Boost your Immune System with Vitamin C naturally..

Getting Your Vitamin "C" Naturally

The summer is coming to an end and we are watching the leaves and temperatures change daily. This is when we need to be boosting our Immune systems for the next Cold and Flu season. Fall is preparing our bodies for the colder winter months and this takes its toll on our Immune systems we all need to be getting our bodies working at its optimal health.Vitamin C will help us have an enjoyable holiday season. Keep reading if your interested in some recipes and some general knowledge on how to get started on consuming enough Vitamin C to help you achieve your health goals this season. **see warning for men at bottom

The  Recommended Daily Amount of Vitamin C is 70-90 milligrams, But in recent studies published in Preventive and Alternative medicine revealed a growing list of benefits of Vitamin C and in Higher amounts then the RDA suggests. The recent studies recommend 500 mg, daily in addition to eating 5-10 fruits and Vegetables a day. This would suggest that taking at least 1000mg daily in times of sickness would help the healing process. Most cold and flu preventive medicines like Cold FX have high doses of Vitamin C and other Immune boosting Vitamins to help achieve this.
Sometimes its just not practical for people to consume the required serving of Fruit and Vegetable on a constant basis to achieve the health benefits, so taking a supplement once in a while is something I would recommend plus it is useful for when you feel a cold coming on. Doubling up to get the maximum protection is advised. The maximum dose is 2000mg daily- there are no pose risks in taking this upper level of Vitamin C (If you get the diarrhea you should back off by 500mg's).

I can assist you in achieving your Vitamin C goals naturally by just adding a few extra things to your days menu planning.

I assure you that it is possible to achieve this just by eating a Fruit smoothie in the morning, or Juicing before breakfast - that would provide at least 2-3 servings, if you add a Vegetable to your smoothie that would be at least 4 servings. I have a great smoothie recipe for you to try

 Green Goddess                                                                Vitamin C amounts
1/2 cup Greek yogurt = protein                  
1-1/2 banana  = fruit                                                                     -10 mg
1/2 cup 100% juice - OJ, (apple/cranberries)= fruit                          -69mg
1/2 avocado- veg/good fat                                                              -14mg
1/4 cup hemp seed = protein
3-4 kale leaves                                                                               -53mg
or 1 cup spinach leaves = Veg  ALSO -Calcium/ Vit C                      -17mg
**look at the fruit and Veg count in this smoothie.= 4      Total Vit C =163mg
your already half way there for your daily intake of 5 fruits and Veg.....

If you prefer a heartier breakfast and need a grain then I Recommend doing a fresh Juice...followed by one of the following choices.

In juicer      -                     Vitamin C amount.
1- orange                                     69mg
1/4- pineapple                              78mg
2- carrots                                     14.20mg
= 2 fruits and 1 veg-   total Vit C =161 mg
 followed by grains
steel cut oats with Fruit and nuts = fruit and protein
or
12 grain or Ezechiel bread w nut butter or eggs = carbohydrate and protein
 (a live grain or something that has the germ)
or
Greek yogurt w homemade granola, fresh fruit. (preferably the ones high in Vit C = carbohydrate and fruit
ie: strawberries, papaya, kiwi, raspberries,pineapple etc....  )

 ***These recipes are just the beginning and I can help you figure out other meal options for the rest of the day and show you how simple it is to get your Vitamin C and its not just your traditional orange Juice.

What can high-vitamin C foods do for you?

• Help protect cells from free radical damage
• Lower your cancer risk
• Regenerate your Vitamin E supplies
• Improve iron absorption

What events can indicate a need for more high-vitamin C foods? 

• Poor wound healing
• Frequent colds or infections
• Lung-related problems

What health conditions require special emphasis on vitamin C?

Most forms of cardiovascular disease, joint disease, cancer, eye disease, thyroid disease, liver disease, and lung disease require special attention on vitamin C intake. The process of aging itself requires special attention to vitamin C. There are other health conditions that require Vitamin C to help in the healing process.

These specific health conditions include: 

•   Acne
• Alcoholism
• Alzheimer's disease
• Asthma
• Autism
• Depression
• Diabetes
• Irritable bowel disease
• Parkinson's disease

Here is a list of natural sources of Vitamin C: These are the best fruit and Vegetables that are quite high in Vitamin C.

• parsley
• bell pepper
• strawberries
• oranges
• lemon juice
• papaya
• cauliflower
• kale
• mustard greens
• brussels sprouts

*** There is a warning for Men:  there has been findings from a large Swedish study suggest that men who take high-dose Vitamin C supplements may be at added risk of developing kidney stones. Data for the study was from middle-aged and elderly men who had not had kidney stones.
Researchers found that the men who took Vitamin C supplements were twice as likely to develop kidney stones as were men who didn’t take any vitamin supplements and got there vitamin C naturally.

Would love to help you reach your health goals this fall drop me a line and we can chat
Best in health
Brenda


reference: www.webmed.com
 www.vitamin c.com

Grilling on the BBQ this season? You might want to read this!

Barbecue and summer are like a match made in Heaven, but did you know that the black grill marks on your beautiful meats and vegetables are actually carcinogenic? It contains a compound called HCA and it has been linked to cancer. Most of us don't know this but if we are consuming a large number of grilled meats and veg at this time of year and it raises our risk of cancer. But there is something we can do to prevent and cut down on our exposure to this harmful compound.
We can start by using marinades and rub's that contain yogurt, beer, wine, honey, herbs, garlic, fruits, and even olive oil. There are studies showing that these foods used in marinades and rub cuts down the exposure of this HCA compound to our bodies... so this is great news we can use marinades and rubs and know we are doing good for our bodies.
Oh yes another combination to help our bodies fight cancer is ..... RED Wine and Garlic... Great paring for the summer grill....
Thought I would share some of my go to marinade and rub for those of you who love to eat on the Barbi.
 I also always recommend eating consciously. Know where your beef comes from, eat organically when possible and if you can't do either please just enjoy your food, nothing is worse for you then eating in distress or not enjoying your food.
Best in Health Brenda Beattie-Gray R.H.N
  
***Recipes are from Company is Coming- Everyday BBQ (Jean Pare) 
*** the ingredients used in both recipes are organic

Marinade #1 for chicken, lamb or pork 
 (either way it taste great on the BBQ with Nann bread and roasted potatoes packs with curry powder shaken onto potato's..... so good for you and it brings a little east Indian to your grill.)

1. Greek yogurt- 1 cup
2. lime juice       - 2 tbsp
3. paprika          - 2 tbsp
4. curry powder - 1 tbsp or more if you really like it
5. salt/pepper      

marinade over night or for at least 2 hours before grilling
OUT of time? No time not to worry- I have thrown this together and put on chicken and left in fridge while I started the grill, prepare the potato and then put chicken on right away and it was great, no need to worry about how long it soaks in marinade)
*2 tbsp: 16 calories; 0.1g total fat (trace mono, trace poly, trace sat.); 1 mg cholesterol; 3 g carbohydrates; trace fibre; 2g protein; 256 mg sodium

Marinade # 2 for Steakhouse spice rub
I don't always rub my steak but if I have a cheaper cut of meat then it adds to the taste. (all organic of coarse.)  the ingredients used in both recipes are organic

1. Brown sugar     1-  tbsp 
2. garlic powder    1 - tbsp
3. lemon pepper    1-  tbsp
4. onion powder    1 - tbsp
5.  salt/pepper       1- tsp
6. ground cumin     1- tsp
7. cayenne pepper 1 - tsp

combine all ingredients in small bowl. store in airtight container for up to 3 months makes about 1/3 cup
*1 tsp; 8 calories; 0.1g total fat; 0mg cholesterol; 2g carbohydrate; trace fibre; trace protein, 490 mg sodium

Winter Blues? Try the "Sunshine" Vitamin...

      Well, this is the time of year that we are all feeling a bit tired from the Holidays and having too much of everything including food, alcohol, and Family. Not to mention keeping up on some exercise and getting to the gym. I'm sure you have struggled as I have in finding balance. What ever your faced with the main goal is to get back to feeling our optimal best.
 In these winter months with the lack of sunlight we need to increase the amount of Vitamin D we are getting in our diets. Vitamin D is stored in our livers for the months we lack getting sunlight. SAD or Seasonal affective disorder is common in Canada because of our long winter months, 30 minutes of sun exposure makes Vitamin D on your skin. A lot of people don't go outside at all in daylight hours and working in buildings with artificial lighting, going to and from work in darkness and most don't think to just go outside for 20 minutes per day, is one of many factors we are low in Vitamin D. 
By eating certain foods containing Vitamin D we can stop depleting our stored quantity of Vitamin D and have less "Winter Blues" and more active happy Canadians in the winter months.
Vitamin D has two main Functions; first it will increase the absorption of calcium and phosphorus in your intestinal tract. Second; it helps regulate the calcification and mineralization of the bones.
To keep your vitamin D levels at a healthy range eating foods that contain vitamin D such as ;
   Seeds: They are a great source of Vit D - sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds
you can use them on soups and salads for extra crunch. All of these seeds are beneficial for  intestinal health, cleansing digestive system and preventing constipation. Seeds contain an anti-oxidant zinc which has a powerful skin boosting properties.
   Bio-yogurt: This yogurt not only contains vitamin D but the friendly bacteria called Lactobacillus acidohilus that support your intestinal function, also has an excellent source of Vit B and other immune building minerals.
    Proteins that have a source of Vitamin D are; Oysters, shrimp, tuna, sardine, egg yolks, mackerel, Salmon and liver as well as cod liver oil. You should make these proteins part of your shopping lists for at least 2-3 meals per week.
This is the season for more cold and flues and less sunlight and we will feel the difference in another month if we don't take some precautions with our food as part of our balanced lifestyle. A healthy intestinal tract plus proper abortion of vitamin D and Calcium is a great way to build a natural defence against colds and flues this season.
If you want more ways to boost your Vitamin D intake or interested in feeling better and need a support system, give me chance to make a difference in the way you look at Food.
Brenda Beattie-Gray RHN