Revitalize4Life

If you are like me, I had never heard of this fruit called Durian.  Just look at it!  Does it scream eat me?  Actually, it smells even worse than it looks but what is inside is absolutely delectable!  Plus, the nutritional benefits will blow you away.

In southeast Asia, this fruit is known as the King of fruits.  This spiny fruit has been around for over 600 years. The creamy, edible pulp is described as tasting like custard.  But you have to get past the smell to enjoy it. 

So what does this treasured fruit have to offer for your health? It contains phytonutrients that provide immune system support, blood detoxification, powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. What does this mean for you? This helps with free radical damage that we are exposed to on a daily basis that can cause disease and/or cancer. 

Plus it has essential amino acids at a high level that is critical in the metabolic process.  Tryptophan is part of these amino acids which helps the Serotonin levels – our body’s emotions.  Serotonin is converted to  Melatonin which promotes sleep and can aid in managing anxiety. 

In addition, the Durian has minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, zinc, copper and manganese.  Its vitamins include thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, Vitamin A, Vitamin B5 and B6, Vitamin C, Folic Acid and retinol.  Sound too good to be true?  Here is a natural fruit from Mother Nature herself that has so many benefits including boosting metabolism for weight loss, providing natural energy, and a good source of raw fats.  This is the best way to get any kind of vitamins and minerals is through natural sources versus chemically made.  While obtaining this fruit might be a little hard, you can get it through a powerful blend of all the fruits that have been blogged about in a tasty, nutritional beverage supplement. Two 2 ounce doses will give you more than what you normally consume in fruits and vegetables on a daily basis.  Here’s to your health!

Haven’t you heard about this berry all over the place?  It’s on Oprah, it’s posted all over your  computer advertisements and people can’t even pronounce it correctly!  It’s pronounced (ah-sigh-ee) and has been used for centuries by the people of South America in the Amazon rain forest.  It has just recently found its popularity here in the states when nutritionists discovered the many health benefits that are packed in this berry just slightly larger than our American blueberry (read previous post).  It is considered to be one of the best antioxidants. What this means is that they are helpful in combating cancer cells and eliminating toxins that have accumulated in the body due to the pollutants we encounter daily from our food, water, personal care products and the air we breathe.  So cleansing is essential to one’s health and weight. Yes, you can lose weight because the acai berry has the perfect mixture of antioxidants, amino acids and essential Omega 3 fatty acids (the good kind!) that help to burn fats (the bad kind!). 

With all the hype about swine flu that will sweep across the globe in higher numbers this year, acai berry can help boost the immune system and act as an anit-viral and anti-bacterial agent.  It also helps control cholesterol levels with phytosterols. So using this as part of your dietary supplement can have high benefits such as enhancing the absorption of Vitamins A,D, E and K.

 In addition, enhancing eyesight has been attained as well. The anthocyanins assist in relieving eye strain and improve eye sight.  So what’s not to like about this tropical berry? 

To summarize, here are the main benefits:

Contributes to combating premature aging, preventing and treating diseases,  benefiting one`s overall health by minimizing the risk of cardiovascular disease and counteracting harmful cells. These powerful antioxidants help improve vision, promote weight loss, act as anti-inflammatory agents, reduce diabetes symptoms and reduce/prevent age related disease.   It also helps promote stamina because when the body is healthy, has a good immune system which is free from disease, it has a better capacity to provide us with more energy – great for athletes too! 

So now , tell me why you wouldn’t incorporate this tropical fruit into your diet?  Where can you get it?   A very potent form of this berry and other berries that I have been talking about are all included on one special drink.  For more information click here.  Be ware of other products that may have Acai berry in them but diluted with other fruit juices – it’s not as potent and you need more – therefore costing you more!  So see what differences in your health this potent berry can do for you for maintaining health and balance for the rest of your life.  YOU deserve it!

So what’s everyone talking about lately regarding the Mangosteen? Well, don’t confuse it with the mango.  A Mangosteen is a tree fruit which is mainly cultivated in Thailand, Burma, Singapore, Malaya, India, the Philippines, parts of the Caribbean and southern Vietnam. It is known as the yin fruit and is about the size of an apple, purple in color and tastes like something between a pineapple and a peach. The special benefits of the rind are what make it a true superfood. Mangosteen is sought after not only for its wonderful flavor, but for its unique nutritional benefits. The interior fruit, known as the aril, is nutrient-rich on its own, but the exterior rind, known as the pericarp, brings the greatest nutritional benefits. The pericarp portion of the Mangosteen is rich in xanthones and a polyhydroxy-xanthone derivative termed mangostin, which are currently being studied for their medicinal benefits such as improved immunity, gastrointestinal health, slowing the progression of tumor growth and neurodegenerative diseases. This gem of a fruit contains one of the highest levels found of xanthones in any natural substance.

What does all this mean and how can consuming the Mangosteen truly benefit you?

Xanthones: a unique class of phytonutrients that are ultra-potent antioxidants evidenced to have life-supporting and anti-inflammatory qualities

Tannins: a natural astringent known for antioxidant qualities and intestinal health benefits  

Protein and Fat: Good muscle builder that is high in protein and healthy fat, but cholesterol-free  

Dietary Fiber: Promotes intestinal health

Potassium: Mineral known to lower blood pressure, resist kidney disease and promote healthy brain function

Iron: Mineral known to aid in the production of red blood cells and maintain proper muscle and organ function

Vitamins: Vitamin C, Vitamin B and other amino acids

Mangosteen has also shown evidence of providing the following nutritional benefits:

• Increased Energy
• Improved Skin
• Pain & Migraine Relief
• Lowering cholesterol
• Post-menstrual Syndrome Relief
• Healthy respiratory and cardiovascular system
• Healthy joints and cartilage
• Bone Loss Prevention
• Anti-arthritic
• Anti-fungal
• Anti-inflammatory
• Anti-tumor
• Anti-aging
• Anti-diabetic
• Anti-atherosclerotic 

 While studies on mangosteen and xanthones are still relatively recent and more need to be done, the healthful properties of this xanthones rich fruit are promising.  To learn more about how to add this to your daily diet click here!

Blueberries, they are a North American treat!  July was national blueberry month as it is the peak season for this berry, but did you know how good this little blue gem is for your health?  It’s recognized as the “prince of fruits” and offers a wide assortment of valuable nutrients which have been associated with many health benefits. For centuries, the Native American Indians revered blueberries and folklore developed around them. The blossom end of each berry, the calyx, forms the shape of a perfect five-pointed star; the elders of the tribe would tell of how the Great Spirit sent “star berries” to relieve the children’s hunger during a famine. Parts of the blueberry plant were also used as medicine. A tea made from the leaves of the plant was thought to be good for the blood. Blueberry juice was used to treat coughs.

So what are all the benefits of this tiny sweet fruit? It is full of antioxidants such as: 

* Polyphenols (including tannins) this reduces inflammaation in the digestive systme and counteracts damage-causing free radicals, cardiovascular, neurodegenerative and other age-related disease

* Kaempferol  A flavonoid known to reinforce a healthy immune system

* Pterostilbene & Resveratrol   Reduces cholesterol and breaks down fat (this is what I really like about these gems!)

* Anthocyanins: Contribute to vision preservation and combating e-coli (this has been in the news as of late and blueberries can help!)

* Vitamin C: Critical for healthy gums, capillaries, immune system, the development of collagen, and the absorption of iron

* Dietary Fiber: Promotes intestinal and heart health

* Manganese: Vital in bone development and the metabolism
of protein, carbohydrates and fat

* Tannins: Help reduce inflammation in the digestive system

Other health benefits the Blueberry offers include:  Anti-aging, augment learning capability and memory (boy do I need that!), plus may help to prevent urinary tract infections.  So it’s not too late to get these health beneficial little fruits.  Blueberries are packed in plastic trays of different sizes and are normally in your market within hours of harvest! In the winter you will find fresh blueberries from South America , Australia and New Zealand which are air freighted to your local market.

This is one of the four fruit I will be writing on in upcoming blog posts that come from the royal family of fruits! Go and get some for added boost to your morning cereal, muffins and breads, mid afternoon snack, addition to your fruit salad, added to yogurt and fruit smoothies – just for starters!  Thanks to the sources of this information.  Here’s to your health! 

 Please provide your health blueberry recipes to share!  I’d love to hear them as my family loves blueberries.  To your health!