Health Tip
Curated by a Professional
Vitamin C, is needed for building the connective tissue that holds body cells together. Vitamin C is essential for healthy teeth, gums, and blood vessels. It is a very powerful antioxidant that also recharges other antioxidants, such as vitamin E, to keep them potent. The cells of the brain and spinal cord, which frequently incur free radical damage, can be protected by significant amounts of Vitamin C. Because the body cannot manufacture Vitamin C , it must be obtained through the diet or in the form of supplements.
Alcohol, analgesics (pain medications), antidepressants, anticoagulants (blood thinners), oral contraceptives, and steroids may reduce levels of Vitamin C in the body. Smoking causes a serious depletion of Vitamin C.
Diabetic medications such as Diabinese, and sulfa drugs may not be as effective if taken with Vitamin C. Taking high doses of Vitamin C may cause a false – negative reading in tests for blood in the stool.
For maximum effectiveness, supplemental Vitamin C should be taken in divided doses, twice daily.
Cautions
If aspirin and standard Vitamin C are taken together in large doses, stomach irritation can occur, possibly leading to ulcers. If you take aspirin regularly, use an esterified form of Vitamin C, and take it separately from the aspirin.
If you are pregnant, do not take more than 5,000 mg. of vitamin C daily. A developing infant may become dependent on this supplement and develop scurvy when deprived of the accustomed megadoses after birth.
Avoid using chewable vitamin C supplements, as these can damage tooth enamel.
Sources
Vitamin C is found in berries, citrus fruits, and green vegetables. Good sources include asparagus, avocados, beet greens, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cantaloupe, collards, grapefruit, kale, lemons, mangos, mustard greens, onions, oranges, papaya, persimmons, pineapple, radishes, spinach, strawberries, Swiss chard, tomatoes, turnip greens, and watercress.
The Potato
Potatoes are about 20% CARBOHYDRATES, and 2% PROTEIN. The potato contains VITAMIN C, B1(thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 and B6 (pyridoxine). The most important is vitamin C. The entire recommended daily amount can be found in 14 ounces of potatoes. The POTASSIUM in the potato is strongly alkaline, which makes for good liver activation, elastic tissues, and supple muscles. Potassium is the healer of the body and is very necessary in rejuvenation. The potassium makes the potato a good food for the HEART.
Boiled potatoes may lose from 10 to 50 percent of potassium, while baked potatoes lose only from 3 to 6 percent. A baked potato is a good body-building food and is easily digested. The skin of the potato contains its life-giving properties. When the skin is not eaten, the best part is lost. Also when the skin is baked too brown, the life-giving properties are destroyed. FRIED potatoes are not only quite indigestible, but also have a tendency to create a disturbance of the liver and gallbladder.
Medicinal Value of Potatoes
Diarrhea - Eat unsalted potatoes mashed with water.
Indigestion - Eat potatoes raw, about ½ cup.
Heartburn/Gas - Drink freshly squeezed juice first thing in the morning.
Ulcers – Drink one quart of potato juice throughout the day, before meals.
Sore Throat - Make a compress by placing hot mashed unpeeled, boiled potatoes in a linen or cotton cloth, then apply to area affected.
Burns - Apply, cold crushed, raw potatoes to the area, if not cold mix with ice.
Boils - Make a poultice of raw potatoes. Apply and change every eight hours.
Constipation - Boil potatoes with the skin on them or drinking the juice will soothe inflamed tissue and provide bulk to the stool
Colds and Flu - Fast from all processed foods and boil potatoes with carrots, onions, celery and parsley.
Potatoes, like onion, draw infection and impurities from the body, and from the air. A raw, peeled potatoes will help a bruise or sprain, and may relieve pain from a minor burn, and used for sore eyes, boils, and skin inflammations, when grated in a poultice and placed in gauze, alone or with, for instance, charcoal, or sliced and placed right on the skin. Raw potato juice is indicated for relief of ulcers.
Potatoes help you feel calm, relaxed, and cheerful by boosting certain chemicals in the brain. They are a nourishing food that will build up the body. Used with carrots and onions, they are used when a fast is broken, or the body debilitated, as a potassium broth. Like onions, potatoes should be used entirely when cut. Do not buy potatoes that are shriveled, blackened or sprouting. Also avoid white potatoes that have greenish areas on the skin, and never eat the green areas or eyes, as they are poison to the system. Potatoes should not be stored in a plastic bag. They need air circulation. Do not store them in the refrigerator, but in a cool, dark, dry place.
The Power of the Omegas
Omega-3 fatty acids are a form of polyunsaturated fat that the body derives from food. Omega–3s and 6s are know as Essential Fatty Acids for they are very important for health. The body cannot make these fatty acids on its own so they must be obtained from food sources. Very good natural sources are flaxseed oils, walnuts, and dark green leafy vegetables. The OMEGAS help the heart with its anti-inflammatory and anti-blood clotting actions, lowering cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and reducing blood pressure. They also reduce the risks of diabetes, stroke, arthritis, asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, colitis, some cancers and mental decline.
God’s Health Prescription
“Exercise”
We are created for action, and it is impossible to be truly well without it!. The adage “use it or lose it” applies to every part of the body. Exercise provides greater vitality, extra energy, and longer life. Yet, for many, the greatest exertion of the day is getting out of bed or walking from the kitchen to the garage.
Exercise is critically important to a total lifestyle approach to health.
Here is a brief summary of some of the things that regular exercise can begin doing for you right now:
Exercise will improve the tone of your muscles and blood vessels, changing them from weak and flabby tissue to strong and firm tissue, often reducing the blood pressure in the process.
It will increase the efficiency of your heart in several ways. Gradually it will grow stronger and pump more blood with each stroke, thus reducing the number of strokes needed to supply your body with life-giving blood.
It will improve your digestion by quickening the circulation and helping to lift the blood back to the heart from the digestive organs and thus normalizing your bowel action.
It will increase the efficiency of your lungs, conditioning them to process more air with less effort.
It will improve the overall condition of your body, especially your most vital parts: the lungs, heart, blood vessels, and endocrine system. This will impart added protection against sickness.
It can change your whole outlook on life, enabling you to relax, work more efficiently, and handle stress better. When not overdone, it imparts a cheerful quality to the mind.
It will enable you to sleep better at night and think better during the day. Exercise strengthens the will. You will be able to get more work done with less fatigue.
It will slow down your aging process by slowing down the natural physical deterioration that old age normally brings. It will give you a new zest for life at a time when you most need it. And there is evidence that it can reduce the likelihood of cancer.
The best form of exercise is walking.
It uses almost all of the body’s 206 bones & 640 muscles; it does not require the purchase of expensive equipment; the pace is simple to adjust. Invest in a good pair of walking shoes, dress appropriately for the weather – and Let’s get stepping!
{God’s Health Prescription, 28}
Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. Maybe that’s why it’s called “the present"!!
Nature's Penicillin
Nature’s penicillin can be used effectively for the following purposes: colds, flu, sore throat, infections, respiratory problems, and a general immune system strengthener. It is simple and inexpensive to make.
1 grapefruit
1 orange
2 lemons
3 cloves of garlic
½ large onion
3 drops of peppermint oil
Cut fruit, garlic and onion into pieces. Place in a blender with enough water so that the mixture turns into the blender. You may find that you will have to add more water, but just a little at a time. Mix well. Add peppermint at the last. For an adult take 1 cup a day, for a child ½ cup. This amount is not taken all at once, but a spoonful at a time throughout the day. Pour remainder into a glass jar, cover with a lid and keep it refrigerated. When ready to use, warm in a sauce pan before serving – not hot, just warm or at room temperature.
Grapefruit: High in vitamin C – which is an immune system strengthener. Aids the body in eliminating poisons. The rind of the grapefruit is a natural source of quinine.
Orange: High in vitamin C and A. Also contains high amounts of potassium and a good source of calcium and phosphorus. Known to decrease excess mucus from the head and nose. Useful in cases of respiratory ailments; such as bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma.
Lemons: Contains vitamins B, C, Calcium, Iron, Potassium, Phosphorus. Lemons are a natural antiseptic, helpful in destroying harmful bacteria in areas of infection. Because of its vitamin C content, it again acts as an immune system builder. Especially beneficial to the liver – an important organ of elimination. Lemon, although acid, changes into alkaline in the body.
Garlic: Contains vitamins B, C, Calcium, Potassium, Phosphorus. Garlic is one of the most beneficial food for the digestive system and has a positive effect on the lymph, aiding in the elimination of toxic waste in the body. It is also a useful blood cleanser. It is a natural antibiotic and therefore very valuable in strengthening the immune system.
Onions: Contains vitamins A, Thiamine, Iron, Niacin, and Calcium. Onions have antiseptic qualities. They help drain mucus from the sinus cavities and loosen phlegm. They will also help destroy worms and other parasites in the body.
Peppermint Oil: Brings oxygen into the blood stream; cleanses and strengthens the entire body.