FastGirls Feature Food: Tamarind

(Photo: How to Peel a Tamarind Pod)

Recently I have fallen head over heels for Tamarind. Not only does the salty/sweet taste thrill me every time I pull one of the pulpy seeds into my mouth but the calming effect that it had on my digestive system sent me delving a little deeper into the possible nutritional/health benefits of this quirky looking little fruit. There was plenty to recommend it.

Among the many nutritional values and health benefits of tamarind, quite a few of these benefits stand out, namely that:

- Tamarind is a good source of antioxidants that fight against cancer. Tamarind contains carotenes, vitamin C, flavanoids and the B-vitamins

- Tamarind protects against vitamin C deficiency

- Tamarind reduces fevers and provides protection against colds

- Tamarind helps the body digest food

- Tamarind is used to treat bile disorders

- Tamarind is a mild laxative

- Tamarind lowers cholesterol

- Tamarind promotes a healthy heart

- Tamarind can be gargled to ease soar throat

- Tamarind applied to the skin to heal inflammation

Tamarindus is monotypic (having only a single species). It is a tropical tree, native to tropical Africa, including Sudan and parts of the Madagascar dry deciduous forests. It was introduced into India so long ago that it has often been reported as indigenous there, and it was apparently from India that it reached the Persians and the Arabs who called it "tamar hindi" (Indian date, from the date-like appearance of the dried pulp), giving rise to both its common and generic names. The fruit was also well known to the ancient Egyptians and to the Greeks in the 4th Century B.C.E.

Did you know food could do this?

Whether it's too much, the wrong kind or not enough of the right kind, apparently food can make you crazy. (With all the ADD and depression it's becoming more clear.)

And if the cause is nutritional doesn't it stand to reason that a large part of the cure should be nutritional?

You tell me.

What causes schizophrenia?

Although there are cases where people go crazy for purely psychological reasons, there is now overwhelming evidence that in most people so diagnosed, something isn’t right in the brain. Researchers from the London Institute of Psychiatry have confirmed that the frontal cortex of the brain is involved in schizophrenia. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), they have also been able to show that the deterioration in brain function in schizophrenia is not irreversible.

The best results we’ve seen in helping those with so-called schizophrenia are achieved by investigating a number of possible avenues. These include:

• Blood sugar problems made worse by excess stimulant and drug use

• Essential fat imbalances

• Too many oxidants and not enough antioxidants

• Niacin (Vitamin B3) therapy

• Methylation problems helped by B12 and folic acid

• Pyroluria and the need for zinc

• Food allergies

FastGirls Feature Food: Watermelon

A summertime favorite, watermelon is cold sweet and alkalizing. It only has half as much sugar as an apple yet tastes sweeter because it’s mostly (92%) water. Watermelon is a good source of beta-carotene, vitamin C, potassium and silicon. It also contains the pigment lycopene, which is being investigated as a cancer preventative, and glutathione, which guards against cataract formation. The inner pale green rind of watermelon contains chlorophyll and can be eaten along with the pink meat. The fruits black seeds contain curcurbocitrin, which dilates the capillaries and are a traditional remedy for strengthening the kidneys.

Watermelon has anti-bacterial, antioxidant, anticoagulant, diuretic and laxative properties. It lubricates the intestines, has an affinity for the bladder, kidney, stomach and heart and is considered a rejuvenating tonic for the blood. Watermelon can help lift the spirits from depression and has been used in treatments for halitosis, hangover, mouth sores, sore throat and urethral pain. It is a digestive aid and makes an ideal food for a cleanse.

When on the vine, the melon develops a white spot where it touches the ground; when this white spot turns yellow or cream colored, it indicates ripeness. A ripe melon will also be heavy for it’s size, have a sweet fragrance and have skin that can be scraped off easily with a fingernail. It will also make a dull, hollow sound when thumped. Watermelon is best enjoyed on its own but it can be added to fruit salad, juiced or you can freeze the puree for cool watermelon sorbet. For an invigorating watermelon tonic that will help build the blood and strengthen the glands try juicing the seeds, rind and pink meat all together.

And for the men we love...

Watermelon may be a natural Viagra, says a researcher. That’s because the popular summer fruit is richer than experts believed in an amino acid called citrulline, which relaxes and dilates blood vessels much like Viagra and other drugs meant to treat erectile dysfunction (ED).

“We have known that watermelon has citrulline,” says Bhimu Patil, PHD, director of the Fruit and Vegetable Improvement Center at Texas A&M University, College Station. Until recently, he tells WebMD, scientists thought most of the citrulline was in the watermelon rind. “Watermelon has more citrulline in the edible part than previously believed,” he says.

How could watermelon be a natural Viagra? The amino acid citrulline is converted into the amino acid arginine, Patil says. “This is a precursor for nitric oxide, and the nitric oxide will help in blood vessel dilation.”

Eden Kitchen: Kale and Avocado Salad

Ingredients:
1 head kale, shredded
1 cup tomato, chopped
1 avocado
2 tablespoons grapeseed or olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
celtic sea salt, to taste
½ teaspoon cayenne

Preparation:
In mixing bowl, toss all ingredients together. Mush everything together (with hands) to created marinated/wilted effect on kale. This makes it much tastier and easier to digest.

FastGirls Feature Food: Jicama

The root vegetable Jicama (pronounced “HEE-ka-ma”) has a flavor similar to that of water chestnut. Jicama is rich n beta-carotene, B-complex vitamins, vitamin C, calcium, iron and potassium.

Select jicama that is firm and heavy for its size. Overly large or shriveled jicama is likely to be woody and tough. Jicama can be stored whole and unwrapped in the refrigerator for several weeks but storing it in plastic accelerates mold growth. Once it is cut it is best to use within a day or two. It can be used in salads or peeled, sliced and served with dips. In Latin America it is common to serve jicama with a squeeze of lemon or lime and a dash of salt. Jicama can be juiced, grated into salador grated to the size of rice grains and used as a rice replacement.

To peel jicama, cut in half and use the edge of a regular spoon to ply under the skin which will peel right off (figure I). Jicama has a papery-thin skin, and using a spoon will prevent you from tearing it. When the jicama is peeled, place it in a little lemon juice and water to maintain the color, texture and taste. It will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of days until you're ready to use it. (You can apply the same technique to gingerroot.)

Eden Kitchen: Jicama Sticks (raw recipe)

After this, you'll never miss french fries again!

Jicama Sticks

Yield: 2 servings

1 jicama, peeled and cut into thin strips

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional: not a raw product)

1 teaspoon chili powder (*see quick recipe below) or a chili powder of your chioce

1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt

Combine all ingredients, toss well, serve.


*Chili Powder Recipe

2 tablespoons cumin seeds

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon tumeric

1 tablespoon dried oregano

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Use as needed. Store in a cool dry place.

The critical need for study and intuition

Many American’s believe that products advertising themselves as “low-fat,” are healthier food selections than ones that do not. But despite the proliferation of low-fat offerings in grocery stores across the nation, Americans are increasingly fatter, sicker and experiencing significant decreases in Whole Life health.

Here is the problem in nutshell; America’s rich diet, heavily loaded with animal products, pre-packaged, over-processed and hyper sweetened foods, is so exorbitantly high in fat and empty calories that bringing the fat content down by ten, twenty or even thirty percent, still leaves us in the range of too much fat in the diet to achieve optimum health.

This misguided track also has the added psychological effect of allowing people to feel better about eating “low-fat” food, which inclines them to have a just a little more, a little more often. The result is a sum total of zero benefit to the millions who make the low-fat choice. This leaves us in the position we find ourselves in today, wondering how we could be abiding by all of the rules and still be sick and overweight.

A great example would be the doctor who tells a three-pack-a-day smoker, “I can help you live a longer, healthier life. Instead of smoking three packs a day, simply smoke one.” At this point in our history, with all that we know about smoking, we know that this advice is nothing more than a delay of game. In accepting this misguided prescription, the smoker is still in danger of developing serious and even life threatening diseases. She will continue experience declining energy and the ill effects of so much damage to her circulatory, lymphatic and nervous systems. The advice the doctor has given will pretty much ensure that her health never improves but in fact continues to decline until her habit finally kills her. Despite her doctor’s recommendation.

Rational Recommendations Vs. National Recommendations

If the lists below were food pyramids, the bottom levels being foods we should consume in greatest quantity, we can see the vast difference between what the Federal Government recommends compared to what is recommended by doctors and scientists who have studied the disastrous effects, including chronic disease and premature aging, of over feeding and rich, high fat diets.

Rational (Healthy) Recommendations:

No more than 4 times per month

Fats/Oils/Sweets/Meat

Eggs

Poultry/Fish

No more than 4 times per week

Low-Fat Dairy

1-2 servings daily or 5%-20% of daily calories

Beans, other legumes, nuts and seeds

2-4 Servings daily or 15%-30% of daily calories

Fruits

Whole grains, Brown rice, Bulgar, Quinoa

6-10 servings daily or 30%-60% of daily calories

Vegetables – ½ raw and ½ cooked including:

Lettuce, tomatoes, broccoli, string beans, sweet potatoes, carrots, squash and many more

National USDA Recommendations

Use sparingly

Fats, oils, sweets

2-3 Servings daily

Milk, Yogurt, Cheese

Meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, nuts

2-4 servings daily

Vegetables, fruits

6-11 servings daily

Breads, cereals, rice, pasta

Even if everything we see and hear about food choices confuses us, we can trust what we know to be true; more Americans need healthcare than have it, more drugs are being created now than ever in the history of the United States, more women are dying of heart disease and cancer than of any other causes and more children have diabetes, autoimmune diseases and nervous system maladies than is conceivable for a nation of our wealth and resources. If food is our fuel, then it stands to reason that our current approach to energy and wellness is woefully insufficient and even counter-productive.

It is critical that we study more closely the effects of what we take into our bodies and the impact it is having on every aspect of our lives; physical, mental and spiritual.

Pamela Serure writes in her book “The Three Day Energy Fast,” “The whole key to personal transformation starts on a cellular level. It’s about rejuvenation of your cells. When we clean out and rebuild our cells they give us new messages. New cells have new meaning. New cells have new stories to tell. New cells don’t follow the same old programming.”

If we are to refashion ourselves from the inside out, we must first begin with the cells. By fasting and minding what eat, we can allow for healing of old ills and a rebuilding which rests on a foundation that can create and sustain optimum health.

FastGirls Feature Food: Swiss Chard

Swiss Chard (Beta vulgaris cicla) is salty, cooling and alkaline in nature. This green is a good source of calcium, beta-carotene. vitamin C, phosphorus, sodium, potassium and iron. It is a digestive aid and beneficial for people suffering from a cold. When selecting, look for brightly colored, firm leaves.

Note: Swiss chard contains oxalic acid, which can inhibit the absorbtion of calcium and iron, and so should be consumed only in moderation, especially if cooked.

If anyone has any suggestions on great ways to prepare Swiss chard, please share.

Happy Eating!

Study Shows Milk Claims False

According to an article published in Reuters recent claims that low-fat dairy products or calcium can help people lose weight are untrue, according to a review of the published scientific literature, which shows that neither dairy products in general nor calcium intake promote weight loss...

Dr. Amy Joy Lanou, an assistant professor in the department of health and wellness at the University of North Carolina in Asheville "Milk is a food that is designed for helping small mammals grow into rather large ones in a relatively short period of time," she explained. "It is counterintuitive to think that a food that has lots of calories, fats, and protein would be helpful for weight loss."

Gaining Peace Through the Food We Eat

While fasting is a practice we undertake in order to spring clean our bodies, spirits and minds, much of that hard fought work can unfortunately be undone if we are not mindful of what we take into the body on the days we are eating. Failing to be mindful of what we put into our bodies also makes the fast day more difficult as the body must begin again its attempts to rid the body of too much sugar, stimulants and waste associated with eating “dead”, processed or otherwise unhealthy food. This makes the period of withdrawal that many of us experience during the fast even more difficult to deal with.

According to Queen Afua, author of the book Sacred Woman: A Guide to Healing the Feminine Body, Mind and Spirit, there is another serious side affect to eating what she calls “a violent, toxic diet.”

She writes, “Food is our fuel. What and how we eat determines the effectiveness of our lives. There are natural food alternatives, so we don’t have to feel deprived. We can simply make better choices."

Here are some of the symptoms, according to Queen Afua, of eating a violent, toxic diet:

· Women verbally abusive to men
· Men physically abusive to women
· Stressed out parents unable to talk to children, using blows instead
· Gossiping
· Inability to let go of resentment, depression and worry
· Abusive, animalistic, or uncontrollable sexuality


In looking at my fasting/eating experience I can attest to a significant difference in my relationships and interactions with people. Since beginning fasting/mindful eating practice, it is easier to see how what I put into my body affects my thinking, feelings and behavior.

Here is a great Eden Kitchen recipe you can try. It’s inexpensive, easy to prepare and easy to take to work.

Garden Vegetable Soup

4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped leeks, white part only (from approximately 3 medium leeks)
2 tablespoons finely minced garlic
Kosher salt
2 cups carrots, peeled and chopped into rounds (approximately 2 medium)
2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
2 cups fresh green beans, broken or cut into 3/4-inch pieces
2 quarts chicken or vegetable broth
4 cups peeled, seeded, and chopped tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup packed, chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 to 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice


Heat the olive oil in large, heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the leeks, garlic, and a pinch of salt and sweat until they begin to soften, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Add the carrots, potatoes, and green beans and continue to cook for 4 to 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the stock, increase the heat to high, and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, add the tomatoes, corn kernels, and pepper. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the vegetables are fork tender, approximately 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and add the parsley and lemon juice. Season, to taste, with kosher salt. Serve immediately.

*You can always substitute these vegetable for whatever is in your refrigerator. Enjoy!

The Physiology of Fasting: How Conscious Abstention From Eating and Drinking Restores Health

A true fasting state begins in the first twelve to twenty-four hours after your last meal. This is considered the starting mark chemically; as it is the point in the metabolism process when the body begins to burn its carbohydrate stores (fat) as an energy source. This process is known as ketosis. Human fat is valued at 3,500 calories per pound; enough calories to allow the body to continue functioning normally when burning only one pound per day. We lose weight when fasting for this reason; the body eats up the fat as its energy source. The fast will continue as long as fat and carbohydrate stores are available for energy.

Once the body has depleted these stores it begins to burn protein (muscle) in an effort to keep itself alive. This stage of using the body’s protein and muscle for energy (resulting in loss of muscle mass) is the beginning of starvation. This would typically take 40 to 60 days depending upon the weight of the individual. Much longer than any fast we would be considering for our purposes.

The healing process is also accelerated when we fast. This happens because the energy that had been used in digesting, metabolizing and eliminating waste from the food we eat, is re-directed and begins to perform a kind of internal housecleaning. One that is not possible when the body has spent all of its energy processing the “foods” that are typically consumed in the Standard American Diet. This re-direction of energy causes many healing and repairing processes to begin, including immunity booting cell, tissue and organ repair. The blood supply is also nourished, allowing for improved blood flow and pressure.

Dr. Joel Furman, a regular practitioner of fasting who prescribes it to nearly all of his patients with astounding results writes, “The body can heal itself when the proper environment for healing is established and all obstacles to healing or stressors are removed... By supplying the organism [the body] with its basic requirements – natural, unadulterated food, clean water, and appropriate physical, mental and emotional activities – while simultaneously eliminating all harmful factors and influences, the self-constructing, self-regulating, self-repairing qualities of the body are given full rein. The same innate wisdom that constructed our bodies from two cells at conception is always there to restore the body to health if we let it.”