Holistic Hints for Healthy Diet Staples: Thanks to Ed Bauman....

Strange, it worked for me....here is is cut and pasted:

Nutrition & Diet
HealthNews Dozen: Holistic Hints for Healthy Diet Staples
By: Jennifer Newell
Published: Monday, 16 March 2009

1. Avocados
2. Beets
3. Blueberries
4. Cabbages, including broccoli & bok choy
5. Carrots
6. Celery
7. Cranberries
8. Flax seed
9. Fish, including fish oils
10. Garlic
11. Mushroom, especially maitake & shiitake
12. Seaweed

Everyone wants diet tips. Certain foods are healthier than others, and then there are calories to consider, as well as fiber, vitamins, fat content, and so on. Many complicated factors later, it’s hard to remember why some foods are better than others and what health benefits or dangers each choice contains. That is why one concise list is easy—twelve items to review and keep on hand as it suits one’s needs.

Thanks to Edward Bauman, M.Ed., Ph.D., of Bauman College, that simple list has been released as part of an effort to distribute holistic nutrition information for the masses. Relying on the basics of healthy foods, the list of foods was compiled with overall health and extended living in mind. Bauman College has the simple goal of providing nutritional education and perpetuating the natural culinary arts with a heavy concentration on the fundamentals of food and the healing benefits of various food items.

It should be noted that the items in the top-twelve list are in alphabetical order only, not in order of health importance.

To look at the list in more detail will give some explanation of the particular benefits of each item. Many have medical benefits, such as the avocado reducing the risk of heart attack, as is the case with fish and fish oils, carrots, flax seed, and garlic. Cancer-fighting elements can be found in cabbage products, mushrooms, carrots, garlic, flax seed, celery, fish, and seaweed.

Some of the food items have very particular functions, such as blueberries and their positive effect on pancreatic health, celery and its ability to ease water retention, or carrots and their ability to prevent degenerative eye diseases. Many offer assistance to the immune system, such as cabbages, carrots, and garlic. Some also boost healthy cholesterol levels as well, including flax seed, garlic, mushrooms, fish, and seaweed. And flax seed has been found to affect moods in a positive way, aiding those who have depression issues.

Dr. Bauman also added several herbs and spices that have been found to provide health benefits. Fenugreek seed has become more popular in recent years due to its use as a staple in other parts of the world for its anti-diabetic qualities, as well as its assistance in preventing intestinal gas and high blood pressure. Parsley is the most common and most healthy herb, as it is rich in several nutrients and helps water retention, blood flow, brain activity, and bowel health. It is also said to have anti-cancerous properties. Turmeric is a spice that should be a staple in any health diet because of its anti-inflammatory qualities, which can aid in the treatment of arthritis, and its positive influence on cholesterol levels, stomach acid reduction, blood sugar regulation in diabetic patients, and liver protection.

Ginger is more commonly found in supermarkets and helps stimulate digestion and healthy intestinal muscles. In addition to being a heart-healthy herb, its anti-inflammatory properties often aid with symptoms of arthritis.

All in all, the foods promoted by the holistic community should be worked into any healthy dietary regimen. And when they can be purchased as organic products, it only increases their health benefits.