The Sweet Benefits Of Eating Tangerines

Eat Tangerines Daily

Tangerine

The tangerine is a cross between the mandarin orange and the bitter orange, and is named for the main mandarin shipment port of Tangier, Morocco. Today, tangerines are grown mainly in the southeastern United States. This loose-skinned orange hybrid is a deep, almost red color, and peels easily.

Health Benefits of Tangerine

• Anti Septic: Staphylococcus Aureus! Yes! This is the species of bacteria which is responsible for this dreaded situation of infection called septic. Septic is a real bad stuff. It is not only limited to mere swelling and reddening of the wounds, with acute pain. If not checked, it quickly spreads to the other parts of the body and affects them, even if there are no wounds there. It causes acute pain, immobility and hardening of joints, acute contraction and cramp in muscles, swelling, redness, fever and convulsions. It readily attacks the new born babies as their skin is vulnerable to infections. It also attacks them when they are detached from their mother’s body by cutting the umbilical cord. The Essential Oil of Tangerine contains certain components which kill these bacteria and stops its spreading, thereby helping cure septic. It can be externally applied on open wounds as well as taken orally for having a uniform effect on the whole body.
• Anti Spasmodic: Spasm may be a small word but its effects may be widespread and highly damaging. Spasm is not restricted to muscular cramps only. It can happen in respiratory system, digestive system and nervous system also and can cause breathing troubles, asthma, congestion, severe coughs, spasmodic diarrhoea and cholera, nervous afflictions and convulsions. The Essential Oil of Tangerine induces relaxations in the organic systems named above and gives relief from spasm.
• Cytophylactic: Certain components of this oil stimulate generation of new cells, or more precisely, cell division, and recycling of the cellular matter in the body. This does not only promote general growth of the body but also helps heal or repair the regular wear and tear and outstanding damages done to the body.
• Depurative: An agent that purifies blood is called a depurative. The Tangerine Essential Oil is one such depurative. It helps in the excretion or removal of the toxic and unwanted substances such as uric acid, pollutants, extra salt and water from the body through sweat, urine and excreta etc. as well as increases the oxygen retaining capacity of the erythrocytes (red blood cells), thereby refreshing or purifying the blood.
• Sedative: The Essential Oil of Tangerine soothes. It soothes all types of inflammations and hyperactivity in all the systems functioning in our body, namely, the respiratory system, circulatory system, digestive system, nervous system and the excretory system. It sedates inflammation due to fever, intrusion of poisonous substances in the blood stream from external sources, convulsions, anxiety, stress, hypersensitivity of allergy etc. It also sedates depression, anger and impulsive responses.
• Stomachic: Being a stomachic, the Essential Oil of Tangerine keeps your stomach in good condition by maintaining proper flow of digestive juices into it, by maintaining the right balance between the acid and bile (so that excess acids are neutralized) and by curing the wounds, if any, in the stomach. It soothes the stomach and gives relief from inflammation. One thing must be understood, if somebody wants to have a trouble free health and a good physique, then he must keep his stomach fine tuned and this is exactly what this oil does. It helps your stomach keep functioning properly.
• Tonic: One that tones and fortifies is a tonic and Tangerine Essential Oil has this property. It tones up all the functions in the body. It fine tunes the metabolic functions like decomposition of food and absorption of nutrients by toning up the liver, stomach and intestines, helping in growth and adding to strength; ensures proper excretion; promotes the endocrinal secretions of hormones and enzymes and also tones up the nervous system and keeps you more alert and active, and finally, boosts the immune system, protecting you from infections. So, when your body is tuned and toned up, it will give you more mileage and output and will spring up to your every twist on the accelerator (I mean, in times of need).
• Other Benefits: It improves circulation of blood and phlegm, boosts digestion, helps maintain oil and moisture balance in the skin and shows cicatrisant and emollient properties too. It also eases constipation and treats diarrhoea, flatulence, rashes, dryness and cracking of skin, hair problems, dandruff etc.

Tangerines are the perfect workday fruit - they're small, sweet and easily transportable. Lucky for you, the latest research from The University of Western Ontario has found that the benefits of tangerines go much deeper. Researchers found a flavonoid in the fruit that could help prevent obesity and atherosclerosis, staving off the negative effects of a western diet.

Prepare Your Next Salad With Tangerines

The Research and Results

Researchers led by Murray Huff set out to study a flavonoid in tangerines known as Nobiletin. They used two groups of mice and fed both groups a typical "western" diet high in fats and simple sugars. The only difference was that one group received Nobiletin as part of the diet, while the other group did not.

The group of mice that did not receive Nobiletin quickly began developing the symptoms of metabolic syndrome, including obesity, elevated cholesterol, high blood insulin and glucose levels and a fatty liver. The group that did receive the flavonoid experienced normal weight gain and no apparent elevation in cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin or glucose. These mice also did not experience a buildup of fat in the liver.
In a longer-term study performed by the same research team, the mice treated with Nobiletin also were protected against atherosclerosis in the arteries, a buildup of plaque that often leads to heart attack or stroke.

Healthy Drink

These overall results were similar to the results found several years ago with a different flavonoid in grapefruit, but Nobiletin appears to be ten times more potent than grapefruit's Naringenin.

You can now enjoy the many benefits of eating tangerines by incorporating this delish fruit into your healthy diet. Tangerines can be used in a variety of ways from salad to a low calorie drink. Eating the right foods is food for your soul...so enjoy!!

Divine Healing: Spirituality And Your Health

PRAYING TO HEAL THE SOUL

Spirituality plays an important role that is often overlooked in one's healing process. Your "Spirituality" is an aspect of who you are. "Healing" is ridding the body of disease, either mental or physical, to bring about wellness, the results of which can be readily seen.
A prominent integrative practitioner, Andrew Weil, M.D., states, "You are body, mind, and spirit. Health necessarily involves all of these components and any program intended to improve health must address all of them." Dr. Weil further states, "Many people consider spirit to be in the province of religion, but I insist on making a clear distinction between spirituality and religion. Spirituality has to do with the nonphysical aspects of your being - the part of you that existed before and will exist after the disintegration of your body."
Spirituality has many facets, including awareness of the world that surrounds you; a sense of wonder, love, and gratitude; a practice of loving-kindness towards yourself and others; listening to your intuition and trusting your heart. Spiritual health is evidenced by people demonstrating the ability to be authentic, face their fears, let go of the past, and develop insight, forgiveness, peace, compassion, and love.
A sampling of what enhances spiritual health includes meditation, yoga, music and art therapy, breathwork, laughter, and martial arts. Regardless of your personal definition of spirituality, you can explore these and other options in a vast realm of modalities and processes that exist for the purpose of developing your spirituality and adapting it to your everyday life; and thus to having a healthy body, mind, and spirit.
Do you pay attention to your thoughts and what you are "saying" to yourself? What you truly believe at the core of your being has great power over what you are creating in your life.
One well-known, practical process to enhance healing is to focus on these internal messages. Many people use affirmations (positive statements) to do this. Repeated often, affirmations can influence your core belief system, which may then bring about change in your physical, emotional, and mental states. It is very important to use affirmations that are positive statements in the present tense. For example, a very basic statement that affirms the value of self is: "(Your Name), I love you and accept you exactly the way you are." Another example of an "affirmation" statement would be: "I am whole." When repeating this affirmation, really picture yourself as whole. This shuts out concentration on any illness or health problems you may be facing, and the resulting disconnection of the body/mind/spirit. Regular practice of this affirmation leads to the core belief that you are truly whole, in spite of any physical evidence that might suggest otherwise.

READING THE BIBLE TO INSPIRE YOU

You can easily compose your own personal affirmations to address whatever needs healing in your life, be it physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual. Affirmations can be said as part of a meditation session, silently, like a mantra, or aloud while walking or driving. The more times they are repeated, the more effective they become. Another way to keep them foremost in your thoughts is to write them down on cards and place the cards in places where you will be sure to see them. It's alright to change the wording to suit a situation and/or to say several different affirmations.
Author Barbara Hoberman Levine wisely reminds us that the aim of almost all spiritual work is to "...unify your Body/Mind/Spirit and reconnect your seemingly separate parts. By doing this you expand your ability to choose freely and to ensure yourself of clearer Body/Mind/Spirit communication. You will know yourself better. You will begin to recognize and accept your emotions, uncover harmful beliefs and seedthoughts, and begin to change them through the power of creative thinking. Joyfully accept it! An attitude of gratitude is the primary ingredient for a happy, healthy, peaceful fulfilled life."

Specific Benefits of Developing Your Spirituality

Security and Safety
Through developing a connection with God, you gain security through the conviction that you are not all alone in the universe, even at those times when you feel temporarily separated from other people. You feel increasingly safe as you come to believe that there is a source you can always turn to in times of difficulty. As the twenty third psalm says, "God is my shepherd," he will take care of me and won’t let me get into trouble if I trust him. There is much security to be gained through the understanding that there is no problem or difficulty that cannot be resolved through the help of God.
Peace of Mind
Peace of mind is the result of feeling a deep, abiding sense of security and safety. The more reliance and trust you develop in God, the easier it becomes to deal without fear or worry with the inevitable challenges life brings. It is not that you give up your self or your will to such a power; rather you simply learn that you can "let go" and turn to God when you feel stuck with a problem in living and don't know how to proceed. Learning how to let go when solutions to problems aren't immediately apparent can go a long way toward reducing worry and anxiety in your life. Peace of mind is what develops in the absence of such anxiety.
Self-Confidence
As you develop a relationship with God, you come to realize that he has created you and hence he has found something good in you. You are part of the universe. You're good, lovable, and worthy of respect just by virtue of the fact that you're God’s creation. This realization can improve the way you look at yourself and will help you to improve your ego and what you think of yourself. You are still inherently good and worthwhile. Your own judgments of yourself, however negative, do not ultimately count if you are a creation of the universe as much as everything else. As one person put it: "God doesn't make junk."
The Capacity To Give and Receive Unconditional Love
The most fundamental characteristic of God is that it offers you an experience of unconditional love. This is a kind of love which differs from romantic love or even ordinary friendship. It entails an absolute caring for the welfare of another without any preconditions. That is, no matter how another person appears or acts, you have compassion and care for them without judgment. As you develop a deeper connection with God, you come to experience greater degrees of unconditional love in your life. You feel your heart opening more easily to people and their concerns. You feel freer of judgment toward them or of making comparisons among them. Unconditional love shows up both in your increased capacity to give love to others and to experience more of it coming into your life. You begin to experience less fear and more joy in your life and help to inspire others to experience their own capacity for unconditional love. This kind of love also manifests itself through the experience of having everything you need in your life to get on with what you want to do.
Guidance
Developing a relationship with God will provide you with guidance for making decisions and solving problems. God has a universal wisdom that goes beyond what you can accomplish through your own intellect. In traditional religions this has been referred to as the "divine intelligence." Through connecting with God, you can draw upon this greater wisdom to help you resolve all kinds of difficulties. By learning to ask God for guidance, you'll be surprised to find that every sincere request sooner or later is answered. And the quality of that answer generally exceeds what you could have figured out through your own conscious intellect or will. Here, God is like your co-pilot. God is always available in the instant of need to those who have made a habit of waiting quietly before Him for insight and guidance.
Follow these guidelines for an effective relationship with God:

1. Be quiet, patient, and open before God
2. Be confident that he will communicate his wishes and help you execute them.
3. Do not tempt God or make terms with Him. Gandhi said, "Not until we have reduced ourselves to nothingness, can we conquer the evil in us. God demands nothing less than complete self-surrender as the price for the only real freedom that is worth having. And when a man thus loses himself, he immediately finds himself in the service of all that lives. It becomes his delight and his recreation."
4. Be willing to accept what God provides. He knows best. "Thy will, not mine, be done." Have full trust in the wisdom of God.
5. Ask for God’s help. Do not instruct him on what to do.
6. Let God speak to you through his Word. Read spiritual and religious books such as the Bible and learn about the rules of victorious living.

These are some of the characteristics that define a close relationship with God. All of them can significantly contribute to your personal healing process. The extent and sincerity of your commitment will determine the degree of personal healing you experience.

  

Spirituality and Health Connection

Cultivate The Healthy, Happy, Peaceful, Life You Always Wanted Starting Now

HAPPINESS

Each of us faces tremendous challenges every day. As we get up each morning, we may face bumper to bumper traffic, getting the kids off to school, a career "make or break" report due to the boss, not enough time in the day to accomplish all you need to do, and so much more. Everyday life can simply get us down, and cause many form of stress, depression, and anxiety. Stress is a fact of life but you can choose not to make it a way of life for you. By incorporating most or all of the tips below, you will experience more joy and less stress, be well on your way to creating a healthy, happy, peaceful, fulfilling, and soul-satisfying life.

Healthy, Happy, Peaceful, Life

• Exercise.
Physical exercise is an effective means of reducing stress and tension. A single dose of exercise works even better than tranquilizers as a muscle relaxant among individuals with symptoms of anxiety and tension, but without any undesirable side effects. In a classic study of tense and anxious people, Herbert de Vries, PhD, former director of the Exercise Physiology Laboratory at the University of Southern California, administered a 400-milligram dose of meprobamate, the main ingredient in many tranquilizers, to a group of patients. On another day, he had these same patients take a walk vigorous enough to raise their heart rates to more than one hundred beats per minute. Using an EMG (electromyogram) machine to measure the patients' tension levels as shown by the amount of electrical activity in their muscles, de Vries found that after exercise the electrical activity was 20% less than the patients' normal rate, indicating their bodies were less tense. By contrast, the same patients showed little difference after the dose of meprobamate. Along with exercising outdoors in nature, yoga is an excellent exercise for reducing stress. A study of yoga-class beginners found that workouts left them less nervous and more energetic. Another study found that yogis go through life with lower stress hormone levels.
• Meditation.
Practicing regular meditation is one of the best ways to bring stress hormone levels back to normal quickly, especially after an adrenaline-producing, cortisol-raising experience. I know of no more effective way to bring about relaxation than through meditation-turning inward in silence and reconnecting with the peace and calmness that's always within you. Nurture this inner peacefulness by book-ending your day with quiet meditation for at least 15 minutes first thing in the morning and again before you go to sleep at night. This quietude will remind you that you can make the choice every day to live in the world but not be caught up in the frenzy of it. Part of the meditation process is focused, deep breathing. In fact, conscious breathing-inhaling and exhaling slowly and deeply-is itself a form of meditation. In addition to practicing deep breathing while meditating, take mini breathing breaks throughout your day. While you're breathing, be sure to focus on your breath or a relaxing, peaceful thought and not on anything that might be stressful.
• Proper Diet.
Because fresh fruits and vegetables are the foods highest in water content, and because they are the foods easiest to digest, they take stress off your digestive system and are what I refer to as "body-friendly" foods, especially if you eat them in their raw, natural, organic state. Keep the following three tips in mind when planning your meals. 1) Eat at least 8 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Emphasize the vegetables, especially leafy greens like romaine lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, collards, and fresh sprouts. 2) Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables to obtain the widest selection of nutrients that boost immunity, beautify skin, accelerate fat loss, increase energy, prevent heart disease, and fight cancer. 3) Select produce with rich, diverse colors. Many of the beneficial antioxidants in fruits and vegetables are also the pigments responsible for making them red, orange, purple, green, or yellow. Besides being rich in fiber, phytonutrients, chlorophyll, antioxidants, minerals, and enzymes, life-giving fruits and vegetables provide vitamins and minerals that help the body when it's under stress. And don't forget to drink at least 8 glasses of pure water every day. When you don't get enough water, the result is added stress on all of the organs and cells in the body. Dehydration can also lead to frequent headaches, general fatigue, dizziness, and weight gain. That's right. A shortage of water will result in excess water weight, as too little water causes our bodies to store water outside of our cells, making us feel bloated and heavy. Drinking plenty of water will actually help you lose or maintain a healthy weight, too. Water is calorie-free, suppresses the appetite naturally (drink a large glass 15 minutes before mealtime on an empty stomach), and helps metabolize fat. Without enough water, your kidneys can't function properly, which forces them to send some of their workload to your liver. Since one of the liver's main functions is to metabolize stored fat, the added work from the kidneys means that the liver burns less fat, so that more fat remains in the body-usually in the hips and thighs for women and around the waist for men. If you desire to lose some fat, it's a good idea to drink at least three extra glasses of water every day.
• Supplements.
Creating vibrant health is a combination of several factors. Along with a healthy diet that emphasizes fresh organic fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, lean protein, and plenty of water, your body also needs exercise, proper rest and sleep, a positive attitude, the ability to laugh at yourself, quality time in nature, and the best whole food supplements.
• Massage.
Studies reveal that therapeutic massage can cut cortisol levels, lower blood pressure, and boost immunity. Additionally, massage reduces stress and tension, improves circulation, relieves muscle spasms, helps rid the body of toxins and retained fluids, and improves the skin. In terms of weight loss, the person massaging you is burning more calories than you are, but as your stress is massaged away, your hormones will be more balanced, which aids in fat reduction. Some people claim it aids in cellulite reduction. While I've never seen any good studies to prove that, I have seen impressive results in clients. Best of all, I know that massage feels terrific and for all the reasons above, I look forward to several massages each month.
• Sleep.
America is a chronically sleep-derived nation, and lack of sleep undermines the body's inherent ability to deal with stress. There is nothing more restorative for your body than a good night's sleep, night after night after night. Consistent lack of sleep can lead to a variety of health problems, including toxic build-up, weight gain and aging, depression, irritability and impatience, low sex drive, memory loss, lethargy, relationship problems, accidents, and at least 1,500 reported "drowsy driving" fatalities each year. Studies show that driving on only 6 hours sleep is like driving drunk.
One clear sign of sleep deprivation is needing an alarm clock to roust you out of bed in the morning. To dramatically improve your alertness, mood, appearance, and overall health, as well as help normalize stress hormones, try to get to bed 30 to 60 minutes earlier than you're used to. Exercise helps you sleep better but you don't want to engage in strenuous exercise too late at night because it accelerates the body's metabolic rate, which remains "revved up" for a few hours, making it tough to sleep. Morning exercise routines or, if you've got insomnia, exercising 4 hours before bedtime, will help you sleep much better.
• Nature.
Being out in nature, where the air is filled with salubrious negative ions, lifts the spirits, relaxes the body, and gives us a sense of well-being. The air all around us is electrically charged with positive and negative ions. Most of us live and work in environments dominated by technology-surrounded by computers, microwaves, air conditioners, heaters, TV's, and vehicular traffic. These and other "conveniences" of modern life emit excessive amounts of positive ions into the air we breathe, which can result in mental or physical exhaustion and affect overall wellness as described above. But when you're in nature, especially surrounded by water, like the ocean, or in the mountains surrounded by trees and greenery, negative ions abound. In fact, the revolving water generated by fountains creates negative ions that cause air particles to achieve electrical (ionic) balance. You can increase negative ions in your home or office space by the addition of green plants and water fountains.
• Laughter.
Laugh as often as possible. Along with my faith in God, meditation, and spending quality time out in nature, laughter is one of the best ways I know to help mollify stress. It is okay to laugh, even when times are tough. Toxic worry almost always entails a loss of perspective and a sense of humor almost always restores it. It was Norman Cousins, a noted journalist and author who, during a life-threatening illness, was able to achieve two hours of pain-free living for every ten minutes he devoted to laughter. In his wonderful book, Anatomy of an Illness, he told about how he watched old Marx Brothers comedies, the Three Stooges, and Candid Camera by the hour. He learned that laughter-hearty belly laughter-produced certain chemicals in the brain that benefit body, mind, and emotions. According to researchers, Cousins was right on! Laughter releases endorphins into the body that act as natural stress beaters. It aids most-and probably all-major systems of the body. A good laugh gives the heart muscles a good workout, improves circulation, fills the lungs with oxygen-rich air, clears the respiratory passages, stimulates alertness hormones that stimulate various tissues, helps relieve pain, alters the brain by diminishing tension in the central nervous system, and counteracts fear, anger, and depression, all of which are linked to physical illness and stress.
• Simplify.
Simplification is to your life what healthy foods, sleep, water, exercise, and positive thinking are to your body; they all rejuvenate your life and reduce stress. Start by de-cluttering your personal environment, either at work and/or home. Even something as simple as organizing your desk will make you more efficient and help to relieve stress. What makes a world of difference in my life is the 15 minutes I spend before I leave the office. I use that time to straighten my desk and make a list of all the things I want to do the next day. I can go home with my work left neatly behind me and the knowledge that tomorrow I can easily pick up where I left off. Living an uncluttered life (and this includes drawers, cupboards, closets, and day-to-day scheduling) gives me time for the things I really care about, like time to think, to read, to walk in nature, to meditate, and watch the sunset. Through simplification, I am more clear-minded and, I believe, a kinder, more sensitive person. But it's hard for me to live a stressless life when my environment is surrounded by clutter and I have no time during the day to call my own. Spend a few minutes each day and clean out one drawer, cupboard, or closet. That's easier than committing to taking an entire week off to simplify your entire life. One step at a time is practicable and within a month or so, you will be living and working in an environment that brings you more joy and less stress.
• Gratitude.
Be positive and grateful every day. The link between mind and body has been contemplated since the time of Plato, but it's only recently that research has been done on the neurophysiology of the brain. Every thought transmits instructions to the body through some 70 trillion nerve cells, so when you think a negative thought, your immune system is immediately compromised. By the same token, when you think positive thoughts, your immune system is enhanced and your whole body benefits. Furthermore, an anxious or fearful mind instructs the body to be likewise-tense and nervous. A calm mind creates a calm body. So choose your thoughts wisely. A new report from the Mayo Proceedings suggests that individuals who profess pessimistic explanations for life events have poorer physical health and a higher mortality rate compared with either optimists or "middle-of-the-road" types, regardless of age or sex. In fact, every 10-point increase in the study's pessimism scores was associated with a 19% increase in the risk of death. Conversely, participants whose test scores indicated optimism had a survival rate significantly better than expected. The reason for this may be that pessimists may be more "passive" or have a "darker" outlook on life than other personality types, leaving them more prone to "bad life events"-such as illness, injury, and depression. The researchers concluded that pessimism itself is a "risk factor" for early death, and should be viewed in the same way as other risk factors, such as obesity, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol level. One way to foster a positive attitude is to cultivate an attitude of gratitude. Gratitude (and appreciation) is a magnetic force that draws more good to each one of us. It's a dynamic spiritual energy that allows you to exert a powerful influence on your body, life, and world. Most importantly, it's a stellar stress-buster. What you think about consistently, you bring about in your life. Keep a gratitude journal and each day write down at least three things for which you are grateful. Focusing on the positive things, even during the most difficult times, is the perfect remedy to reduce and alleviate stress. And if you don't feel positive and grateful, "fake it until you make it," as the saying goes.



The New You

In other words, "acting as if" will help you through many challenging times and carry you on to better times. It was Shakespeare who championed this sage advice in his immortal words in Hamlet: "Assume a virtue, if you have it not."
• Relaxation.
Do you practice some type of relaxation in your life? If you're like most people, you put relaxation near the bottom of your "to do" list each day. One of the world's leading experts on the brain is a Harvard medical doctor, Herbert Benson, author of The Relaxation Response and Your Maximum Mind. What Benson calls "the relaxation response" is the body's ability to enter into a state characterized by an overall reduction of the metabolic rate and a lowered heart rate. According to Benson, this state of relaxation also acts as a door to a renewed mind and a changed life, a feeling of awareness. He describes the physiological changes that occur when you are relaxed as a harmonizing or increased communication between the two sides of the brain, resulting in feelings often described as well-being, unboundedness, infinite connection, and peak experience. One way to cultivate calmness and peacefulness is to progressively relax your body, beginning with your toes and ending with your head. Breathe slowly and deeply and totally relax each part of your body, saying to yourself as you go along, "My toes, feet, legs [and so on] are relaxed," until you have gone through your entire body. Then rest for a while in the quiet and silence. Listening to a relaxation or meditation tape may also be helpful and I have several available through my website below. When you make time daily day for a few minutes of deep relaxation, you will experience more joy and less stress. And if you incorporate most of the above stress-buster suggestions, you'll enrich your experience of living and achieve the goal of a balanced life. 

Celebration Of Life

Happiness and living your best life is all up to you. Take each day and thank God for your blessings that you already have and for what he is about to do in your life. If you live each day like it's your last you will truly have the healthy, happy, peaceful, life you seek. You will be "Pampering4life" which is the ultimate indulgence in YOU. Your life is waiting for you when are you going to show up?

Are You Cooking Yourself Unhealthy?

Have you ever wondered the best way to eat food - raw, slightly cooked, moderately cooked or well done? Do you know that the way you prepare food can determine whether you can get all of the vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fatty acids and simple sugars from your food? Although all of the nutrients might be in the food, if the food is cooked incorrectly the food will not digest and metabolize optimally. The nutrients become less available to the body. There is enough evidence to show that the more food is cooked, the more difficult it is to digest and metabolize. The higher the temperature that food is cooked, the longer it stays in the gut. This makes it more difficult for the food to absorb and work on a cellular level where it needs to work.
When the food cannot work at the cellular level, the cells can become deficient and/or toxic. This leads to deficiency and toxicity of the whole body making the body less able to function optimally. All food deteriorates during commercial food processing and during storage. Three different things happen to food that is overcooked or over-processed:
1. Destruction of essential amino acids.
2. Decrease in digestibility.
3. Production of anti-nutritional and toxic compounds.
It is the liver's job to detoxify toxins, but the liver can become overloaded and unable to do its job. In the bloodstream, the undigested or partially digested food (in the form of macromolecules) is in too large a particle to get into the cell to function. Undigested or partially digested food moves through the bloodstream causing havoc in the body.
When food is heated past the heat-labile point, its chemical configuration changes. Pasteurization, deep-frying, and barbecuing are all forms of cooking where food is heated past the heat labile point. The body does not understand these new chemical configurations and does not have the enzymes to digest the food easily.
However, the immune system comes to the defense of the body, and makes these undigested particles back into substances that the body can use or escorts them out of the body. We ask our immune system to do the job that our digestive system did not do. The immune system was not designed to do this on a daily basis, every time we overcook foods or over-process foods. Over time the immune system becomes exhausted and the door is opened to infectious and degenerative diseases.
Unfortunately it is not only foods heated past the heat labile point, such as potato chips, other fried foods, barbecued foods, dried milk or eggs, cake mixes and such, that cause this reaction. There is evidence that shows that foods cooked past 112 degrees Fahrenheit are more difficult to digest. Foods in this category include fried foods, pressure cooked foods, barbecued foods and most processed foods. Also sugar, caffeine, and alcohol, corticosteroids, antibiotics, aspirin, and many prescription, over-the-counter and street drugs can cause upset body chemistry. This upset causes undigested food to get into the bloodstream with all of the consequences.

From this research and the principle of the heat labile point, it seems that the best way to cook food is the least way. If you do cook your food, it is best to lightly steam, bake, stew, stir fry or use a slow crock cooker. Eat as few over-processed and overcooked foods as possible.
The state of balance (homeostasis) is the key to health. As long as your body is in homeostasis, it is healing. When it is out of homeostasis, it is on the degenerative disease process. The foods that keep the body in balance are natural foods. God made food for health. Man made food for shelf life, beauty and profit, and not necessarily in that order.