Are You Hooked on America’s Deadly Diet? Heal Your Body with These Life-Saving Foods

AHA Publisher — Fri, 09 Sep 2022 07:00:59 +0000

Lorie Johnson via CBN News – The pandemic consumed most health news for two years, but underneath it all there’s been a deeper issue – a majority of the fatalities and serious cases involved patients with significant underlying health problems. Medical issues like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity were already a serious health risk for millions of Americans, and the outbreak only made matters worse. Even before COVID, scientists were pointing out that the Standard American Diet (SAD) causes even more deaths than smoking. This diet largely consists of ultra-processed foods loaded with chemicals, added sugars, and industrial oils. A growing number of doctors and other health experts recommend replacing the SAD diet with one that’s full of whole, plant-based foods. Whole foods are ones that are as close to their original state as possible, and plant-based foods, as the name suggests, are those that grew out of the ground. A Grandmother’s Testimony As a young boy, Michael Greger saw how food can be medicine. When doctors couldn’t treat his 65-year-old grandmother’s heart disease, they sent her home to die. However, at that time she started eating a plant-based diet, reversed her heart disease, and lived to the ripe old age of 96! Astounded by what he saw in his grandmother’s life, Michael decided to help others achieve the same results. Now as a physician, Dr. Greger offers free nutrition advice, including hundreds of healthy recipes on his non-profit website, nutritionfacts.org. Dr. Greger points to an increasing number of scientific studies showing a plant-based diet proves to be the healthiest of all diets for people like his grandmother who deal with heart problems. “Not only can heart disease be prevented and arrested with a plant-based diet,” he told CBN News, “It’s the only diet ever proven to reverse heart disease in the majority of patients, opening up arteries without drugs, without surgery.” Every Small Change Can Make a Difference Every 37 seconds someone in America dies from heart disease. Cardiologists like Dr. Deepak Talreja urge their patients to switch to a whole-food, plant-based diet before it’s too late. For some patients, particularly those who’ve been eating processed foods for many years, they’re encouraged to do the best they can. “We try to push people towards as optimal a diet as they can really stick with,” Dr. Talreja told CBN News. In short, he tells them to eat as many plants and as few animals as possible. He also recommends eating foods as close to their natural state as possible. For example, instead of highly processed breakfast cereal, Dr. Talreja recommends whole-grain oatmeal. He says every small change can make a difference. “Some people are very committed and they’ll fall into a program where they do 100 percent the right thing,” he explained, “Some people can’t do that, but if they can do the right thing 70 or 80 percent of the time that moves them closer to where they’re either going to get more committed or at least get some benefits from that diet.” Prevents Other Causes of Death Heart disease is just one of many chronic diseases a plant-based diet has been shown to prevent or reverse. The list includes other leading causes of death including cancer, diabetes, and obesity. Case in point: Loma Linda, California, is the American city with the highest percentage of centenarians per capita. It’s also home to the highest concentration of Seventh Day Adventists, a denomination which advocates a plant-based diet. Dr. Larry Beeson, a researcher at the Loma Linda School of Public Health, analyzed over 50 years of studies done by himself and others. “Adventists have approximately the same proportion of people who die of cancer, heart disease or stroke,” he told CBN News, “But the age that they get diagnosed is much later.” Beeson said within the Seventh Day Adventist community, people follow various plant-based diets, but noted the ones who ate more plants and fewer animal products lived longer, healthier lives in general. Different Plant-Based Diets Here are the four major plant-based diets. 1. Vegan: 100% plant food. No animal products whatsoever 2. Vegetarian: Mostly plants but some eggs and dairy foods 3. Pescatarian: Mostly plants but some eggs, dairy and seafood 4. Flexitarian: Mostly plants but some eggs, dairy, seafood, poultry, and meat For the last 15 years, dietician Julieanna Hever has been teaching people how to switch to a more plant-based diet, which she says can reverse Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure, and more. “It reduces obesity and extra weight,” she said. “It reduces medication requirements. I love to say decreasing your medication results are normal. My clients get off their medications.” In her cookbook, The Healthspan Solution, she offers recipes and tips for newcomers to this lifestyle, adding there’s a bit of a learning curve. “I liken it to learning a new language,” she said, “Anything, when you’re transitioning to something major, like the way you’ve eaten your whole life, you just have to learn a few new words, a few new ingredients, tie them together in sentences and paragraphs and some recipes and then if you keep doing it over and over again you become fluent.” Hooked for Life Dr. Greger says if he can get his patients to try a plant-based diet for three weeks, they’re usually hooked for life. “They’re going to sleep so much better, their digestion’s better, their periods {are} less painful, they have more energy,” he said, “In fact, some people say ‘Oh, I felt fine, Doc,’ but then they didn’t realize they had chronic indigestion. They just thought it was normal to feel like this after a meal. But no, you don’t know how good you’re going to feel until you give it a try.” Dr. Greger tells his patients to consume the following plant-based foods each day: 3 Servings of Beans (such as hummus, lentils or tofu) 1 Serving of Berries 3 Servings of Other Fruit 1 Serving of Cruciferous Vegetables (such as broccoli, cauliflower or Brussels sprouts) 2 Servings of Greens (such as kale, romaine or collards) 2 Servings of Other Vegetables (such as mushrooms) 1 Tablespoon of Ground Flaxseed 1 Serving of Nuts 1/4 Teaspoon of Turmeric 3 Servings of Whole Grains (such as 100% whole grain bread, oatmeal or pasta) ***** HEALTHY RECIPES ***** Recipe for Pat Robertson’s Minestrone Soup: Ingredients: 1 can (14.5 oz.) chicken broth, low sodium, NO MSG 1 can (approx. 15 oz.) chickpeas, drained 2 cans (15 oz. each) diced tomatoes 1 can (11-15 oz.) corn, drained 2 large red potatoes (with skins), diced 1 zucchini, diced 1 large onion, diced 3 large stalks celery, diced 1 package (10 oz.) frozen spinach 2 cups chopped kale 2 cups chopped cabbage (outer leaves preferred) Half a 16-oz. package frozen peas 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Worcestershire sauce, sea salt, and pepper to taste Directions: Place all ingredients into a large pot and mix well. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for four or five hours, adding a small amount of water as needed. For a hearty meal, serve with your favorite whole-grain bread. Leftover soup can be kept in the refrigerator for up to three days. Use it as a quick heat-and-eat meal or savory first course. • Optional: For extra spice, try one can of regular chopped or diced tomatoes and one can (10 oz.) of diced tomatoes with green chiles Recipe for Butternut Squash, Ginger, Turmeric Soup Courtesy of Elizabeth Lindemann Ingredients: 1 large butternut squash cooked (see notes) 2 tablespoons fresh ginger peeled and chopped 1 onion diced 1 tablespoon coconut oil or olive oil, or butter 2 cups chicken stock/broth or vegetable broth, for vegetarian/vegan 15 oz. canned coconut milk kosher salt to taste black pepper to taste 1 teaspoon ground turmeric roasted squash or pumpkin seeds and fresh cilantro for serving (optional) Directions: In a large pot, sauté the ginger (2 tablespoons) and diced onion in oil (1 tablespoon) over medium heat until softened (about 3 minutes). Add the stock (2 cups), bring to a boil. Add the cooked butternut squash. Stir in the can of coconut milk. Season with salt, pepper, and turmeric (1 teaspoon). Use an immersion blender to blend to a smooth puree (alternatively, you can use a standing blender in batches). Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve topped with roasted seeds and/or fresh cilantro, if desired. Notes: To cook the butternut squash, place it whole in your slow cooker for 3 hours on high or 6 hours on low. Remove, let cool, halve, deseed, and remove flesh from the peel. Or, purchase about 4 ½ cups cubed, raw squash and roast on an oiled pan in your oven at 425 degrees for 25 minutes or until fork-tender. To read the original article click here.

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Study Reveals New Spices That Reduce Inflammation

AHA Publisher — Mon, 15 Jun 2020 07:00:07 +0000

Lori Clarkson via NaturalHealth365 – Move over turmeric lattes, a study at Penn State has revealed a specific blend of spices that will also reduce inflammation. The research was published in the Journal of Nutrition. They experimented with a mix of spices and the effect they have on inflammation in the human body. The results were astonishing. Without changing the participant’s diet, a specific mix of 13 spices showed a significant reduction in inflammation markers. The subjects continued to eat foods high in saturated fats and carbohydrates with positive results. Massive Reductions in Inflammation Markers in Overweight Participants Researchers studied overweight men between the ages of 40 and 65 with at least one cardiovascular issue. They separated the participants into three groups, one group had no spices added to their meal, another had two grams of spices added to their meals, and the final group had six grams of spices added to their meals. Six grams is as small as one teaspoon. The Penn State researchers tested the results by taking blood samples. They cultured the white blood cells and stimulated them to incite an inflammatory response. There was a reduction in inflammatory cytokines in the group with six grams of spices added to their meals. While eating a whole food diet without processed carbohydrates and (toxic) saturated fats can seem like a logical choice to reduce inflammation – the researchers didn’t change the participant’s diet at all. The meals provided were high in carbohydrates and high in saturated fats. The researchers were aware that those with a poor diet who are prone to obesity also have higher levels of inflammation. However, research has not revealed whether these acute inflammatory spikes brought on by poor diet choices contribute to chronic inflammation, yet. There is one thing from this study that is clear. Without changing anything else, adding a variety of spices to your diet doesn’t just taste good, but it will help to reduce the risk of inflammation too. This Is the Specific Spice Mix That the Researchers Used The lead researcher, Connie Rogers, stated, “Ultimately the gold standard would be to get people eating more healthfully and to lose weight and exercise, but those behavioral changes are difficult and take time.” They haven’t discovered which specific spice had the most significant impact of reducing inflammatory markers, but they did share the mix of spices that produced this astonishing result. The spice mix was; basil, black pepper, bay leaf, cinnamon, parsley, red pepper, rosemary, cumin, oregano, ginger, turmeric, parsley, and thyme. While turmeric and ginger are well known for their ability to reduce inflammation, it’s reassuring to see the other herbs and spices on the list for those who prefer the taste of the other spices on the list. It’s clear that these spices contribute to remarkable changes in those of the poorest health. To further validate these results, the researchers anticipate continuing this research with a broader population, and separating the spices to see which ones are the most effective. We, at NaturalHealth365, will keep our eyes peeled for more exciting advances in this field. More Natural Ways to Reduce Inflammation Adding spice blends to your diet is an effective way to reduce inflammation. While most will agree that spices will make a meal tastier, they’re not for everyone. If the known anti-inflammatory spices don’t tempt your palate, try these tips today. Reduce negative emotions. Negative emotions are also a known contributor to inflammation. A good diet, exercise, and stress-reduction activities such as meditation can help you manage your mood. Increase your vitamin C intake. Vitamin C is also a known natural remedy to “calm the fire” from within. In addition, increase your intake of citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and peppers. This study chose to undertake an extensive experiment on inflammation in individuals with poor health. By adding spices to your diet, managing your emotions, and increasing your antioxidant intake, you can make a remarkable impact on your health today. Sources for this article include: Sciencedaily.com, Healthline.com, News.psu.edu To read the original article click here.

The post Study Reveals New Spices That Reduce Inflammation appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.

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Are You Hooked on America’s Deadly Diet? Heal Your Body with These Life-Saving Foods

Study Reveals New Spices That Reduce Inflammation