It Doesn’t Get Any Greener

“It could be said that the secret of all life on earth depends on a special process that only the green plants possess. This process is called photosynthesis. All green plants absorb energy from the sun, take water and minerals through their roots and air through through leaves en route to maturity. Using the energy from the sun, plants utilize water, minerals and carbon dioxide to make starches, fats, proteins, vitamins and everything they require to grow.

It was little more than a century ago that chemists isolated a green pigment from the green leaves of plants that they called chlorophyll….The chlorophyll molecule bears a striking resemblance to hemoglobin, the red pigment in human blood. The red blood pigment is a web of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen atoms grouped around a single atom of iron. Nature’s green pigment is a similar web of the same atoms, except that its centerpiece is a single atom of magnesium.” (Read the entire article at: http://proliberty.com/observer/20011010.htm)

Chlorophyll is said to improve various anemic conditions, improve the action of the heart, reduce high blood pressure and improve overall health. The writer of the above mentioned article cites examples of chlorophyll normalizing blood count and platelet levels.

Further benefits attributed to chlorophyll include improvement or healing of:
Hepatitis and other liver diseases, asthma and hayfever, pyorrhea, varicose veins, hemorrhoids,
ulcers - internal and external, high and low blood sugar, offensive body odors, sore throat.

“While we always hear that eating more fruits and vegetables enhances our health, new research shows that eating green foods adds extra power to an anti-aging program.

Two experiments at the University of South Florida Center for Aging and Brain Repair, published in the Journal of Neurobiology (7/15/02), show that spirulina and other greens can help shield the brain from the antioxidant damage that accumulates as one ages and may help reverse declines in learning and memory.”

The green power of chlorophyll

Foods containing high concentrations of chlorophyll:

sprouts, asparagus, bell peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, green cabbage, celery, collard greens, green beans, green peas, kale, leeks, green olives, parsley, romaine lettuce, sea vegetables, spinach, Swiss chard, and turnip greens are concentrated sources of chlorophyll.

Overcooking decreases the chlorophyll.

The moral of the story in Stefanie’s world. Protect plant life (that means ecosystems, growing practices, etc.).

What’s So(y) Great?

In doing some research on oxalic acid with regard to spinach (see blog) I found some information that was quite new to me.

Soy contains an “anti-nutrient” called oxalate that binds to calcium and prevents its absorption in the human body. Oxalates are common in many vegetable products, though play a much worse role in some. Soy, for example, has such a heavy oxalate content that it not only prevents calcium absorption from the soy itself, it seeks out calcium in the human cellular structure, binds to it and depletes the body of existing calcium reserves.

This depletion can cause many calcium deficiency diseases. Additionally the lumps of coagulated, oxalate-bound calcium are a common cause of kidney stones.

The growing presence of genetically modified soy, which most of us aren’t even aware we are eating, is a serious cause of concern. (Well the growing presence of genetically modified anything is cause for major concern in my book, but don’t get me started!)

Really! Should soy be considered a health food?

For vegans who depend on soy for their protein, consider eating more sprouts - not only alfalfa, but broccoli sprouts, mung bean sprouts, sunflower seed sprouts. http://www.sproutpeople.com/grow/sprouting.html

Habit Forming - Forming Habits

image by Ron Leishman: http://www.toonclipart.com/

I have always found replacing “bad” habits to be much more feasible than quitting anything. Quitting just leaves a void. Want, need, longing, fury, agitation, frustration - just to name a few - were my new companions in the void. Why not just find something I enjoy to replace the thing I enjoyed but found to be detrimental in some way.  It isn’t so much a question of will power as of energy.  Energy constantly transforms, but it doesn’t go away.  A habit is a pattern of energy.  It is constructive to work with it, creating change and transformation.

During the holidays I found myself inundated with ambivalence about all the sweets and treats I was confronted with constantly at that time of year. What should I do? I was tortured by the ice cream, chocolates, and egg nog. They made me suffer! - I want! I shouldn’t! I mustn’t! I want I want!

Ice cream was always one of my greatest addictions. Great in quality and size and challenge. Recently I have found a substitution which I find full-filling and delightful, leaving me without cravings. I make a shake. Not a milk shake! Young coconut banana shake. Delectable.

1 young coconut - water and meat
1 banana
6 pieces of ice
Blend all ingredients in a blender or vitamix

For instructions on how to open a young coconut, you can search youtube.com or google.com. If you are a beginner, just be very careful!
The consistency of the shake will vary depending on the youth of the coconut - but I find all variations to be yummy.

Good luck and please post questions!