Healthy Facts on This Week's Share..and News!

Hi everyone,

I have not posted for a few weeks, I know. But it is for very good reasons! Mainly, finishing up school and starting my newest venture – I am going to be a Pilates instructor! But it was too bad that I missed the last few weeks since there were a lot of really good veggies like swiss chard, cabbage, and beets! I hope that these will come up again this season so we can talk about them then. The best news? I am now a certified holistic health counselor who is ready to go out and help make the world a healthier place one day at a time. Know anyone who wants some help in this area? Send them my way!

Red Beets

First - don’t throw away the greens! They contain a large amount of nutrients and have strong cleansing properties. I hesitantly say that the greens aren’t something that should be eaten everyday due to the high level of oxalic acid, which can take the calcium straight from your bones. The United States has the highest rate of osteoporosis and so we definitely don't want to do anything to heighten our risk. So just don’t eat beet greens everyday for the rest of your life, DO eat them when you get the chance.

Red Beets get their color from Betacyanin, which contains powerful antioxidants.

Antioxidants = cancer prevention, don’t forget that.

Beets have been used for medicinal purposes since ancient times and it is clear why. Some people say beets are magical(that would be me saying that). They are used for so many things: as a laxative, to fight bad breath, cleanse the body and clear up coughs and headaches…and even as an aphrodisiac. They could even help your mental health. Beets are a good source of betaine, which is a mood modifier because it produces relaxation effects and is used to treat depression. Betaine affects the serotonin, which affects mood and appetite. Hmmm, anyone see a food-mood connection here?

Cucumbers

Cucumbers are my favorite veggie to juice. They are so mild because they are mostly water, but still full of helpful things. But don’t peel them because most of the fiber and minerals are in the outer skin. The inner flesh is good, too. This is where the silica lives. Silica is a mineral that aids bone and connective tissue growth and development and enhances the bodies use of calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium and boron. You are born with a certain amount of silica, which slowly dissipates as you age. Silica is a critical element for our bodies, but is not as recognized like it should. There are a ton of things it does for your body, too many for me to get into today. But, I will say that it is one of the most important building blocks for your body's structure, so lets give Silica some props and eat some cucumbers!

Green Onions

Green onions are kinda like baby onions that aren’t full grown, but have already developed a nutritional name of their own. Their benefits are pretty much a cross breed of greens and onions. In one cup, you will get about a third of your daily Vitamin C and about a quarter of the Vitamin A that you body needs. Both good vitamins for your immune system and cell growth. Green onions are also good for Vitamin K and Folate. Folate is essential during rapid cell growth, such as pregnancy, and can help prevent anemia. Many processed foods are enriched with folate (think white flour), but it is always best to get things in their natural forms.

Alternative medicine uses green onions to normalize blood pressure, promote sweat, prevent diarrhea, increase blood circulation, increase appetite, and many more. Colon cancer prevention is probably what it is best known for in the alternative therapy world. There are a few different ways that green onions are used to heal. You can make a hot compress, grind it into a paste, or even put it in a bag near your bed if you cannot sleep!

A guy I used to know once told me to try a green onion, butter and salt sandwich. Not sure if he thought I had diarrhea or my blood wasn't moving fast enough or what, but it definitely gave me heart burn…I don’t recommend it, but I will put some next to my bed next time I can't sleep!