Protecting Our Breast Health... Naturally

We must keep our breasts healthy, naturally. I know how important it is so here are some facts and some personal insights.
There are a number of natural ways to get the maximum benefits of staying cancer free and minimizing menopause symptoms and controlling osteoporosis for years to come.
Some important nutrients to include in your diet to support and maintain healthy breast tissue at the cellular level are
Phytoestrogens- These function as selective estrogen receptor modifiers that block certain estrogen receptor sites on cells, and prevents bad estrogen,(cancer causing) from taking over.
The Japanese use fermented phytoestrogen(soy products) in their native country. These would include:
1. Natto-from fermented soybeans. Natto has a strong smell, has a distinct strong nutty taste. Can be eaten with rice, added to salad or put naturally fermented soy sauce in it. (On a side note, kiko-man soy sauce is naturally fermented and you can buy it at your local grocery store.)

2. Tempeh-This is fermented soybean that is processed into a cake like form. Notice this picture? It's a pizza made with tempeh, so don't tell me you wouldn't like it, or at least try it. You can even make barbecue flavor tempeh. It can also be eaten like the traditional Japanese do, as well with rice. Many smart vegetarians use this as a protein accompaniment.

There are a large variety of fermented soy products, but I have never tried them, so I am only giving you the ones I know about first hand.

Tofu is NOT a food that I would recommend to eat in abundance, unless it has been fermented. It has substances in it from the soy bean that can be harmful if eaten in large amounts and also it contains a substance that blocks the absorption of certain nutrients. If you do eat it, please limit to a couple of times a month and eat protein with it, like fish or poultry as this seems to break down the nutrient blockers in the tofu and allows better absorption of nutrients.
In addition soy is in so many foods, that you could easily ingest too much and genetically modified food, of which soy is one of the most genetically modified foods, makes me nervous, so I tend to be careful not to eat it.

Plant Lignans are found in many types of whole foods. These would include unrefined grain products like flaxseed and sesame seeds. You can also find this substance in fruits and veggies. Lignans actually replenish healthy estrogen or balance estrogen, whatever your body requires. Ain't nature grand? I love it!

Brassica oleracea viridis Cabbage at a market ...Image via Wikipedia Cruciferous vegetables- contain substances the actually remove the harmful estrogens in your body. By eating a variety of broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussel sprouts, radishes, turnip greens, kale, collard greens, you can reap the benefits of natural foods to control your breast health.
(If you have concerns about thyroid or iodine absorption, then steam these veggies lightly to allow for optimal benefits. Research suggests that raw cruciferous foods inhibit iodine and thus reduce optimal thyroid function. I rotate my cruciferous preparation, by eating raw and steamed.
I also eat Kimchi, which is a naturally fermented food. Here is a great recipe that I use. It is delicious. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. I don't use any meat, just veggies. I use the basic recipe and then add different vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, shiitake mushrooms, etc. Even fruit like apples or mandarin oranges are yummy in this.

D-Glucarate-helps to detoxify and remove carcinogens, cancerous cells, and eliminates bad estrogens and androgens. It also helps to rid the body of environmental concerns like pesticides and cigarette smoke exposure. It is found in fruits, especially apples, grapefruits, cherries, apricots. Broccoli, brussel sprouts and alfalfa sprouts have D-Glucarate in good amounts.
Vitamin D3,(cholecalciferol)is the last topic I would like to share with you today. Taking 1,000 IU daily is a great benefit. The RDA of vitamin D is 200 IU mg and it is not enough, in my opinion. You will see others who value ultimate health agreeing with a higher amount of Vitamin D3. This nutrient protects and enhances your immune system,(there is more to the story), which helps to fight off cancer. It can be found in cod liver oil,(I take 1 TBSP), pretty much every day, which is equivalent to about 1,300 IU of vitamin D3. You can find it in salmon,(wild caught), tuna in oil,(wild caught and be careful of sources because of contamination), which is why I use a really good cod liver oil, Carlson's, if you are interested.
You can find it in eggs and cheese, although not very much.
The sun has the best natural source. You should have 10-15 minutes of sun most days. Darker skinned people need more because it is harder to absorb than fairer skinned people. Just don't burn. Your body will convert the sun's power into the vitamin D3 and use it as it sees fit. Vitamin D3 is perfect for bone health, as well so it is great for preventing osteoporosis.

I hope you learned something. Now, I am going to the store to get some ingredients for Kimchi!!
This article made me hungry, naturally!

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No Wonder You Can't Lose Weight Easily Anymore


The 1000 Calorie Diet Tip

If you eat at restaurants, it's easy to eat over 1500 or 2000
calories per meal. Yikes! That's a full day's worth of calories in
one dinner...

Pre-dinner bread & butter -> 200 calories
Pre-dinner cocktail -> 150 calories

Appetizer -> This could be a 500-1500 calorie bomb on it's own!

Steak -> 300-500 calories
Potato -> 150-300 calories
Vegetable -> 100 calories
Dinner Drink -> 150 calories

Dessert - 300-750 calories
After Dinner Drink - 150

And that's only if you CONTROL yourself. If you go on a rampage,
you could be looking at 2500 or even 3000 calories in one sitting.
Those numbers are scary.

Fortunately, there are ways to avoid this dietary nightmare while
dining out. Here are 5 rules to cut 1000 calories from your
dining-out diet...

1) Plan ahead and avoid restaurants that offer huge portions.

2) Skip the bread. It won't stop you from eating your full meal
anyways, so just send it back.

3) No booze or liquid calories of any type.

4) No potates. Stick to your protein and your vegetables.

5) Reward yourself with only the tiniest bit of dessert, if at all.

It's all about taking responsibility for your choices. And yes,
choosing between the "Pain of discoipline or pain of regret". What's
your choice?

For more diet and exercise tips, visit here


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