Group Wellness Program 60-DAY

A top secret of long life REVEALED!

Eating lots of vegetables daily is one of the most powerful ways you can slow the aging process and help prevent chronic disease. It is a major common factor among the Hot Spot folk and an important part of the BluePrint for Life. A top secret of long life REVEALED!

Types of VEGETABLES

Types of Vegetables

Vegetables tick all the boxes when it comes to anti-aging, health- promoting effects Studies now show that eating plenty of veggies every day has a huge impact on health and longevity. For example, the Harvard Nurses’ Health Study, which followed 110,000 men and women for fourteen years, has shown that eating vegetables significantly lowers the risk of dying from the US number one killer, cardiovascular disease. One review of 206 epidemiological studies found that fruit and vegetable consumption reduces the risk of a wide range of cancers including stomach and colon cancer. Veg have the Edge!

The soluble and insoluble fiber in vegetables acts as a ‘mop’ and a ‘broom’ respectively to soak up toxins, sweep the colon clean, and get the debris and nasty stuff out of all those nooks and crannies. Eating lots of vegetables should fill you with nutrients and fiber and help stop you craving other unhealthy foods. Vegetables are an excellent source of antioxidants which boost immunity, help keep arteries free of plaque, and protect the cells and DNA in our organs, tissues and skin from aging free radical damage. The antioxidant carotenoids found in vegetables also give a healthy glow to skin, according to a recent UK study. Veg have the Edge!

Vegetables contain thousands of plant chemicals, or phytochemicals, that work in synergy and have numerous powerful beneficial effects. Vegetables are anti-inflammatory, and so dampen down the inflammation which is caused by an unhealthy diet and lifestyle and which underlies chronic disease and accelerated aging. Vegetables have an alkalizing effect on the bloodstream, which deters cancer cells and sets the conditions for good health and healing. Veg have the Edge!

Vegetables have anti-cancer properties. The most protective types are raw vegetables, cruciferous vegetables, garlic and onions, carrots, green vegetables, and tomatoes. Vegetables are low on the glycemic index and so help balance blood sugar and insulin levels, which is key to slowing the aging process and warding off disease. Eating lots of vegetables can give you: better immunity, more balanced hormones, clearer and more glowing skin, a spring in your step, improved circulation, happier mood, less bloating, healthier hair and nails, and weight loss. Veg have the Edge!

Make vegetables the main attraction – fill half your plate at lunch and supper! Make vegetable-based recipes using beans, fish, eggs, etc. If using meat or dairy, use them for flavor rather than as the main event. Veg have the Edge!

Try to get organic, locally-grown vegetables for higher nutrient content, better flavor, and to avoid pesticides. Eat lots of colors together – the colors enhance each other, the nutrients enhance each other, and the tastes enhance each other. Veg have the Edge!

Try them steamed, roasted, stir-fried, in salads, sauteed, in soups, in casseroles, as crudites with dip...try to find new ways to prepare them to keep your taste buds interested. Eat them both raw and cooked. Grow your own if possible – digging them keeps you fit! Potatoes and corn are a starchy veg and a grain, so do not count as a vegetable. Sweet potatoes do count as they are less starchy and higher in nutrients than ordinary potatoes. Veg have the Edge!

Beets – lower blood pressure, Broccoli/calabrese: contains isothiocyanates which help remove cancer-causing agents from the body; studies show broccoli has an anti-cancer effect. Cabbage: contains anti-cancer compounds; helps prevent effects of radiation; one study showed that cabbage was 17 percent more effective in reducing cholesterol levels than a popular cholesterol- lowering drug. Carrots, pumpkins and sweet potatoes – rich in anti-cancer beta- carotene as shown by their orange color, Special benefits of vegetables

Garlic: anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory. Very good for colds and immune problems. Stimulates our cancer - fighting Natural Killer cells. Onions are antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and anti- inflammatory. They are rich in quercetin which has been found in studies to lower blood pressure and to block cancer cell promoters. Seaweed: great for bone and muscle health due to calcium and magnesium content. Seaweed can protect against heavy metal toxicity and radiation, since it contains a substance called alginic acid which binds to and removes heavy metals such as lead, cadmium and radioactive strontium from the body. Special benefits of vegetables

Spinach – high in iron – eat with a vitamin C-rich food (e.g., from orange juice or raw vegetables) for best absorption of the iron. Tomatoes (technically a fruit) – high in lycopene which is thought to prevent prostate cancer and also protects cardiovascular health by lowering ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol levels. One study showed a 65 per cent reduction in heart disease risk for women eating ten servings of tomato products weekly. Cook in olive oil for best absorption of lycopene. Don’t forget all the other types of vegetables – French beans, peas, asparagus, celery, cucumber, all types of salads, and more – they all have fantastic health-giving properties. Special benefits of vegetables

ACTIVITY: Keep a daily chart of vegetable intake. If you currently eat very few vegetables, start by filling one quarter of your plate at lunch and supper so that it’s not too much of a shock to the system. Work up to half your plate at lunch and supper. Notice the benefits! If possible keep a record of these. After 1-2 weeks you should notice the difference. This week, try to make every meal look like a rainbow.

NEXT WEEK: relax