The benefits of fruit

A TREAT FROM NATURE

photo via Healthy Eating

Eating fruit provides so many health benefits due their nutrient-rich composition.  First and foremost fruits are packed with essential vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C, potassium, and folate, which are vital for overall well-being.  These nutrients support immune function, blood pressure regulation, and cell growth.  

Fruits are also an amazing source of dietary fiber, aiding digestion and keeping you "regular".  Fiber helps prevent constipation and can contribute to weight management by promoting a feeling of fullness.

The antioxidants found in fruits, such as flavonoids and polyphenols, protect our cells from damage caused by free radicals, reducing the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.  Regular fruit consumption has been linked to lower blood pressure and improved heart health.

Many fruits, like berries, citrus fruits, and apples, contain phytochemicals that have been associated with cognitive function and a reduced risk of cognitive decline as we age.

Additionally, the natural sugars in fruits provide a healthier alternative to refined sugars, helping to satisfy sweet cravings without the negative effects of added sugars on our health.

Incorporating a variety of fruits into your diet can lead to improved overall health, including enhanced immunity, digestive health, heart health. and cognitive function while also helping to maintain a healthy weight.

What is your favorite fruit?

 

Berries.

I love berries.  I love Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries and Blackberries.  And this winter I have been finding the sweetest berries.  I have been going to "Stop and Shop" and the berries have been fresh, sweet and delicious.  But I always feel like I have to be in a rush to eat them.  I feel like if I wait more than a day little fuzzies are going to start growing on them.  Do you agree?  And the berries are not cheap!  Browsing the web I came across some helpful info to keep berries from getting moldy.  (whether I do this or not is the question but it really sounds like it works great!)

"Wash them with vinegar.

A friend of mine shared this tip with me a few weeks ago, and it really, really works. When you get your berries home, prepare a mixture of one part vinegar (white or apple cider probably work best) and ten parts water.  Dump the berries into the mixture and swirl around. Drain, rinse if you want (though the mixture is so diluted I find you can't taste the vinegar,) and pop in the fridge.

The vinegar kills any mold spores and other bacteria that might be on the surface of the fruit, and voila! Raspberries will last a week or more, and I've had strawberries go almost two weeks without getting moldy and soft. So go forth and stock up on those pricey little gems, knowing they'll stay fresh as long as it takes you to eat them."

The above info is from foodlushblog.com.  Great info.  You can visit their site here.

Some berry info:

Berries are chock full of anti-inflammatories,  which may reduce your risk of cancer and heart disease.  The darker berries are always more potent.

(was about to take a pic of the berries I bought last night and my phone stopped working.  For now I uploaded this photo via "Fotolia.")

Heart Health

No one wants to think that they could have a heart attack.  But it can happen.  If you carry aspirin with you,  you can save your life!

Exactly what dose of aspirin should you take?

• At the onset of heart attack symptoms, you should call 911 and chew one 325 milligram (regular strength) aspirin or four baby aspirin.

What symptoms should you watch out for?

• When a man has heart attack symptoms most times it is a crushing pain in the chest and down the arm.  When a woman has heart attack symptoms they are not so obvious.  They can be as subtle as feeling extreme exhaustion, nausea, indigestion or discomfort between the shoulder blades.  By the time women get to the emergency room, it’s often too late. That’s why carrying aspirin with you as a woman is doubly important.  

What exactly is the aspirin doing?

• It’s thinning your blood, so that any clots or blockages can pass.  (This is the lifesaving action)

 Ladies,
I came across this site that sells a holder for you to always have some aspirins with you.   Visit http://www.aspirinpod.com/ to see what the aspirinpod is all about.

                                                                            

Suzanne Somers

Suzanne Somers Models a Red Dress for Heart Truth

Article by Laura Schreffler
Posted Feb 7th 2011 at 11:15AM

                                                                                                        

Photo by Wikimedia commons, dress by Ina Soltani

It took 45 years, one red dress and a desire to educate women about heart disease forSuzanne Somers to walk down a fashion runway for the second time in her life. StyleList caught up with the "Three's Company" icon during a fitting for the Heart Truth's Red Dress Collection fashion show, where she fessed up about her first tragic turn as a model.

"The first time I (walked in a fashion show) was a disaster, so let's hope this one is much better!" the 64-year-old actress said of her catwalk calamity, from designer Ina Soltani's Pacific Palisades, Calif., home. "I was 19 years old and walking in the Daffodil Fashion Show in San Francisco. I did my perfect turn and turned right off the runway -- and fell and broke my ankle! Humiliating! I was mortified and never wanted to do it again."

Until now, that is. When the Heart Truth -- a heart disease awareness campaign sponsored by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute -- approached the blond bombshell to walk in its 2011 show, she accepted without hesitation.

"My mother died of a stroke, my grandmother died of a stroke, my sister's had a heart attack and my brother died of a massive heart attack at 42. Heart disease kills my family," Somers said. She added forcefully, "That is not the way I'm going to go."

Her advice? "Pay attention! There are a lot of sophisticated tests you can take, but you need to know about them, so ask your doctor. Empower yourself with information and learn how your body works."

At this stage, Somers not only knows how her body functions, but also what looks work for her. "I am very involved in what I wear, but I wear what's right for my body rather than what's most in style right now. I understand my body, what shapes work and what elongates me," she explained. "People probably wouldn't think of me as fashion forward, but I do. I think my clothes are very well suited to my body."

Take the Ina Soltani number she'll be wearing on Feb. 9, for example. "I met Ina and she made the perfect dress for me. It's the right color red, and I feel cute in it!" she enthused. "(Ina) sent me a sketch and I went, 'That's really cute, but can we do it shorter?' She said yes, and I knew we'd get along!"

Somers knows what looks best on her 5-foot-6-inch frame, and she urges other women to be aware of their own strengths and weaknesses. "Look at your assets and who you are," she advised. "If you like, it show it. If you don't like it, hide it. Because I'm not really tall, I wear shoes that disappear and elongate my legs; nude shoes make my legs look longer."

But forget nude -- this week it's all about red, a color that Suzanne says can make blondes have too much fun. "When you're a blonde and wear red, you'd better be in the mood because it's a very powerful thing!" she warned. "(Red is) hot, sexy, fun, daring, strong, powerful -- all the things I feel about myself at this age." Which makes the red dress the perfect symbol for women and heart disease awareness, as it has been since 2002.

The Heart Truth's Red Dress Collection will open Mercedes-Benz Fall 2011 New York Fashion Week at Lincoln Center on Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. StyleList guest editor Denise Richards, Alison Sweeney, Ann Curry, Archie Panjabi, Audrina Patridge, Camila Alves, Cat Deeley, Dania Ramirez, Giuliana Rancic, Julianne Hough, Katrina Bowden, Laila Ali, Linda Gray,Natasha Bedingfield, Patti LaBelle and Taraji P. Henson are also walking in the show.