Foods You Should be Eating - Mango

Mango is getting more and more popular in the US.  There are several variations, and I know that when I first bought mango I didn't like the flavor AT ALL... here are some points to help you get the right mango, serve it when it is ripe, and how to cut it to serve it properly.

There are two major types of mango and a wide range of varieties of mango.  The two major types are champagne and haden.  It is very easy to see the differences between them - Champagne is yellow, haden is green / red.  I prefer the champagne, they ripen quickly and are sweet.  Haden has fibers and are more difficult to tell when ripe.  Picking a mango.  The champagne mango will ripen fairly quickly.  If you are wanting a fully ripe mango it should be fully yellow and will give a little when you squeeze it.  It may also leak juice from the stem end.  I usually purchase several at a time and let them ripen naturally on my counter.  If it takes more than 2 days to ripen on the counter, it will never be sweet.  The haden mango - a ripe haden mango will be more yellow and red rather than green and red and will always weep from the stem.  It should give a little when squeezed.

Cutting a mango.  This was the hardest for me... I peeled the first one I got... and got a horrible after taste.  The mango has a long slender seed in the middle.  Start at one end of the mango and cut as close to the seed as possible.  You will almost have cut it in half lengthwise.  Set it in your palm skin to skin and cut a tic-tac-toe grid in it without going through the skin.  When finished scoring the mango, gently push the skin so the cubes stick out.  Use your thumbs to gently remove the cubes.  Serve and enjoy.

Recommended reading: http://www.champagnemango.com/site/varieties

Now you know how to buy, check for ripeness, and how to serve... but WHY?  Mangoes have many great health benefits.  They aid in digestion.  For those that have problems with indigestion, the enzymes in mangoes help settle the stomach and reduce acidity.  They help lower cholesterol.  Mangoes are high in dietary fiber, pectin, and vitamin C which help lower LDL cholesterol numbers.  Mangoes are also high in Vitamin E which has been known to help regulate sex hormones and is good for skin, hair, and nails.  They also help boost memory and and concentration due to the Glutamine Acid.  Mangoes are high in iron and are great for those of us that are anemic.  One mango a day will significantly boost your iron.  The enzymes in mangoes also regulate your sugar levels in the body helping with diabetes.  And finally - the two big boys - Cancer and Heart Disease.  Mangoes are known to prevent both due to the high levels of antioxidants. 

I eat my mango plain - no sugar, no salt, no lime, nothing... One mango a day during their season.  But there are many other ways to serve mango... chutney, salsa, in savory dishes.. etc...

Recipes: http://www.champagnemango.com/site/recipes

More Recipes: http://freshmangoes.com/mangorecipes/recipes.html

More Recipes: http://allrecipes.com//Recipes/fruits-and-vegetables/fruits/mangos/Main.aspx

Blessings... E

Honey & Vinegar

The more I read on both honey and vinegar the more convinced I am that everyone needs to take 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar and 2 teaspoons of honey in warm water three times a day before meals... EVERY DAY. 

The combination helps you maintain a healthy weight, cure allergies, cure any bronchial ailments,  absorb proper amounts of calcium for strong bones, maintain normal blood sugar levels, sleep better, prevent colds / flu, have better focus and energy, and a host of other benefits.

Honey is the purest of sugars - it has already been processed in the stomachs of bees so is absorbed easier into the bloodstream - it causes less stress to the pancreas - and helps create new blood cells.   It also helps your body absorb vital minerals from foods.

Apple Cider Vinegar has a wealth of benefits - aiding in digestion, fighting cancers, curing nausea, helps maintain normal blood pressure, maintain normal cholesterol levels, keep you heart healthy, maintain the proper acidic/alkalinity balance, fight diabetes, and improves memory.

SUPER foods - Vegetables

We are hearing more and more about "super fruits" and "super vegetables" but what does "super" mean? And why should we care? 

Super Vegetables - vegetables are very important to keep our bodies alkaline, and give us energy.  There are several vegetables that are important to well being.  Vegetables have been known to help you live longer, have better brain function, sleep better, maintain a healthy weight, fight disease, and help you look younger.

Asparagus - is the number one superfood, in my opinion.  Asparagus, eaten daily, has found to destroy cancer cells, remove tumors, aid in sleeping, aid in female hormone balancing, promoting fertility, aid in weight loss, healing the liver, and stimulating and healing the kidneys among other things.  As a child I couldn't stand asparagus, I had only had it canned or frozen.  I absolutely LOVE it now... put fresh stalks in a frying pan with a little butter, sesame oil, garlic and pepper... grill until just bright - it doesn't take long.  Or put on the grill when cooking burgers, chicken, and/or steak. 

This link has a great description of asparagus and its uses / benefits - http://www.herbsarespecial.com.au/free-herb-information/asparagus.html

Kale / Spinach - Dark green vegetables have so many health benefits.  Always try to eat your greens at lunch and take a walk afterwards.  The sun helps convert the phytoneutrients and provides the body a wonderful energy boost.  As for the benefits of Kale - Lessens occurrence of cancers (100’s of studies done worldwide), high in glucosinolates. (anti-carcinogens), excellent known cell detoxifier, lowers cataract risk, promotes lung health, protects against arthritis, slows loss of mental function.  Benefits of Spinach - fights blindness, helps prevent anemia, prevents tooth decay, prevents bladder disorders, aids in longer life, reduces the risk of diabetes, and prevents respiratory disorders.  Spinach was another of my "icky" vegetables as a child / teen.  I absolutely can't stand the taste of it cooked... even now.  But I have found a way to "cook" it and enjoy it.  I take a flavored tortilla (jalepeno & cheddar is my favorite) and put it in an omelette pan.  Spread half with feta cheese, pepper, and cayenne.  Turn on heat to medium and let the feta get warm.  Top with mushrooms, avocado, and spinach.  Fold the tortilla in half.  Cut into 1/3s and serve! Yumm..

Watercress - is a little known, easily grown green leafy vegetable.  You can find it naturally along lake and river beds.  It's taste is milder than spinach.  It's benefits are staggering - increases mental function / memory, helps to normalize cholesterol levels, helps to clean the blood of toxins, increases fertility, helps to fight cancer / kill cancer cells, helps fight eye disease, helps clear skin, helps strengthen bones, helps to fight lung disorders, and helps normalize thyroid function.  I like my watercress fresh and try to eat it in salads. 

Avocado - Another of my "icky" vegetables from my youth - is now one of my favorites.  In truth it is a fruit not a vegetable, but since most people think of it as a vegetable, we will put it here.  In the spring and summer I eat one a day.  Avocados help promote healthy skin, increases metabolism, known to fight several types of cancer (oral, prostate, and breast), fights heart disease, helps prevent strokes, lowers cholesterol levels, helps promote healthy eyes / vision, and helps fight diabetes. I shared my favorite way of serving avocado above.  It is also fabulous in GOOD guacamole with lots of lime, chile, and cilantro.

Mushrooms - Specifically Shitake... again I KNOW... not REALLY a vegetable... :)  But will be added here.  Mushrooms as a whole are very benefitial to the body.  Shitake mushrooms are known for promoting long life, reducing cholesterol numbers, promoting a healthy heart, fighting cancer, fighting HIV and Hepatitus B, fighting nutritional deficiencies, and promoting a strong immune system.  Shitake mushrooms are usually found in good hot and sour soup... mmm...

Onions - Oh yes! They are a "super vegetable" for sure!  Onions have been used for centuries as a medicinal vegetable.  They fight colds and lung conditions, repel bugs, lower blood pressure, help promote a healthy heart, fight cancer and tumors, increase bone density and the health of all connective tissue, reduce obesity, reduce allergies, promotes long life, reduces inflammation, and promotes healthy hair, skin, and nails among other things.  French Onion Soup is AH-MAZING!  I have a great recipe if anyone is interested. :)

The best way to get the antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals out of vegetables is to lightly saute or stirfry your vegetables until just bright.  "Just bright" means that they have changed color.  This usually means they are still crisp or barely wilted.  Never overcook your vegetables or you will lose most of the nutritional value. 

The Most Important Thing

If you had to choose one thing that is most important to your physical and mental well being, what would you think it is? Sleep? Food? Exercise? Those are all good, but this is even more basic. It is around us every day, and we don't think twice about it. Water.

Yes, water. Let's start with the dry facts and then build from there.

1. There are ongoing tests but it is believed that a good percentage of what we call "aging" is actually the result of dehydration.

2. More than 60% of deaths over the age of 60 are directly related to dehydration.
3. ~75% of all people in developed countries are chronically dehydrated.
4. Proper hydration reduces your chances of getting arthritis, certain cancers (colon, bladder, & breast), joint related ailments, and heart attacks.
5. Just a 2% drop in hydration causes fuzzy memory, problems doing basic math calculations, and trouble focusing on the task at hand.
6. MILD dehydration can slow your metabolism by 3% or more.

Now that you are taking this a bit more seriously, what are the signs of dehydration? We all seem to think that "thirst" is the first sign of dehydration, it is NOT. By the time you are feeling "parched" you are more than mildly dehydrated. Your first symptoms are swelling of extremities and change in urine color. Here is a full listing for 2% water loss:

1. Thirst

2. Loss of appetite
3. Swelling of extremities
4. Dry skin
5. Skin flushing
6. Yellow urine (the darker the color the more severely dehydrated)
7. Dry mouth
8. Fatigue
9. Chills
10. Head rush
11. Migraine

How much water should we drink daily? There are a number of factors that have to be considered when calculating water intake. You should drink enough water that your urine is clear (unless you are taking something that would color your urine,like Iodine). Factors are environment (hot / cold, dry / humid), how much exercise you partake daily, how much you naturally sweat, and obviously how much you weigh. Here is the standard formula: 1/2 your body weight in ounces. About.com has a good calculator. http://nutrition.about.com/library/blwatercalculator.htm

"I don't like water. What can I take instead?" There is nothing that replaces water. I suggest you get a water filter for your tap and see if that helps. Some people are hypersensitive to tastes - my eldest daughter can tell you what brand of water you give her without seeing the brand. So, you may need to try several different types of filters before you find one that works. You can drink green tea too to help offset, but stay away from sodas, coffee, caffeinated drinks, or any of the "power" drinks. They are filled with either sugars or caffeine which are harmful and cause dehydration to occur faster.

A word of caution when choosing types of water. Plastic is bad for the body - stay away from bottled water unless it is in a glass container. Water in certain areas is heavy in metals and both chlorine and fluorine, I recommend everyone have their water tested, and make sure you get the filtration type needed for your water. Some metals and other particulates found in water are actually beneficial.

On the flip side... bathing tends to reduce stress and helps our bodies go back to a neutral state. Add a couple drops of your favorite scent, grab a book or turn on some soothing music, light those candles, and take 20 minutes for you today!