I made this video so I can show you exactly what I grab when I go on a food shopping haul. You can see first hand, how I prep it all up and what kind of yummy recipes I plan to make.
Hope you can use these tips to make some deliciously healthy meals for you and your family too!
Yours in health,
Danette
P.S. Please share this with your friends and I love reading your comments below!
Most people have heard of gout, but few know what it is.
Gout is a type of arthritis caused by too much uric acid building up in the body.
Uric acid forms when the body breaks down purines found in some foods.
Most of the time, uric acid goes through the kidneys and is passed in our urine. When we have too much for the kidneys to handle, it can build up and travel to our joints.
This causes pain, stiffness and swelling.
There are many factors that can put you at risk for gout, including being overweight or taking diuretics.
Gout also runs in families.
Gout flare-ups are treated with medicine and rest, but there are many ways that you can reduce the chances of having an attack in the first place.
Many of the best gout preventions have to do with food. If you have gout, there are foods you should stay away from and foods you should eat.
1. Eat plenty of complex carbs.
Fruits and vegetables are loaded with nutrients and help you keep your weight down. Here's a good list of carbs you should be eating.
2. Drink lots of of water.
Studies show that when people with gout drink 8 to 16 glasses of water a day, they have fewer attacks.
3. Eat lean proteins or plant based proteins.
Look to foods like Greek yogurt (I like Fage 0%) or almond milk. These increase the excretion or uric acid.
Protein can also come from lean meat, fish and poultry, but no more than 4 to 6 ounces per day. Stay away from high-fat red meats, fatty poultry and organ meats like liver.
4. Understand Purines.
Some foods that contain purines are safe, especially beans or lentils which have lots of protein. High-purine vegetables like asparagus, spinach, and cauliflower are good for you too.
HOME REMEDY FOR GOUT
Mix 1 Teaspoon of raw, unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar (Bragg's Brand is best) in 1 cup of water.
Drink 3 times daily.
5. Avoid seafood that has high levels of purines.
These include sardines, scallops, tuna, anchovies and herring.
6. Avoid Beer and liquors like rum, whiskey and vodka.
These increase uric acid production. Wine does not.
Alcohol also can also lead to dehydration, so it is probably best to cut back or cut it out completely.
7. Get more Vitamin C.
Vitamin C has been shown to lower uric acid levels, so add foods like grapefruit, red peppers and oranges to your daily diet.
8. Snack on cherries.
Some studies have shown that eating cherries or cherry juice concentrate twice a day can cut the risk of having a flare-up of gout by 50%.
TweetScientists think that the cherries reduce uric acid levels.
9. Pour Another Cup of Java.
Drinking 4 to 5 cups of caffeinated coffee has been shown to lower the risk of gout attacks by 40%. And drinking 6 or more cups lowered the risk by 59%.
I don't recommend drinking that much coffee as it can disrupt your adrenals. I personally drink one cup of coffee per day. Also, make sure you only drink organic.
One of the biggest risk factors for gout is obesity. Weight loss improves insulin resistance and lowers uric acid levels in the blood.
Eating a healthy diet and adding moderate exercise can go a long way towards improving your health and lowering your risk of gout attacks.
Yours in Health,
Danette
P.S. Please share this with your friends and don't forget to leave me a comment below.
In Greek ”cinnamon” means sweet wood, which explains its characteristic sweet flavor.
Cinnamon, comes from the inner bark of the evergreen tropical trees. It's often used in the food industry and in dessert recipes for flavoring.
Whole cinnamon, as well as its volatile oils, find use in natural medicine. There are many varieties of cinnamon. Among them, True or Ceylon cinnamon and the Chinese or Cassia Cinnamon are the most used.
Ceylon cinnamon comes from Srilanka, India, Madagascar and Caribbean. This has a mild and sweet flavor. This type of cinnamon is often used in Indian cuisine and desserts.
This comes from China, and it is intense, spicy and has a bitter flavor. This variety is common in the United States. Often, Saigon cinnamon or other non-Ceylon varieties sell under the name cassia cinnamon. Cassia cinnamon is cheaper than the Ceylon cinnamon.
Both types of cinnamon have health benefits. Cinnamon has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic effects.
Here are a few interesting studies with both varieties:
Type 2 Diabetes
A study showed that taking as little as 1 gram of cinnamon (cassia) per day helped reduce blood sugar. The study also reported lower triglyceride and cholesterol in type 2 diabetes patients.
Another study showed that cinnamon showed strong insulin like activity in animal models. A daily dose of 300mg per kg body weight of rats for 3 weeks improved blood sugar uptake. This was a stark difference from those rats that did not receive cinnamon.
Brain Booster
Researchers also found that sniffing cinnamon could improve brain activity and cognitive abilities.
One lab study found that Ceylon cinnamon extracts inhibited Alzhiemer's condition. The water extracts stopped protein aggregation and filament formation that cause Alzhiemer's.
Boosts Metabolism
This may come as the best news of all to a lot of cinnamon lovers!
According to the U.S. Agricultural Research Service, Cinnamon is one spice that increases your metabolism twentyfold—and all you have to ingest is a mere 1/4 to 1 tsp per day!
Both varieties of cinnamon have more or less same nutrition values. Cinnamon is rich in fiber and manganese. It's also a good source of calcium.
A teaspoon of cinnamon (cassia) provides:
If you're taking cinnamon on a daily basis, Ceylon cinnamon is better for safety reasons.
A major difference between Ceylon and Cassia cinnamon is the presence of coumarin. High levels of coumarins are carcinogenic and induce liver toxicity and liver failure.
According to the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment, 1 teaspoon of cassia cinnamon powder contain around 5.8-12.1 mg of coumarin.
The Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) for coumarin is 0.1mg/kg body weight/day. This is recommended by the European Food Safety Authority.
But, the Ceylon variety hardly contains coumarins, which makes it a safe to use long term.
Fresh cinnamon, is more potent than cinnamon that's been lying around in your pantry for a while.
Here's a quick snap shot of the shelf life of cinnamon:
Both Ceylon and cassia cinnamon have their health benefits.
Due to its low coumarin levels, Ceylon cinnamon is better if you're using large amounts.
TweetIf you're after Ceylon cinnamon, shop at an ethnic market or a spice store.
Here are some easy ways to enjoy all the goodness cinnamon has to offer:
Yours in Health,
Danette
P.S. Please share this with your friends and don't forget to leave me a comment below.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
