Monday, September 29, 2008

3 Great Foods for Extraordinary Health





In these times, it can be very difficult to know what is good to eat and what is not good. As knowledge continues to expand concerning health and nutrition, more and more is being discovered about the effects of certain foods on the human body. This article will deal with four natural foods and how healthy these foods really are.


1. Raw Honey

Like raw milk, raw honey offers active enzymes, vitamins and trace amounts of minerals such as silica, copper, magnesium, iron, etc. As one of the premier medicines of the Ancient Egyptians thousands of years ago, raw honey proves to have many functions. For instance, raw honey is great for sinus problems and rheumatic and arthritis problems. Furthermore, raw honey has a calming element about it, making it ideal for sleep disturbances. It is good for colds, acne, infectious diseases, poor circulation and a whole host of other problems.

Raw honey is a lot more accessible and can be purchased at Organic Earth Health Store and even some supermarkets across the Island.

2. Coconut Oil

This oil is a saturated fat that is a very multifaceted food that has many functions. Unlike other fats, coconut oil is high in medium-chain fatty acids that help with weight-loss. This occurs because medium chain fatty acids are not easily stored and converted into triglycerides like long chain fatty acids. Furthermore, the medium-chain fatty acids serve to disrupt lipid membranes of the pathogenic organisms, making coconut oil an ideal antimicrobial. Coconut oil is high in lauric acid, which is one of the medium chain lipids that possesses the antimicrobial effect that was mentioned previously, along with being an important component in breast-milk. As a topical application, it is useful for restoring luster and youth to the skin and hair, making it an ideal conditioner. This tropical oil is also very stable, making it suitable for cooking and baking.

Though those in the nutrition community continue to demonize and disapprove of coconut oil because there is the misconception that saturated-fat is evil, there is evidence that this traditional foodstuff has many benefits that far outweigh the so-called risks that are based on the shaky foundation of the anti-fat campaign. Coconut oil has been used among people in Singapore, Philippines, and India; with these and other countries having used coconut oil successfully for hundreds of years. It can be found at OEHS...

3. Shea Butter

So far, this article has dealt mainly with foods that provide a great deal of health benefits, and this next item will be no different. However, shea butter is not really consumed orally; rather, it is applied to the skin -- this is where most of its health benefits can be observed. The previously mentioned natural foods all contribute to excellent skin care, providing the necessary nutrition to support healthy skin; however, some people need topical solutions to help resolve their skin problems. And for those who need more, there is an all-natural, healthy substitute for the carcinogen-filled commercial creams and lotions: shea butter.

This product should be familiar because shea butter is used as the base in many cosmetics and beauty products. This is because this 'women's gold', as it is sometimes referred to, has a nutritive effect on skin and hair that is unprecedented. Shea butter, or karite butter, has an amazing ability to moisturize hair and skin, leaving it more youthful and healthy. It is packed with vitamins A and E, antioxidants that reduce free-radical damage to the skin. This beauty product, which is native to Africa, protects the skin and hair from wind damage and environmental damage, and can help reverse wrinkles, clear up acne, improve softness and texture, reduce irritation after shaving, and moisture retention. In fact, moisture retention is so good that even after showering and bathing, softness and skin moisture is still intact. It even helps repair damaged hair and split ends, adding shine, luster, moisture and manageability to all hair types.

Another favorable aspect of shea butter is its outstanding scar removal ability. It is known for improving tone and complexion of the skin, also improving the appearance of stretch marks. In fact, some women use shea butter during pregnancy to combat the formation of stretch marks.

Shea butter is sold in different forms. There is ultra-refined, refined and raw shea butter. Ultra-refined has lost most of its nutritive qualities, while refined still has some of its curative properties, but not as much as the raw form of shea butter. The previous two forms of shea butter are the preferred forms for cosmetic companies, but they are not necessarily the healthiest for the skin. The best and most beneficial form to use shea butter is in its unrefined, raw form. The reason being is that the vitamins A and E and other healthful phytonutrients are lost to the refining process, leaving the shea butter with less of its natural curative components.

It is semi-difficult to get raw shea butter in stores, but it is readily available online. A great place to get raw shea butter is (www.sheabutterhut.com) . They provide raw shea butter in varying sizes and amounts at a pretty good price. Another added benefit is (www.sheabutterhut.com) has a commitment to being fair to the African women who work hard to harvest and produce the shea butter, paying them what they deserve.

To make sure you have/are getting raw shea butter, here are a few tell-tale characteristics of unrefined shea butter. First, unrefined shea butter should have a white to yellowish coloring. Second, the shea butter should be next to odorless (if it does have an odor, it should be nutty and not really heavy) and it should be completely odorless when it is on the skin. Lastly, it should be hard and then melt on your hand. If the shea butter has a consistency of creams and lotions you buy in the store, then it has been refined.


Try one of these natural produces today!

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