Day 255

Thoughts: To reduce the severity of a cold, the best foods to eat are ones that are packed with beta-carotene, vitamin C, and zinc. They boost immunity and help with cold symptoms. To prevent colds keep your body in a alkaline state.

Foods such as horseradish, garlic, and chili peppers move mucus and help clear it, thus, alleviating congestion. Capsaicin is a substance in chili peppers that acts as a mucus-mover. Allyl isothiocyanate, a compound in horseradish, also helps to thin mucus.

Garlic
Naturally occurring chemicals (allin, allicin, and ajoene) in garlic are believed to regulate mucus flow, and may be helpful for reducing congestion caused by the common cold. Leading Food Sources of garlic: Garlic



Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a superb immunity booster. If taken at the first signs of a cold, it may keep the cold from fully developing and may produce a faster recovery. However, taking vitamin C does not prevent colds. Leading Food Sources of vitamin C: Red Cabbage, Strawberries, Potatoes, Tangerines, Red Bell Peppers, Oranges, Kiwis



Zinc
When taken immediately at the first signs of catching a cold, zinc may weaken the cold virus, minimize the duration and the severity of a cold. Zinc is believed to promote a strong immune system by processing the essential fatty acids that encourage healing. Zinc lozenges are helpful for this purpose.
Leading Food Sources of zinc: Barley, Chicken, Lamb, Wheat, Turkey, Oysters, Crab, Beef



Cherries:
Nature: warming
Actions: benefits skin and overall body, rejuvenates, strengthens spleen, stimulates appetite, stops dysentery and diarrhea, quenches thirst, regenerates fluids, stops seminal emissions, prolongs life.
Conditions: measles, burns, diarrhea, dysentery,thirst, premature ejaculation.

Pineapple:
Nature: hot and damp
Actions: clears heat, dispels summer heat, aids digestion, stops diarrhea.
Conditions: heat stroke, irritability, thirst, indigestion, diarrhea.

Cucumber:
Nature: cooling
Actions: clears heat, quenches thirst, relieves irritability, promotes diuresis.
Conditions: edema of the extremities, jaundice, diarrhea, epilepsy.

Grapefruit:
Nature: cold
Actions: strengthens stomach, aids digestion,circulates chi, detoxifies alcohol intoxication.
Conditions: decreased appetite, weak digestion, stomach fullness, alcohol intoxication, dry cough.

Ginger:
Nature: hot
Actions: promotes sweating, anti-toxin, antidote for seafood poisoning.
Conditions: common cold, cough due to coldness (clear or white mucus), vomiting, diarrhea, cold type arthritis.

Peanuts:
Nature: neutral
Actions: improves appetite, strengthens spleen, regulates blood, lubricates lungs, promotes diuresis, aids in lactation.
Conditions: edema, lactostasis, blood in urine, insomnia, lack of appetite.

Watermelon:
Nature: cold
Actions: quenches thirst, relieves irritability, dispels summer heat problems, promotes diuresis, detoxifies.
Conditions: sores, dry mouth, summer heat irritability, bloody dysentery, jaundice, edema, difficult urination.

Beetroot:
Nature: cool and sweet
Actions: nourishes blood, tonifies the heart, calms the spirit, lubricates the intestines, cleanses the liver
Conditions: anemia, heart weakness, irritability, restlessness, habitual constipation, herpes, constipation, liver intoxication from drugs or alcohol.
Nutrition: Beets are a great source of folate, potassium and manganese. Their dark red-purple color comes from the pigment, betacyanin, which has anticarcinogenic and antimutagenic properties.

Source: www.acupuncture.com

Challenges: Through your love for each other, through learning the art of making one person happy, you learn to express your love for the whole of humanity and all beings.

Triumphs: If you touch one thing with deep awareness, you touch everything.

What I Ate Today:

Food fest 1: A red apple.

Food fest 2: Mexican Beans and Rice! Ingredients: red onion, green pepper, pinto beans, brown rice, tomatoes, cumin, chili pepper, coriander(cilantro), lime and himalyan salt! Yum!



Food fest 3: Sunflower seeds

Food fest 4: A sweet chilled peach!

Food fest 5: Some more rice and beans :)

Food fest 6: A avocado.

Recipe: Recipe for Mexican Beans ad Rice is on The Earth Diet website!

Exercise: A one hour body workout at Big Al's Family Fitness! Nothing beats a great work out of the body and mind! When I exercise my body I am also exercising my mind ;)

110 days to go!!!

www.theearthdiet.org