Eat Italian!
Posted by LisaHill - 25/04/09 at 10:04 am
Four Great Foods to Live Healthy and Longer
Here are four foods that can improve your diet, help you stay healthy and encourage good living!
Healthy Oils - We all need a little fat in our diet, but what kind? Try using olive, coconut or sesame oils when you cook. For salad dressings, try using olive oil, flaxseed oil or grape seed oil.
Keep in a dark bottle, or in your refrigerator, as these oils can become rancid in high heat, or break down in the sun. When cooking, don’t overheat. Avoid heating flaxseed oil or grape seed oil.
Garlic – Garlic is a natural antibiotic. It helps the bacteria in our intestinal system, and aids in maintaining healthy arteries. Try making a salad dressing with a squeeze of lemon juice, chopped garlic, and olive oil. To thicken, add natural creamy mustard to taste.
Tomatoes – Everyone’s planting a garden. Tomatoes and garlic should be one of the first veggies on your list. Tomatoes contain lycopene – an anti-oxidant. Make a salad with lots of dark green leafy vegetables, add some oil and nuts, and you’ve got a great health treat.
Spinach – Spinach is great for the eyes. When we age, macular degeneration can occur in the eyes. In our eye’s retina, light sensing cells can deteriorate and die as we age. Doctors say eating foods high in carotenoids and folic acid (spinach, carrots, collard greens) will help reduce this process. And don’t forget these vegetables in your garden – they’re pretty easy to grow, and not many bugs like to nibble on them.
Nuts - Almonds, hazelnuts, and walnuts provide heathly oils for your diet. Grab a handful of raw nuts, soak them over night, and enjoy. They also fill you up and help ease that craving for something crunchy.
