Categories
Healthy Living

Phytonutrients

ACandi Health Blog Reviews – Optimum Health Series

Review # 1 – What Are Phytonutrients?

Phytonutrients are chemical compounds naturally occurring in plants such as: fruits, vegetables, nuts, teas, legumes and spices.

Worldwide research has now recognised that a diet rich in phytonutrients can help lead to optimal health.

Phytonutrients can be classified into five (5) categories to coincide with the general colour of the plant: diet_col1

    1. White – This colour category contains organosulfur compounds such as allicin and quercetin which may help maintain healthy bones, circulatory health and support arterial function. Fruits and vegetables in this category include garlic, onions, pears, cauliflower, white kidney beans, horseradish.

 

    1. Yellow – The carotenoid compounds associated with this colour include: lutein, alpha and beta carotene, and beta cryptoxanthin which may contribute to eye health, healthy immune function, maintain skin hydration, as well as healthy growth and development. Fruits and vegetables associated with this colour are corn, pineapple, lemons, passion fruit, oranges.

 

    1. Red – Major phytonutrients in this category include ellagic acid (a phenolic compound) and lycopene (a carotenoid compound) these may contribute to prostate and DNA health. They can be found in the following fruits and vegetables: cherries, cranberries, red apples, tomatoes, pomegranate, radishes.

diet_col2

    1. Purple – In this category main phytonutrients are resveratrol and anthocyanidins both phenolic compounds. They may contribute to cognitive health, support arterial function, and in general provide antioxidant protection. Fruits and vegetables in this category are: black currants, eggplant, plums, beets, blackberries.

 

  1. Green – Phytonutrients in this colour category includes: isoflavones (a phenolic compound), isothiocyanate (an organosulfur compound), lutein / zeaxanthin (carotenoids), and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). They may contribute to cell health, support arterial function, lung health, and maintain healthy liver function. They can be found in spinach, lettuce, broccoli, green beans, soy beans.

Serving Size

Let’s now discuss serving size for fruits and vegetables. The United States of America Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that adults should have 5 servings of vegetables and 4 servings of fruit daily.

diet_col4
Consider a small serving size as:

  • A handful of raisins or blueberries included in cereal
  • Shredded or cubed carrots added to pasta or soup
  • A smaller piece of fruit: apple, apricot, mango
  • Some lettuce or spinach leaves added to a sandwich

A large serving is more like:

  • A bowl full of raisins or blueberries
  • A full bowl of carrot soup
  • Eating a whole fruit: apple, apricot, mango
  • A bowl of fruit or vegetable salad

diet_col3

Not Getting Your Full Servings Daily?

Do you find it difficult to consume the full quota of 5 servings of vegetables and 4 servings of fruit daily?

Do not despair – we can recommend nutritional supplements which can provide you with a wide array of phytonutrients to fill the gap between the fruits and veggies you should eat and what you actually eat.

For more on our recommended products and to get a FREE nutritional assessment of the phytonutrients in YOUR DIET register as a customer at The Vitamin Store – Click Here !

Recommended Resources

Discover how to achieve “Super Immunity”, click the image below:

Click on the image below for The RAVE Diet & Lifestyle by Researcher Mike Anderson. This was the book that convinced me to change my diet:

Click Here for the FREE Video of Dr. Joseph Crowe’s Story

Presented by

Louis Blake
Email: blake@acandi.ws
First Published: April 6, 2013
Updated: July 2, 2020

© Copyright by Permission of:
ACandi Marketing Enterprises,
PO Box 2071, NMC, Piarco, Trinidad, W.I.

© Copyright All Rights Reserved.

References:

  • *http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/fruitsvegetables/index.html
  • *http://www.pl.barc.usda.gov/usda_chem/index.cfm
  • *http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/dietaryguidelines.htm
Categories
Emotional Health Spiritual Health

Happiness At What Level? At What Cost?

Someone told me it was better for a married couple to divorce and be happy, than to remain arguing and unhappy in the marriage

The person was implying that it was better to divorce than to seek to repair and renew the marriage.

The opinion and implication expressed in the opening statement, begs the question: what level of happiness will be achieved? … and at what cost?

 Our Search For Happiness
Our Search For Happiness

In its short description of the four levels of happiness, the Spitzer Center explained that level one happiness is seeking immediate gratification.

The objective is for pleasure or to minimize pain, there is no desire for the common, intrinsic or ultimate good. This level of happiness is short lived and shallow. “If we get stuck in level one (1) our lives become a roller coaster constantly seeking to satisfy our next desire.”

So if we are to analyse the opening statement and implication, we see the desire for divorce is to “minimize” the “pain” of argument or conflict in the marriage. There may also be an unspoken desire to pursue “pleasure” in a relationship outside of the marriage.

Continuing with the idea that level one leads to a roller coaster lifestyle experience, seeking to satisfy our next desire, let’s look at divorce rates in first, second and third marriages.

Psychology Today states that “statistics have shown that in the U.S. 50% percent of first marriages, 67% of second, and 73% of third marriages end in divorce.”

The statistical evidence shows that the “happiness” achieved by a divorce does not last!

So what’s your answer … is the happiness of divorce, a “level one” happiness?

We’ll continue our discussion in my next post on this topic.

If you want options instead of divorce, Click Here!

Presented by

Louis Blake
Email: blake@acandi.ws
Updated: September 28, 2019

© Copyright by Permission of:
ACandi Marketing Enterprises,
PO Box 2071, NMC, Piarco, Trinidad, W.I.

© Copyright All Rights Reserved.

Categories
Healthy Living

WHO Reveals WASA’s Health Risks

World Health Organisation (WHO) standards reveal the presence of health risk contaminants in water produced by Trinidad and Tobago’s Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA).

In a letter dated 2nd May 2016, WASA confirmed the production of a number of by-products that are dangerous to human health. They also stated that they strive to keep those contaminants below WHO levels of concentration to reduce health risks.

The contaminants listed by WASA include: 2,4,6-trichlorophenol, formaldehyde, bromoform, dibromochloromethane, bromodichloromethane, chloroform, Dichloroacetic acid, Trichloroacetic acid, Chloral hydrate.

WASA’s Drinking Water Quality Guidelines are adopted from WHO Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality, 4th edition.

WASA's Arena Reservoir - photo from WASA's website
WASA’s Arena Reservoir – photo from WASA’s website

WASA’s use of chlorine as a disinfectant in its water treatment process produces Trihalomethanes (TTHM) which includes: chloroform, bromoform, bromodichloromethane, chlorodibromomethane.

The adverse health effects of TTHM include: liver, kidney, and central nervous system problems; and an increased risk of cancer.

A WASA official said that the installation of a point of use carbon filter would remove TTHM, but he said the carbon filter should be used after a particulate filter.

He added that a carbon filter would remove chlorine but expose the filtered water to possible virus contamination. Virus contamination can however be removed by ultraviolet purification, he said.

So what are consumers of WASA’s water to do?

Many of WASA’s consumers are health conscious if one is to judge by their behaviour … they purchase bottled water and cheap water purifiers – jugs are popular.

But they all miss the point made by the WASA official … to guarantee the highest quality drinking water – consumers need particulate, carbon and ultraviolet filtration in that order.

The most cost efficient answer for consumers is the eSpring Water Purifier – eSpring is certified under NSF standards 42, 53 and 55 Class B.

NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) International is an independent, accredited organisation that tests and certifies products to protect the world’s food and water consumer products and environment.

nsf_Ind_cert_mark

They have established the following international standards for home use water treatment systems:

  • NSF/ANSI 42 – Drinking Water Treatment Units – Aesthetic Effects

    The Aesthetic Effects standard is used to verify that a drinking water filter effectively removes contaminants that cause undesirable odour and taste (chlorine, particulates).

  • NSF/ANSI 53 – Drinking Water Treatment Units – Health Effects

    This standard is used to evaluate whether water filters are effective in removing a wide range of chemicals and gases that present a health risk to consumers.

  • NSF/ANSI 55 – Ultraviolet Microbiological Water Treatment Systems

    NSF/ANSI Standard 55 establishes the minimum requirements for the certification of point-of-use/point-of-entry (POU/POE) ultraviolet (UV) systems and includes two optional classifications:

    Class A systems (40 mJ/cm2) are designed to disinfect and/or remove microorganisms, including bacteria and viruses, from contaminated water to a safe level. Class A systems may claim to disinfect water that may be contaminated with pathogenic bacteria, viruses, Cryptosporidium or Giardia.

    Class B systems (16 mJ/cm2) are designed for supplemental bactericidal treatment of public or other drinking water that has been deemed acceptable by a local health agency. Class B systems may claim to reduce normally occurring nuisance microorganisms.

Take Action Now!

Take a look at a list of health contaminants reduced by the eSpring Purifier – Click Here!

To purchase an eSpring Purifier

eSpring is the leading brand name throughout the world for home water treatment systems. To purchase an eSpring Purifier, register as a customer at The Vitamin Store – Click Here !

Presented by

Louis Blake
Email: blake@acandi.ws
Updated: September 26, 2019

© Copyright by Permission of:
ACandi Marketing Enterprises,
PO Box 2071, NMC, Piarco, Trinidad, W.I.

© Copyright All Rights Reserved.

References:

  • https://www.wasa.gov.tt/WASA_Education_water_Reservoir_Arena.html
  • http://www.nsf.org/services/by-industry/water-wastewater/residential-water-treatment/residential-drinking-water-treatment-standards