Tag Archives: lower cholesterol

N is for Nopals for Nice SkiN

Posted on November 16, 2011 | Leave a comment

Nopals for Natural Beauty

Nopals, a member of the Mexican cactus family, has been shown to help natural health in many ways – lowering cholesterol, reducing the incidence of diabetes by regulating blood sugar levels, preventing atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), and contributing to overall nutrition because it is filled with vitamins A, B1, 2, 3, C;  as well as minerals like calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, and iron.  As if that weren’t enough to make you rush out into the desert (or your local grocery store), nopal is a powerhouse of fiber which aids digestion, helps with detoxification, and assists in weight loss!  WOW!

Nopal also does wonders for the skin and for your natural beauty.  Nopal flowers and leaves (pads) are applied topically to treat skin conditions such as burns, scrape, rashes, bites and sunburn. A solution can be made out of the nopal flowers which has an astringent action, meaning it shrinks and tightens the top layers of skin, thereby helping to reduce irritation and secretions, and tightening up the pores. The leaves, like those of the aloe vera plant,  may be split open and the cut side may be rubbed over irritated skin. Not only does the juice have an astringent action, similar to the leaf solution, it is sticky and mucilaginous (gooey) , so it seals and protects the broken skin.

Cosmetic companies are taking notice of how beneficial these common cactuses can be to the skin and are producing whole lines of products incorporating not only nopal, but also their Mexican relatives, aloe vera.  These products are great for their anti-aging benefits, as the astringency tightens and firms the face and reduces the appearance of wrinkles, and the gooey inside mucilaginous lotion is a wonderful moisturizer!

See Previous Posts:  N is for Nopal – Native Medicine for Diabetes.

 

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Posted in Anti-aging, Diet, natural beauty, Spas & Spa Products

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Q is for Quinoa – My Favorite Grain

Posted on June 14, 2011 | Leave a comment

Quinoa for Natural Health

Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) is one of the best tasting and most nutritious whole grains available – run out right now and get some!  Quinoa has been around for thousands of years and was a staple food for the Incas in the Andes.  It’s actually a seed rather than a grain, but so what – it’s delicious and it’s good for you too.

Quinoa is extremely high in protein and contains a lot of calcium, iron, Vitamins E and Bs.  It’s a complete protein that contains all eight of the essential amino acids one needs to form protein – making it especially good for vegetarian or vegan diets.

I’ve talked many times about whole grains and how beneficial they are to one’s diet.  The high amounts of dietary fiber lower blood pressure and bad cholesterol, making them a great way to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.  And eating more fiber also lowers your risk of certain cancers, and quinoa should be incorporated into the diet of postmenopausal women, as it has been linked to a reduction in the incidence of breast cancer.

And have I mentioned it’s delicious too.  Stay tuned for quinoa recipes!

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Posted in Diet, Natural Health

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J is for Joyful Jumping – 20 Reasons to Just Do It!

Posted on April 26, 2011 | Leave a comment
  1.  It increases breathing capacity
  2. It circulates more oxygen throughout the body.
  3. It helps to decrease depression.
  4. It helps regulate blood pressure.
  5. It helps prevent heart disease.
  6. It increases the production of red blood cells.
  7. It improves lymphatic circulation and increases blood flow in the veins.
  8. It helps to lower elevated bad cholesterol and triglycerides.
  9. It stimulates the metabolism which can aid in weight loss
  10. It stimulates the glands, especially the thyroid, which can also aid in weight loss.
  11. It improves coordination of the whole body.
  12. It improves muscle tone.
  13. It offers relief from neck and lower back pain, headaches and other pains caused by a sedentary lifestyle.
  14. It aids in digestion and stimulates the elimination process.
  15. It promotes relaxation and improves the quality of sleep.
  16. It improves mental performance and sharpens the learning process.
  17. It helps to reduce fatigue and menstrual discomfort for women.
  18. It improves the immune system and decreases the number of colds and allergies, and digestive and abdominal problems.
  19. It has great anti-aging benefits.

And Last But Not Least – #20 – It’s fun so you’ll do it and do it again and again!

See Previous Post:  J is for Jump for Joy!

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Posted in Anti-aging, Healthy Senior Women, Mind-Body-Spirit

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I is for Iceberg Lettuce – I’d pass on It

Posted on April 23, 2011 | 1 Comment
Iceberg – I’d pass

I remember the 50s and the 60s when it was really chic to eat a wedge of iceberg lettuce with some Thousand Island Dressing (ketchup and mayonnaise).  It was so righteous to be eating any kind of salad at that time, so this was considered a really healthy way to start a meal.

 
And now, here it is the 21st century, and we have learned so much about what is healthy and what foods we should avoid.  And now what is one of the most popular salad items on many menus (even those purporting to be “healthy eating”)??? The Wedge – with Thousand Island Dressing!
 
It’s not that iceberg lettuce is bad for you – it’s just that we have so many other choices for leafy greens that are actually good for you!  Just look at the color differences – iceberg lettuce is almost white, other greens have deep rich greens and reds making them full of life-enhancing antioxidants and carotenoids that boost your immune system and protect against free radicals.
 
Dark leafy greens like kale or collards or spinach are packed full of fiber that helps lower cholesterol and aid in smooth digestion and elimination.  Iceberg lettuce essentially is water and no fiber – while the water may be a boon to your system – why eat something that is just crunchy water without nutrients or fiber?
 
Having natural health and living to be healthy senior women (or young naturally beautiful women) means making the best possible choice available and today we have so many different types of lettuces besides iceberg – so choose what’s best for your natural health always!
 
See Previous Post:  F is for Fiber – The Facts for Fabulous Natural Health
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Posted in Diet, Healthy Senior Women, Natural Health

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G is for Garlic – a Golden Globe

Posted on April 5, 2011 | 1 Comment

 

 

Garlic - a Golden Globe

Garlic has been around for a very long time and there’s a lot of good reasons.  Of course, we all know that garlic can make almost any food taste good and that should be reason enough to keep it around.  But nature has a funny way of doing things and while you may be repelled by the smell of garlic, hold your nose and see what nature has put inside this “stinking rose.”

The active component in garlic is the sulfur compound called allicin, the Super Hero, which has been shown to be able to destroy a wide range of bacterial species, wipe out fungal infections, boost an under active immune system, reduce cholesterol and blood pressure levels, prevent viral infections, kill off parasites, remove protozoan organisms,  prevent the release of histamine, and even prevent mosquitoes from attacking.

Allicin is only active when garlic is crushed or cut or otherwise mutilated in some way.

Are you running out to get some garlic now?  No – wait there’s more!

Garlic is known to stimulate T-lymphocyte and macrophage action, promote interleukin-1 levels, and support natural killer cells.   Other studies have linked this member of the onion family with lowering cholesterol levels, as well as providing anti-clotting activity and reductions in blood pressure.

Go to the store right now and get some garlic – I’ll be back with G is for Garlic – Great on your Face!

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Posted in Diet, Healthy Senior Women, Natural Health

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