Vegetarian Diet
A balanced vegetarian diet can be super healthy
Powerful Leafy Green Vegetables
Our bodies have a harder time absorbing iron from plant sources. Lack of iron could be a problem for vegetarians and vegans not aware of the fact that iron from foods cannot be utilized by the body unless there is presence of vitamin C at the same time to act as catalyst. To solve that problem eat food with leafy green vegetables such lettuce, endive, green peppers or fruits such as oranges, lemons, or black currants.
Woman in particular may be deficient in iron, which is common for women with menstrual blood loss and pregnancy. If you think you're iron deficient (signs include fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain, paleness, fast heartbeat, brittle nails, inflammation and reduced resistance to infection), get your iron levels tested.
COLLARD GREENS - A CALCIUM POWERHOUSE
Plant based calcium is not only better absorbed by the body than the calcium found in dairy products, but it doesn't have the saturated fat, cholesterol and harmful additives (hormones, antibiotics, steroids) found in milk, yogurt and cheese.
Cooked collard greens are a calcium powerhouse, with 145 mg. of the mineral per half cup this dark green leafy vegetables have become supermarket stars not only because of calcium, they are also rich source of other nutrients that have been shown to suppress the growth of cancer cells.
Recommended daily allowance (RDA) for calcium is 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams. Most people get only about 700 mg/day.
Recommended iron supplement doses range from 8 to 45 mg/day; more for documented deficiency and anemia. Low-dosage, high-absorption supplements are preferred.
Note: Never take iron supplements on your own. Overloading your body with iron can be dangerous because excess iron accumulation can cause health complications and damage your liver.
Healthy Eating
Healthy eating is a lot more delicious than you may have thought...Did You Know?
Carbohydrates (literally hydrates of carbon) are chemical compounds which act as the primary biological means of storing or consuming energy; other forms being via fat and protein. Relatively complex carbohydrates are known as polysaccharides.
The simplest carbohydrates are monosaccharides, which are small straight-chain aldehydes & ketones with many hydroxyl groups added, usually one on each carbon except the functional group.
Other carbohydrates are composed of monosaccharide units, and break down under hydrolysis. These may be classified as disaccharides, oligosaccharides, or polysaccharides, depending on whether they have 2, several, or many monosaccharide units.
Balanced dietary patterns such as the Mediterranean diet and certain foods such as fish, fresh vegetables, and fruits have been associated with a lower risk of depression or depressive symptoms, while high-fat Western diets and sugar-sweetened beverages have been associated with higher risk of depression or depressive symptoms.
Dietary antioxidants such as green tea polyphenols or isoflavonoid intake have been negatively associated with depression or depressive symptoms. It is concluded that diet patterns, specific foods, and antioxidants play important roles in the prevention and clinical treatment of depression.