Autumn and Healthy Live Style

Autumn gardens, local farms and markets offer you wealthy dishes of colourful fruits and vegetables for your table. These seasonal fruits and vegetables provide the daily vitamins, minerals, proteins, essential carbohydrates and fibres for your healthy diet. Eating seasonal field grown local products is sustainable, environment friendly, supports the local economy without any transport and with less carbon footprint.

These colourful fruits and vegetables contain essential phytonutrients, compounds may help prevent diseases and keep your body working properly.

They have beneficial effects working with other essential nutrients to promote good health.

•       Stop viruses adhering to cells walls.

•       Antioxidant

•       Stimulate or suppress enzymes

•       Stops abnormal DNA replication

Yellow vegetables such as sweet potatoes, carrots, and pumpkins all contain the phytochemical; beta carotene. Beta carotene is a powerful antioxidant that reduces the risk of cancer and heart disease. In addition, it helps maintain good eyesight and helps your body fight colds and flu by enhancing your immune system.

Purple vegetables and fruits; blueberries, plums, purple grapes, red onion and red cabbage contain disease-fighting phytochemicals, including anthocyanins and phenolics. Anthocyanins  are found in berries, dried plums (prunes), and raisins. These powerful antioxidants help reduce the risk of diseases including cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer's, and may even slow down the aging process.

White vegetables from the onion family, which include garlic, leeks, and any variety of onions, share a group of phytochemicals that are very important to good health. The most common member of this phytochemical group is allicin, with antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, which may help lower cholesterol and blood pressure and increase the body's ability to fight infections. 

Deep red or bright pink fruits and vegetables should be eaten every day. They contain phytochemicals, such as lycopene and anthocyanins. Phytochemicals, substances found only in plants, help your body fight disease and promote good health. Lycopene helps reduce the risk of several types of cancer, defends against heart disease and urinary track infection. Anthocyanins reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and improve the memory.

Green autumn vegetables cabbage, savoy cabbage and Brussels sprouts contain phytochemicals, which provide antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. Broccoli also contains antioxidants. Researchers identified 45 different flavonoids in kale. Green leafy vegetables lower the risk of cancer and increase the strength of bones and teeth.

So you are provided with these beautiful and healthy goods, so it is your turn to serve tasty dishes on your table. Do not forget 75% of your healthy diet should be raw; prepare salad or smoothie.  Your other options are; steam and roast these bright vegetables.

Being in the beautiful, colourful autumn nature, breathing the fresh air help to maintain an emotional well-being. Outdoor activities rejuvenate people. Your body is able to absorb the sunlight, which generates vitamin D.  Vitamin D is necessary for brain, bones, muscle and cognitive functions. Physical exercise gets the blood moving, the brain stimulated, and the heart going all of which are good for your cognitive functions. Walking is the best form of physical exercise for all age groups. It also gives an opportunity to meet other people.

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The Truth Behind Genetically Modified Fruits and Vegetables

By Jerry Greenfield

Genetically modified foods, or GM foods, are any kind of food that has purposely had specific changes made to its DNA. These changes have been made by humans and are not brought about by natural mutations over time.

Organisms, including the fruits and vegetables that we eat everyday, change over time, naturally, through mutations caused by new chemicals, radiation, and other factors introduced to their environments. Typically, these natural changes are beneficial to the organism and make them more likely to survive and thrive in their environment.

GM foods, however, have been forced to change, unnaturally, by factors introduced to them through human interaction. With GM foods, certain genes in the organisms make-up are purposely removed or introduced to the organism's DNA. This is certainly not natural selection, and it is most certainly a questionable practice.

The theory and reasoning behind GM foods is such: If humans can manipulate nature, and produce foods that are "better" for us, then the end result will surpass the questionable means and we (humans) can benefit from these "better" foods.

The major problem is, these foods are not better for us. In fact, many studies have shown that GM foods are less nutritious and can actually be harmful to humans and other animals. Lab rats, fed GM foods, were shown to develop lesions in their stomachs and other intestinal problems. GM foods have also been shown to cause liver, kidney, and heart damage in mammals.

In addition to the physical side effects caused by GM foods, the fruits and vegetables themselves lack the nutrients you find in naturally grown foods. Some of these include calcium, iron, phosphorus, and vitamin C. Studies have shown a steady decrease in these nutrients, along with many others, over the last 2 decades. What is the point of eating fruits and vegetables if you're not getting any of the nutrients normally derived from these plants?!

Now, I understand that test results can be skewed, there can by ulterior motives by scientists, people see the results they want to see, and so on, but here's a good question: When is the last time you heard of natural, organic foods causing issues like this in humans and other animals? How about never?

I also understand the argument that GM foods grow quicker, are hardier, produce more crop, and can be controlled more easily by humans. The draw to this is that more people can be fed, quicker, and world hunger can be dealt with more efficiently. However, these foods being produced are not healthy. We are feeding 3rd World Country populations with foods that have terrible long-term effects. A full belly today can result in health issues down the line--shortly down the line.

Yes, having foods that grower faster, produce a larger yield, and can be grown less expensively (less fertilizer, water, pesticides, etc.) is a tempting thought, but there are better, healthier ways to produce good foods. It may take longer, it may involve more money and energy in the beginning, but we owe it to ourselves and our fellow humans to find means to produce good, healthy foods. There is no benefit in producing faster, larger crops of fruits and vegetables if the produce has half the nutritional value and can cause unhealthy side effects.

I am a huge proponent of growing your own fruits and vegetables at home. I completely understand though that not all of us are fortunate enough to have the time, space, or energy to do this. If you're not able to grow your own foods, please, I beg you, buy organic when you go to the grocery store. It may be a little more expensive, but the extra money you are spending is paying for all the vitamins and minerals that you would be missing-out on if you buy GM foods.

Take the time to do some research and read-up on genetically modified foods, including livestock, not just produce. Make it a well-rounded study--don't just look at facts that support one side. An intelligent debater knows and understands both sides of an argument. I encourage you to educate yourself on the subject. I think you'll find, if you do, that it will be apparent to you that GM foods are NOT the way to go!

http://www.growlikecrazy.com/

My number one focus is growing my own food. I don't think that really counts as a hobby. For some people it is, but for me, growing my own fruits and vegetables and saving my own seed is the key to survival. The only person you can count on is yourself, if you ask me. The government is trying to "help" us all with GMOs and welfare, but it's all a crock. We need to know how to survive on our own.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Jerry_Greenfield/523054

 http://ezinearticles.com/expert/Jerry_Greenfield/523054

Avocado is a super food

By Ms H   Judit Hadnagy

Avocado fruit protects your cardiovascular health, reduces inflammation from arthritis, and rejuvenates your skin and hair.

70% of the total antioxidant content of the fruit is found in the seed.  The conclusion is that the seed of avocado, which is usually thrown away, is more nutritious than the fruit’s flesh. You should start eating avocado seeds and skin.

The health benefits of avocado seeds are the followings:

• ·      Destroys cancer cells; flavonol a phytochemical can reduce the growth of tumor.
• ·      Improves heart health and blood circulation: catechins and procyandins make progress in heart health and blood circulation.
• ·      Good for the digestion: antioxidants and fibre content of the seeds are beneficial for the digestive system.
• ·      Reduces inflammation; antioxidants such as catechins and procyandins have their anti-inflammatory effect  
• ·      Rejuvenates skin; antioxidants in the seed can rebuild collagen and repair cell damaged by free radicals.

The easiest way to get the health benefits of avocado seeds is to add them to a smoothie.  You can cut the separated avocado seed with a sharp knife into small pieces then add to the smoothie.

 

Recipe of a smoothie

1	Avocado flesh
1	Avocado seed cut
1	Avocado skin
1	Beetroot cut
2	Carrots
1	Apple cut
4  tbsp	Full fat Greek yoghurt
	Water up to you taste