did you know: 3 raw nuts

"The American Heart Association recommends consuming four servings of nuts per week for the best health benefits." - www.livestrong.com

Here are 3 nuts that contain great nutrients and natural remedies!

Almonds:

Rich in vitamins, minerals, protein, healthy fats, and antioxidants. An energy boost. Contain heart healthy fats which can help lower cholesterol. Good source of calcium and magnesium. Good source of fiber (which is great for weight loss!). Also eating a few after meals can help reduce heartburn.

Cashews:

Contain heart healthy fats which can help lower cholesterol. High in copper, which promotes good brain health (2 handfuls can have the same affect as a dose of Prozac!), healthy hair, skin, eyes, connective tissue, and can reduce symptoms of arthritis. Also good source of magnesium, which promotes healthy bones, and regulates calcium, muscles, and nerves.

Walnuts:

High in protein and fiber. Good source of zinc, which is essential for wound healing, sense of smell, and the immune system. Contain Omega-3 fatty acids, which promotes healthy brain function and memory. A deficiency can result in poor memory, dry skin, depression, and fatigue.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com

did you know: red bell pepper

While all bell peppers contain nutrients, red peppers provide the most! Here are a few reasons you should add them to your meals or eat them for a snack. (My 3 yr old nephew likes to dip sliced peppers in ranch dressing. Who knew a 3 yr old would eat and enjoy peppers!)

A few benefits of red peppers:

Rich in VITAMIN C. Contains 253% of the recommended daily value. Vitamin C is an antioxidant, protecting healthy cells from toxins.

Contains 10% of the recommended daily value of FIBER. Fiber helps your body remove waste.

Is 92% WATER. Water flushes you out and keeps your blood pressure in check.

Provides 75% of the recommended daily value of VITAMIN A. Vitamin A supports good vision and skin health.

Increases your metabolism, which promotes weight loss. Studies also show that it relieves hunger pangs.

Contains lycopene, which helps protect against cancer and heart disease.

Contains 22% of Vitamin B6, which promotes healthy brain function and helps convert protein into energy.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/411776-what-are-the-health-benefits-of-red-pepper/#ixzz1JDww0Lbk and

http://www.empowher.com/diet-nutrition/content/benefits-red-bell-peppers

did you know: spirulina

Spirulina is a blue-green algea. It has numerous nutrients, including protein, all eight essential amino acids, vitamns B, C, and E. Because it is so high in nutrients it can help reduce hunger and cravings. It is very high in protein, but 4 times more digestable than beef. It's very low in calories, containing only 3.9 calories per gram while beef has 65 calories per gram. It can also help regulate blood sugar and and control insulin levels.

You can get Spirulina in capsule, tablet, or powder form. I've only had it in powder form. I love to add it to smoothies! (and it makes your smoothie a fun green color!) You can also find it in the popular juice (found at grocery stores or Starbucks) - Green Machine Naked Juice - which is super yummy and has many other wonderful nutrients I will have to highlight in another post.

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/232330-benefits-of-spirulina-for-weight-loss/#ixzz1HuFAah5K

did you know: lemon water

I recently watched a documentary called Food Matters. You may have seen this or heard about it. It talks about how our bodies are designed to fight disease and illness. They are designed to help us through physical AND mental health issues. They just need the right nutrition to do the job! I'm convinced if we ate the right things we wouldn't have half the health problems we do today. So...now and then I'm going to share tidbits of information I'm learning about certain foods and how they give our body what it needs to heal and thrive.

First up: LEMON WATER...

Drinking a warm glass of lemon water in the morning and the evening helps cleanse out your system. Dr. Gillian McKeith states, "A warm cup of water first thing in the morning (and even better with a squeeze of lemon) goes right through the bowels and cleans mucus out from the day before. Drink another cup in the evening too." Many detoxes suggest drinking lemon water throughout the day to also boost weight loss. Lemon water can also relieve heartburn, gas, cramping, and help regulate excessive menstruation!

Read more at http://www.livestrong.com/article/111175-benefits-lemon-water/#ixzz1HYJFd5mx and http://www.quantumbalancing.com/news/lemon%20water.htm