This variation of green tea refers to the way the plant is treated before consumption.  Organic means that the plant has not been grown using chemical products and fertilizers.  Instead, organic plantations use 100% natural products, the way it should be from the start really!  Organic products have proved to be healthier both in the short and the long term.

This type of green tea has a lot of benefits.  It acts as a great way to prevent skin problems and skin cancer thanks to the high amount of antioxidants it contains, it helps lower blood pressure and regulate blood sugar levels.  At the same time, green tea has been used along with good dieting programs such as Michael Thurmond’s 6 week body makeover, thanks to its fat burning benefits (thermogenesis).

This organic matcha green tea is found in the market with a higher price tag than common green tea.  Why?  Well to start, organic products have a higher value than products grown with chemical fertilizers, besides that, organic green tea takes more time to be processed for consumption so in a way there is less supply than common tea.

If you have not tried any type of green tea, let me tell you that no matter what variation you use, you will still reap the benefits of this product.  However, if you can find and afford a supply of organic tea, go for it.  It really pays off.

Natural tree syrup

The main ingredient in the lemon detox diet recipe is natural tree syrup.  This syrup is derived from trees that originate in Asia and parts of upper Canada.  The Asian syrup comes from palm tree sap while the liquid from Canada comes from maple trees.  The benefit associated with natural tree syrup is the fact that the liquid is filled with essentially minerals.  This helps the body to remove impurities which in turn helps the digestive and immune systems.  This ingredient is what makes the lemon detox diet so potent and effective.

Lemon juice, cayenne pepper

These two parts of the lemon detox diet recipe provide the remaining nutritional ingredients that the body needs.  They are also effective at awakening the senses and purifying the body of pollutants.  Lemon juice is essential to the lemon detox diet recipe because it provides vitamin C benefits and it works to improve the immune system.  Although the reasons for the inclusion of cayenne pepper are unclear, what is known is the awakening properties that it provides.  This makes it a very important part of the lemon detox diet recipe.

People who wish to feel better about their lives and bodies should consider the lemon detox regimen.  The ingredients in the lemon detox diet recipe are all natural and good for the body.  There is no other routine that can provide the same detoxing properties as this lemon detox process.

Because of this it is important to keep tabs on including fresh vegetables in our diet. Try including any or 3 three of the vegetables listed below in your diet on a regular basis and not only will you find it to be a tasty addition to your palate, but a healthy one, too.

Beets make the first entry on the list. They are so easy to eat raw yet often get overlooked. Maybe it’s because they’re somewhat of a pain to chop up and prepare due to the fact that you get everything purple in the process. Either way, they are a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals and are very easy to eat raw.

• Suggestions: Make a raw beet salad by slicing beets and adding a pinch of salt or drink beetroot juice for breakfast to start your day with a good boost of energy.

Cabbage is another delicious vegetable that many only associate as a food to boil. At best, people eat it technically raw when made into cole slaw, but at that point it’s dripping with mayonaise and other unhealthy ingredients, so we can strike that from the list! One thing that’s also nice about cabbage as how cheap it is when it replaces more expensive salad staples, such as spinach and romaine lettuce.

• Suggestions: finely chopped cabbage salad with 1 TBSP olive oil. Add salt, sweet corn, beans, and other ingredients as desired. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Cauliflower is something I seen to have an instrinic connection to. My parents tell me as a toddler I would ask for it by name. I always assumed everyone loved raw cauliflower, right? Wrong. Many people don’t even think of it as something you can eat raw, and if they do, they always want to combine it with a huge whallop of ranch dip. But cauliflower is super good in its own right and is the perfect addition to any salad – even a cauliflower salad!

• Suggestions: Add one cup chopped raw cauliflower to any salad.

What are some of your favorite vegetables to eat raw and what creative ways do you include them in your meals?

If you believe that you are going to clear acne by using over the counter acne products that are full of chemicals and harsh ingredients, then think again. I had been going down this route for many years, without the desired results I was looking for.

Once I changed direction and started using more holistic approaches, mixed in with more modern technologies such as the ANSR beam , then the results started to come. And the one thing that was extremely beneficial was green juice.

The Power Of Green Juice

We all know that eating our greens is extremely important for optimal health, but for extraordinary health benefits then try juicing your greens. When greens have been juiced it makes the vitamins and minerals easily absorbable for the body, meaning you get maximum benefits from them.

If you drink 1-3 cups of green juice per day, you will see significant improvements in your acne, and over-all health also. The reason for this is because the green juice will help to build the blood, remove toxins, provide the body with the required vitamins and minerals, plus there are many more benefits that juice will have on the body, all leading to a happier, healthier and acne free you.

Green Juice Recipes

Green Juice 1: 1/4 of red Cabbage, 2-3 stalks of Celery, 4-5 leaves of Kale, 1 Lemon, 3 Apples, little amount of ginger.

Green Juice 2: 1/2 pear, 1/2 green apple, handful spinach, handful parsley, 2 celery stalks, ½, cucumber, small piece ginger, slice of papaya.

Green Juice 3: 1 lemon 1/2 cup parsley, chopped 1 rib of celery, 2 big handfuls of Spinach, 1 pince of peeled ginger, 1 medium cucumber.

These are 3 green juice recipes I often make that I have found to work very well at keeping my system clean and clear, meaning no acne breakouts. If you have never made a green juice before I would recommend using the above, once you have made a few then start experimenting to see what works for you.

Do I Need To Add SuperFoods For This To Work?

No! You do not need to add any super foods such as spirulina or wheat grass. If you have the extra funds to use them, then it will do no harm, but you absolutely do not have to infest in any sort of expensive “superfood” for this to work. Spinach, cabbage and kale along with the other greens you can buy from the supermarket will have just as much benefits, however there is one thing that is important, that you buy as much organic as possible. The reason for this is because foods that are not organic have usually been sprayed with man-made chemicals that will build up in the body as toxins, which can eventually lead to acne breakouts.

Pectin is a structural heteropolysaccharide and is a type of fiber that is found in cell walls and tissues in plants. Its physical appearance is commonly white or light brown powder. It mainly comes from citrus fruits and is what makes a jam jelly, it is a gelling agent and it is also used as a stabilizer for fruit juices and milk beverages. The amount of pectin varies from plant to plant and apples contain the highest amount among these sources.

When used as a dietary fiber it can provide a variety of health benefits. If you want to go all natural a great source will be the skin or pulp of the apple and if that would be too tasking, supplementation is always available. Aside from being a great source of health benefits, it also has one specific function that could interest a totally different market and that is the weight loss market.

Weight Loss

There is nothing better than losing weight the natural way when it comes to gaining better control of your health. That is the main reason why so many products are out there today that aids in that process. Many of the natural products and have been used in herbal medicine for hundreds of years already and Apple Pectin is not any different in that sense. It is all natural and comes from what we already know and maybe even love, apples. The way pectin is able to influence healthy weight loss is because of its ability to maintain a healthy balance in the colon.

It acts like a broom sweeping excess chemicals from the body through regular bowel movements, excess chemicals like fats and cholesterols. Another way it is able to help like most fiber compounds does, it helps the stomach feel fuller longer since it gradually moves food through the digestive tract to allow better nutrient absorption and the way it is able to do that is by expanding within the stomach, hence the feeling of satiety.

Soluble Fiber for Better Cholesterol Levels

Aside from the weight loss benefits that a fiber can provide it also has been linked to lowered cholesterol levels. In this case, apple pectin is a soluble fiber which is the kind of fiber that can disperse or spread in water. Soluble fiber has been shown in studies to lower cholesterol by reducing the amount of it absorbed in the intestines. It may be a cliché but I’ll say it anyway, we have all heard about the saying “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”, well in this case it is more like keeps the cholesterol away.

Literally, because of the pectin content in apples, it really will keep a lot of cholesterol away. Although it may take a lot more than just one apple a day, the fact still remains that Apple Pectin can definitely help in cholesterol levels, and there also is evidence that it does not only lower down LDL which is the bad cholesterol, it also has the ability to increase HDL which is the good cholesterol in our bodies.

Lose weight and maintain good cholesterol with natural apple pectin fiber. 

-Darrell Miller, VitaNet, LLC

Medical reports have reported that at least 12 harmful side effects have been noted when people take Coumadin and cranberry juice together, especially high volumes of cranberry juice such as daily use. One case was even fatal, but the evidence for the cranberry juice and coumadin interaction is not yet conclusive.

In all of the cases so far there is evidence to show that other factors may be responsible or partly responsible, and the fact that there is only 12 documented cases is still too small a number to draw a solid conclusion from. In these cases, the problem was almost always (except one) a result of the blood thinning too much and leading to internal bleeding and/or ineffective wound healing.

Some of the alternative factors that draw attention away from cranberry juice as the problem include pateints having inaqeuate amounts of vitamin K in the blood as a result of not eating a lot of food, or digestive issues that lead to poor vitamin K absorption. Interactions with other medications that patients were taking are another valid possibility.


A Precaution

Even though the possible negative interations between regular cranberrry juice and coumadin intake is not yet confirmed, there is enough evidence for The Evaluation of Drug Interactions to recommend that cranberry juice intake should be limited during Coumadin intake to ensure patient safety.

Source:

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/545631_3

The statements and products referred to throughout this site have not been evaluated by the FDA. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or condition. If you have a health condition or concern, consult a physician or your alternative health care provider. Always consult a medical doctor before modifying your diet, using any new product, drug, supplement, or doing new exercises.

If you are taking Coumadin then you will have already been informed by your physician of the foods and drinks to avoid or cut down on. These are foods and beverages that are high in vitamin K, and drinks such as cranberry juice and alcohol. Green leafy vegetables, some vegetable oils, liver and green tea are on the hot list since they are all high sources of vitamin K.




So what’s the deal with vitamin K?

One of the key functions of vitamin K is to to help the blood clot. This is a natural, healthy thing and we would bleed to death without it, especially if we cut our selves badly. However, for anyone with thick blood that has the potential to be life threatening, leading to possible strokes or a heart attack, they are prescribed a medication like Coumadin by their doctor. Coumadin is a blood-thinning medication and has the opposite effect to vitamin K in the body. While it is important to still have vitamin K in the diet because it is an essential vitamin, those taking Coumadin need to limit their intake so that this vitamin doesn’t counter its effects.


Vegetables High in Vitamin K
Drinking vegetable juice recipes can have some very beneficial effects for those with cardiovascular disease and can help lower blood pressure, promote a healthier blood cholesterol profile, detoxify the blood, and even help slow down or reverse the progression of atherosclerosis. So it is a great idea for those using Coumadin to drink fresh juice everyday, providing the juice is made from vegetables low in vitamin K – but first things first, let’s list the vegetables to avoid:

• broccoli
• brussel sprouts
• butternut squash
• cabbage
• celery
• chinese broccoli
• kale (huge amounts of vitamin K!)
• spinach
• parsley
• collard greens
• mustard greens
• chard

Vegetables Low in Vitamin K
Here is the list of ‘Coumadin friendly’ vegetables that contain the smallest amounts of vitamin K.

• beetroot
• carrots
• cauliflower
• cucumber (without the skin)
• green pepper
• sweet potatoes
• lettuce
• celery

I especially recommend using celery because it contains antioxidants called phthalides that are shown to have relaxant effects on the muscles of major arteries. This helps arteries to expand more when pumping blood, helping to lower blood pressure.

Here are two great resources if you want some great reference charts for vitamin K food content:

Vegetable nutrition chart
Vitamin K content of all foods


Fruits and Vitamin K
No fruit is high in vitamin K! They all have low levels of this vitamin except for pomegranate and green apples (red are low) which contain moderate amounts, however they are still not high. Apples juiced with their skins on is recommended because numerous studies show that apple juice helps to lower “LDL” bad cholesterol blood levels and lower blood pressure. While apple juice made from peeled apples is also shown to help, apples juiced with their peels on are more effective.


Cranberry Juice, Alcohol and Green Tea
Cranberry juice and alcohol should be cut down to a very minimal amount or cut-out of the diet all together. They have strong blood-thinning effects and may thin the blood too much in combination with Coumadin. Green tea, as wonderfully healthy as this beverage is, is unfortunately a drink high in vitamin K. This is a shame, since green tea is otherwise beneficial for heart health!

To your health
Darren Haynes

This is one of the more common problems that parents face. In many cases, if these parents would take an honest look at their own diets, the truth would be revealed – they don’t eat them either! Why would your children eat spinach and ‘weird’ stuff like flax seeds or oil if you aren’t consuming these things yourself? The answer: they wouldn’t.

If you’re looking to include some of these natural anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant foods into your diet, this can be a fun and easy way to do it. There are entire sites like the one you’re on dedicated to juicing your way to better health and well being. You can find a variety of recipes here to get you started. Once you know what you like, you can start creating your own. Better yet, have your kids help you create their very own. Let them have some fun with it. Oh, you want some pineapples with your spinach, you bet! The point is, make the process of eating healthier more fun and enjoyable.

This is one of the easiest ways to add more of these important groups into your diet. We’ve heard for many years now about the health benefits of any number of anti-oxidants. These are all found in the fruits you can find in most any grocery store or farmer’s market. You don’t need to take extensive or expensive supplements to get these things into you and your family’s diet.

While we’re on the subject, it is recommended that you eat as much of these foods organic as possible. Some foods, like grapes, strawberries and lettuce families are known to be more highly sprayed with insecticides and other commercial agricultural chemical compounds. You really don’t want these in your body. This is especially true of your children, who will build up higher concentrations of these toxins over time in their bodily tissues.

This is just one more reason to look locally and to your farmer’s markets for fresh, organic produce. Not only may you find some interesting fruit and vegetable choices, but you’ll be helping your local community. You may even find that you build relationships with some of these folks and end up helping your kids get involved in their own habit of lifelong healthy eating.


Dr. Michael J. Funicello is a chiropractor in Gilbert, AZ. He has been in private practice since 1998, serving the communities of the Phoenix-metro area. His particular area of expertise is Network Spinal Analysis or Network Chiropractic, a gentle and progressive form of care. You can learn more or contact him at infinitehealingarts.com.

1. Cilantro for Refreshment
I’m a cilantro lover, liberally adding it to just about any dish or salad I’m making. But why stop with solid food? Hence, I began to add it to my carrot juice and discovered it compliments the taste very, very well. I know you might be thinking that cilantro is a very strange thing to add, but please try it before you knock it! I’ve converted skeptical friends by having them taste it and they agree, it works. It gives it a nice refreshing, satisfying kick that rounds out the flavor.

2. Crushed Ice for Texture
Crushed ice is another trick I learned early on that makes my drinks tastier. Mainly what I’m going for here is obviously not flavor but something else – texture. I find that adding a small but thick layer of crushed ice to my juice after it’s fully blended improves both the texture and the aesthetic appeal, as the appearance of the ice makes it look more complete.

3. Ginger for Zest
Buying a little bit of ginger root and keeping it on hand goes a long way for altering the taste of your drinks. A small amount of ginger – about the size of a dime – will give it a zesty burst of flavor. Additionally, ginger has many digestive health properties and this is a good way to incorporate those benefits into your diet.

4. Apple for Sweetness
Adding an apple to your carrot juice will make the drink taste lighter and much sweeter. If you have fancy yourself as having a sweet tooth, you will probably find it necessary to sweeten your carrot juice, as it is naturally not very sweet at all. I prefer the tart sweetness of a green Golden Delicious apple for my drinks.

5. Banana for Increased Thickness
One day I added a banana on a whim, without really any idea of how my Omega would treat it. I wasn’t sure if it would really juice or just gunk those up. Turns out it adds a nice thickening to the entire drink, making it a bit more like a carrot smoothie than normal carrot juice. This is a good way to dramatically change the texture, giving the drink more bulk, and add a bit more calories to the drink to make it more suitable as a breakfast replacement.

What other ways do you enjoy making carrot juice?

This article is by Ben Jacobs. If you’re a fan of juicing, raw foods, and radical health, check out my food processor juicer review. Does it really work to combine a juicer and a food processor in one machine? I explore this question by looking at all the combination machines on the market and seeing how well they work – or don’t work – in their goal of a two in one juicing machine.

The old phrase, “You Are What You Eat” is scary in light of what most Americans are putting in their bodies these days. From the antibiotics in meat, to high-fructose corn syrup in almost everything else, the Standard American Diet (SAD) has the nation’s population on the fast track to develop serious disease. For those who manage to eat the recommended five to nine servings of vegetables a day, it’s now clear that the origin of those vegetables and how they’re prepared determines whether they will actually do a body good. Modern agricultural techniques yield fruit and vegetables that have suffered from “the dilution effect,” which is the hyper-absorption of water caused by too much nitrogen fertilizer, resulting in produce with reduced vitamin and mineral content, and less flavor as well.
Processed and cooked food, along with beverages like soft drinks, coffee, tea, and wine acidify the blood and tissue, creating the ideal terrain for molds, funguses, and bacteria to grow. Stress, pesticides and pollution also have acidifying properties.

Raw, organic food grown in mineral-rich soil is the answer to the problem, but in today’s world it can be difficult and expensive to stick with such a pure diet. Fortunately, there are natural, whole food supplements,known as “green superfoods,” which can counter many of the onslaughts our bodies receive while going through the paces of modern life.

Green Superfoods to the rescue

Blue green algae, little green algae, brown-algae seaweed, and cereal grasses comprise the green superfoods. They are better known as Spirulina, Chlorella, Kelp, Wheat Grass, Barley Grass, and Alfalfa. Each one is packed with nutrients that restore the body’s alkaline equilibrium and assist the immune system in combating disease.

Spirulina for energy

If you’re feeling fatigued and generally lacking energy, then Spirulina is the green superfood to help restore stamina and energy levels. Its name comes from its spiral coil shape. Evidence points to the consumption of blue green algae by ancient civilizations. Here are a few examples of how spirulina can benefit your health;

– Contains more protein by dry weight than any other known food
– Contains all the essential amino acids, making it a complete
protein
– A highly digestible protein source for vegetarians and vegans
– An excellent source of essential fatty acids, including GLA
(gamma linolenic acid)
– Helps regulate blood glucose levels
– Contains most of the B vitamins, including folic acid, as well
as vitamin C, vitamin E, and vitamin D so essential to good
health
– Rich in minerals, especially potassium, which is an ingredient
in many supplements meant to increase energy levels
– Helps regulate the body’s inflammatory response
– Improves focus and mental clarity

Chlorella for detox

Green algae may be the oldest form of plant food on the planet. It’s the very best known source of Chlorophyll and has impressive detoxification potential. This is important because it’s so difficult to keep the modern environment free of pollutants. Trans-fats, refined carbohydrates, heated oils, pesticide residues, artificial flavorings, and colorings are just some of the toxins that may be encountered on a daily basis. Symptoms of toxic overload include; skin problems, body odor, flatulence, irritability, and low energy. Studies have shown Chlorella to be an excellent detoxifying agent, supplying these benefits:

– Flushes out pollutants
– Clears dioxin from breast milk
– Cleanses the bloodstream
– Improves overall bowel health
– Reduces flatulence
– Acts internally as a deodorant
– Freshens the breath
– Helps eliminate skin problems
– Reduces hangovers

Kelp for glandular health

The kelp forests of shallow oceans yield over 300 kinds of brown-algae seaweed. This herb of the sea is rich in minerals, contains 21 amino acids, and has an abundant store of iodine.
In addition, kelp:

– Promotes functionality of the thyroid, adrenal and pituitary
glands
– Maintains healthy hair and skin
– Neutralizes radiation pollution
– Neutralizes heavy metal pollution
– Improves digestion

Cereal grasses for alkalizing

Like all raw greens, Barley Grass, Wheat Grass ,and Alfalfa have an alkalizing effect on the system. Some of their attributes include:

– Superior, easily digested nutrition
– Assistance lowering blood pressure
– Strengthening of the digestive system
– Improvement in cholesterol levels (a decrease in the bad LDL
type and an increase in the good HDL variety)
– Invigoration of the immune system
– Better than vitamins

Green superfoods are whole foods, making them instantly superior to the isolated components and synthetic vitamins created in laboratories. They are easily obtained from health food stores and online sources, and come with clear instructions concerning contra-indications, (such as pregnancy) and daily dosage.

The high nutritive value of green superfoods makes them a viable solution to the deficiencies in the modern diet. By adding a small amount to juice, water, soup, or salad dressing, you can get all your minimal daily requirements of vitamins and minerals at one meal. They are portable and easily taken along on trips so that travel does not have to equate to a break from healthy initiatives. If you are what you eat, then you’ll definitely want to add green superfoods to your diet.


About the Author

Tom Hines, co-owner of NutritionGeeks.com (Minnesota’s #1 Now Foods brand retailer), has been working in the nutrition industry since 1997 and is a retired power lifter. He has a true passion for creatively helping others to learn about health and nutrition, which enhances their lives and well-being. He lives on the prairie in West Central Minnesota, and spends his leisure time coaching youth wrestling, working with his horses, and being play toy #1 for his 3 boys; TJ, Grady, and Brock.