The goodness of garlic

Garlic has been a staple in my household since I was a little girl and being Russian, garlic is an important ingredient for many Russian dishes. I love it raw, cooked, baked and any other way it can be made, but I know many people who hate the smell and taste of garlic. Now, let's think about all the health benefits garlic brings and rethink our choice. Garlic smell and taste can be easily masked without you even knowing it's there, but your body will reap the benefits.

For one, garlic is known for its antioxidant protection. Its warming, pungenet flavor makes it a stimulant to the immune system. It has been used as a remedy for coughs, colds and flus. Garlic lowers fever by promoting sweating which eliminates toxins from the body.

Garlic is on the top of the list for minor irritations such as dandruff (this was news to me!), flatulence aka gas, and insect bites.

The herb also elevates good HDL cholesterol and lowers the bad LDL cholesterol.

However raw garlic contains the highest content of active ingredient, hence it's best medicinally. But when it's cooked, the chemistry changes and it offers other benefits.

Raw garlic produces a compound known as allicins that can help to protect against cancer and heart disease. However, when you cook garlic, allinase becomes inactivated, preventing the production of allicin. Still, it may be possible to prepare cooked garlic with allicin levels similar to raw garlic. A report by Science Daily explains that if raw garlic is first chopped and then allowed to sit for 45 minutes it can produce allicin.

If you are considering taking the easy, lazy route by taking a garlic capsule, think again! The more processing garlic undergoes (which it does in the process of making a capsule out of it), the more health-giving benefits are destroyed.

According to Pat Crocker, author of The Healing Herbs Cookbook (Robert Rose, 1999), one clove of raw garlic provides about 6 grams of protein, 29 mg of calcium, 202 mg of phosphorous, 529 mg of potassium and 15 mg of vitamin C. Garlic also contains vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, natural sugars, the nucleic acid adenosine and trace minerals such as copper, germanium, iron, manganese, selenium, tin and zinc.

My most favorite way to prepare garlic is to stick the whole bulb in the oven preheated to 400F and bake for 40-1hr. Cut the top of it off and splash some olive oil inside the bulb and viola! It pops right out of the bulb and is soft, creamy and delicious. You can even make a galic dip with it. Add some sour cream to it, some chives and mmmm yummy and healthy dip!

Put the lime in the coconut...

COCONUTS! YUM! We think of a beachy vacation when we think of coconuts; the sun and the water, days of uninterrupted rest in the shade, under a coconut tree. But have we stopped to think for a second, what are those "monkey" looking fruits made out of? And are they good for our health. Well, the answer is YES!

Coconut is highly nutritious and rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. While coconut possesses many health benefits due to its fiber and nutritional content, it's the oil that makes it a truly remarkable food and medicine. I recently got a recommendation from a friend to cook with coconut oil, because it is considered the best in the WORLD! That's quiet a high statement to make, so I decided to dig in and do some research myself. Ends up being, she was right. There are thousands upon thousands of articles and scientific proof that coconut oil is extremely healthy for a variety of things. Cooking for one.

This might be a shock to a lot of you, but olive oil should NOT be used for cooking. I know it was to me! "But so many recipes say to use olive oil to saute my mushrooms..." The truth is, due to its chemical structure, heat makes olive oil susceptible to oxidative damage.

Here are a few benefits of coconut oil

• Improves your heart health
• Boost your thyroidIncreases your metabolism
• Promotes lean body and weight loss
• Supports your immune system
• Many benefits have been found if coconut oil is applied to your skin as well, including anti-aging and regenerative effects.

What's the deal with organic foods?

Organic foods are growing in popularity and you might wonder what the hype is all about. Organic food is produced without using conventional pesticides or bio-engineering. Organic meat, poultry, egs and dairy products come from animals that are not given antibiotics or growth hormones. But organic produce also comes with a hefty price tag, so here are some foods that you should buy organic due to its high content of pesticides and hormones for non-organic version:

• Meat - Chicken, Pork & Beef - For the most part, scientists agree that the drugs given to animals carry over to the meat on that dinner table, so opt for the organic & hormone-free poultry & meat
• Fruits & Veggies - certain fruits and veggies might be more important to buy organic than others. The Dirty Dozen generally have the most pesticide residues when grown conventionally because they’re more prone to pesky bugs. Purchase these fruits and veggies organic whenever possible to avoid the potentially harmful effects of pesticides.

• Dairy - Cows are pumped with hormones to increase milk production, but the debate is still alive and well whether the absence of these hormones is actually beneficial
• Eggs - Skip the conventional eggs and opt for the organic kind, because they can be more nutritious and free of dangerous chemicals. One study found that, when given access to a grazing pasture, chickens produced eggs with more omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin A, and vitamin E.

Happy Shopping :)

H 2 The Izz - O

How much should my daily water intake be, you are wondering? There is always the '8 cups rule' to fall back on if you are not sure, but my best indication is the urine. Yes, I've said it. When well hydrated, urine should be light yellow or colorless. And if you are extracting bright yellow urine, please get some water ASAP! Or better yet, some Coconut water. I find it yummier than plain water and it is rich in electrolytes, which will keep you hydrated better and longer. It is also has TWICE the amount of potassium than a banana - a whopping 569 mg/serving!

Also, don't fret if you don't have enough time to gulp down 8 cups of water each day, we get our water intake from other sources, like fruits and vegetables, our coffees, teas, milk and juices. On average, food provides 20% of our daily water intake, so that's great news! We all like to eat.

Basically, drink when you are thirsty, let your body be your guide for when you need hydration and not an old rule. The 8 cups rule is actually so arbitrary, recent studies show that for an adult male to stay hydrated he needs to drink 3.7 liters/day (nearly 16 cups) while ladies need roughly 2.7 liters/day (about 11 cups)