Grace O

July 29, 2015

Published by Grace O

Pack a Nutritional Knockout with Red Palm Oil

I don’t know about you, but I can hardly keep up with which fats are good for you and which to avoid. Most of us have learned about the health benefits of olive oil and that the saturated fat in coconut oil, once a nutritional no-no, is now recognized as extremely healthful because of its antioxidants and ability to be easily turned into fuel by the body. The information on oils and their health properties is changing rapidly. Recently, health experts have been talking about unrefined red palm oil. I have to admit, I didn’t know anything about it, […]

July 22, 2015

Published by Grace O

Good Mood Foods You’ll Love

It’s possible to adjust your mood by adjusting your diet. Certain FoodTrients—like choline, omega-3 fatty acids, and tryptophan—promote healthy neurotransmitters in the brain, allowing calming signals to get through more effectively. Many vitamins and minerals—especially B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, and the FoodTrients vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, and zinc—are used up when we’re under stress and should be replenished ASAP. To contribute to a good mood, we should be eating whole grains, poultry, eggs, citrus, berries, and dark green veggies. Putting the right foods into our bodies is only half the battle. We also need to be sure we’re not […]

July 4, 2015

Published by Grace O

ENERGIZE! Foods That Will Give You a Boost

At this point in the year I start to lose my enthusiasm for my New Year’s resolutions. My energy fades. Fortunately, there are foods I can turn to that will help me. What a relief! And I’m not just talking about caffeinated beverages. They will boost my energy for a short time, but I’m looking for a long-term solution. I want foods that will stimulate my metabolism, help me build muscle, and help me grow new red blood cells. The catechins in green and black tea can raise your metabolism, so even if you drink decaf tea, you will get […]

May 26, 2015

Published by Grace O

6 Perfect Reasons To Eat Pineapple

I was sitting in my friend’s lush, tropical-style garden recently, admiring her beautiful collection of flowering bromeliads. These are very exotic looking plants with spiky leaves and red, pink or golden elongated flowers reaching out from the middle. They are native to the tropics of Central and South America and West Africa. In a colorfully glazed pot there was a miniature ornamental pineapple. I remembered that pineapples are also bromeliads and this got me thinking about how much I enjoy pineapple and the wonderful things pineapples do for your health. Pineapples are second only to bananas as Americans’ favorite tropical […]

May 19, 2015

Published by Grace O

8 Great Reasons To Love Cherries

Here in the U.S. when you see fresh cherries in the stores, you know it’s really summer. Growing up in Southeast Asia, even though they are not a fruit native to the tropics, we did eat cherries imported from China, which is the #3 producer of cherries in the world, right ahead of the U.S., which is #4. Of course, cherries taste wonderful and they are a rare treat because their season is short—May through July—and they are very fragile. There are two main types of cherries; the sweet ones grown in the Pacific Northwest that we eat fresh, and […]

April 29, 2015

Published by Grace O

Try These Cancer-Preventing Foods

Cancer is responsible for 1 out of every 4 deaths in the U.S.A. One of the best cancer-prevention tools for health is eating the right foods, but finding the motivation to eat right sometimes alludes us until we, or someone we love, is faced with a deadly disease. Garlic, produces sulfur compounds and allicin. Sulfur compounds detoxify the body and help prevent cancer. Allicin thins the blood and reduces your risk of heart attack, stroke, and cancer. It’s best to eat garlic after it has been crushed so that these cancer-fighting compounds can form. Dried garlic or roasted garlic doesn’t […]

March 11, 2015

Published by Grace O

The Top 30 Proteins for Longevity

Protein is very important for strong muscles and bones. Lean protein helps achieve weight loss. I love meat—it has riboflavin, vitamin B12, tyrosine, and the FoodTrient zinc—but I enjoy it in moderation, which protects against cardiovascular disease. I also am careful about eating cured meats, which can aggravate joints and promote gout. Whenever possible, I use grass-fed beef over corn-fed beef because cows were created to eat grass, not corn. The meat from animals that graze grass—cows, lambs, or even buffalo—contains more of the good-for-you omega-3 fatty acids and less of the bad-for-you omega-6s. And I make sure I buy […]

February 4, 2015

Published by Grace O

Homemade Sardines with Tomatoes

It’s hard to find a better health combination for your arteries than lycopene and Omega-3s. This recipe combines the power of tomatoes with delicious homemade sardines. Brining the fish makes all the difference, and cooking blends the fish and tomato flavors. I prefer to use small whole fish such as smelt, mackerel, or herring, which have a lower mercury content than larger fish. If you use a larger fish such as trout or tuna, cut it into pieces. I serve these tomato sardines over brown rice or combine them with mayonnaise, celery, onion, carrot, and jicama and make a sardine […]

January 27, 2015

Published by Grace O

Homemade Enchilada Sauce

Try buying enchilada sauce in a can or jar and you’ll be hard-pressed to find one without sugar somewhere on the ingredient label. Why alter the wonderful anti-cancer effects of a tomato-based product with an inflammatory food like sugar? The reason sugar is almost always added is because tomato-based sauces can be acidic and sugar adjusts this flavor well. Try the recipe without any sweetener, but if you find it a tad acidic, you can try a small amount of neutral sweetener such as agave syrup if needed. The health properties of tomatoes, particularly lycopene, are enhanced by cooking […]