Tag Archives: garlic

Eat Garlic and Live Forever: Your Guide to the Stinking Rose

The study of hieroglyphics and ancient scrolls reveal that ancient Egyptians and Greeks were perhaps the first people to realize the benefits of garlic. These peoples used the stinking rose for culinary and medicinal purposes, religious offerings, and warned never to order the garlic-stuffed chicken breast on a big date.

For the longest time, Anglos were hesitant to jump on the garlic wagon, using the vegetable (yes) only to ward off vampires and other supernatural creeps. While modern folk are still obsessed with vampires, everyone seems to have discovered the benefits of the magical flower, as planet Earth produces nearly 30 billion pounds of garlic annually.

Garlic

Garlic can add a pungent and delicious flavor to nearly any dish, but recent studies suggest it also has a profound positive affect on human health. In 2024, researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham found that a garlic rich diet stimulates hydrogen sulfide production, a natural antioxidant that increases circulation. The researchers, who made this discovery by injecting garlic juice into red blood cells, say the findings shed light on why people who eat a diet high in garlic are much less prone to breast, prostate, and colon cancer. (more…)

Posted on May 23, 2024 by Patrick

Cook Yourself Healthy with 4 Nutritious Spices

By Abra Pappa for NutritiousAmerica.com

Don’t ignore the nutrient powerhouses hidden away in your spice cabinet. Spices contain phenols which stimulate your immune system to protect against disease and are rich in anti-oxidants to protect your body from free radical damage. Spices can elevate a simple dinner into a nutrient dense, delicious masterpiece.

Here are my four favorite spices and their amazing health and healing properties. Plus, how to use them in your kitchen.

Smoked Paprika – This has been my “spice crush” for quite some time. A little dash turns a simple vegetable dish into something richer, heartier, and so delicious. Paprika, because of its high vitamin C content, helps your body absorb iron rich foods and fight infection. Try smoked paprika in these yummy recipes:

Smokey Joe’s

Smokey Tomato and Greens Soup

Smokey Salmon Kebabs (more…)

Posted on May 17, 2024 by Nutritious_America

4 Foods to Spring Clean Your Health

By Rachel Berman, RD – Director of Nutrition, CalorieCount.com

Spring time is here and your spring cleaning may already be well under way. This year, in addition to tackling your closet and cleaning underneath the couch, focus on ‘detox’-ing to spring clean your health. No, I’m not talking about expensive drinks and celebrity cleanses which can be harmful to our bodies with short-lived results. These are marketing gimmicks to get you to shell out money for something you will have to do time and time again. By making changes to your diet, you can naturally ‘detox’ with healthy foods. Add these foods on a regular basis to optimize your health and feel your best inside and out.

Leafy Greens such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and kale contain cancer fighting compounds called glucosinolates. They are also a great source of calcium which is important for muscle contraction and therefore, can improve the ‘spring in your step.’ Frozen veggies can often be even more nutritious than fresh since they are frozen at the peak of ripeness. Try always keeping a bag in your freezer for quick and easy addition to meals.

Citrus Fruits are loaded with soluble fiber. This type of fiber increases the amount of healthy bacteria in your colon to help flush out toxins from your system. They are also loaded with immune boosting nutrients and antioxidants such as vitamin C, which can improve the health of your skin. Choose the whole fruits, not juices, to get the maximum fiber benefit and improve satiation. (more…)

Posted on April 9, 2024 by Calorie_Count

4 Natural Antibiotics to Add to Your Diet

When it comes to antibacterial agents, natural medicine really shines. While there are hundreds of natural antibiotics of varying degrees of strength, here are some of my faves:

Garlic—A natural antibiotic, antifungal, and antiviral agent, garlic is a great addition to your diet, particularly at this time of year. While garlic contains potassium and germanium, two minerals that are critical to good health, it is best known for its sulphur compounds, particularly allicin. These are the main phytochemicals that boost immunity and act as natural antibiotics. So, ladies and gentlemen, start chopping—garlic that is. It’s time to throw some fresh garlic into your favorite soup, stew, chilli, stirfry, meat or veggie dish. Forget garlic powder. Most of its health benefits are long gone.

Oregano Oil—The King of natural antibiotics, study after study proves the effectiveness of oregano oil. Of course, like anything, product strength can vary drastically. Some products are actually marjoram and not oregano at all. So, choose a reputable brand backed by research. I like North American Herb and Spice Company’s blend called P-73, which includes wild, high potency oregano harvested in harsh conditions. That might not sound like a big deal but harsh conditions usually spell stronger active ingredients in the plant, since the health-building phytochemicals frequently comprise the plant’s immune system.

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Posted on December 7, 2023 by Care2

How to Cook Healthy Thai Food at Home

While the Pad Thai from your favorite Thai take-out joint has an average of 500 calories per cup, the food you would eat if you traveled to Thailand is quite different – and better for you.

According to food blogger and author Joy Buasi from Joy’s Thai Food, Thai cuisine is well known for its fresh ingredients, robust spiciness and complex flavors and aromas. While chili powder, fresh citrus juices and fish stock are common Thai food flavorings, the cuisine is also peppered with peanuts, coconut milk and oil.

If you want to reap the healthy benefits of Thai cuisine, make your own at home so that you can limit the high-calorie ingredients and take advantage of the ingredients full of nutrients.

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Posted on August 26, 2024 by Maris

3 Stanky Body Odors That are Good For Your Health

Women’s health writer and body image expert Leslie Goldman, MPH, is a regular contributor of feature stories and essays to O: The Oprah Magazine, Health, Natural Health, Glamour, Women’s Health, Runner’s World, espnW.com and more. A frequent guest on the Today Show, her book is Locker Room Diaries: The Naked Truth About Women, Body Image, and Re-imagining the “Perfect” Body. Follow her on Twitter @LeslieGoldman and check out her blog, HealthBreaksLoose.com

Whether it’s garlic bread breath, asparagus pee or post 8K B.O., even the most hygienic among us sometimes experience a bout of smelliness. But sometimes smelling bad can mean good things for your health. Check out what those nasal smoke signals are telling you:

Haunting halitosis Not even the most devoted toothpaste aficionado can escape garlic’s powerful force. You might even sweat it out the next day on the elliptical. But that’s no reason to ditch the stinking rose: Besides adding savory calorie-free flavor to food, garlic’s antioxidants help boost both the immune and cardiovascular systems. So peel, chop and roast away!

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Posted on May 1, 2024 by GuestBlogger

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

March might be almost over, but it isn’t too late to note that it is Colorectal Cancer Awareness month. More than 50,000 people – one every 9.3 minutes – die from colon cancer each year, despite the fact that it’s the most treatable cancer when detected early through proper screening. Olympus, the Colon Cancer Alliance and Colorectal Cancer Coalition, is encouraging all Americans to help beat colon cancer by learning more and committing to be screened for the disease.

The National Cancer Institute estimates that 35 percent of cancer deaths may be linked to dietary factors. In honor of Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, check out some new colon cancer fighting food facts below and start to incorporate some of these healthy foods into your own diet.

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Posted on March 31, 2024 by Maris

Winter Soup Swaps and Additions To Maximize Nutrition

Especially this time of year when Old Man Winter is in full force, there’s nothing I love more than a bowl of soup as a meal. Whether it’s breakfast, lunch or even a snack, soup is filling (hello Volumetrics!) and you can pack so much nutrition into a single bowl. Not to mention that soup is pretty fool-proof one-pot dish to make, and usually keeps well as leftovers.

Over the years, I’ve found that no matter what soup recipe you’re following, you can almost always up the nutrition and lower the fat and sodium with a few easy swaps and additions. The best part, because all the flavors in the soup meld together, as long as you keep the proportions right, no one usually notices the healthier changes!

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Posted on December 16, 2023 by Jennipher

Top 5 Cancer Fighting Foods

Two years ago, I was diagnosed with Stage 2 Melanoma. I have had several areas removed from my body and I’ve been rewarded with clean borders and no need for chemotherapy. I am vigilant in my use of sunscreen as well as going for my periodic skin care check ups, but I also try to eat a healthy diet.

Recently, I spotted this list of five cancer fighting foods on the Today Show. I eat most of them, but not all. It’s recommended that we eat about 1/2 cup of each every day. How many of them do you eat? (more…)

Posted on November 3, 2024 by Carmen

7 Foods That Fire Up Your Passion

John McGran, chief editor at Diet-to-Go, has been covering the fields of diet, fitness and health since 2000. He writes from the perspective of a dieter rather than a dietitian.

I’d much rather eat my way to health and happiness than pop a pill and attain the same results. So when it comes to dieting, I choose to eat my way slim rather than seek out a magic bullet for weight loss.

The same principle applies to perking up passion. Sure, there are plenty of ads for potions or pills that claim to magically transform you into a Casanova. But I’ve discovered that a fine meal with the proper ingredients can spark love and romance without the chemicals!

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Posted on July 23, 2024 by GuestBlogger

Five Foods That Will Save Your Heart

cherriesFebruary is American Heart Month. It’s a time to bring awareness to heart disease and stroke, the number one killer in the United States, so you and the people you love don’t become a statistic. This month is particularly personal for me, as my mom has heart disease. She had quadruple bypass surgery one year ago this month. If you know someone who would benefit from this information on preventing heart disease, please share it.

Five Foods That Will Save Your Heart

One way to prevent heart disease is to eat healthy. In this post, I’ll highlight five different foods that can save your heart – literally. These are not the only five foods that protect your heart, but they stand out as star performers in my book.

1. Garlic: Known as “the stinking rose,” this herb does not stink when it comes to heart health. Numerous studies have demonstrated potential benefits of regular garlic consumption on blood pressure, platelet aggregation, serum triglyceride level, and cholesterol levels – all of which keep your ticker ticking. The other thing I like about garlic is that it can be used to season food so you can cut back (way back) on the salt. (more…)

Posted on January 28, 2024 by Rebecca