Here’s a personal story about treating a spider bite with garlic:
In Los Angeles there was a spider with a bad attitude in our apartment. He bit me nine times over the course of four nights. I do not know what kind of spider it was, but he was nasty, and five of those bites got very infected.
I’m not one to get infections easily, but the spider that bit me was a potent little bastard! The bites were on my left arm near my elbow. I couldn’t move my elbow and I was starting to look like an Ebola virus victim. One of the bites was so bad that there was almost a third of a cup of green and greenish yellow, thick, oozing puss that I spent 5 hours carefully extracting, only to have it fill up the next day. I was taking tons of supplements and eating well; I was doing everything I could to ensure I did not get an infection, but this toxin the spider bit me with was unrelenting.
I was also using some of the most potent herbs I knew of, putting them directly into the huge hole left behind from the puss extraction. During the third time (seven days after the bite) of removing the puss (I was cutting open my arm and literally digging into the infection, scooping out this nasty pussy junk), I noticed streaking. Blood poisoning. So I decided to take drastic measures. I knew it would burn me badly, but I filled up the hole with garlic. I shoved a total of four large minced cloves into the infection, which gives you an idea of the massive size of the hole that was there on my arm just below my elbow. Then I bandaged the wound.
It itched so badly that night, but my whole arm hurt and itched so much already that the garlic itch didn’t matter to me. I taped my hands in my sleep so my fingers wouldn’t claw off the bandage while scratching in my sleep.
The next day I awoke to a huge purple welt. It was three times the diameter of a quarter, and it looked like something had eaten a huge chunk of my arm. It was ghastly! But it was also uninfected! I had no itch, and very little pain right there, unlike the other bites.
The other bites had to be drained for infection a few times, even well after the wound closed. I did not do the garlic trick with them, as the scar that I thought might be permanent was massive and disturbing to look at. It took a month for the other spider bites to heal, and it took 6 weeks for the garlic wound to completely heal leaving a very large scar.
But here is what I found most interesting. Today, one year later, every single spider bite left a scar, except the big one. The one I put the garlic into is less visible than the others. As massive and nasty as it was during the slow healing process, the permanent damage done was less than that of even the relatively insignificant other bites.
Garlic Potency – Allicin
A sulfur-based compound called alliin and an enzyme called alliinase are separated in the garlic’s cell structure when garlic is whole. Cutting garlic ruptures the cells and releases these elements, allowing them to come in contact with each other and oxygen to form a powerful new compound called allicin, which not only adds to the number of garlic’s health-promoting benefits but is also the culprit behind its pungent aroma and gives garlic its “bite.”
Allicin is garlic’s strongest antimicrobial component. This is also why researchers tell us that slicing, chopping, mincing or pressing garlic before cooking will enhance its health-promoting properties by releasing more allicin. Avoid boiling or cooking whole garlic cloves as this deactivates the enzymes.
By chopping garlic more finely, more allicin may be produced. Pressing garlic or mincing it into a smooth paste will give you the strongest flavor and may also result in the highest amount of allicin. Let it sit for five to ten minutes before eating or cooking. If cooking is required, do not expose to heat for longer than five minutes.
The processes used to create garlic tablets destroy allicin. Fresh garlic is best, but if you need to take it as a pill, don’t take garlic in tablet form. Use powdered capsules instead.
Garlic and Cancer
When garlic is a regular part of the diet, it has been shown in studies to help prevent cancer of the prostate, bladder, colon, stomach and breast.
One study of 40,000 postmenopausal women showed a 50% reduction in colon cancer.
Fingernails and Cuticles
Garlic strengthens nails and can heal cuticles. While ingesting garlic has a positive effect on skin and could, therefore, help cuticles, and possibly promote nail growth, people usually use garlic topically to enhance nail growth and repair cuticles.
Here’s a recipe for garlic infused nail polish.
Make sure to use nontoxic nail polish! Here are a few:
Honeybee Gardens, an alternative to solvent-based nail polish, water-based, odorless, removes with rubbing alcohol.
No-Miss, does not contain the three-to-avoid above, and also does not contain camphor.
Acquarella, water-based system of nail polish, conditioner, remover and moisturizer.
Suncoat, water-based nail polish that has been recognized and honored from the Canadian Health Food Association Expo.
Gaiam, created by New York City’s first organic spa, our non-toxic nail polish is free of known carcinogens.
Check out more nontoxic nail polishes at care2.com.
Alternatively, you can also soak nails in garlic oil, or apply garlic oil to nails regularly.
For damaged cuticles that don’t want to heal, take crushed garlic, apply to the cotton of a Band-Aid and wrap the finger. The way to do this is to open the Band-Aid wrapping, place the Band-Aid on a table or counter, place garlic in a “U” pattern to lineup with the cuticle line, and then put the finger, nail down, onto the Band-Aid and wrap the finger. It’s a little easier with help, but it’s not too difficult to do alone. It will itch for about 20 minutes. One finger is pretty easy to manage the irritation, but multiple fingers can get pretty difficult to bear. Leave it on for a minimum of 3 hours – 8 hours max. Once the Band-Aid is removed, let the skin air out for a few hours at least, but if there’s the potential to damage the cuticles again, wrap them up in new Band-Aids.
Different Kinds of Garlic
Garlic can be broadly classified into two groups known as hardneck and softneck. Hardneck garlic may be broken down into three types, the purple stripe, porcelain, and rocambole. Within the softneck classification there are artichokes and silverskins. Hardneck varieties tend to grow and thrive better in regions with colder winters.
Hardneck cultivars tend to have are richer, spicier, and generally have a more complex flavor. Hardneck varieties, due to their plumpness and fairly regular clove shape and thicker skin, are considerably easier to peel. Softneck garlic is usually milder. Much of the softneck garlics are used in processed products and for garlic powder for seasoning. The cloves of softneck cultivars are also more difficult to peel due to irregular shape and tight, thin skins.
Pest Control with Garlic
Germs, parasites, and most animals don’t like garlic. If you have a garden that you want to protect or a pet you need to keep flea free, it’s easy to make a garlic spray that you can apply directly to plants and animals.
Garden Protection Recipe
1 whole bulb of garlic
1 small onion
1 teaspoon of powdered cayenne pepper
1 quart of water
1 tablespoon liquid dish soap
Chop all ingredients finely (or crush, or use a food processor), and put in blender with water. Blend at a low speed until well mixed and then strain. If you blend at too high a speed, you may have nothing to strain, and the mixture may be too thick for a spray bottle, but it depends on the sprayer.
Put liquid into a spray bottle and add dish soap. Mix well.
Use a spray bottle to liberally apply to plants, all over, including the top and underside of leaves.
Flea Control Recipe
1 whole bulb of garlic
1 small onion
1 lemon
1 quart of water
10 drops of peppermint oil clove oil or any other essential oils that pests don’t like.
Chop all ingredients finely (or crush, or use a food processor), and put into a blender with water. Blend at a low speed until well mixed and then strain. If you blend at too high a speed you may have nothing to strain, and the mixture may be too thick for a spray bottle, but it depends on the sprayer. Spray pet before it goes outside, and regularly if there are fleas in the house. Avoid spraying near the pet’s eyes.
Other Garlic Health Benefits, Tips, and Tricks
Garlic might help prevent hair loss! Massage garlic oil into scalp.
Garlic is definitely a low calorie food with 4 calories per clove.
If you put a slice of garlic over a splinter and cover it with a bandage, it will help the skin push it out.
Garlic has its own day of recognition! April 19 is National Garlic Day.
Garlic is rumored to ward off mosquitoes and other vampires.
Garlic helps babies gain weight while they are in the womb.
Rub garlic on a cold sore to get rid of it.
Put a slice on a skin tag and cover with a Band-Aid to get rid of it.
Garlic is high in iodine – good for the thyroid.
Garlic is high in vitamin C.
Garlic doesn’t need to be refrigerated.
Avoid CHINESE GARLIC!
Garlic helps to regulate blood sugar.
There are 300 varieties of garlic grown worldwide.
Garlic has been grown for more than 5000 years.
To quickly peel an entire head of garlic, put it in a jar and shake until the cloves come loose and the skin comes off.
Grow a new bulb from any clove that sprouts.
Shillington’s Total Tonic, and Blood Detox are two of my favorite garlic recipes.
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Garlic is my go-to herb for many ailments, and I eat it every single day. I put it in my salads and in the foods I cook. I eat it raw and cooked, but more often raw. I use it to reset my gut flora, I use it to detoxify my body, and I use it to make food taste better, but it does so much more.
As a long-term vegetarian, I’ve certainly heard enough comments and opinions regarding my diet to last a lifetime. “How do you get any protein?” ” You must be low on iron.” “But what do you eat?” “Don’t you miss bacon?”
The list goes on.
I’m a health and fitness enthusiast, so I feel confident in the fact that my diet is strong. I work in fitness for a living, so I’m pretty clued in! But let me assure you, that doesn’t stop the questions. So to address this and to help any fellow vegetarians or vegans or those who are contemplating a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, here is a list of veggie-friendly foods that are packed with protein – no steaks included!
Peas
An unlikely contender, but peas are a fabulous source of protein for vegetarians. Just one cup of peas contains around 8 grams of it! If you’re not the biggest fan of peas then think outside of the box with your recipes. A fresh pea hummus, for example, is a delicious snack, especially when accompanied with pitta bread or ryvita.
Chia Seeds
You probably wouldn’t assume that seeds could be such useful sources of protein, but chia seeds should be in every vegetarian’s kitchen cupboards. Two tablespoons of chia seeds contain roughly 4.7 grams of protein. There are lots of different ways to use chia seeds. I personally sprinkle mine into my morning smoothie, but you can also use them in salads or even in yoghurt.
Quinoa
Admittedly, I’ve only become accustomed to quinoa in the past few years, but it’s not only a great source of protein, it’s a great substitute for rice. Although it looks like a carbohydrate, quinoa is technically a seed. If you stick to a low or no carb diet, then you need to give quinoa a try. I use it with my veggie chillies, but also with green vegetables on its own. Some people even eat it as porridge.
Chickpeas
I love chickpeas. They’re a fantastic snack as they can be fried or you can mush them up and make hummus! There are lots of different options, and not only are they high in protein, they’re extremely low in calories. On a Friday night, I like to create a mezze board with veggies, hummus, and pitta bread.
Black Beans
Beans are generally high in protein and a great source of antioxidants, but my favourite are black beans as they taste delicious in a chilli or a burrito. There’s a whopping 8 grams of protein in just half a cup, so for a protein boost they’re a great option.
Spinach
Spinach is a brilliant source of protein and iron. I tend to pack a load of spinach into a smoothie. It’s a great base for my Nutribullet juices. It’s also a great addition to a curry. I tend to pop a handful into my homemade veggie curries. It does drain down to a small amount though, so add plenty.
Peanut Butter
I’m a self-confessed peanut butter addict. I could eat it out of the jar quite happily, but we’ll keep that between you and me. You only need two tablespoons for 8 grams of protein. Spread it on toast, or eat it with some chopped up banana.
Lentils
If you’re a vegetarian and you’re not eating lentils, you might want to start as they are packed with protein and super easy to add to meals (not to mention cheap!). As well as being rich in protein they’re also full of fibre, magnesium, iron, and minerals! They’re extremely versatile, too. I usually add them to stews, soups, curries, and chillies.
Almonds
As well as being protein packed, these little nuts are also a source of magnesium, vitamin E, and copper! And they’re a pretty good snack, too. I usually take a small handful to work for when I need a mid-afternoon munch!
Soy
Soy gets a bad rap, and it’s well deserved when it’s genetically modified soy, or when it’s not properly fermented. Tempeh, tamari, and some other soy products are fermented so that the dangerous enzyme inhibitors are removed and hormone disruption does not occur. When soy is done right, it’s a perfect protein.
Editor’s note:
I love peanut butter. But peanut butter is problematic for many people, and it’s not the healthiest nut (nor is it an actual nut, but that’s another article). Some other nut butters are a better choice for those with health issues. It’s best to buy nuts that you can sprout at home, and then make your own nut butters to ensure the enzyme inhibitors have been removed.
5 Things Everyone Should Know About Wheat & Gluten
Although wheat is a staple food in the human diet, gluten proteins are associated with three well-known pathologies that affect a significant portion of the human population: gluten allergy, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, and celiac disease. More and more people are having trouble digesting wheat. Today, approximately one in every 133 Americans have celiac disease, the least common of the three gluten-related pathologies. Let’s look at a few likely reasons as to why.
Wheat Has Changed
The wheat we have now is very different from what our ancestors consumed. Modern dwarf wheat is hybridized. That isn’t a GMO, but the genes of our wheat plant have been modified to grow faster and to be more resilient. Nearly all of the wheat consumed today is dwarf wheat, which has shorter stems and offers greater yield.
We used to eat a wheat variety called einkorn, which was actually one of the first grains that humans cultivated more than 10,000 years ago. When the Bible tells us to eat bread, einkorn is the wheat it refers to. Einkorn is lower in starch and higher in protein, essential fatty acids, phosphorous, potassium, pyridoxine, and beta-carotene.
More & Different Gluten
Modern wheat has much more gluten than einkorn. Modern wheat has a different gluten-protein structure. Einkorn has 14 chromosomes, and modern wheat has 42 chromosomes.
Gluten is actually not a single protein, it is a family of different proteins. One of the gluten proteins that scientists believe is causing much of the problems is called Glia-α9. A study found that Glia-α9 is significantly higher in modern wheat.
Wheat Processing Has Changed
Modern techniques in grain processing make it possible to create massive amounts of refined wheat for much lower cost than before. These modern processing techniques separate the nutritious bran and germ from the starchy endosperm. This process increases the shelf life of wheat but removes B vitamins and other nutrients.
These more refined flours started to be widely used around 1880. Soon after the world experienced epidemics of pellagra and beriberi.
Bread Making Has Changed
Most commercial bread contains bromides, added starches, refined sugars, added gluten (vital wheat gluten), preservatives, artificial flavorings, leveling agents, and stabilizers. Baking Soda, baking powder, and cream of tartar are often used in place of yeast or in addition to rapid rise yeast to make the bread rise quickly and more uniformly. Modern bread rises for a couple of hours or less, whereas homemade bread traditionally takes at least 12 hours to rise.
RoundUp
Eager to sell more of its flagship herbicide, Monsanto has encouraged farmers to use their glyphosate as a desiccant. Wheat can be harvested quicker and easier if you dry it all out ahead of time with Roundup. It’s also used in this way on barley, oats, canola, flax, peas, lentils, soybeans, dry beans, and sugar cane.
My Two Cents
I believe that much of our problems with wheat digestion stem from the changes in our gut bacteria due to the increase in antibiotic usages, antimicrobial toxins chemicals (from pesticides to hand sanitizers), increased vaccines, and most importantly, our ever-increasing consumption of refined sugars. The result is a gut full of candida with little beneficial bacteria to help properly digest food, and this leads to a body full of fungus, parasites, and other pathogens.
An abundance of candida in the gut will cause the gut lining to be more permeable which allows for gluten proteins to pass into the bloodstream undigested. I believe this is a major cause of the increase in food allergies and digestive issues and gluten problems we are experiencing today. For more on that, I urge you to check out Best Supplements To Kill Candida and Everything Else You Ever Wanted To Know About Fungal Infections. It’s a must-read for anyone with chronic illness.
The information starts with a history of Monsanto company, which was started in 1901 by John Francis Queeny and gave the company his wife’s maiden name. The company was started to manufacture saccharin then moved to vanilla and caffeine. By 1915 the company had made its first million and it kept on growing. Most people associate Monsanto with disease and bug resistant crops and rBGH for increased milk production, but the company is also linked to the production of the U.S. atomic bomb, agent orange, and Roundup weed killer which could be resulting in the decline of honeybees. Infographic and written content courtesy of Top masters In Health.
Today Monsanto reports a revenue of nearly $16 billion. 93% of the U.S. soybeans and 80% of U. S. corn grown today are patented products of Monsanto. Also, there are a total of 282 million acres of farmland worldwide that are growing Monsanto crops and 404 facilities worldwide. In the United States, 40% of all crop acreage is using Monsanto products.
What price does someone pay to use Monsanto seed? There is a license agreement printed on every bag which some may find to be overstepping boundaries in the fact that it allows Monsanto to sue farmers for not following Monsanto procedures, or investigate the farmer’s fields anytime it chooses. Monsanto also has a hotline set up for neighbors to call if they suspect Monsanto seed is being used without a license.
The cure for a fever used to be more cowbell. But what’s the cure for an unending, unrelenting season of hotter than average summer weather, especially if you’re pregnant? Whether this is your first little one or you’ve been down this road before, figuring out how to efficiently solve problems is crucial. Why not take the same approach to how you cool down, using nutrient-rich and healthy foods to streamline your body’s cooling functions? Some of the best foods for a much-needed break from the heat also provide other pregnancy-related benefits. Here are some of the best two-for-one deals that you can nibble on through the last (and possibly hottest) months of summer. And you don’t have to be pregnant, or even female, to benefit from these foods!
Cool Down With Watermelon
Let’s start with the big guns here – watermelon. For many people, sweet and juicy watermelon is the ultimate summer fruit. Watermelon is a natural diuretic that helps with swelling while still replacing important nutrients. Approximately 75% of pregnant women suffer from some degree of fluid retention, and vitamins B, C, beta-carotene, and folic acid in watermelon are ideal for flushing that excess water while cooling you down. As an added side benefit, watermelon can also help regulate bowel movements. Pregnancy hormones and shifting organs can disrupt a regular elimination routine. Watermelon is a delicious summertime treat that can help you get back on track. Watermelon can be added to salads, but for maximum cooling and eating benefits, just leave yours in the fridge and enjoy it as soon as it cools down.
Stay Hydrated With Berries
Staying hydrated is key in surviving a hot summer, especially while pregnant. Berries also help you stay hydrated. Now is the time to be buying fresh berries, as the peak of summer makes them more plentiful and more delicious than ever. Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and cranberries are potent sources of antioxidants, which repair stress damage in the body. They are considered to be a cooling food in Chinese medicine, and their high water content can help promote alkalinity in the body. For a pregnant lady craving something sweet, berries are a great way to indulge that desire. They contain fiber, which slows down your body’s absorption of the sugar. The “more sugar, bigger baby” theory might be an old wives’ tale, but why not choose something sweet that comes with some cooling powers and a heaping side of nutritional benefits as well? Use berries as a snack throughout the day to help with the perpetual hungry feelings or try them in a creamy, healthy smoothie.
Benefits of Dark Leafy Greens
Dark, leafy greens provide cooling summer hydration along with other great health benefits. These bad boys are composed of 80 to 95% water (depending on which green it is) and though they might not have an immediately noticeable cooling effect, they could actually increase the body’s ability to regulate itself long term. The body’s temperature regulations occur in the brain, and greens like spinach and collards have been found to protect the brain from premature aging and stress damage. These greens are power packed with nutrients like vitamins A, C, K, and folic acid. Folic acid is an often discussed pregnancy nutrient, as it makes a difference in preventing birth defects, but some medical professionals disagree as to whether using folic acid supplements is actually doing more harm than good. Up your daily dose of dark greens for a little piece of mind and a more efficient summer cooling system!
Healthy Tea
Iced tea during a hot summer isn’t just good hospitality, it’s practically a cooling-off requirement. Since cutting back on any kind of caffeine like that in black or green tea is a pretty standard recommendation for any pregnancy diet (and caffeine can dry out the skin anyways), a good herbal tea is the solution. Red raspberry leaf is a great herb for pregnant ladies to know about. It contains vitamin B, iron, calcium, and magnesium and has been shown in research to reduce the time spent in the second stage of labor, improve circulation, and strengthen uterine muscles. There have been women who report red raspberry leaf has helped induce their labor, so it’s a good idea to do some research before you take it. Red raspberry (not the leaf) is a common ingredient in many readily available pregnancy teas, but to get the benefits from it, buy quality red raspberry leaf in herb or tea form from a company you trust. Mountain Rose Herbs has a great organic pregnancy blend that adds spearmint for that extra refreshment factor.
The Hotter the Cooler?
It might sound crazy, but spicy foods like hot peppers can also help you cool off. Yes they make you sweat more…but that’s actually the body’s way of expelling heat. We are always producing heat and your ability to remain cool depends on how fast you can sweat off that excess warmth. This method is most effective at cooling down the skin, and peppers also have other benefits. You’ll feel more alert, experience better digestion, and use the calories you consume more effectively. As peppers have been identified as a cause of heartburn (which some women experience during pregnancy), it’s important to take it slow and know what spice level is comfortable for you. Adding a little bit of cayenne to cranberry lemonade combines the benefits of berries and hot peppers and wraps it up in a refreshing summertime package.
Of course, these aren’t the only cooling foods available to you. It’s easy to fantasize about consuming one ice cream bar after another in an attempt to stop the sweaty madness, but after the short term buzz you’re left with an inner cooling system that is less able to reliably do its work. Choosing a cooling snack that pairs something nutritious with the heat relief you’re seeking is an efficient way to make your life (and baby’s!) a little easier.
