My Healthy Tidbits

Spirulina is an incredibly nutrient-dense food, it contains nearly every nutrient we need to sustain our lives, except water.  Spirulina is an ideal food supplement for people of all ages and lifestyles.  Only 3 grams (1 1/2) teaspoons has more antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity than 5 servings of vegetables.  It is higher in protein than any other known food.  Spirulina contains 300% more calcium than milk, 2300% more iron than spinach and 3900% more beta carotene than carrots.  It is the best whole food source of gamma linolenic acid (GLA). It is rich in B vitamins (including B12), minerals, chlorophyll, enzymes and glycogen.

It  can nourish people who have digestion, assimilation and elimination problems.  It enables children (and others who don’t like vegetables) to eat their greens by taking a few tablets.  It delivers important nutrition to busy people who don’t have time for regular, balanced, nourishing meals.  It is especially good for the elderly, people recovering from surgery and people who need more energy.  People taking Spirulina report that they have more energy, they feel better and they have fewer colds and flu.

There have been over 200 scientific studies of Spirulina.  It has been effective to treat certain allergies, anemia, toxic liver, viral diseases, and immunodeficiency and inflammatory processes.  Imagine a food that can help regulate blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol, alleviate pain of inflammation, deliver antioxidant activity to ward off life threatening diseases like cancer, Alzheimer’s, heart disease and stroke.  A food that supports and protects the liver and the kidneys and can remove radiation from the body, improve the immune system, helps our eyes and brain and improve our digestion!

Choose your Spirulina carefully. Only Spirulina grown in the United States is recognized as safe by our government.  Because of inferior methods used by producers elsewhere, Spirulina grown outside the country is not recognized as safe by the FDA.

How do antioxidants help keep you young?  Think of antioxidants as housekeepers for your body.  These important nutrients nourish our cells, fight diseases and protect our body from the effects of aging.  They help to block and counteract damage from free radicals, which are chemically activated molecules thought to contribute to aging and disease by stabilizing cells and neutralizing their harmful effects.  Antioxidants contain a variety of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and phytonutrients, which are found in brightly colored food and cruciferous vegetables.

Cruciferous vegetables contain high levels of antioxidants.  They also contain anti-cancer compounds that decrease the hormones that influence progression of breast cancer.  Sulforaphane is another compound found in cruciferous vegetables that assists the liver’s ability to rid the body of toxic compounds.  Cruciferous vegetables are: arugula, beet greens, bok choy, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, horseradish, kale, kohlrabi, mustard greens, radishes, rutabaga, swiss chard, turnips, turnip greens, and watercress.

What do all the different colors in foods mean? 

 Yellow, orange, and bright red foods contain carotenoids, which are exceptional fighters against free radicals generated from stress, pollutions and chemicals.  Foods of these colors are also anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, brain and cell protectors.

Green foods contain sulfur compounds, isthiocyanates, and indols, which are high in sulfur, serve as liver protectors, inhibit cancers, and protect DNA.

Purple, blue, black and magenta foods contain phenolic compounds that are natural antibotics, anti-ulcer and anti-inflammatory agents.  The flavonoids are a heart protector and protect against causes of aging and disease.

Tan and brown foods contain phytosterols, phytoestrogens and fiber, which are powerful anti-cancer agents, help reduce cholesterol, and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.