Posts Tagged ‘inflammation’

With the arrival of warmer weather we all tend to become more active with outdoor activities and quite often tend to overdue it.  With this sudden increase of activity our bodies tend to rebel and inflammation strikes hard.  Did you know there are some common food you can eat to sooth your suffering?  Foods such as pineapple, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, onions, almonds, cherries, apples, blueberries, avocados, bell peppers, green, leafy vegetables, cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower, salmon and extra virgin olive oil and spices like ginger, garlic, curry, turmeric and cayenne pepper.  Here are a few recipes using many of these ingredients to help cool your suffering:

[From Extraordinary Health]

Avocado & Quinoa Salad; serves 2

Ingredients:

• 2 Organic avocados, cut into pieces
• 1 cup red quinoa
• 1 medium tomato, cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup diced red onion
• 2 fresh basil leaves, crushed

Dressing Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup organic extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• juice of two limes
• sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a small saucepan, bring two cups of water to boil and add rinsed quinoa.  Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until water is absorbed.  Cool and set aside.  Mix the dressing ingredients together in a small mixing bowl.  Mix all the other ingredients together in a large mixing bowl and then add cooled quinoa.  Toss with dressing.  Chill and serve.

Baby Arugula Salad with Pan-Seared Salmon; serves 2

Ingredients for the Salmon:

• 2 6-ounce wild salmon fillets
• 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 Tablespoons organic extra-virgin oil
• sea salt and ground pepper to taste

Ingredients for the salad:

• 3 cups of organic bagged baby arugula salad
• 2/3 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup red onion; thinly sliced
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
• sea salt and pepper to taste
• 1/8 cup of slivered almonds (topping)

Directions:

In a shallow bowl, mix lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper and place the salmon fillets into this mixture.  Let stand for 15 minutes, then cook the salmon fillets in a pan over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes.  Reduce the heat and cook the fillets through for about 3-4 minutes more or until done.  Meanwhile, combine the salad ingredients in a large salad bowl.  Top with cooked salmon and slivered almonds.

Yummy Chicken Stir Fry, serves 6

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin coconut oil
• 2 Chicken breasts, cut into squares
• 1 bunch of broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 baby bok choy, cut into small pieces
• 3 whole carrots, cut into thin strips
• 3 stalks celery, cut into thin strips
• 2 medium onions, sliced into thin strips
• 2 red peppers, cut into strips
• 2 yellow peppers, cut into strips
• 1 cup snow peas
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup organic extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup water
• Tamari sauce to taste

Directions:

In a pan, use a little bit of coconut oil and tamari sauce and cook the chicken strips until cooked thoroughly.  Set aside.  In a wok, add water and bring to a boil.  Add all of the vegetables, except for the bok choy, and cook for about 7 minutes.  Drain and place back in the wok.  Add the bok choy and the cooked chicken strips.  Mix the garlic, tamari and olive oil and add to the vegetables.  Cook and stir for about 5 more minutes.  Serve with brown rice or by itself.

I find that many people in the world around me tend to focus on only one area to improve their health and claim they are “healthy”…most commonly it’s nutrition.  The second most common is by doing some form of regular exercise but not changing many of their eating or lifestyle habits.  How many of you fit into one of these two categories?  Now, how many of you are taking prescription drugs or still smoke?  Yes it is important to eat well, but if you ignore the other fundamentals your body will not assimilate the good food that you have eaten.  It’s nice to be in great physical shape and have a good looking body, if the other fundamentals are ignored…as it has been said…you’ll look good in your coffin but can still suffer from many ailments that affect most couch potatoes.

If you wish for your body to function and heal normally, if you wish to lead a long, joyful, fulfilling life, follow these fundamentals.  The fundamentals were introduced and explained to me simply and thoroughly in the book “Maximized Living Makeover” by doctors Ben Lerner, Greg Loman, and Charles Majors, and are referred to as “The 5 Essentials”.  Each of these fundamentals is necessary to live the full, healthy life that you were intended to live.  You need to practice these fundamentals if nothing else to improve your health by keeping the cells in your body in top shape and replicating normally for optimal body function.

So, What are the basic Fundamentals?

#1 Minimize the use of drugs, other toxins and surgery… Toxins and chemicals found, for example, in medications and refined foods affect hormone balance and glandular function.  We all know that you die or get really sick from being poisoned. This includes exposure to chemicals and carcinogens found in medications, foods, unhealthy environments, and household cleaning products.

#2 Maximize quality nutrition… Diets high in carbohydrates leave a constant level of insulin in the system, which lowers serotonin levels and causes inflammation. Imbalances in omega-3 and omega-6 ratios have been found to be the first factor to address regarding depression, according to professors at Harvard and Oxford universities.  If your pH balance is off it can lead to inflammation.  Stimulants such a sugars, artificial additives negatively affect brain function.  Nutrient deficiency can be solved by the right foods, foods robust in soluble fiber, and supplements.

#3 Maximize oxygen and lean muscle… Inactivity and lack of “intentional” exercise has many damaging effects on body function and mental health.  Staying active, getting at least 30 mins of “intentional” exercise a day will greatly improve fat to muscle ratios.  Movement creates the necessary intake of oxygen. The movement is what transports the oxygen-rich blood through your body, and you become more efficient at the circulation, absorption, and storage of this oxygen. When this happens, your cells have the oxygen they need to survive and live in health. With a sedentary lifestyle, you’re literally choking yourself to death. Fat-to-muscle ratio imbalance: How much fat you have in comparison to lean muscle will be a determining factor in organ function and the development of many diseases and disorders.

#4 Maximize peace and strong relationships… Increase in stress hormones creates everything from obesity and high blood pressure to high cholesterol, decreased libido, and aging. Peace is a vital health and longevity necessity in addition to making sure you’re not miserable.

*A 5^th Fundamental  and number two of the “Essentials” that I practice is ….Maximize nerve supply.  Not everyone agrees with Chiropractry but I do.  The central nervous system is your brain and spinal cord. This system is the central computer and master control system of the entire body. If there is disturbance or interference with CNS function, everything breaks down. Emotional stress is one factor that affects, or interferes with, your CNS function. Also, misalignment of the spinal column directly affects and even damages long-term nervous system function.

This is a topic that will return to this site often.  We’ll soon discuss how to put these fundamentals to work on a daily basis.  This is not a “fad”.  This is your life.  In the meantime you can read more at www.maximizedlivinghealthsite.com