Benefits from Eating Bananas

Are you eating bananas? Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous, 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. Bananas can also help us overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Research published in the January 2005 issue of the International Journal of Cancer suggests that regular consumption of whole fruits and vegetables, especially bananas, is highly protective against kidney cancer. The results of this large population based prospective study (13.4 years) of 61,000 women aged 40-76, show that women eating more than 75 servings of fruits and vegetables per month cut their risk of kidney cancer by 40%. Among the fruits, bananas were found to be especially protective. Women eating bananas four to six times a week cut their risk of kidney cancer by 50% compared to those who did not eat bananas.

A group called MIND, the largest mental health charity in England, did a study amongst people suffering from depression and found that many felt much better after simply eating a banana. This is because bananas contain Tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

Two-hundred students at a Twickenham (Middlesex, UK) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Bananas have also been recognized for their antacid effects that protect against stomach ulcers and ulcer damage. In one study, a simple mixture of banana and milk significantly suppressed acid secretion. The nutrients in bananas help activate the cells that compose the stomach lining, so they produce a thicker protective mucus barrier against stomach acids. Bananas also contain compounds known as protease inhibitors which help eliminate bacteria in the stomach that are the primary cause of stomach ulcers.

This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to help with high blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Benefits of Eating Tomatoes

Scientists are suggesting that tomato lovers may be more likely to reduce the risk of serious disease. Lycopene, an anti oxidant which gives tomatoes their lovely rich red color, helps remove free radicals from the body. Free radicals are unstable oxygen molecules and have been implicated in cancer and other serious diseases.

Professor Michael Avirim of the Rambam Medical Center in Haifa, Israel who is testing lycopene in clinical trials says, ' In its natural form, lycopene is an excellent anti oxidant that helps to prevent formation of oxidized LDL, the 'bad' cholesterol in blood, which contributes to the build up of plaque that narrows, stiffens and constricts arteries and can lead to heart attacks. When this natural extract was added to cancer cell cultures, the lycopene inhibited their growth. Lycopene is the most potent nutritional antioxidant found to date.

Another study compared men who had had a heart attack with the same number of healthy men and found that those with high levels of lycopene appeared to reduce their risk of heart diseases by 50%. The study’s coordinator, Lenore Kohlmeier, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the university of North Carolina, said, 'Based on our findings, and other research, lycopene can be an excellent antioxidant, we recommend that people eat tomato based cooked foods.

Several recent studies have shown that a diet rich in tomatoes and tomato products is strongly linked to a reduced risk of certain cancers. In a six year study of 48,000 male professionals, Dr Edward Giovannucci and colleagues at Harvard Medical School found that consuming tomatoes and tomato based products between five to seven serving a week was associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer of 21% to 34%.

Another study published in the International Journal of Cancer said that lycopene appears to protect against cancer of the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, colon and rectum. Researchers at the University of Illinois report that women with the highest lycopene levels had a five fold lower risk of developing precancerous signs of cervical cancer than women with lowest lycopene levels.

The human body does not produce lycopene alone and therefore relies on a consumption of tomatoes and tomato based products for this anti oxidant. Nutritionists and other health professionals have long advocated the cancer preventative benefits of a diet high in fruits and vegetables.

Lycopene: Just The Facts

Research by Dr. Joseph Levy and colleagues from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel, may have identified the unique mechanism through which lycopene protects against cancer which is by activating cancer-preventive phase II enzymes.

Lycopene is an open-chain unsaturated carotenoid that imparts red color to tomatoes. Lycopene is a proven anti-oxidant that may lower the risk of certain diseases including cancer and heart disease.

In the body, lycopene is deposited in the liver, lungs, prostate gland, colon and skin. Its concentration in body tissues tends to be higher than all other carotenoids. Epidemiological studies have shown that high intake of lycopene-containing vegetables is inversely associated with the incidence of certain types of cancer. For example, habitual intake of tomato products has been found to decrease the risk of cancer of the digestive tract among Italians.

In one six-year study by Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health, the diets of more than 47,000 men were studied. Of 46 fruits and vegetables evaluated, only the tomato products (which contain large quantities of lycopene) showed a measurable relationship to reduce prostate cancer risk. As consumption of tomato products increased, levels of lycopene in the blood increased, and the risk for prostate cancer decreased. The study also showed that the heat processing of tomatoes and tomato products increases Lycopene bioavailability.

Ongoing research suggests that lycopene can reduce the risk of macular degenerative disease, serum lipid oxidation and cancers of the lung, bladder, cervix and skin.

Nutritional Essentials of Grapefruit Juice

Grapefruit juice only holds about 90 calories per serving. It has virtually no fat, 0% sodium, 9% potassium, and 8% of total carbohydrate. Depending on the size a grapefruit holds 20g of natural sugars, and only 1g of protein. Grapefruits are packed full of vitamin C. Other essential vitamins include: Thiamin, Niacin, Folate, Calcium, Vitamin B6, Magnesium and Vitamin A.

The Vitamin C content in grapefruits helps guard your body from harmful elements that could potentially damage your immune system. This is especially important for expecting mothers, because the vitamin C helps the baby grow and aids in absorbing iron out of other foods.

Did you know that drinking a glass of grapefruit juice before eating a spinach salad helps your body absorb between 2 to 4 times the irons it normally would. This is because of the extremely high vitamin C content in grapefruit juice.

The potassium in grapefruit juice helps uphold fluid in the body and electrolyte stability in the cells. The potassium also helps muscles contract, and discharge of energy from protein, fat and carbohydrates throughout the body’s metabolism
Thiamin in grapefruit juice helps to change the food into good energy that the body uses. Calcium assists in bone and tooth maturity, keeps you blood pressure synchronized and keeps the body’s muscles functioning. Fresh grapefruit juice is a great source of calcium and is lactose free! Magnesium helps your body create energy, and also works with calcium in upholding healthy bones and teeth. The folate found in grapefruit juice is very important for DNA configuration and cell separation. Folate helps adapt homocysteine levels in the body. In a recent study, it was found that low levels of folate have actually been connected with low energy levels, depression, and even some memory loss.

Niacin helps metabolize the food you consume into energy that your body uses. It is also used for DNA restoration and supports the body in using calcium. The vitamin B6 assists the body to process protein and carbohydrates in food and helps create hemoglobin. Vitamin B6 also works in combination with folate to metabolize homocysteine. Advanced homocysteine absorption has been recognized as a risk issue for heart disease. Vitamin B6 assists the body in changing homocysteine to cysteine and lower the quantity of homocysteine in the blood. Carotenoids provide fruits and vegetables their distinct and pulsating colors. They also act as influential antioxidants against free radicals that can damage cells, DNA and proteins. Pink and Ruby Red grapefruit juice include lycopene, that has been linked with lessening the risk of ovarian cancer and further forms of cancer like prostate cancer. As an antioxidant, lycopene furthermore has been related to helping avoid heart disease.

Scientists consider these plant-derived mechanisms are closely occupied in combating cellular damage. Not like customary nutrients (protein, fat, vitamins, minerals), phytonutrients are consequently new, the suggested day by day amounts considered necessary for health haven’t quite been determined. On the other hand, the significance of phytonutrients is progressively becoming obvious as research discovers more benefits, like allowing nutrients to work more resourcefully. Grapefruit juice naturally includes more than 150 phytonutrients, countless ones recognized as flavonoids. Your body deserves nutrition derived from live whole foods it can recognize.

Live Whole Food Nutrition - Alternative to Synthetic Pills!

Many people that do not eat the proper daily amount of fruits and vegetables required for optimum health. Some turn to nutritional supplements to meet their required daily amounts of nutrition even when they realize the importance of live whole foods. With the thousands of dietary supplements on the market today, they could feel overwhelmed with the many choices at the local health food store, grocery store or on-line vitamin shops. How do you make the right choice for you and your family? Is there an alternative to synthetic pills?

Synthetic vitamin and mineral supplements simply just do not provide the nutrients to your body in nature’s perfect balance like whole foods do. This means your body will probably not realize the full nutritional benefits you are expecting.

Fresh, live whole foods are the number one source of nutrition for our bodies because they offer nutrients in their optimal, natural state that the body can immediately recognize and utilize. However, it can be difficult, if not impossible to consume an adequate QUALITY or QUANTITY of fresh, live whole food in our daily diet. Most people are not experiencing the extraordinary nutritional benefits that whole food nutrition can provide and look for a solution to their dilemma.

There is now a convenient natural way to solve this problem. URI International has developed a variety of live whole foods nutritional supplements manufactured though a proprietary drying process that preserves the nutrients in a powder form. URI International whole food nutritional products provide the most balanced, natural, nutrient dense, health boosting form of whole food nutrition available.

URI International has developed a variety of live whole food nutritional supplements manufactured though a proprietary drying process that preserves the nutrients in a powder form. URI International whole food nutritional products provide the most balanced, natural, nutrient dense, health boosting form of whole food nutrition available.

Nutritional Benefits of Spinach

Lutein and Zeaxanthin are antioxidants in the carotenoid family. They are found in high levels in spinach and they concentrate in the part of the retina where macular degeneration occurs. Once there, they protect the retina from damage caused by sunlight. Harvard researchers reported that people eating the most Lutein and Zeaxanthin had a 57 percent decreased risk of macular degeneration, compared with people eating the least.

At least 13 different flavonoid compounds in spinach have been identified by researchers. These compounds function as antioxidants and as anti-cancer agents. The anti-cancer action of these nutrients has been sufficiently impressive to prompt researchers to create specialized spinach extracts that could be used in controlled studies. These spinach extracts have been shown to slow down cell division in stomach cancer cells, and in studies on mice, to reduce skin cancers. A study on adult women living in New England in the late 1980s also showed intake of spinach to be inversely related to incidence of breast cancer.

Another carotenoid found in spinach and other green leafy vegetables fights human prostate cancer two different ways, according to research published in the September 2004 issue of the Journal of Nutrition. The carotenoid, called neoxanthin, not only induces prostate cancer cells to self-destruct, but is converted in the intestines into additional compounds, called neochromes, which put prostate cancer cells into a state of stasis, thus preventing their replication.

Spinach can be consumed cooked or raw. Baby spinach leaves are especially good in salads with bleu cheese, walnuts, red onions, and a vinaigrette dressing made with Heart Of Gold. Spinach cooks very quickly and doesn’t need added water. Just place it in a pan, cover, and simmer for two to four minutes until it wilts; spinach is also excellent when steamed or it can be sautéed in olive oil with garlic for three or four minutes. Spinach is a good addition to stews and to soups that contain beans, pasta, or potatoes or to any kind of curry dish.

Although Popeye was not a nutritional research scientist, he certainly knew the nutritional benefits that come from live whole foods like spinach.

The Hidden Benefits of Oranges & Citrus Fruits

Oranges are practically synonymous with vitamin C these days. Did you know that America's favorite citrus fruit provides healthful natural compounds called limonoids? In laboratory tests with animals and with human cells, citrus limonoids have been shown to help fight cancers of the mouth, skin, lung, breast, stomach and colon.

Agricultural Research Service scientists in northern California led by chemist Gary D. Manners of the Western Regional Research Center in Albany have uncovered new details about these compounds. Their research has demonstrated that our bodies can readily access a limonoid called limonin, and all of its health-imparting properties, each time we bite into an orange. This is the first time that bioavailability has been shown in humans.

In some individuals, limonin remains in the bloodstream for up to 24 hours which is an impressive length of time. This longevity, or persistence, may help explain why limonoids fight the type of cancer cells which proliferate unless they are continuously suppressed.

A single orange provides 12.5% of the daily value for fiber, which has been shown to reduce high cholesterol levels and to prevent atherosclerosis. A single orange offers you over 170 different phytochemicals and more than 60 flavonoids, many of which have been shown to have anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor and blood clot inhibiting properties, as well as strong antioxidant effects.

Although oranges are the major fruit in the citrus fruits group don’t forget about the others such as Tangerines, Mandarines, Clementines, Satsumas, Lemons, Limes and Grapefruits.

Why Live Whole Foods

Did you know fresh, live whole foods are the number one source of nutrition for our bodies because they offer nutrients that are in their optimal, natural state that the body can immediately recognize and utilize. However, because it is difficult, if not impossible to consume an adequate quality or quantity of fresh, live whole foods in our daily diet, most people are not experiencing the extraordinary benefits they provide. There is now an easy and more cost effective for you to consume live whole foods.

URI International has provided us with a perfect, natural and optimally balanced form of nutrition needed for optimal health in whole foods. There are thousands of naturally occurring nutritional compounds, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, live enzymes, amino acids and phytonutrients in their natural, synergistic state that can only be obtained from these foods. These are nutrients that cannot be isolated and placed into a synthetic vitamin or mineral supplement.

The URI International Live Whole Food Nutritional Line provides the most balanced, natural, nutrient dense, health boosting form of nutrition available.

Eat More Fruits and Vegetables Or Don't Expect to Remain Healthy

Almost everyone needs to eat more live whole foods especially fruits and vegetables. A growing body of research shows that fruits and vegetables are critical to promoting good health. To get the amount that's recommended, most people need to increase the amount of fruits and vegetables they currently eat every day.

Whole food fruits and vegetables contain essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber that may help protect you from chronic diseases. Compared with people who consume a diet with only small amounts of fruits and vegetables, those who eat more generous amounts as part of a healthy diet are likely to have reduced risk of chronic diseases, including stroke and perhaps other cardiovascular diseases and certain cancers.

There are many reasons why we do not eat enough live whole foods. Having a busy lifestyle is a primary reason because when it is not convenient we have a tendency to push it down our priority list. More convenient options are now available for a busy lifestyle. Learn more about the convenient live whole food options that are now available.

Eat Like The French to be Healthier

Did you know that in France, the incidence of obesity among adults is nearly one third that of the current U.S. percentages? Although there are some dietary differences, the diets of U.S. and French adults are more similar than you might expect. Some researchers believe the difference lies in two crucial areas – differences in the serving portions and the duration of meals in these two countries.

One study found that French servings were, on average, 25% smaller than North American portions. This finding was consistent in both restaurants and in cookbooks. And numerous recent studies have indicated – unsurprisingly – that when we’re served less food, we eat less.

Additionally, French adults eat at a more leisurely pace, taking almost twice the time to eat a meal compared to Americans. There is evidence to suggest that eating a meal over a longer period of time can lead to a sense of being full and satisfied with smaller portions.

So, use common sense when it comes to doling out your portions. And take your time while eating. These factors could make a big difference in your creating a healthier lifestyle. Take advantage of whole food nutrition
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Studies by Cornell University, Penn State University and the University of Pennsylvania

What’s your pH?... Should You Care?

As with most nutritional topics these days there is some difference of opinion. Understand that in some cases these may be very strongly held opinions. This pH information is only to offer a view of the bigger picture in a general sense. From there, do our own research and to embark on the path that is appropriate for you.

The concept of pH was first introduced by Dr. Sorensen at the Carlsberg Laboratory in 1909. pH stands for “potential of Hydrogen” which is the measure of hydrogen-ion concentration in a solution. pH is measured on a scale from 0 to 14 in reference to the acidity or alkalinity of a solution. In this context, the word “solution” simply means something mixed with water.

A pH of 7 is considered to be neutral – a pH of less than 7 is more acidic and a pH higher than 7 is more alkaline. If you mix acid with water, for example, the pH of the solution will be less than 7 – if you mix an alkaline with water the pH of the solution will be greater than 7.

The foods that we eat become mixed in solution with all of the water in our bodies. This is significant because our bodies are about 70% water. For optimal health, the pH of the body’s fluid should stay within normal ranges. The normal pH balance in the human body is 7.35 to 7.45, which is slightly on the alkaline side of the pH scale.

If you have an interest in your body’s pH balance, the first step is to find out what it is. Testing is easily done using pH testing strips with saliva and/or urine – these inexpensive testing strips are available at most pharmacies – they are also available online from many sources.

From there, it’s a process of trial and error with respect to food and drink choices. We are all different and unique – so the choices that work for one person may not be the ideal choices for another.

The prevailing wisdom indicates that eating 75% alkaline foods and 25% acidic foods will keep your body at a healthy pH balance. When we talk about foods in this context, we’re talking about the result in the body of eating the foods, not necessarily the pH of the foods themselves before we eat them.

Examples of alkaline foods include most fruits and vegetables along with water and vegetable juices. Acidic foods, in general, are meat, dairy, junk food, processed food, fast food, alcohol, drugs and medications. There are some exceptions in both directions so if you have an interest, I encourage you to search online for “alkaline foods” – after reviewing a few websites you’ll have a better understanding concerning alkaline foods and acidic foods and some good guidelines to follow with respect to food choices.

For me, I am eating more live whole foods (fruits and vegetables) to keep my pH levels more alkaline and that has made me feel better and have more energy.

Broccoli Comes Back to the Future

Modern day researchers continue to confirm the wisdom of the ancients. Ancient civilizations such as the Greeks and the Essenes knew the recipe for good health. They realized pure air and water, sunshine, and nutrient-dense whole foods were essential to stay healthy. Take a look at Broccoli and some of its potential benefits.

Eating live whole foods like broccoli and soy has now been linked to lower cancer rates, and California researchers recently reported that they may have discovered the biological mechanism behind the protective effect.

Using cells in a lab dish, researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, found that diindolymethane (DIM), a compound resulting from digestion of cruciferous vegetables such as Broccoli, along with genistein, an isoflavone in soy, reduce the production of two proteins needed for breast and ovarian cancers to spread.

“We think these compounds might slow or prevent the metastasis of breast and ovarian cancer, which would greatly increase the effectiveness of current treatments,” said Erin Hsu, a UCLA graduate student in molecular toxicology.

The findings highlight “an entirely unique mechanism ... Preventing the invasion and metastasis of cancer cells is crucial,” said Dr. Alan Kristal, associate head of the cancer prevention program at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.

Cancer cells express very high levels of a surface receptor known as CXCR4, while the organs to which the cancers spread secrete high levels of CXCL12, a ligand that binds to that particular receptor.

This attraction stimulates the invasive properties of cancer cells and acts like a homing device, drawing the cancer cells to organs like the liver or brain.
The study found that when cancer cells were treated with either DIM or genistein, movement toward CXCL12 is reduced by at least 80 percent compared to untreated cells.

Today, it seems that science has come full circle. They have gone back in time…… only to discover the future! Make sure you follow the ancients and have adequate quantities of live whole foods every day?

Can You Maintain Vision by Eating Fruit?

When we were growing up, many of us heard that carrots are good for our eyes. My mom would get my attention by asking a well known question: “Well, have you ever seen a rabbit wearing glasses?”

Carrots are certainly a potent whole food with many wonderful health benefits but the latest research indicates that fruit is even more important for the nutritional support of your eyes and vision. A recent study published in the June 2004 issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology indicates that eating 3 or more servings of fruit per day may lower your risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), the primary cause of vision loss in older adults, by 36%, compared to persons who consume less than 1.5 servings of fruit daily.

In this study, which involved over 70,000 women and over 40,000 men, researchers evaluated the effect of consuming fruits; vegetables; the antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E; and carotenoids on the development of early ARMD or neovascular ARM, a more severe form of the illness associated with vision loss.

Food intake information was collected periodically for up to 18 years for women and 12 years for men. While, surprisingly, intakes of vegetables, antioxidant vitamins and carotenoids were not strongly related to incidence of either form of ARM, fruit intake was definitely protective against the severe form of this vision-destroying disease.

Trying to eat 3 servings of fruit everyday can be difficult when you have a busy lifestyle. Fortunately there is a convenient alternative to get the required fruit you need each day. Beyond Berries is a convenient whole food supplement made from real fruit that you should know about.

Health Benefits of Cranberries

The cranberry is a little red berry that helps fight cancer, age-related diseases like loss of memory, heart disease, ulcers, and even cavities. Does this whole food (a fruit) sound too good to be true?

In 1996 laboratory studies conducted by University of Illinois scientists and published in Planta Medica demonstrated the potential anti-cancer properties of cranberries. More recently researchers at the University of Western Ontario demonstrated, in animal models, that human breast cancer cells showed significantly lower incidence of tumor development when the experimental group's diet was supplemented with cranberries. The power of live whole foods cannot be under-estimated when it comes to the health benefits of cranberries.

USDA scientists at the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University have been finding promising results associated with diets high in antioxidants and other phytonutrients. Preliminary studies suggest that diets containing whole foods like fruits and vegetables with high ORAC values may provide protection against chronic age-related afflictions like loss of coordination and loss of memory. ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity which is a measure of the antioxidant activity for a particular food. Cranberries score very high on the ORAC scale at 1750 ORAC units per 3.5 oz. serving making it an effective whole food.

A study published in the Journal of the American Dental Association reported that a unique cranberry juice component, a high-molecular-weight nondialysable material (NDM), has the ability to reverse and inhibit the coaggregation of certain oral bacteria responsible for dental plaque and periodontal disease in vitro. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition reported on a preliminary clinical trial using a mouthwash containing cranberry NDM. Saliva samples of the experimental group showed a two order of magnitude reduction in Streptococcus Mutans compared with the placebo group. This is exciting news because a large percentage of cavities can be attributed to Streptococcus Mutans.

Flavonoids have been shown to function as potent antioxidants both in vitro and in vivo and may reduce the risk of atherosclerosis (clogged arteries). Cranberries contain significant amounts of flavonoids and polyphenolic compounds that have been demonstrated to inhibit LDL (bad cholesterol) oxidation. Ongoing research continues to suggest that cranberries may offer a natural defense against atherosclerosis.

Peptic ulcers are increasingly being attributed to infection by Helicobacter pylori bacteria, as posed to stress and/or stomach acidity. A high-molecular-weight nondialysable constituent of cranberry juice has been shown to inhibit the adhesion of H. pylori to human gastric mucus in vitro. These preliminary results suggest that cranberry may be beneficial in the prevention of peptic ulcers through the inhibition of H. pylori adhesion to gastric mucus and stomach tissue.

Live Whole Food Nutrition Blog

Hi Everyone,

Welcome to the Blog for Live Whole Food Nutrition! It is our hope to build a community of readers that are discovering the health benefits of live whole food nutrition and realizing that vitamin and mineral supplements are ineffective.

Join other whole food nutrition enthusiasts that are looking for reliable information and willing to share their knowledge and experience with our other Blog readers.

This is our first Blog posting but we will be posting whole food information frequently so visit often or subscribe to our posts. Please feel free to leave your comments or questions.

God bless,
Rich