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Summer is my favorite season for food. There are so many wonderful sweet, juicy, and colorful choices. The fruits of summer bring back childhood memories of ice cold watermelon
on a hot day, picking sweet cherries from my grandparent's tree, and juicy peaches from the farmer's market. Summer time is a wonderful time of year to start changing your diet.
Summer is a great time to start turning more to natural and even organic foods. Fruits are very cleasing and are easy to digest making it the perfect food for those hot summer
days. We are also much more active in summer. Fruit provides quick energy. There a lot of water in fruit so it helps to keep us hydrated in the hot summer sun.
January is a typical time to make New Year Resolutions to eat better. It is a lot more difficult in the winter because it is still cold and we want the comfort foods, the baked
goods, the delicious hot chocolate by the fire. Summer is the perfect season to make some dietary changes because there are many sweet choices. Fruits are a great way to wean
yourself of processed and sugar loaded foods. Fruits are nature's sweets and are very satisfying. Unlike the sugar bombs, fruit is not only sweet but have vitamins, minerals,
fiber, and life giving water?all good stuff for your body. And NO?FRUIT IS NOT FATTENING! Our bodies need carbohydrates! Your brain needs carbohydrates!
Fruit is a quick form of clean energy for our body. The form of sugar in fruit, glucose, is turned into energy in about 30 minutes using oxygen. The byproducts are water and
carbon dioxide. Your body uses the water and expels the carbon dioxide.
Fruit also stimulates your brain functions. It makes you think faster and you can recall information more easily. The main fuel for your brain is glucose. Without glucose, you
have fuzzy thinking. High protein diets not only make you weak and lethargic, you also can't think very clearly and your brain literally starves.
Fruit can be added to lots of your favorite recipes. Try a mango chutney on top of your grilled fish, add pears to your salad, or whip up strawberries with yogurt in the blender
for a refreshing smoothy. Adding color to your meals will also lift your spirits. A plate filled with reds, yellows, oranges, purple, and green makes eating more interesting and
contains all great things to make your body healthy.
Here is a list of fruits and their benefits:
Strawberries contain lots of Vitamin C. This is great for your immune system especially your spleen. Strawberries as well as other berries help balance blood sugars and benefits
the pancreas.
Watermelon contains lycopene which can help protect against cancer and heart disease. Watermelon is also very cleansing because it contains a significant amount of water
Blackberries and Blueberries help balance blood sugar and have powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins.
Mango contains carotenoids which protect against cancer.
Pineapple have great digestive enzymes and is great to eat after your meal to help digest your food.
Peaches and apricots contain magnesium which helps bring a sense of calm and helps you sleep.
Cherries can help get rid of gout.
Bananas also contain magnesium as well as potassium which helps with muscle function and regulates your heart beat.
Apples help keep the doctor away by adding the beneficial fiber pectin to your diet.
As you can see, there are so many benefits to eating your recommended servings of fruit every day. Increase your energy, cleanse your body, think more clearly, hydrate your
body, and eat very yummy, juicy, sweet treats every day. Enjoy your summer and visit your local farmer's markets frequently!
Nutrition Tidbits
by Lisa Metzgar, PhD
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Delicious Fruits that Heal Us
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Lisa Metzgar, PhD
Lisa Metzgar, PhD, has been in the alternative health field since 1996. She received her BA in Biology from UCSD, is a certified Holistic Health Practitioner, and received her
PhD in Holistic Nutrition. Lisa has taught body mind retreats in San Diego, Seattle, and Australia and currently has a practice in Reno, NV where she does nutritional
counseling. Lisa's passion is to educate families in a healthy lifestyle. Visit her website Concepts In Wellness or e-mail her at
lisa (at) conceptsinwellness.com
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