GO BANANAS!

Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous, 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. Bananas can also help us overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Research published in the January 2005 issue of the International Journal of Cancer suggests that regular consumption of whole fruits and vegetables, especially bananas, is highly protective against kidney cancer. The results of this large population based prospective study (13.4 years) of 61,000 women aged 40-76, show that women eating more than 75 servings of fruits and vegetables per month cut their risk of kidney cancer by 40%. Among the fruits, bananas were found to be especially protective. Women eating bananas four to six times a week cut their risk of kidney cancer by 50% compared to those who did not eat bananas.

A group called MIND, the largest mental health charity in England, did a study amongst people suffering from depression and found that many felt much better after simply eating a banana. This is because bananas contain Tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

Two-hundred students at a Twickenham (Middlesex, UK) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Bananas have also been recognized for their antacid effects that protect against stomach ulcers and ulcer damage. In one study, a simple mixture of banana and milk significantly suppressed acid secretion. The nutrients in bananas help activate the cells that compose the stomach lining, so they produce a thicker protective mucus barrier against stomach acids. Bananas also contain compounds known as protease inhibitors which help eliminate bacteria in the stomach that are the primary cause of stomach ulcers.

This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to help with high blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Try making a banana smoothie with Phi Plus! Blend one banana with 2 oz. of Phi Plus, your choice of milk and a few ice cubes. It is delicious beyond words, a very healthy summer time treat, and the kids will love it!

GO BANANAS for a healthy lifestyle and Hook up With Health
www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

Summer Time Tip: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Olive Oil

Olive Oil

Back on May 10th I blogged about Popeye's favorite food - Spinanch. Today, it's only fitting to include an article about his romantic interest... Olive Oil. This story goes back to ancient Greece (grease?!).

In ancient Greece, Hippocrates, the father of Medicine, called it “the great therapeutic". Homer called it "liquid gold” and ancient Greek athletes ritually rubbed it all over their bodies. The health benefits of Olive Oil that had been known and applied for centuries in ancient Greece are now being rediscovered by modern day researchers.

Olive oil was recognized for its importantance in maintaining metabolism and is now also known for contributing to the development of the brain and bones in children. On top of it, olive oil benefits are being recommended as a n excellent source of vitamin E for our aging populants, especially those with high cholesterol.

A study published in the March 2004 issue of Medical Science Monitor reported that 2 tablespoons a day of olive oil added to an otherwise unchanged diet in 28 outpatients, ranging in age from 64 to 71, resulted in significant drops in total and LDL cholesterol

A natural anti-oxidant, olive oil slows down the natural aging process. It also slows down acid overproduction in the digestive system thereby reducing the risk for ulcers and other gastrointestinal problems.

There is also a low incidence of skin cancer among Mediterranean populations, and olive oil consumption could be a contributing factor to this low skin cancer rate.

Published studies link the judicious use of olive oil to reducing the effect of a growing list of ailments. For example, Greek women have a 42% lower rate of breast cancer than women in the U.S.

Olive oil contains significantly higher amounts of Squalene than other seed oils, and Squalene is to a large extent transferred to the skin. German researchers believe that this transfer mechanism is probably accomplished by scavenging singlet oxygen generated by ultraviolet light. Japanese scientists also claim that virgin olive oil applied to the skin after sunbathing could protect against skin cancer by slowing tumor growth.

Hook up with Health and Wholefood Farmacy’s Heart of Gold made from Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Walnut Oil, Avocado Oil, Grape Seed Oil, Orange Oil, & 24 Carat Medicinal Gold. Use Heart of Gold to make your own salad dressings, pour it on raw or steamed, or use it as aymmy dip for whole grain breads.

With your health and wellness in mind.

Hook up with Health at www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com

The Healthiest Food on the Planet - Works Synergistically!

Today's lesson is on Synergy and the value it plays in your health and well-being.

Synergy or synergism (from the Greek synergos meaning working together, circa 1660) refers to the phenomenon in which two or more discrete influences or agents acting together create an effect greater than the sum of the effects each is able to create independently.

Jeff Prince, the vice president for education at the American Institute for Cancer Research, said iIn his August 2004 interview with The Washington Post that “the thousands of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals in whole foods act synergistically together to create a more powerful effect than the sum of their parts, producing a result which cannot be recreated by supplements".

Dr. Liu, a member of the graduate fields of Food Science and Technology, and Environmental Toxicology and an associate professor in the Department of Food Science at Cornell University where he received his Ph.D. in Toxicology, recently appeared at the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) International Conference on Food, Nutrition and Cancer to present some of his latest findings. “Different plant foods have different phytochemicals,” he said. “These substances go to different organs, tissues and cells, where they perform different functions. What your body needs to ward off disease is this synergistic effect – this teamwork – that is produced by eating a wide variety of plant foods.”

At Hook Up With Health and the Whole Food Farmacy Team we call Phi Plus “the healthiest food in the world” because it'is a synergistic combination of dozens of great tasting, organic whole food ingredients including nuts, seeds, grains, fruits, vegetables, berries, herbs, oils, & spices. (Preview the full list of 72 ingredients at www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com)

Phi Plus has a delicious taste and pleasing texture, comes ready to eat, and requires no refrigeration. It's a great snack or meal replacement. And, it's always ready to go whereever you are,... on the road, at the office, in the woods hiking, on a boat. It's also a great alternative to regular as a substitue kids junk food (I flatten them and make little "cookies" out of them for the kids). Treat yourself and your family to synergistic Phi Plus today and get on the road to better health.

We also offer an exceptionally great tasting tropical fruity version of Phi Plus called TropiPhi.

PHI PLUS - SYNERGY at it's best!

HOOK UP WITH HEALTH TODAY!

www.hookupwithhealth.wholefoodfarmacy.com