NEED A MENTAL OR PHYSICAL BOOST?

In my winter quest of reducing the contents of my file cabinet, I find many "treasures" worth sharing.  Especially at this time of year when our spirit and our body are starting to drag a bit.

The treasure was an article from the Summer/Fall 2018 issue of the High Desert Pulse, which was an insert in The Bulletin several times a year.  The information was sourced from the National Institute of Health, Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

The article is titled "Food Synergy--Eat THIS + THAT".  The combinations would have the most benefit if the suggested combinations were organically grown.  Some combinations will surprise you and perhaps make you curious enough to try.  If not to possibly realize a health benefit but to reawaken our palate after weeks of holiday treats.

Peanuts + Whole Wheat.  Natural peanut butter and whole wheat bread combine to provide an entire chain of amino acids (protein) which is the best way to build and maintain muscles.  We will definitively need the muscle power when we begin gardening.

Oatmeal + Orange juice.  That sounds like the breakfast many of us grew up with.  But do we know what makes it a beneficial combination?   The vitamin C rich orange juice and unprocessed oatmeal (the old-fashioned kind that takes a few minutes to cook) consumed together helps to stabilize bad cholesterol according to the US. Department of Agriculture study.

Now to some combinations that maybe even a teenager might try.

Apples + Chocolate.  Red delicious apples are high in an anti-inflammatory component called quercetin, particularly the skins when the fruit is grown organically.  Chocolate contains catechin, an antioxidant known to reduce the risks for cancer and atherosclerosis, a disease of the arteries.  Quercetin
and catechin combined can "loosen clumpy blood platelets, improving cardiovascular health and providing anticoagulant activity" according to a study from the National University of Singapore.

Blueberries + Grapes.  Blueberries are known for containing powerful antioxidants.  The same is true of grapes.  While eating a single serving of fruit has health benefits, combing nearly any two fruits triggers a reaction that increases the antioxidants according to a study published in the Journal of Nutrition.

Eggs + Cantaloupe.  The protein benefits that come from an egg are increased when the iconic breakfast food is eaten with good carbohydrates, such as fruit, whole grain and vegetables.  "This synergy helps by minimizing insulin and blood-sugar spikes" according to nutritionist at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.  By slowing the absorption of glucose, your body can better read the cues that you are full.  This helps prevent everything from overeating to indigestion."

Broccoli + Tomatoes. A cancer research study in 2007 showed broccoli and tomatoes eaten together shrunk prostate-cancer tumors in rats.  John W Erdman Jr. PhD, of the University of Illinois concludedthat other than castration nothing was more effective in shrinking cancer.  Why? That's a mystery in 2018 researchers hadn't solved.

Avocados + Tomatoes.  The fats in avocados bring out the lycopene in tomatoes. Lycopene is an antioxidant  known as carotenoid, "which reduces cancer risk and cardiovascular disease" according to a Men's Health article based on multiple medical studies about food synergy.

Next week is grocery shopping week and I will be adding some new items to the list.  Will be fun to try some new combinations--like chocolate and delicious apple!