The start of this glorious morning – a smoothie made out of coconut, both the water and it’s meat, banana, mango and bee pollen. It’s not only tasty but also very nutritious, here is why.
To just name two of many benefits of coconut water it will boost my immune system and rehydrate me after a night of sleep. And by eating some of its meat I will help my body to easier absorb the minerals found in the next ingredient, the banana, which contains a large amount of potassium and magnesium. These two minerals both play a large role in healthy muscle tissue. The high dietary fiber in the coconut and banana will also keep me full for longer.
I’m pretty sure that I’ve told you guys that mango is my absolute favorite, I mean what’s not to love about this sweet refreshing fruit?? And if the flavor isn’t enough it’s nice to know that its high antioxidant content will protect me agains cancer and the vitamin A content will help me see in the dark. Mangos also contain a lot of vitamin C which makes it easier for my body to absorb my daily supplement of reishi mushroom, vitamin C actually makes my body absorb up to NINE times more of the reishi mushrooms nutrients!
I know that I just made a post about the health benefits of bee pollen yesterday but it’s worth to repeat. Bee pollen contains Vitamin C, A, K, D, E, B vitamins including B12, B1 thiamine, B6 pyridoxine, B3 niacin, B2 riboflavin, choline, biotine, inositol, folic acid, phosphorus, manganese, iodine, titanium, silicon, sulfur, magnesium, chlorine, sodium, copper, zinc, boron, molybdenum, fructose, glucose, nucleic acids, amines, lycopene, triglycerides, a large amount of enzymes and ALL essential amino acids! Got that? Basically – bee pollen is good for you!
A pretty smart guy named Albert Einstein once said “If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would only have four years of life left. No more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more man.”
The first alarms about the sudden widespread disappearance of honeybees came in late 2006 and the phenomenon soon had a name: colony collapse disorder. In the two years that has followed about one-third of bee colonies has vanished. At the moment there are many campaigns on online sites like Facebook, please take a moment and see what you can do to help save the bees.
The benefits of eating honey has long been noticed for it beneficial properties but it’s not until recently that the western world has opened its eyes to bee pollen and as a way of gaining good health. But this is not just a new fad, there’s a reason that bee pollen is referred to as a “complete food” – it actually contains over 96 nutrients and offers everything thats needed to sustain the life of a human – including all 22 essential amino acids which makes it a complete protein! Keep on reading for a few examples of the amazing benefits of bee pollen.
Bee pollen is known to..
Reduce cholesterol as it helps balancing the levels in your body, basically it increases good cholesterol and decreases the bad kind.
Help you with the sneezing and crying in the spring due to hay fever. Eating pollen or honey from local bees can help you body to build up an immunity.
Boost your immune system with important vitamins including Vitamin D, C, E, and almost all the B vitamins. Other nutrients that help to improve the way the immune system functions include calcium, selenium, beta-carotene, lecithin and magnesium and these are also all found in bee pollen.
Help you with weight loss since it contains lecithin, which helps to eliminate body fat that is stored within the body. Lecithin is also know to increase you metabolism.
Other benefits are, increased energy and stamina level (very good for athletes), balances the Estrogen to Testosterone levels in both men and women, increased sperm count in men, improved muscle tone, clears acne..
So how to incorporate this wonder food into your diet? Easy! Sprinkle it on your muesli in the morning or ad it in your daily smoothie or juice. You can also find it in capsules or as pills in your local health food store but i recommend to eat the pollen in its raw form. If you live in America have a look at this site where you can find many tasty raw products including pine tree bee pollen. It’s important to remember that bee pollen is actually a ‘food’ and not technically a ‘vitamin supplement’. The nutrients in Bee Pollen are very concentrated meaning that even small amounts may provide effective and valuable levels of nutritional sustenance – dietary antioxidants, bioflavonoids and polyphenols in particular, along with lecithin.
Please note that some people are severely allergic to bee pollen (particularly if you are allergic to bees or other bee products) so please be cautious and use common sense before introducing this food to your diet. Even for non allergic people I recommend to start with a small amount and slowly increase your intake, a good way to begin eating this wonder food is with half a tea spoon and do not exceed the daily amount of a table spoon.
This weeks studying is dedicated to the raw food diet and in the first seminar we get to listen to David Wolfe, a world authority on raw food nutrition. Its all very inspiring and I thought I would share the list of David’s super foods here and write a bit more about a few of them in the week that follows.
What is a superfood?
Superfoods are a class of the most potent, super-concentrated, and nutrient-rich foods on the planet. Extremely tasty and satisfying, superfoods have the ability to tremendously increase the vital force and energy of one’s body, and are the optimum choice for improving over-all health, boosting the immune system, elevating serotonin production, enhancing sexuality, cleansing, lowering inflammation, and alkalizing the body. Nourishing us at the deepest level possible, they are the true fuel of today’s “superhero”.
1. Cacao (Raw Chocolate) — The seed/nut of a fruit of an Amazonian tree, cacao is the highest antioxidant food on the planet, the #1 source of antioxidants, magnesium, iron, manganese, and chromium and is also extremely high in PEA, theobromine (cardiovascular support), and anandamide (“bliss chemical”). Raw Chocolate improves cardiovascular health, builds strong bones, is a natural aphrodisiac, elevates your mood and energy, and increases longevity.
2. Goji Berries (Wolfberries) — Used in traditional Chinese medicine for over 5,000 years, goji berries are regarded as a longevity, strength-building, and potency food of the highest order. This superfood contains 18 kinds of amino acids, including all 8 essential amino acids, up to 21 trace minerals, high amounts of antioxidants, iron, polysaccharides, B & E vitamins, and many other nutrients.
3. Maca — A staple in the Peruvian Andes for thousands of years, this adaptogenic superfood increases energy, endurance, strength, and libido. Dried maca powder contains more than 10% protein, nearly 20 amino acids, including 7 essential amino acids. As a root crop, maca contains five times more protein than a potato and four times more fiber.
4. Hemp Products eaten in their RAW form — Hemp seeds are packed with 33% pure digestible protein, and are rich in iron, amino acids, and vitamin E as well as omega-3′s and GLA. Hemp is a perfect food for growing children and adults looking to increase protein intake.
5. Spirulina and AFA Blue-Green Algae — Spirulina is the world’s highest source of complete protein (65%). Spirulina provides a vast array of minerals, trace elements, phytonutrients, and enzymes. AFA Blue-green algae is a wild-grown superfood that is made up of 15% blue pigmented phycocyanin which, according to Christian Drapeau in his book Primordial Food, increases our internal production of stem cells. Both Sprirulina and Blue-green Algae are vital superfoods.
6. Bee Products (honey, pollen, and propolis) — Bee pollen is the most complete food found in nature containing nearly all B vitamins especially vitamin B-9 (folate) and all 21 essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. Honey, in its organic/wild, raw, unfiltered states is rich in minerals, antioxidants, probiotics, and enzymes, and is one of the highest vibration foods on the planet. If your metabolism can handle sweeteners, honey is the best. Russian research indicates that honey is a longevity superfood.
7. Camu Berry — Highest Vitamin C source on the planet. Great for rebuilding tissue, purifying blood, and enhancing immunity, and energy. Camu berry is one of the best anti-depressants, immune building, and eye-nourishing superfoods in the world.
8. Sea Vegetables (kelp, dulse, nori, hijiki, bladderwrack, chlorella, etc) — Rich in life-giving nutrients drawn in from the ocean and sun, sea vegetables help remove heavy metals, detoxify the body of radioactive iodine, provide numerous trace minerals, regulate immunity, and decrease the risk of cancer. Seaweeds benefit the entire body, and are especially excellent for the thyroid, immune system, adrenals, and hormone function.
9. Medicinal Mushrooms (Reishi, chaga, cordyceps, maitake, shiitake, lion’s mane, etc.) — High in polysaccharides and super immune enhancing components, medicinal mushrooms are one of the most intelligent adaptogenic herb/superfoods on the planet! They have also been proven effective in healing cancer and a variety of other ailments.
10. Additional Powerful Superfoods and Supplements — MSM, Digestive and Metabolic Enzymes, Mangosteen powder, Marine Phytoplankton, Activated Liquid Zeolite, Ormus, MegaHydrate, Crystal Energy, Krill Oil (not vegan, lowest on the food-chain, a source of long-chain omega 3 fatty acids).
