Sunday, December 6, 2009

Food That Helps Your Body


MUSHROOM – EAR
Slice a mushroom in half and it resembles the shape of the human ear.And guess what? Adding it to your cooking could actually improve your hearing.That’s because mushrooms are one of the few foods in our diet that contain vitamin D.This particular vitamin is important for healthy bones, even the tiny ones in the ear that transmit sound to the brain.


BANANA (SMILE) – DEPRESSION

Cheer yourself up and put a smile on your face by eating a banana.The popular fruit contains a protein called tryptophan.Once it has been digested, tryptophan then gets converted in a chemical neurotransmitter called serotonin.This is one of the most important mood-regulating chemicals in the brain and most anti-depressant drugs work by adjusting levels of serotonin production.Higher levels are associated with better moods.





BROCCOLI – CANCER

Close-up, the tiny green tips on a broccoli head look like hundreds of cancer cells.Now scientists know this disease-busting veg can play a crucial role in preventing the disease.Last year, a team of researchers at the US National Cancer Institute found just a weekly serving of broccoli was enough to reduce the risk of prostate cancer by 45 per cent.In Britain , prostate cancer kills one man every hour



GINGER – STOMACH

Root ginger, commonly sold in supermarkets, often looks just like the stomach.So it’s interesting that one of its biggest benefits is aiding digestion.The Chinese have been using it for over 2,000 years to calm the stomach and cure nausea, while it is also a popular remedy for motion sickness.But the benefits could go much further.Tests on mice at the University of Minnesota found injecting the chemical that gives ginger its flavour slowed down the growth rate of bowel tumours



CHEESE – BONES

A nice ‘holey’ cheese, like Emmenthal, is not just good for your bones, it even resembles their internal structure.And like most cheeses, it is a rich source of calcium, a vital ingredient for strong bones and reducing the risk of osteoporosis later in life.Together with another mineral called phosphate, it provides the main strength in bones but also helps to ‘power’ muscles.Getting enough calcium in the diet during childhood is crucial for strong bones.A study at Columbia University in New York showed teens who increased calcium intake from 800mg a day to 1200mg – equal to an extra two slices of cheddar - boosted their bone density by six per cent.


BEANSPROUTS – SPERM

The stir-fry favourite bears an uncanny resemblance to the images we see of ‘swimming’ sperm trying to fertilise an egg. And research from the US suggests they could play an important part in boosting male fertility.A study at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio showed that to make healthy sperm in large quantities, the body needs a good supply of vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that protects cells against damage by harmful molecules called free radicals.Just half a cup of bean sprouts provides 16 per cent of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C for a man.It’s not just dad but baby too who could benefit.Bean sprouts are packed with folate, a vitamin that prevents neural tube defects, where the baby is born with a damaged brain or spine.



GRAPES – LUNGS

OUR lungs are made up of branches of ever-smaller airways that finish up with tiny bunches of tissue called alveoli.These structures, which resemble bunches of grapes, allow oxygen to pass from the lungs to the blood stream.One reason that very premature
babies struggle to survive is that these alveoli do not begin to form until week 23 or 24 of pregnancy.A diet high in fresh fruit, such as grapes, has been shown to reduce the risk of lung cancer and emphysema.Grape seeds also contain a chemical called proanthocyanidin, which appears to reduce the severity of asthma triggered by allergy.


TOMATO – HEART

A TOMATO is red and usually has four chambers, just like our heart.Tomatoes are also a great source of lycopene, a plant chemical that reduces the risk of heart disease and several cancers.The Women’s Health Study — an American research programme which tracks the health of 40,000 women — found women with the highest blood levels of lycopene had 30 per cent less heart disease than women who had very little lycopene.Lab experiments have also shown that lycopene helps counter the effect of unhealthy LDL cholesterol.One Canadian study, published in the journal Experimental Biology and Medicine, said there was “convincing evidence’ that lycopene prevented coronary heart disease.



WALNUT – BRAIN

THE gnarled folds of a walnut mimic the appearance of a human brain - and provide a clue to the benefits.Walnuts are the only nuts which contain significant amounts of omega-3 fatty acids.They may also help head off dementia. An American study found that walnut extract broke down the protein-based plaques associated with Alzheimer’s disease.Researchers at Tufts University in Boston found walnuts reversed some signs of brain ageing in rats

101 Amazing Ways to Reduce STRESS

2. Prepare for the morning the night before
3. Avoid tight fitting clothes
4. Avoid relying on chemical aids
5. Set appointments ahead
6. Don't rely on your memory ... Write it down
7. Practice preventive maintenance
8. Make duplicate keys
9. Say "no" more often
10.Set priorities in your life
11. Avoid negative people
12. Use time wisely
13. Simplify meal times
14. Always make copies of important papers
15. Anticipate your needs
16. Repair anything that doesn't work properly
17. Ask for help with the jobs you dislike
18. Break large tasks into bite size portions
19. Look at problems as challenges
20. Look at challenges differently
21. Unclutter your life
22. Smile
23. Be prepared for rain
24. Tickle a baby
25. Pet a friendly dog/cat
26. Don't know all the answers
27. Look for a silver lining
28. Say something nice to someone
29. Teach a kid to fly a kite
30. Walk in the rain
31. Schedule play time into every day
32. Take a bubble bath
33. Be aware of the decisions you make
34. Believe in yourself
35. Stop saying negative things to yourself
36. Visualize yourself winning
37. Develop your sense of humor
38. Stop thinking tomorrow will be a better today
39. Have goals for yourself
40. Dance a jig
41. Say "hello" to a stranger
42. Ask a friend for a hug
43. Look up at the stars
44. Practice breathing slowly
45. Learn to whistle a tune
46. Read a poem
47. Listen to a symphony
48. Watch a ballet
49. Read a story curled up in bed
50. Do a brand new thing
51. Stop a bad habit
52. Buy yourself a flower
53. Take time to small the flowers
54. Find support from others
55. Ask someone to be your "vent-partner"
56. Do it today
57. Work at being cheerful and optimistic
58. Put safety first
59. Do everything in moderation
60. Pay attention to your appearance
61. Strive for Excellence NOT perfection
62. Stretch your limits a little each day
63. Look at a work of art
64. Hum a jingle
65. Maintain your weight
66. Plant a tree
67. Feed the birds
68. Practice grace under pressure
69. Stand up and stretch
70. Always have a plan "B"
71. Learn a new doodle
72. Memorize a joke
73. Be responsible for your feelings
74. Learn to meet your own needs
75. Become a better listener
76. Know your limitations and let others know them, too
77. Tell someone to have a good day in Latin
78. Throw a paper airplane
79. Exercise every day
80. Learn the words to a new song
81. Get to work early
82. Clean out one closet
83. Play patty cake with a toddler
84. Go on a picnic
85. Take a different route to work
86. Leave work early (with permission)
87. Put air freshener in your car
88. Watch a movie and eat popcorn
89. Write a note to a far away friend
90. Go to a ball game and scream
91. Cook a meal and eat it by candlelight
92. Recognize the importance of unconditional love
93. Remember that stress is an attitude
94. Keep a journal
95. Practice a monster smile
96. Remember you always have options
97. Have a support network of people, places and things
98. Quit trying to fix other people
99. Get enough sleep
100.Talk less and listen more
101.Freely praise other people
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...