Add a Little Beet to Your Day

'March is Nutrition Month'

More and more we hear about the big C. We hear about those who’ve got it, those who’ve fought it and sadly those who’ve lost their lives to it. Every single one of us has known someone or of someone who has been affected by cancer.

Some statistics to consider:
An estimated 22,700 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 5,400 will die of it.
An estimated 180 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 50 will die of it.
On average, 437 Canadian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer every week.
On average, 104 Canadian women will die of breast cancer every week.
In 2009, an estimated 23,400 Canadians will be diagnosed with lung cancer and 20,500 will die of it.
Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death for both men and women.
An estimated 25,500 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and 4,400 will die of it.
On average, 490 Canadian men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer every week.
On average, 85 Canadian men will die of prostate cancer every week.

The statistics put a knot in my stomach and an ache in my heart. It’s hard to do everything right and it’s hard to be 100 per cent healthy. In the midst of Nutrition Month, I say: Aim for better health, more energy and a happier you.

No one knows what the future holds, but we do know what's in the now. Embrace your today, your now, and strive for your best...

Start by adding a little beet to your day! I'm not referring to music, although a little music always makes the day much brighter. I'm referring to the beets that you eat. The purple vegetable that many avoid and ignore and very few incorporate into their meals.

Beets are considered the cancer-fighting vegetable. They are rich in folic acid, which is good for cardiovascular and brain health, and potassium, which is important for muscle function and general metabolic activity.

Women can benefit from beets during their menstrual cycle because it replenishes iron lost. Beets also help those with iron-deficiency anaemia.

If it’s your liver you’re worried about then beets help in cleansing and strengthening the liver. The liver is one of the most important organs in the body. Its function is to filter toxins. If the liver is overworked, it will not be able to function properly. This leaves your body open to disease and illness. Some factors that affect the liver include: extensive use of medication, greasy foods, processed foods, chemical exposure and pollution.

Next time you’re at the grocery store add a bouquet of beets to your cart. Steam them and add them to your salads or throw them into your juicer!

Nutritionista's Recipe Corner:
Sweet Beet Juice

This is one of my favourite juices.
It flushes toxins out of the liver and strengthens the immune system.  

1 large carrot
1 small apple
1 beet

Throw in the juicer and enjoy!

This post is dedicated to everyone and anyone affected by cancer.

I hope and pray for a cure in my lifetime. A cure that will stop suffering, fear and loss.

"Hope is the power that gives us the power to step out and try." 

Stay Healthy!

Planning for a detox...

I mentioned that I wanted to start a detox. The plan was to make this post on getting started on a two week plan. I thought about it and decided, since a lot of you have shown interest in doing this with me, to take it slow. Instead of jumping right into a major two week detox, it would be best to take a week to get ready.

A lot of you must be asking:

Why detox??? I’ve gone this long without doing one, do I really need it? How will one benefit me?

Detoxification helps your bowels, kidneys, liver and lungs function efficiently. Many believe that hormonal problems, fatigue, muscular aches, headaches, infections, illness, digestive issues, allergies and disease are all causes of toxic overload. Toxins weaken the body and its ability to fight bacteria and virus. Detoxing cleans out toxicity from the system.

The benefits of detoxing:

 Increased energy
 Improved sleep
 Decreased bloating
 Decreased fluid retention
 Reduced aches and pains
 Improved mental clarity
 Improved memory
 Reduced PMS

This week will be about getting the body ready for detoxing. For those interested in participating, we will officially start our two week detox on Sunday January 17th 2010.

Until then here’s this week’s check list of things to do:

o Make sure you get 8 glasses of water in DAILY(1 glass = 8 oz)
o Have a glass of water with the juice of half a lemon squeezed into it first thing in the morning
o Cut down on your caffeine, sugar and salt intake (This includes coffee, pop, alcohol and chocolate)
o Stop eating by 7 pm (if you get really hungry have a fruit!)
o Try to incorporate colour into your meals (add strawberries, cranberries, yellow peppers and/or beets to a salad)
o Eat slowly and Chew your food thoroughly
o Do not drink large quantities with your meals

Also take a look at Dr. Oz’s seven deadly sins. He has some great tips and ideas to stay healthy and ‘shave a decade off your age.’

Stay Healthy!