Juliet White asked:


We all know the benefits of eating a healthy balanced diet and consuming more fruit and vegetables, but what many people don’t know is that vegetable juice helps to maintain the critical pH balance of the body.

But what’s so important about maintaining the body’s pH balance?

The Body’s pH

For the body to function properly and survive, it should be slightly alkaline (between 7 and 7.5) and have a balanced pH value. A balanced pH:

?Protects the body against damage from free radicals and prevents premature aging

?Helps the body maintain healthy cholesterol levels

?Keeps blood pressure at a healthy level

?Keeps insulin levels normal and prevents unhealthy weight gain

?Allows the heart to function properly

?Promotes energy production

?Keeps our immune system, digestive system, organs and bones healthy

As we get older, our bodies are affected by our busy and stressful lives, exposure to environmental toxins and the food we eat, all of which cause our bodies to become more acidic. Gradually, our bodies become less able to deal with this acidity and are no longer able to neutralize it properly. Suddenly, our bodies change from a childhood state of alkalinity to being excessively acidic.

An imbalanced and acidic pH level affects everything in the body because it affects cellular activity and can cause acidosis (toxic acid waste), which, in turn, can lead to health problems and disease.

Having an imbalanced, acidic body can cause:

?Low energy levels and fatigue

?Weight gain

?Premature and accelerated aging

?Heart disease – due to cardiovascular damage.

?Cancer

?Diabetes and insulin disorders

?Hormonal problems and imbalances
?Kidney, bladder and liver problems

?Digestive problems

?High blood pressure

?Immune problems

?Osteoporosis

?Osteoarthritis

?Neurological diseases

?Problems sleeping

How to Combat Excess Acidity

One easy way to combat this excess acidity and to restore a healthy, balanced pH level is to consume more alkaline foods, like vegetable juices.

As a guide, 75-80% of our diet should be made up of alkaline foods such as vegetables, fruit, quinoa, millet, buckwheat, almonds, soybeans, yogurt and whey. The average western diet of meat, pasta, rice, junk food, coffee, candies and cakes, is highly acidic and does not tend to be rich in alkaline foods, but you can change this dramatically by adding just a few glasses of vegetable juice to your daily diet. Vegetable juicing will allow you to make your diet, and your body, more alkaline and so protect you from the health problems associated with high acidity.

Vegetable Juicing Benefits

Not only will drinking raw vegetable juices reduce your body’s acidity and restore a healthy pH balance, you will also reap many other health benefits:

?A more nutritious diet – Raw vegetables are higher in nutrients than cooked vegetables and vegetable juice is a concentrated source of essential nutrients. These nutrients boost the immune system and help the body to function properly and stay healthy.

?Detoxification – Vegetable juice will help to detoxify your body, allowing the body to get rid of harmful waste products and toxins.

?Better digestion – The enzymes found in vegetable juices will aid digestion, by replenishing enzyme levels.

?A more varied diet – Juicing vegetables allows you to combine many different types of vegetables and to consume them in one drink.

?Quick use of nutrients – Vegetable juices are easy to digest and the nutrients from the vegetables can be used by the body’s cells within 10 minutes of drinking.

?A healthy digestive system – Research has shown that consuming up to one liter of vegetable juice per day can treat all manner of digestive problems.

To be able to juice a wide range of vegetables, you will need a top-quality, professional juicer such as the Omega 8005. A juicer like this will enable you to experiment with different vegetable combinations, enjoy delicious vegetable and fruit juices, and lead a healthy life.

Ivan S. Pullicino B.Pharm. (Hons.) M.Sc. asked:




Very few people actually consume the recommended amount of fruit and vegetables.  A diet lacking fruit and vegetables is a very poor diet as fruit and vegetables contain substantial quantities of essential nutrients in a rational proportion. Fruit and vegetables are often not consumed because apart from the expense, life is becoming faster and it takes time to shop and cook them. Doctors and nutritionists recommend a mixed and varied diet which means that one must not always eat the same fruit and vegetables. Needless to say that fruit and vegetables are excellent sources of nutrients, minerals, vitamins, amino acids, and fibres.

The very latest trend is a food supplement in tablet form which can substitute fruit and vegetables for those people who do not consume any, or enough.  Altadrine Fruit and Vegetables by Alta Care Laboratoires – Paris, makes it possible for you and those around you to have a healthy, varied diet and all in a tablet!

The Altadrine Fruit and Vegetables Tablets are as extremely beneficial to one’s health.  Water is extracted from fruit and vegetables without ever using heat, thereby preserving the antioxidants, enzymes, fibres, amino acids, vitamins and minerals – the good stuff that is so hard to get in our normal diets. 

The tablets of Altadrine Fruit and Vegetables are colour coded – orange for fruit and green for vegetables.  The orange fruit tablet is the equivalent of 6 fruit concentrates: pineapple, prickly pear, grapefruit, orange, blueberry and papaya.  The green tablet, which is the vegetable tablet, is the equivalent of 6 vegetable concentrates: beetroot, broccoli, spinach, spiruline, tomato and carrot.

Altadrine Fruit and Vegetables Tablets contain no additives, or added salts or sugars; just fruit and vegetables grown in pristine conditions, tested and harvested at their peak nutritional value.

It is recommended that one should take one orange tablet – the Fruit tablet in the morning, and one green tablet – the Vegetable tablet, in the evening.  Following such a varied and well balanced diet has never been so easy!

Altadrine range and all ALTA CARE Laboratoires products are made in France.

 

wwww.altacare.com

 

 

Anna Hart asked:


Organic fruit and vegetable boxes are gaining in popularity as consumers become increasingly alarmed by the dangers of pesticide residue. Organic fruit and vegetable boxes are not available in every place, but some places have wonderful programs that accept standing orders.

In London, organic fruit and vegetable boxes are delivered weekly. It’s a great way to get nutritional organic fruit and vegetables without relying on a local market. A typical box delivered in May might contain fresh organic fruit and vegetables such as broad beans, carrots, cauliflower, celery, lettuce, loquats, onions, pears, potatoes, radishes, rhubarb, spinach, and tomatoes.



London organic fruit and vegetable boxes offer families a range of fresh organic fruit and vegetables. Box contents change from week to week, and from season to season. Organic fruit and vegetables that are at their peak locally are chosen. If certain produce cannot be grown locally, imported organic fruit such as bananas, for example, are included.

London organic fruit and vegetable boxes are sold according to family size. Small boxes of organic fruit and vegetables suit a couple; medium boxes feed 3 people; large boxes feed 4.

Customers simply go online and order the size of organic fruit and vegetable boxes they want. They may then add extra organic fruit and vegetables. They tell how many weeks they want to receive boxes, and give a name and address. The boxes are delivered automatically as many weeks as they wish.

Some organic fruit and vegetable box shippers in Great Britain include the option of organic items such as eggs, cheese, jam, and salmon.

After finding 7 London organic fruit and vegetable boxes, we found many more throughout England, Scotland, and Wales.

Other Organic Fruit and Vegetable Programs

The organic fruit and vegetable boxes of Great Britain are not alone in offering shipment of organic fruit and vegetables. Other companies are also providing fresh organic fruit and vegetables with the convenience of delivery. Many offer weekly or bi-weekly deliveries that you can start, stop, or hold at any time.

Organic fruit and vegetable boxes may contain a vegetable or organic fruit that you have never prepared. Most of these companies take that into consideration, and offer online recipes. Some organic fruit and vegetable box delivery companies also invite subscription to a regular newsletter.

Here are a few organic fruit and vegetable box shippers we found in other English-speaking countries. This is not meant to be an exhaustive list.

1. Australia: Organic fruit and vegetable boxes in Australia and New Zealand make it easier for customers in the country areas to have fresh organic produce, even if they themselves can’t engage in organic gardening. We found regular delivery of organic fruit and vegetable boxes in Perth and western Australia – in Melbourne and Victorian areas – and in the Sydney area.



2. Canada: from British Columbia eastward to Ontario and beyond, many Canadians also enjoy home delivery of organic fruit and vegetable boxes. We found a great place in Ontario that named their box sizes, small to large: Harvest, Family Harvest, and Super Harvest. Like others, their box contents change weekly due to seasonal changes, but you can visit their website to hear what’s in your box ahead of time. If you don’t like an organic fruit or vegetable that’s scheduled, you can make substitutions. Another great option offered by the same company is the opportunity at sign-up to indicate items you never want to receive!

3. New Zealand: Organic fruit and vegetable boxes from Auckland are delivered across New Zealand’s North Island in a plan similar to those found in Great Britain and Australia. On New Zealand’s South Island, customers can order organic fruit and vegetable boxes from shippers in Nelson and the Canterbury area. A 5-year old in the Nelson, New Zealand area summed up the fun of getting surprise organic fruit and vegetables in a box each week: “I like your veggies that come in the box. Thank you.” Lara.

4. United States: Organic fruit and vegetables from Texas are available online for shipment to various parts of the U.S. On most websites, you type in your zip code to see if delivery is available in your area. Organic fruit and vegetable boxes from Texas feature a wide variety of produce. Climate makes these boxes available year round. Organic fruit and vegetable boxes from California, Oregon, and Florida are also plentiful. You can find shippers that ship to all 48 contiguous states, usually with next-day delivery.



Suggestion

If you are a member of a group that would like to help a family in need, you could arrange weekly delivery of organic fruit and vegetable boxes to the home or office. To be truly helpful, do it anonymously.

Noel Hines asked:


Many of us would like to grow our own herbs and vegetables but have a limited amount of space. I am here to tell you that it can be easily done with the right equipment. Growing vegetables in containers is not as strange as it seems and there are many people doing it successfully. Many of the vegetables we buy from our local store can be grown in pots or containers as long as they are large enough for the right plant. Larger containers are needed for items like carrots or cabbages. While the smaller sized pots will grow herbs and baby vegetables.

If your space is limited then you could grow your herbs and vegetables amongst your flowers, use a small patch in your garden, a corner of the patio or your window sill would make an ideal location. So there is no excuse to not at least try to grow your own.

Below is a list of some herbs and vegetables that can be easily grown in pots or containers and there is a lot more.

Spinach Runner Beans Baby beetroot Cherry Tomatoes Onions Chard Turnips Asparagus Dwarf beans Carrots Celery Artichokes Squash Courgettes Cucumber

You can use almost any container to grow your vegetables as long as they are cleaned properly. If they contain any chemicals like paint use the appropriate cleaner. The idea sized containers should have troughs as deep as 20cm/8″, if space is not too limited. While pots with an average diameter size of 15cm/6″ are particularly good for small vegetables like spring onions, radish or Cherry Tomatoes. To grow herbs you only need small pots with a diameter that can be as small as 8cm/3″. These are ideally suited to the window sill.

Here is a list of suitable containers that you can get you hands on for free and a few you may have to purchase.

Glass/ Plastic Jars Paint Pots Old Fruit and vegetables containers Old Household Bins Cooking Oil Drums (Catering size) Hanging baskets Terracotta pots Wooden pots/boxes Grow bags

Grow-bags are ideal for growing plants such as squash, courgettes and cucumber, you know the trailing kind. There are special grow bag supports for tomatoes and/or peppers if the cordon variety is being used.

Any container maybe used as long as it has drainage holes at the bottom so that the soil/compost can breathe and does not get waterlogged. A good mix soil and compost will keep everything as light as possible and help with aeration.

Your window sill is an idea place to grow and it will give the necessary sunlight for most vegetables and herbs. Some may need a break in the amount of sunlight as it may damage them. For more information check out the link below and go green.

Georgina Cundall asked:

Eating fruits and vegetables is one of the best ways to maintain good health. Fruits and vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet. They contain vitamins, phytochemicals, and minerals that can protect your body from diseases like diabetes, cancers, and heart diseases. Ideally, you should consume five kinds of vegetables and two kinds of fruits each day.

Presently, magazines, advertisements, and schools support and insist on eating more fruits and vegetables. This is to make us all more aware of the nutritional benefits of fruits and vegetables.

Among other claimed benefits, they are believed by some people to have some benefits in your body’s defense against common ailments of the heart and intestines, and even some types of cancer.

Some fruits and vegetables contain certain antioxidants which may help to keep away or reduce the effects of some ailments and diseases. Many health professionals attest to the importance of having fruit and vegetables in your daily diet.

Different fruits and vegetables have different essential nutrients and vitamins. Hence, it is not sufficient to just eat only a small range of vegetables and fruit that you particularly like.

A great e-book is focused on showing you the benefits which are claimed for adding more vegetables and fruit to your diet and broadening the choices which you know about. It will also give you a variety of tasty and nutritious recipes toward the end of the book.

It’s a good idea to include some different fruits and at least one serving of dark green leafy vegetables each day. Some fruits and vegetables are very low in calories or fat.

Many are packed with nutrients, antioxidant vitamins, complex carbohydrates, fiber, and/or phytochemicals. These ingredients are claimed to be very helpful for maintaining or even improving your health.

Among fruits, oranges, cantaloupe, grapefruit, guava, pineapple, kiwi, papaya, and grapes are very nutritious. Organic berries are claimed to provide excellent antioxidant protection, as they are a rich source of phytochemical carotenoids and flavonoids.

Many people like to eat bananas and apples regularly. These fruits are, apparently, low on antioxidants although they are very nutritious and can contribute to your heath.

Among vegetables, some varieties are rich in antioxidants.You should include dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, broccoli, romaine lettuce and kale in your daily diet.

Other healthy choices of vegetables include carrots, which are rich sources of vitamin A, beans, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, Swiss chard, tomatoes, garlic, sweet potatoes, onions, white potatoes, and the always popular corn.

Ideally, you should start the day with fruits on your breakfast cereal or as an additional item on your breakfast menu. Berries on sugar-free, whole grain cereal is a good breakfast choice. You could have homemade soup just before lunch. Combine it with fresh salad of vegetables like lettuce, cucumber, or a romaine lettuce salad. Have steamed vegetables for dinner with pasta or you might include little stir-fried vegetables for your dinner.

Make it a habit to have fresh fruits and raw vegetables for snacks between meals instead of less healthy choices. Consuming fruits and vegetables can help in some measure to increase your body’s defense you against some types of ailments.

Regular consumption may help with protecting against or reducing the effects of:

- Intestinal ailments such as diverticulitis, heart diseases and strokes

- some types of cancer

- problems with blood pressure and

- may help to guard against cataract and macular degeneration that normally are the principal causes for vision loss.

Most people are not aware of the amount of fruits and vegetables that might, eaten daily, be enough to get optimum results.

The best recommendations come from your medical practitioner, who can take into account your particular medical history and the current state of your health.

Always consult your doctor before making any changes to your diet or anything affecting your health which may be significant.

The dietary guidelines suggested in Fabulous Fruit and Vegetables are from 2½ to 6½ cups of fruits and vegetables per day, depending on your caloric intake. If you need a daily calorie intake of 2,000 calories to maintain weight and health, that is about nine servings or two cups of fruit and two and a half cups of vegetables.

To find out more fabulous information about how to incorporate a healthy lifestyle with more fruits and vegetables order your copy of Fabulous Fruit and Vegetables today.

Darrell Miller asked:

The majority of people know that eating five servings of fruits and vegetables a day is very important. Also, by eating fruits and vegetables of a variety of different colors, one can get the best all-around health benefits. Each different color fruit and vegetables contains unique health components that are essential to our health. Fruits and vegetables are very important to our health because they are whole foods, created by nature, that are rich in a large amount of nutrients. The processed foods that we so commonly eat, can never compare to the health benefits provided by strawberries or broccoli, which have fiber, vitamins, and enzymes built right in. The phrase “eating a rainbow” of fruits and vegetables is a simple way of remembering to get as much color variety in your diet as possible, so that you can maximize your intake of a broad range of nutrients. The colors of fruits and vegetables are a small clue as to what vitamins and nutrients are included. By getting a variety of different colored fruits and vegetables, you are guaranteed a diverse amount of essential vitamins and minerals.

When eating red fruits and vegetables including tomatoes, berries, peppers, and radishes, you take in nutrients such as lycopene, ellagic acid, Quercetin, and Hesperidin, to name a few. These nutrients reduce the risk of prostate cancer, lower blood pressure, reduce tumor growth and LDL cholesterol levels, scavenge harmful free-radicals, and support join tissue in arthritis cases. Carrots, Yams, Squash, Papayas, and other orange and yellow fruits and vegetables contain beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, flavonoids, lycopene, potassium, and vitamin C. These nutrients reduce age-related macula degeneration and the risk of prostate cancer, lower LDL cholesterol and blood pressure, promote collagen formation and healthy joints, fight harmful free radicals, encourage alkaline balance, and work with magnesium and calcium to build healthy bones. White fruits and vegetables, including mushrooms, white tea, flaxseed, and pumpkin, contain nutrients such as beta-glucans, EGCG, SDG, and lignans that provide powerful immune boosting activity. These nutrients also activate natural killer B and T cells, reduce the risk of colon, breast, and prostate cancers, and balance hormone levels, reducing the risk of hormone-related cancers. Wheat grass, barley grass, oat grass, kale, spinach, cabbage, alfalfa sprouts, mustard greens, and collard greens are all examples of green vegetables that contain chlorophyll, fiber, lutein, zeaxanthin, calcium, folate, vitamin C, calcium, and Beta-carotene. The nutrients found in these vegetables reduce cancer risks, lower blood pressure and LDL cholesterol levels, normalize digestion time, support retinal health and vision, fight harmful free-radicals, and boost immune system activity. Blue and purple fruits and vegetables such as blueberries, pomegranates, grapes, elderberries, eggplant, and prunes contain nutrients which include lutein, zeaxanthin, resveratrol, vitamin C, fiber, flavonoids, ellagic acid, and quercetin. Similar to the previous nutrients, these nutrients support retinal health, lower LDL cholesterol, boost immune system activity, support healthy digestion, improve calcium and other mineral absorption, fight inflammation, reduce tumor growth, act as an anticarcinogens in the digestive tract, and limit the activity of cancer cells.

These nutrients that are found in the above-listed fruits and vegetables can have a significant impact on our health. Quercetin, which is found in apples, onions and other citrus fruits, not only prevents LDL cholesterol oxidation, but also helps the body cope with allergens and other lung and breathing problems. Ellagic acid, which is mainly found in raspberries, strawberries, pomegranates, and walnuts, has been proven in many clinical studies to act as an antioxidant and anticarcinogens in the gastrointestinal tract. This nutrient also has been proven to have an anti-proliferative effect on cancer cells, because it decreases their ATP production. The best-known of the carotenoids, beta-carotene, is converted into vitamin A upon entering the liver. Although being known for its positive effects on eyesight, it has also been proven to decrease cholesterol levels in the liver. Clinical studies have proven that lycopene, mainly found in tomatoes, may decrease the risk of prostate cancer, as well as protect against heart disease. Lutein, which is found in blueberries and members of the squash family, is important for healthy eyes. However, it does support your heart too, helping to prevent against coronary artery disease.

Along with the above stated nutrients, there are even more nutrients found in fruits and vegetables that provide a great deal of support to our body. Almost everyone has heard of vitamin C, which keeps our immune system strong; speeds wound healing, and promote strong muscles and joints. This nutrient is scattered throughout the spectrum of fruits, but commonly associated with oranges and other citrus fruits. Potassium, which is the nutrient most Americans are deficient in, does great things for our hearts, and lowers blood pressure. Another good food component many people don’t get enough of if fiber, found in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Flavonoids, which include anthocyanins, flavones, isoflavones, proantocyanidins, quercetin and more, are found almost everywhere. They are responsible for the colors in the skins of fruits and vegetables and help to stop the growth of tumor cells and potent antioxidants. They also can reduce inflammation. Beta-glucan, found in mushrooms, stabilizes and balances the body’s immune system by supporting white blood cells. EGCG is found in tea and has been shown to reduce the risk of colon and ****** cancer. It boosts the immune system and encourages T-cell formation, which defends our body against sickness and disease. Lastly, bioflavonoids, which are found in citrus fruits, are considered a companion to vitamin C because they extend the value of it in the body. These nutrients have the capabilities to lower cholesterol levels and support joint collagen in arthritis cases.

The number one excuse for not eating the required five servings of fruits and vegetables each day is they are too expensive. However, as compared to the amount of money spent on prepackaged, processed, and fast foods, most fruits and vegetables (with the exception of those that are not in season) are not all that expensive. Because frozen fruits and vegetables retain the majority of their nutritional value, they can be an excellent alternative when certain foods are out of season. Someone who is not able to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables each day can also drink fruit and vegetable drinks in their place. Although this shouldn’t become a habit, fruit and vegetable drink mixes can be an excellent substitute when you’re rushed or traveling. The need for fruits and vegetables in our diet is growing rapidly with the type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high cholesterol, hypertension that result from the “Typical American Diet” of fatty meats, processed sugars, and refined grains. Great fruit drink Mixes and vegetable mixes can be found at your local health food store or internet health food store.