Digestive Health

“It is estimated that 25 to 50 percent of all digestion-related ailments can be prevented and/ or modified by proper eating, exercise, natural medicines, and lifestyle modifications” says Dr. Anil Manocha, writing in her book Natural Stomach Care. Here is her list of foods that are high in nutritional value, provide medicinal benefits, and help promote sound and healthy digestion:

1. Yogurt

2. Rice - Unrefined rice comes loaded with fiber, gentle on your gut and is good when you have diarrhea, nausea, or sour stomach. Drinking the water the rice was boiled is also good for stopping diarrhea.

3. Tofu - Tofu is rich in protein and viamins and is reputed to contain a number of anticarcinogenic nutrients. Most people easily digest tofu.

4. Dandelion greens – A great source of vitamin C, dandelion greens and a traditional blood purifier and digestive aid.

5. Sunflower seeds – Sunflower seeds have protein, as well as phosphorus, potassium, and omega-6 fatty acids. Purchase fresh-hulled varieties from natural food stores.

6. Sea Vegetables – Sea vegetables such hijiki, nori, arami, wakame, dulse, and kombu come with almost the entire spectrum of mineral elements needed for human nutrition. They also contain almost all major vitamins, including B vitamins.

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Flaxseed Oil Benefit For Women

Most people would say that fat is bad for you but actually not all fat is bad for you. Scientific research has shown that excess amounts of saturated fats and trans-fatty acids (man-made molecules made from hydrogenating vegetable oils) can increase your risk for heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and other age-related maladies. These fats are found in beef, dairy, margarines, baked goods and other processed foods. But just one tablespoon of flaxseed oil can improve your health.

Flaxseed oil is an omega-3 fatty acid fat. Medical research has shown that both omega-3 fatty acids and lignans (lignans are phytoestrogens, or naturally occurring plant estrogens that can have a balancing effect on hormones) give important health benefits related to cardiovascular disease, cancer, osteoporosis, and menopausal symptoms.

Over 60 double-blind (neither the researcher nor the subjects know which group is given which treatment) sutdies show that either fish oil supplements or flaxseed oil (both rich in omega-3 fatty acids) are very effective in lowering blood pressure.

A study of 120 women revealed that those with the highest breast tissue levels of omega-3 fatty acids, found most abundantly in flax oil, had the lowest incidence of breast cancer. Of those that did develop breast cancer, they showed the lowest probability of the cancer spreading to other bodily organs.

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