Food Day 24

Chamomile Tea

How

1. Buy organic chamomile tea bags or flowers.
2. To make chamomile tea, steep a chamomile tea bag or chamomile flowers in hot water for 5 to 10 minutes in a mug covered with a saucer.
3. For stomach ailments, muscle spasms, and help in falling asleep, use about one tablespoon of dried herb per cup of water.
4. For headaches, drink this tea before the headache becomes too severe.
5. You can make your own chamomile tea with other plants like lavender or tulsi to vary the flavor, or drink it alone.
6. Drinking the tea for 30 to 45 minutes before going to bed can treat sleeplessness.
7. You can drink one to four cups daily.
8. Fill your water bottle with tea for maximum portability. You can drink this tea as a replacement for pop and juice.
9. Using chamomile during pregnancy is not recommended, since it is considered to be a substance that may cause abortions.

Health Benefits/Facts

• Promotes sleep. Chamomile tea is a herbal tea and contains no caffeine.
• Soothes migraine headaches. This tea is anti inflammatory and will help with headaches caused by inflammation.
• Possible treatment for stomach and intestinal cramps. One study from England found that drinking chamomile tea raised urine levels of glycine, a compound that calms muscle spasms.
• Good for skin. The tea’s anti inflammatory effects extend to the skin where it helps ease skin irritations such as eczema, acne, and allergies.
• Source of antioxidant which can help prevent cancer and has been shown to causes cancer cell death though further research is needed.

Russet Potatoes

Directions

1. Peel the potatoes. In addition to potato leaves being poisonous, the outer skin of the potatoes contain defence mechanisms to protect the plant.
2. Do not eat the green spots. These green spots contain solanin, a toxin that can irritate the gastrointestinal tract. If enough is eating, vomiting and diarrhea can occur.
3. Russet potatoes can be boiled, roasted, or mashed. They are a great source of carbohydrates for lunch
4. For the purpose of detox, avoid adding things like, cream, cheese, and oil.

Benefits

• Healthy digestion caused by the high fiber content of potatoes
• Antioxidants and lower blood pressure. Antioxidants remove toxins from your blood and a lower blood pressure is associated with less damage to arteries.

Grapefruit

Sometimes it is difficult to lose weight while working. Thankfully grapefruit can help with that. Its high fiber content along with its vitamin levels make for a great food to help detox.

Directions

1. Choose a grapefruit that is heavy for its size and has a little spring when squeezed.
2. Grapefruits should be stored at room temperature, away from direct sunlight.
3. Winter is the peak season to buy grapefruit, oranges and other citrus fruits.
4. Because of its bitter taste, avoid eating grapefruit before something sweet.

Food Suggestions

• Make a fruit salad with strawberries, pineapple, sliced grapefruit, mandarin oranges and grapes
• Add some grapefruit slices to your salad at lunch or dinner. Compliment the oranges with walnuts or pecans, crumbled cheese and a light balsamic or citrus vinaigrette dressing
• Keep a bowl on the kitchen table or counter stocked with fresh fruit from the season. Seeing the fruits readily available will likely cause you to choose them as a snack more often than raiding the cupboards for a less healthy snack.
• Make your own juice! Nothing tastes better than freshly squeezed fruit juice in the morning. When you make your own, you can be sure there are no added preservatives or sweeteners
• Grapefruit intake should be avoided when taking certain medications, because of its enzyme binding ability. Because the acidity of citrus fruits, grapefruit should also be avoided if you have gastro-esophageal reflux disease due to the possibility of heartburn and regurgitation.

Benefits

• Helps manage diabetes. Grapefruits are low in calories but full of nutrients and an excellent source of vitamins A and C. It has a low glycemic index which suggests that it does not raise blood sugar levels significantly.
• Aids digestion. Fiber is very important and comes from the rind of the grapefruit. The fruit fiver combined with its high water content helps food pass through the digestive system easily and completely.
• Boosts the immune system. Vitamins C and K, which are found in grapefruits, are essential in making a strong immune system (vitamin C). They also support healthy bones, muscle mass, and the reduction of kidney stone formation.

Bonus Tips

How to Quit Craving

Read more

Now that you’re in the final stretch of the whole 30, it’s time to apply the dedication that you’ve displayed by sticking to this regimen into other aspects of your life. Once the 30 days are gone, what sort of foods are you going to eat? What are you going to drink? For many Americans, the second question is just as important as the first. Fact is, we’re addicted to soft drinks and soda. These sugary liquids get us craving like nothing else, and it can be very hard to say no. Luckily, there are a number of tips and tricks of the trade that will help you quit soft drinks and soda.

• Planning is Everything

If you’re really going to commit to a soda-free life, you’ll have to do some thinking. First, identify exactly why you want to stop drinking soda – this will make it easier to say no to cravings. There are many reasons to stop: drinking soda prevents people from losing weight, stains teeth, and can even affect sleeping patterns! Once you’ve made up your mind, get rid of all the sodas you have at home. The next time you shop for groceries, pick up healthy substitute drinks.

• Be Mindful of Your Intake

If you do drink soda now and again, make a commitment to monitor your intake. This will not only give you a way to track improvement, it will change the way that you go about drinking. Another way to cut intake is to have a water bottle with you at all times. Then, each time you think about drinking soda, consider water instead.

• Take Care of Yourself

Soda cravings can be intense and unpredictable. With this in mind, it’s important to get plenty of sleep if you’re serious about quitting. Saying no to soda is all about mental strength. Stick to your program and you’ll be sure to succeed.

Featured photo credit: flickr via flickr.com

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