Week #8 Healthy Facts

Today I think that we will look at two of Italy's favorite crops: tomatoes and basil.

Tomatoes

Ah, it is tomato season, isn't it! Well, lycopene makes them red and lycopene is a what? An antioxidant! And antioxidants do what? Did someone say fight cancer and other diseases, including heart disease? YES! And that great tomato sauce that you put on your whole wheat pasta is going to help your body even more because cooking concentrates the lycopene and makes it easier for your body to break down. Lycopene is absorbed better with fats, so be sure to top off your pasta with a little olive oil.

Vegetables and fruits have complex biodynamic structures that contain so many minerals, nutrients and vitamins that work harmoniously together and many times we don't even know why their benefits are so great. That is why it is so important to eat a diet of whole foods and not just take supplements. Tomatoes and broccoli are a good example of this. Studies have shown that when eaten together daily, tomatoes and broccoli can shrink prostate tumors by up to 52%. This is higher than any prescription drug by far! Both tomatoes and broccoli eaten alone were also helpful, but not as much. Green tea and tomatoes together also had a similar effect in other studies.

Tomatoes are often thought of as a highly acidic food, when in reality they're pH level is higher (less acidic) than most fruits, which tomatoes are technically considered. In Macrobiotics tomatoes are considered non-acid forming foods and even used to lower highly acidic blood levels. The riper the tomato the less acidic it will be and the more Vitamin C it will contain.

Tomato juice can help with morning sickness (add a little salt and pepper), diarrhea, eczema, anemia (when mixed with apple juice...ewww), and even sores in your mouth if you gargle with it. The pulp can help alleviate a variety of skin ailments including wounds, sun burn, acne scars, even dark eye circles. It's the Vitamin A and C and the antioxidants that rejuvenate dead skin cells.


Basil

Basil gets it's name from the Greek word basileus, which means king and in summer, basil is definitely king! The health benefits come from the volatile oils and flavenoids it contains. The volatile oils have a strong antibacterial effect. Several studies have shown that the volatile oils found in basil work together to suppress the growth of some very common bacteria that has become resistant to antibiotics. Basil acts ike aspirin by blocking enzymes that cause inflammation and therfore reducing inflammation, which is often the root cause of most illnesses. The flavenoids protect your body's cells.


Basil doesn't stay fresh too long. But, that does not mean it should go to waste. Here are some suggestions for other uses.

• Ease mouth aches - swish mouth with basil tea or apply a basil leaf directly to a sore in the mouth
• Burn leaves to repel mosquitoes and flies
• Ease skin issues like eczema, rashes and ringworm - put a handful of leaves in a hot bath and relax
• Aromatherapy - Use as potpourri for stress relief
• Digestion - Add to freshly squeezed juice for improved digestion
• Improve the memory - grind a handful of basil leaves with almond, honey and pepper YUM ;)
• Sleep aid - make into a tea and drink before bed