As I walk in the door my nose is swept away and begins to follow the path. The aroma is pleasing yet in a strange way powerful! I know what this aroma is and I know what ever the dish is, it will be delicious and packed with an array of health benefits! I smile, close my eyes and continue my path towards the kitchen just knowing what awaits.
This phrase has been repeated so many times as I walk in the door to a dish my wife may be preparing. The aroma and flavors may blind us to its healing power but my body is grateful for its consumption.
Garlic has a long history of use for healing and medicinal purposes dating back thousands of years. It posses many powerful health benefits. Most of these health benefits come from its unique family of antioxidants in garlic called allicin and alliin. Allicin and its family of compounds are formed once the cell wall structure of the garlic bulb is crushed or chopped. The enzyme alliinase is released and in 10 to 15 minutes the many amazing healing compounds are produced through the enzymatic action. So, crush or chop it and let it sit before cooking. However, raw garlic will always yield higher protective potential. Raw garlic is hot and can cause irritation to the digestive system if it isn’t mixed with other foods. If you eat a lot it can also create strong body odor and breath!!
Aroma !
Garlic (Allium sativum) is a species in the onion genus, Allium. Its cousins include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, and Chinese onion. It is native to Central Asia and northeastern Iran, and has long been a common seasoning worldwide.
Ok, I know it smells great and taste great. What can it do for me?
It helps prevent and can even reverse some types of DNA damage. (This is a powerful benefit)
Garlic can help reduce LDL cholesterol.
It is a blood thinner. (talk with your doctor before consuming a lot of garlic)
It helps release nitric oxide which may help lower blood pressure and keep blood vessels flexible.
It increases cellular glutathione levels. Glutathione is the master antioxidant in our cells. Glutathione protects our cells from toxic agents, both chemical and biological.
It increases Nrf-2 signaling pathways. (Nrf-2 helps slowdown and prevent cell damage from free radicals that causes disease and accelerated aging)
It can turn off the signaling process that cancerous tumors use to build a blood vessel highway that will keep them growing. (this is called anti-angiogenisis)
It is anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal.
It has powerful anti-inflammatory effects that may protect the heart and cardiovascular system
It may help prevent certain cancers by suppressing certain cancer causing genes and by turning back on apoptosis. Apoptosis is a natural programed cell death when cells become sick. Cancer cells turn this off.
It helps remove toxins from the liver and may help reverse fatty liver disease and non-alcoholic liver disease.
Garlic also has Vitamin’s C, B1, B2, B6 and the minerals Calcium, Copper, Iron, Manganese and Selenium.
Enjoy your garlic and try using it in a variety of ways. It doesn’t take much to add a flavorful yes healthy impact. You may want to give this garlic mushroom recipe a go. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvaibAcAFvE
How much is too much garlic? Really, has anyone every asked?
The contents of this blog are not and should not be considered medical advice. This blog is for informational purposes only. Always consult with your doctor before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. Never quit taking prescription medications unless advised to do so by your doctor.
I am so tired of seeing so many cholesterol drug advertisements on TV! However you may be surprised to know cholesterol isn’t the enemy or the problem! In fact, cholesterol is very important for many functions in our body.
Cholesterol is actually a sterol or a modified type of steroid our body makes. Sterols are also found in plants and other animal tissues because every animal or mammal cell membrane must have cholesterol for membrane health.
Some Doctors want you to take cholesterol lowering medications even if your cholesterol isn’t high; their premise is to prevent high cholesterol. In some cases they go to extremes; a recent paper published in the American Journal of Cardiology by Dr. Darrell Francis of the Imperial College in London suggested that fast food restaurants should provide free cholesterol-lowering medications along with their cholesterol carrying cheeseburgers and fries. Why you ask? To offset the harmful health effects of these fat rich foods. I understand their frustration because people eat so unhealthy and high cholesterol is killing people through heart disease and stroke.
Your body makes 800 to 1500 mg’s of cholesterol daily. It is not an essential nutrient or fat we need to obtain from our diet. Cholesterol in your diet only comes from animal foods like milk, red meats, pork, eggs, poultry etc…. Cholesterol is not found in any plant foods, however, other sterols are and they help remove excess cholesterol from our body.
Cholesterol sure gets a lot of attention but cholesterol isn’t the evil it is made out to be. It gets the bad rap because it’s finger prints (higher amounts of LDL and lower amounts of HDL) are found in your blood. And because it is present in levels above what is deemed a safe amount, we are taught to believe that cholesterol is the enemy and we must take drugs to lower it. This simply isn’t true unless you have a condition causing your body to make excessive amounts of cholesterol.
The types of cholesterol
To carry fats in water (which our body is about 70% of) fats must be bound to proteins because proteins are water friendly and fats are not. But really it’s not cholesterol, its VLDL, LDL or HDL. These are the acronyms for types of fat carrying protein molecules. VLDL stands for very low-density lipo (lipo means fat) protein. Then LDL would mean low-density lipo-protein and HDL means high-density lipo-protein.
Cholesterol is vital for our health and necessary for functions in the body such as to make sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone), bile, cortisol and is essential for making Vitamin D in our bodies. Cholesterol is also vital for cell membrane health and very important for our brain health. Cholesterol is very important.
Why is cholesterol a problem?
Because of sugar and foods that turn to blood sugar very quickly. Higher amounts of sugar in your blood causes sores and ulcers to form in your veins and arteries. To heal them the body uses cholesterol as a patch. This is also called plaque. The American diet is so rich in sugar foods that it causes cholesterol to stay in the blood constantly patching sores. To make it very simple to understand, its sugars and any flour based food plus food where there is little to no fiber that is causing the cholesterol problem. Here are a few foods that will cause your body to use cholesterol in a damaging way. Lets see, cereals, sugary drinks, chain based smoothies, cola’s, pastries, candies, cookies, crackers, breads, stuffing, too much high sugar fruit and too many grains.
Reducing Cholesterol levels
If you have higher levels of cholesterol and need to reduce the levels, your NutriBullet is a great tool to help you lower the numbers. A diet rich in fiber helps remove dietary cholesterol and bile from the body.
Eat fiber rich foods (at least 30 grams of fiber daily)
1 to 2 ounces of nuts and seeds every day
Exercise particularly intense intervals (get doctors approval before exercising)
If you smoke quit!
Avoid foods with added sugars
Avoid or highly limit the intake of fatty animal foods (red meats, pork, dairy)
Best foods to reduce cholesterol
Avocados
Leafy greens
Cruciferious veggies (kale, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, bok choy)
The contents of this blog are not and should not be considered medical advice. This blog is for informational purposes only. Always consult with your doctor before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. Never quit taking prescription medications unless advised to do so by your doctor.
The lifestyle you live has the biggest impact on your heart health. Even if heart disease runs in your family you can trump those genetics by adopting a heart healthy lifestyle!
First know that cholesterol is not the enemy, your body actually makes 800 to 1500 mgs of cholesterol daily! Your hearts enemies are foods that cause systemic inflammation in your arteries forcing cholesterol to be used to patch and repair vascular sores. These foods are prevalent in the American diet.
What you are about to read should make you run in your kitchen and fire up a salad, smoothie or Vive. Did you know that a plant-based diet has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of and even reverse heart and cardiovascular disease? You can listen to Dr. Dean Ornish and some of his patients at this link. http://www.youtube.com/user/DrDeanOrnish
Many factors can affect our heart health. Our diet (excessive simple sugars), stress, and other lifestyle factors like smoking and the amount of physical activity we get play a huge role in heart health.
In about a day your heart beats 100,000 times pumping around 2000 gallons of blood to 100 trillion cells through 60 thousand miles of blood vessels. Every time I think of that it amazes me!
The heart is not just an organ, it is also a muscle. The heart requires a lot of energy and quality nutrition to keep it healthy. Your heart is a very unique organ and unlike other organs and muscles, it does not become fatigued. It only stops when oxygen is no longer available.
Exercise increases the hearts fitness so it can deliver more oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. Develop a good exercise program after approval from your doctor!
Because of the great energy requirements put on the heart, nutrition is very important. Vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, enzymes and antioxidants are super important for heart health.
Plant based foods provide a bounty of nutrients and antioxidants the body needs for great heart health.
Studies show Nuts and seeds consumed daily reduce the risk for heart disease. They are anti-inflammatory and a good source of Vitamin E, which, is very important for cell membrane health and is also an antioxidant.
Omega 3’s from Salmon, sardines, ground flax seed and walnuts reduce inflammation and keep blood platelets from sticking, reducing the risk for cardiovascular disease
Antioxidants in fruits and vegetables reduce inflammation and protect the heart from free radical damage. The greater the volume of oxygen is needed in a cell to make energy, the higher the potential for free radical damage. The heart is a big air and fluid pump. So antioxidants are even more important for the heart muscle.
Magnesium is very important for heart health because it helps blood vessels relax, potentially reducing blood pressure, which, if high, can damage the heart.
B Vitamins are critical for preparing foods for the conversion to energy.
B12, Folate and B6 are critical to reduce the protein homocysteine from accumulating in our tissues. Homocysteine causes cellular damage to the heart and blood vessels and heavily associated with heart disease.
Iron, B12, Vitamin C and Folate are important to make healthy red blood cells and blood vessels.
Vitamin E from food and Co-Q10 from foods are important heart protectors.
Some of the best foods for heart health are:
Nuts and seeds (walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pecans)
Sadly the American diet is the perfect diet if you want poor heart health. It is rich in sodium, sugar and bad fats and low in nutrient rich foods like vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts and seeds and whole grains, which promote health.
If you love your heart it would be best to avoid or limit these foods in your diet. These foods are health destroyers!
Foods high in saturated fats and cholesterol (meats, processed meats, eggs, cows milk and cheese)
Processed meats
Foods high in sodium
Foods high in sugars particularly added sugars such as (refined sugar, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, confectioners sugar, brown sugar etc..)
Fried foods
Flour based foods (includes breading on fried foods, cookies, crackers, cereals, pastries, breads, pasta) Flour can turn to blood sugar as quickly as table sugar.
Excess sugar is a powerful risk factor in your diet because it creates inflammation and sores in your arteries, which forces your body to use cholesterol to repair them. This makes arteries stiffer creating more sores or tears requiring more cholesterol. It’s a vicious cycle that accelerates heart and vascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity.
Other Heart Health Factors
Stress is a killer! It creates hormonal changes that raise blood pressure, cause obesity and eventually damage your heart.
A lack of exercise let’s muscles atrophy, becoming weaker. Your heart and blood vessels are muscles and need exercise to be in top health.
A lack of sleep creates systemic stress putting additional stress on your heart.
Cigarettes destroy your blood vessels and lungs. Both are critical for your heart to be healthy.
Limit alcohol to no more than 3 drinks per week.
Summary
Having 2 smoothies a day filled with every color of vegetable and fruit, nuts and seeds is going to get you on the right track for great heart health.
Have Vive twice per day to make sure you are getting the heart healthy nutrients you need.You can add Vive to smoothies and make them even better!
Avoid added sugars; the healthiest sweeteners are stevia and raw honey.
Reduce your intake of animal fats
Make your diet mostly vegetables, fruits, beans and nuts and seeds and limited low glycemic whole grains
Exercise daily
De-stress by exercising, enjoying friends and laughing!
Reduce your salt intake to 1300 mgs per day to reduce blood pressure.
The contents of this blog are not and should not be considered medical advice. This blog is for informational purposes only. Always consult with your doctor before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. Never quit taking prescription medications unless advised to do so by your doctor.
Chocolate comes in many forms and truthfully I am a chocoholic. I eat dark chocolate and raw cocoa powder several times per day. The taste is awesome and the benefits are huge.
Raw cocoa added to your NutriBullet can supercharge your body in many ways. Be creative with it.
Warning- not all chocolates are healthy! Milk chocolate or other candies in which chocolate is added does not have the health benefits of dark or raw chocolate. They most likely have milk and lots of sugar in them. Even healthy dark and raw chocolate is high in calories so limit your amount so you do not gain weight. It only takes 1 to 2 ounces of dark chocolate or raw powder once a day to get the health benefits of chocolate.
To make sure I eat the healthiest chocolate I use only 85% dark or higher and when I make hot chocolate I use the healthiest, which is raw (uncooked or unprocessed) cocoa powder. Chocolate is one of the highest antioxidant rated foods. Chocolate is rich in powerful antioxidants like resveratrol and epicatechin, is rich in minerals like magnesium, calcium, iron, copper, zinc, potassium, phosphorus and Vitamins like Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Folate, B2, B5, B6, and Vitamin K. Chocolate also contains brain and heart healthy fats and other healthy phytonutrients.
Health Benefits
Helps reduce blood pressure
Provides great energy
Boost metabolism
Improves bone health
Protects cells from free radical attacks
Reduces premature aging
Helps reduce stress
Improves vascular wall health
May reduce blood clots
Can improve both LDL and HDL cholesterol levels.
Improve insulin function
Reduces platelet stickiness
Improves immune response
Improves our mood
Improves our sleep
Can improve heart health
How Chocolate Improves Our Mood!
Studies show that eating a small amount of dark chocolate a few times a week can help lower your blood pressure and improve blood flow and may even help prevent the formation of blood clots. It helps increase our uptake of serotonin, which improves our mood. Chocolate also has Phenylethylamine (or PEA), which is a natural chemical produced by our brains to produce endorphins (mood elevating hormones that are attributed to the feeling of love). And you guessed it right! Dark chocolate is full of it! This creates a euphoric feeling in our brains and can help with depression, irritability, grief, and much more!
Another substance found in chocolate is anandamide. A fatty substance that is naturally produced in the brain, anandamides makes us feel relaxed and improve our mood.
Immune Function
It’s also good when your sick, if you can’t get the rest you need or your dieing of the flu just try a bit of dark chocolate. The Xantheose, an ingredient in dark chocolate, has been proven to suppress a cough and help with symptoms and inflammation. This effect is attributed to the antioxidants present and likens this food to blueberries, acai berries and many more super foods.
Enjoy dark and raw chocolate; it doesn’t take much, just an ounce or two every day to get the desired health benefits and pleasurable relaxation it provides.
While writing this for you I am enjoying a delicious cup of velvety rich dark cocoa. I add a little Ceylon cinnamon, almond milk and stevia, the aroma and taste is bliss!
The contents of this blog are not and should not be considered medical advice. This blog is for informational purposes only. Always consult with your doctor before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. Never quit taking prescription medications unless advised to do so by your doctor.
Reference sources
Contemporary Reviews in Cardiovascular Medicine-Cocoa and Cardiovascular Health –Circulation. 2009; 119: 1433-1441 doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.108.827022
[Langer, S. and Marshall, L.J., et.al., (2011) “Flavanols and Methylxanthines in Commercially Available Dark Chocolate: A Study of the Correlation with Nonfat Cocoa Solids”. J. Agric. Food Chem., 59, 8435]
[Erdman, J.W. and Carson, L., et.al., (2008) “Effects of Cocoa Flavanols on Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease”. Asia Pac. J. Clin. Nutr., 17, Suppl. 1: 284].
[Allen, R.R. and Carson, L., et al. (2008) “Daily Consumption of a Dark Chocolate Containing Flavanols and Added Sterol Esters Affects Cardiovascular Risk Factors in a Normotensive Population with Elevated Cholesterol”. J. Nutr., 138, 725].
[Katz, D.L., Doughty, K, and Ali, A. (2011) “Cocoa and Chocolate in Human Health and Disease”. Antioxid. Redox Signal., 15, 2779],
Engler MB, Engler MM, Chen CY, et al. Flavonoid-rich dark chocolate improves endothelial function and increases plasma epicatechin concentrations in healthy adults. J Am Coll Nutr. 2004 Jun; 23(3): 197-204.
Taubert D, Roesen R, Lehmann C, et al. Effects of low habitual cocoa intake on blood pressure and bioactive nitric oxide: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2007 Jul 4; 298(1): 49-60.
[Murata, M. and Katagiri, N., et al., (2009) “Effect of Beta-Phenylethylamine on extracellular concentrations of Dopamine in the Nucleus Accumbens and Prefrontal Cortex”. Brain Res., 1269, 40],
It’s Valentines Day so lets talk about heart health! The heart is an amazing organ that works non-stop every second of your life. Without its complete function you will not live. Disease and illness of the heart and other related illnesses can cause compromised heart function allowing you to live however not the kind of lifestyle you may enjoy.
Many factors can affect our heart health. Our diet, stress, other lifestyle factors like smoking and the amount of physical activity we get play a huge role in heart health.
In less than a minute, your heart can pump blood to every cell in your body. In about a day your heart beats 100,000 times pumping around 2000 gallons of blood containing oxygen and nutrients to 100 trillion cells through 60 thousand miles of blood vessels. That is a huge job that requires a special muscle.
The heart is an organ and also a muscle. The heart requires a lot of energy and quality nutrition to keep it healthy. The muscles in the heart are unique and do not fatigue. It only stops when oxygen is no longer available. The demands put on the heart are so great; each cell in the heart muscle has many more mitochondria than other muscle cells have. Mitochondria are the parts of the cell that make energy.
Exercise increases the hearts fitness so it can deliver more oxygen and nutrients throughout the body. Develop a good exercise program!
Because of the great energy requirements put on the heart, nutrition is very important. Vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, enzymes and antioxidants are super important for heart health.
Studies show that a plant-based diet can even reverse heart and cardiovascular disease. Vegetative foods provide a bounty of nutrients the body needs for great heart health.
Studies show Nuts and seeds daily reduce the risk for heart disease. They are anti-inflammatory and a good source of Vitamin E, which, is very important for cell membrane health and is also an antioxidant.
Omega 3’s from Salmon, sardines, ground flax seed and walnuts reduce inflammation and keep blood platelets from sticking reducing the risk for cardiovascular disease
Antioxidants in fruits and vegetables reduce inflammation and protect the heart from free radical damage. The greater the volume of oxygen is needed in a cell to make energy, the higher the potential for free radical damage. The heart is a big air and fluid pump. So antioxidants are even more important for the heart muscle.
Magnesium is very important for heart health because it helps blood vessels relax potentially reducing blood pressure which, if high can damage the heart.
B Vitamins are critical for preparing foods into energy.
B12, Folate and B6 are critical to reduce the protein homocysteine from our tissues. Homocysteine causes cellular damage to the heart and blood vessels and heavily related to heart disease.
Iron, B12, Vitamin C and Folate are important to make healthy red blood cells and blood vessels.
Some of the best foods for heart health are:
Nuts and seeds (walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pecans)
The better question might be what foods are bad for heart health. That is a simple answer. Any foods that are not good providers of vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, enzymes and antioxidants should be avoided. This would mean any refined and processed foods.
Sugar is a poison that is the biggest cause of heart and cardiovascular disease.
The average American now consumes over 170 lbs. of sugar per year. At the beginning of the 20th century, the average American consumed less than 10 pounds per year. The rise in the intake of sugar over the past 20 years has created almost epidemic levels of diabetes, obesity and heart disease. Unless we get the intake of sugar under control, the percentage of Americans suffering from lifestyle related disease and illness will continue to climb. Sugar is not the only food ingredient that is causing us problems; it is however close to being the worse, if not the worse.
A new study recently published in Journal of the American Medical Association concludes that sugar intake significantly contributes to illness and specifically increases cholesterol levels.
Researchers at Emory University and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta examined the added sugar intake and blood fat levels in more than 6,100 adults.
Study participants consumed an average of 21.4 teaspoons of added sugars a day, or more than 320 calories a day from these sources.
The study also revealed, that people with the higher intakes of added sugars were more likely to have lower levels of HDL (good) cholesterol and higher levels of triglycerides, which studies have shown to raise LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.
The American Heart Association is recommending that women get no more than 6.5 teaspoons (25 grams) of added sugar per day and men get no more than 9.5 teaspoons (38 grams) per day.
A Dairy Queen Blizzard has 26 teaspoons (124 grams) of sugar
A 20 oz. Pepsi has 17.5 teaspoons (70 grams) of sugar
A 1.7 ounce bag of M%M Peanuts has 8 teaspoons (32 grams) of sugar
How do we cut out the excess sugar?
The first step is to read the food labels on the foods we eat. Look at the Nutritional Label. Check the area under carbohydrates; you will see fiber then sugar. If the amount of sugar is more than 7 grams per serving I would read the ingredient section to see where the sugar was coming from. If they were from added sugars I would seriously consider looking for a healthier choice with less sugar.
Some people may be addicted to sugar. Most doctors do know believe that sugar is addictive and it may not be, however the physiological response from a quick rise in blood sugar is a corresponding quick drop in blood sugar that creates a craving for sugars to get the blood sugar back to a healthy level again. This is a vicious cycle that some people may find hard to break. It takes about a week of eliminating added sugars from the daily diet to break it. If you do try it cold turkey, expect a headache and fatigue for a couple of days. Now you are free of the sugar cycle!
Partial list of added sugars
Beet Sugar, Brown Sugar, Cane Sugar, Confectioner’s Sugar, Corn Syrup, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Demerera, Dextrose, Granulated Sugar, Grape Sugar, Molasses, Muscavado Sugar, Raw Sugar, Refined Sugar, Sucrose, Table Sugar, Turbinado Sugar, White Sugar, Maple Syrup
Honey and molasses are natural and a better choice however they still cause a quick rise in blood sugar.
In my opinion the best choices for home use are stevia, xylitol and d-ribose (a sugar that produces more energy with very little blood sugar impact)
When shopping for foods, absolutely avoid high fructose corn syrups and limit the amount of added sugars to no more than 7 grams per serving.
Summary
Avoid added sugars, the healthiest sweeteners are Truvia and raw honey.
Make your diet mostly vegetables, fruits, beans and nuts and seeds.
Exercise daily
Reading food labels are an important habit you should develop. It is the first step in your road to wellness. If you do not know what you are eating how can you control it?
Reduce your salt intake to 1300 mgs per day to reduce blood pressure.
The contents of this blog is not and should not be considered medical advice. This blog is for informational purposes only. Always consult with your doctor before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. Never quit taking prescription medications unless advised to do so by your doctor.
In today’s world of exotic fruits, mushrooms and strange vegetables, it is easy to over look less sexy foods. In the nutritional circles and functions I attend the buzz is around exotic fruits, herbs, vegetables and mushrooms such as Gojo Berry, Lucuma, Maca, Astragalus, Ho Shu Wu, Rishi and Chaga etc... These are just the tip of the iceberg in the über ( highest, elite ) super foods family that gets everyone’s attention. All of these have powerful health restorative properties. However, natures most nutrient dense super food is sitting right in front of us everyday. Because it’s parent source is so common, it is over looked by many. You may not even know about it until now.
Many people eat it every week, however not in the form that provides super dense nutrition that can truly help restore health and in many cases reverse adverse health conditions. In fact, it is so powerful it is used medicinally to treat high cholesterol, high urine calcium and diabetes. So, have you got an idea what food I may be talking about. I’ll give you a hint; its tan, brown and black in its natural form, it is a staple for certain cultures and it can be made into flour, cheese, wine, beer, liquor and eaten whole. Do you know what it is? It has a slightly sweet and nutty flavor, you can put it on almost any food or eat it by itself.
I have a client that is missing a few feet of intestine, 1/2 of their colon, 1 kidney, has COPD and is on oxygen most of the day, adrenal failure and heart issues. The past few months she has been eating this food in large quantities and for the first time in several years her health is improving. She was having reoccurring pneumonia and bronchitis and now her immune system is functioning at a much higher level. She can actually do light house work without the oxygen, and can enjoy the outdoors again. Her doctor was amazed that she is building health now previously he told her she would continue to get worse and eventually it would take her life. This tells you just how powerful food is to our body.
What if I told you that the bran and the germ from rice is the single most nutrient dense food in the world. Would you have guessed that rice bran and rice germ is the food I am talking about? Probably not. It takes 20 to 30 pounds of brown rice to make one pound of the rice bran and rice germ. Ounce for ounce no other single food has as deep and rich of a vitamin, mineral, essential fatty acid, enzymatic, phytonutrient and antioxidant content.
Rice bran and rice germ ( for brevity sake rice bran) is hypoallergenic and is gentle enough for even infants yet a super powerhouse of health ( in depth detail ) for adults!. The bran and germ of the rice is where about 85% of the nutritional power of the rice kernel is stored. The bran part of rice is extremely nutrient dense. Only recently, technology has developed methods for stabilizing the healthy oils in rice bran and germ. An enzyme in the bran causes the oil in the bran to go rancid very quickly. Now the bran of the rice kernel can be removed and stored for a longer period without damaging the super nutrition contained in the bran part of the rice kernel.
Rice bran has many health promoting benefits as well as providing an abundant source of energy. Several studies have shown that rice bran has cholesterol lowering abilities, blood sugar stabilizing ability for type I and type II diabetics. Furthermore a *study stated that ” Diseases in which preventive and/or nutraceutical effects have been detected include: cancer, hyperlipidemia (high blood cholesterol), fatty liver, hypercalciuria ( high concentrates of calcium in the urine), kidney stones, and heart disease. In addition, rice-bran products may have potential applications as nutritional ingredients in the context of their utility in functional foods.” Source: Jariwalla RJ. California Institute for Medical Research, San Jose, CA, USA.
Stabilized rice bran is the new super natural health super food! Rice bran contains an amazing array of advanced nutrients and antioxidants which assist you in maintaining your overall health. The nutritional value of rice bran is vastly superior to other brans and works with your body naturally for optimal vibrant health.
Studies have shown rice bran has over 100 antioxidants & co-factors. Stabilized Rice bran has just about all the essential vitamins and minerals you would ever need for natural health maintenance, weight management and instant energy.
Rice bran is superior – it has an astounding quantity of other healthy nutrients such as phytosterols, polysaccharides, beta-sitosterol, natural fiber, Vitamin E complex, plus a large complement of B vitamins. Rice bran also boasts an array of essential vitamins and minerals, gamma oryzanol, plus it is a good source of Omega 3 & Omega 6.
Rice Bran In Your Diet:
Vital Nutrients
Phytonutrients
Full Amino Acid Profile
Quality Omega-3 & Omega-6 Fatty Acids
Powerful Antioxidants including:
Alpha-lipoic Acid
Ferulic Acid
Gamma-Oryzanol
IP6 (Inositol hexaphosphate)
Phytosterols
Tocotrienols (complete forms of vitamin E )
Protein — Stabilized rice bran has easily digested, hypoallergenic essential amino acids that are necessary for building human protein. These include Tryptophan, Histidine, Methionine, Phenylalanine, Threonine, Isoleucine, Lysine, Valine, and Leucine.
Complex Carbohydrates — unlike simple carbohydrates which can add to blood sugar and fat storage problems, healthy complex carbohydrates like those found in stabilized rice bran have a “low glycemic index” which means that they don’t cause spikes in your blood sugar. In fact, stabilized rice bran has been found to help normalize blood sugar. One ounce of rice bran has less than 1 gram of carbohydrate.
Fiber — Stabilized rice bran has soluble and insoluble fibers necessary for optimum digestive health, blood sugar regulation, lowered cholesterol, and the prevention of diabetes and heart disease.
Essential Fatty Acids(EFAs) — Omegas 3, 6 & 9 help to strengthen cellular membranes (so the bad stays out and the good stays inside cells). They also help with energy production (eliminating fatigue); transporting oxygen to the cells; removing waste from the cells; regulating hormones; reducing inflammation, pain and stiffness; reducing LDL “bad” cholesterol & increasing HDL “good” cholesterol, not to mention, improving your complexion, mood, memory & concentration!
Enzymes — including Glutathione Peroxidase, Methionine Reductase, Polyphenol Oxidase, energy enhancing, immune boosting CoQ10, Aspartate Amino Transferase Isozyme AAT-1 & AAT-2, Catalase, and Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), which is an especially powerful antioxidant.
Tocotrienols & Tocopherols (Complete Vitamin E family) — Tocols as a complete group are much more powerful than regular vitamin E. They are great for your cardiovascular system, your immune system, and your complexion! Stablized rice bran contains α-Tocopherol, β-Tocopherol, γ-Tocopherol, δ-Tocopherol, αTocotrienol, β-Tocotrienol, γ-Tocotrienol, δ-Tocotrienol, Desmethyl-tocotrienol, and Didesmethyl tocotrienol.
Phytosterols and Sterolins (phytosterols glucosides) — These are natural phytonutrients with healthful properties that range from helping to fight free radicals, prevent cancer, reduce blood sugar and blood lipid levels, lower cholesterol and ease menopausal symptoms. Stabilized rice bran contains β-Sitosterol, Campesterol, Stigmasterol, Δ5-Avinasterol, Δ7-Stigmastenol, Sterol glucoside, Acylsterol glucoside Oligoglycosylsterol, Gramisterol, Monoglycosylsterol, Dimethylsterol, Cellotetraosylsitosterol, Branosterol, Isofucosterol, Obtusifoliol, Sitostenol, Methylsterol, 28-Homosteasteronic acids, β-Amyrin, 28-Homotyphasterol, Citrostadienol, and 6-Deoxycastasterone,
Calcium — which helps build strong bones, teeth and muscles; promotes healthy nervous system; has a calming effect on the nervous system; helps with proper functioning of the heart, muscles, and nervous system; and plays a role in maintaining normal blood pressure, regulating blood clotting, preventing cancers of the digestive tract and decreasing mood swings, food cravings, and the pain, tenderness and bloating associated with premenstrual syndrome.
Magnesium — which is an essential element for proper functioning of the nervous, muscular and cardiovascular systems. It also helps with nerve and muscle functioning, helps relieve cramps and PMS, aids in bone formation, regulates heartbeat and helps to normalize blood pressure.
Potassium — which helps to regulate fluid balance, heart rhythms and blood pressure and helps with mental function by sending oxygen to the brain. It is required for the proper functioning of the heart, kidneys, muscles, nerves, and digestive system.
Gamma Oryzanol Complex — this amazing anti-mutagenic group includes Campesterol Trans-ferulate, Cycloartenol Trans-ferulate, Cycloartenol Cis-ferulate, Cycloeucalenol Trans-ferulate, Cycloeucalenol Cis-ferulate, Stigmasterol Trans-ferulate, 24-Methylenecycloartanol Trans-ferulate, 24-Methylenecycloartanol Cis-ferulate, β-Sitosterol Trans-ferulate, β-Sitosterol Cis-ferulate, β-Sitostenol Trans-ferulate, β-Sitostenol Cis-ferulate, Stigmasterol Cis-ferulate, Stigmastenol Cis-ferulate, Campesterol Cis-ferulate, Cycloartanol Trans-ferulate, Cycloartanol Cis-ferulate, Stigmastenol Trans-ferulate, 24-Methylcholesterol Trans-ferulate, and 24-Methylcholesterol Cis-ferulate. These help boost immune response, reduce inflammation, increase energy, metabolize glucose, regulate blood sugar, and more!
Polyphenols — including Ferulic acid, α-Lipoic acid, Methyl ferulate, ρ-Coumaric acid, ρ-Sinapic acid, Isovitexin, Proanthocyanidins. These have been shown to assist the immune system and to reduce the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Metal Chelators — including Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorous, Potassium and Inositol Hexaphosphate (IP6). Getting heavy metals out helps to make sure that antioxidants don’t “turn to the dark side” and become pro-oxidized free radicals.
Carotenoids — Very effective free radical scavengers including Lutein, α-Carotene, β-Carotene, Lycopene, Zeaxanthine, and Crytocyanthine.
B-Vitamins & Vitamin-like substances — including Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pantothenic acid, Pyridoxine, Betaine, Dimethyl glycine, Inositol, Biotin, Choline, Folic acid, and Phytates. These can help prevent cancer and prohibit cholesterol buildup, support adrenal function, calm and support the nervous system, and aid in key metabolic processes.
Polysaccharides — including Cycloartenol-ferulic acid glycoside, Diferulic acid complex, Diferulic acid-calcium complex, Hemicelluloses, Arabinogalactan, Arabinoxylan, Xyloglucan, Proteoglycan, Glycoprotein, Arabinofuranoside. These are known to help immune function lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, and increase coronary artery capacity.
Phospholipids — including Phosphatidylserine, PhosphatidylCholine, Phosphatidylethanolamine, Lysophophatidylcholine, Lysophosphatidylethanolamine. Phospholipids helps support the growth and renewal of cellular membranes, forming an important barrier to filter toxins out. They also act as cellular antioxidants when free radical “bullets” try to penetrate the cell. Phospholipids are also thought to prevent depletion of the neurotransmitter choline, improving mental focus, brain function, and both mental and physical stamina.
*Study: Rice-bran products: phytonutrients with potential applications in preventive and clinical medicine. Jariwalla RJ. California Institute for Medical Research, San Jose, CA, USA.
Rice bran research on it effects in preventing, reducing and managing high cholesterol and diabetes.
Statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the US Food and Drug Administration. Products and information presented herein are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease.
