Chef Mindy aka AGELESS RAW BEAUTYtm

Answering your Questions

Monthly Recipes, Tips and Tidbits

Related to Health and Longevity

February is Heart Healthy Month and I wanted to share with you foods and other things that are beneficial for your heart.  As you know, your heart is red in color and by eating more foods in this color category helps prevent cardiovascular disease. 

The red pigment found in pink grapefruit, red peppers, tomatoes and watermelon are high in carotenoids (powerful antioxidants that also protect the eyes, internal organs and skin).  Lycopene is the most prevalent carotenoid in the circulatory system and has been found to reduce the risk of prostate and other cancers (according to nutritionist Marcia Zimmerman, Med, CN).

Red berries and grapes are high in a number of anthocyanins, while apples, berries and grapes are excellent sources of flavonols.  Both these dietary flavonoids have been linked to healthy endothelial function and help inhibit platelet aggregation or clumping that leads to the formation of blood clots.  These antioxidant compounds also fight a number of cancers and neuro-degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's.

Other red fruits and vegetables to consumer are: blood oranges, cranberries, guava, pomegranates, red Bartlett pears, raspberries, strawberries, red cabbage and radicchio. 

I have mentioned in a previous post, that organic is the best choice for your fruits and vegetables and I still say it is (I have been vegan and eating organic produce for 20 years)! Not only is organic lower in synthetic, persistent herbicides and pesticides, but recent research suggests that these crops are higher in antioxidants than conventional ones (this has actually been scientifically tested – you can do a Google search of the Rodale Institute, which has been a promoter of organic for a very long time). 

Note: Antioxidants don't last in the body for more than a few hours, so enjoy red foods throughout the day and aim for 7 – 9 servings of fruit and vegetables daily. 

One serving of fruit equals:

1 medium-sized piece of whole fruit (like an apple)

½ cup freshly chopped, cooked or frozen fruit

¾ cup 100 percent juice (with no added sugar) – I don't recommend this  because you are removing the important fiber

¼ cup dried fruit – I don't recommend this because it is very concentrated sugar and also builds up bacteria in the teeth and can lead to dental decay

One serving of vegetable equals:

1 cup raw, leafy veggies

½ cup chopped raw, cooked or frozen vegetables

¾ cup 100 percent vegetable juices – I don't recommend this  regularly, but is fine to have sometimes, as is easier to digest and good for periods of cleansing

HEALTH TIP ~ February 2010

I want to share with you a tip that is not food related, but something else you can do for the health or your heart.  Your heart pumps blood around the body every single second and continues to do so for your entire lifetime.  What can you do to help your heart to work more efficiently?  For one, you can do some relaxation techniques like meditation.  Even if you don't consider yourself a yogi, you can take 5 minutes (to start) and lie down comfortably on a mat or on your bed.  If it helps you to play some classical music to get you in the right state of mind, that is fine, too.  Also, note, that if you fall asleep at this time, there is nothing wrong.  That simply means that you body is in that relaxed alpha state and can easily drift into sleep.  It is best to close your eyes so there are no distractions and don't worry if your mind drifts or wanders.  It happens to the best of us.  What I like to do at this time, is focus on my breath as I do some deep breathing.  I breathe in for a count of 10 and hold for 5 and then breathe out for a count of 10 and hold for 5.  I continue to do this throughout the time I am meditating so that it becomes my focus and my mind is less likely to wander. 
What is the benefit you say?  You give you body and mind a chance to truly be in a state of peacefulness and your heart slows down, as well.  Over time, you will see the difference in how you feel and will probably want to do more than 5 minutes.  I usually meditate first thing in the morning, as a way to start my day before all the noise and chatter starts to happen (cell phone, radio, TV, computer, etc).  I find that my day is more productive and efficient, as well.  This is time for MYSELF and we all need that in our day!

HEALTHY RECIPE

An easy thing to do for this month, is to use the fruits and vegetables I mentioned above.  A simple thing is to make a fruit smoothie with raspberries, strawberries, apples and pears.  You can prepare a salad and pour this on top, as a fruit sauce (as long as there is no fats in the salad such as nuts, seeds, avocado or oil and if you eat dairy, that would include yogurt and cheese).  You can also make a fruit sauce with just the berries.  How about making a dressing for your salad with mango, blood orange, tomato and celery.  The key is to experiment with what is abundant in nature and the wonderful plethora of produce that is available for us to consume.

I have recently created a blog for a 42 day cleanse that I completed 
www.rawsomegal.wordpress.com. Please feel free to stop by and check it out!

I would like to end this post with one of my poems, again, taken from an upcoming book I will be self-publishing, entitled:

“My Inspirations: Short and Sweet/Heart Notes”

Speak sweetly, gently and lovingly as you would to yourself, neither harming the beauty nor the spirit that lies within, as the other person who hears these words, is only you – Copyright 2000

Chef Mindy aka Ageless Raw Beautytm