Integrative Health Blog

Healthy Holiday Cookies

I’ve been busy with holiday decorating and shopping....there’s never enough time to get things done in December it seems!! Holiday parties and gatherings are sure to include sweet treats which are not so inviting  for those of us who don’t eat gluten.

You see, once a disease is here and in the advanced stages, the 'cure' becomes a much bigger challenge.  So, what IF we could go back and stop this abnormal angiogenesis, before it gets out of control.  

First, what is angiogenesis?  

Angiogenesis:  is the physiological process through which new blood vessels form from pre-existing vessels. Angiogenesis is a normal and vital process in growth and development, as well as in wound healing and in the formation of granulation tissue. However, it is also a fundamental step in the transition of tumors from a benign state to a malignant  one, leading to the use of angiogenesis inhibitors in the treatment of cancer. The essential role of angiogenesis in tumor growth was first proposed in 1971 by Judah Folkman, who described tumors as "hot and bloody."  ~wikipedia

Basically:  Too many blood vessels can spur tumor formation and growth.  

Here are the million dollar questions:  

1.  Could the answer to cancer be preventing angiogenesis?

2.  Can we beat cancer at its own game, so it can never become dangerous?

3.  Can this be a way for people who have already conquered cancer to keep it from coming back?

So, let's see what we can add to the diet to naturally contribute to the halting of those blood vessels. Can we EAT to starve cancer?  The answer may be YES & now science shows us HOW!

Is coconut oil an amazing "miracle food"?

Might coconut oil be the missing ingredient for people with heart disease, obesity, Alzheimer's, & other cognitive brain issues?

**One thing I have noticed in the years of working with thousand & thousands of people is the need for medium chain fatty acids.  Whenever I have a client with cognitive brain issues, the very 1st addition I suggest to be added to the diet, is COCONUT OIL!  These MCT's (medium chain  triglycerides) get the brain cells communicating.  So is this a great thing to add to your diet.

I wanted to share with you this fun, delicious, raw cookie/trail mix ball recipe! 

They make a great snack or healthy school lunch treat.

Despite the lengthy dry ingredient list, they are a breeze to throw together. Plus, how hard is it to throw seeds into a bowl?

Raw, Chewy Trail Mix Recipe                   

Ingredients:

10 pitted dates

1/4 cup almonds

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup pumpkin (pepita seeds)

2 tbsp chia seeds

2 tbsp bee pollen (optional)

2 tbsp shredded coconut

Pinch of sea salt

Pinch of cinnamon

If you are feeling fancy, add some cacao nibs!

Ginger is a potent spice with wonderful health benefits.

There are many reasons to use this amazing spice and with cold and flu season looming just around the corner, it is a good time to talk about ginger's health benefits and uses.

Healing Properties of Ginger

Ginger tastes great and it has anti-inflammatory and anti-viral effects in the body. Gingerols are the potent anti-inflammatory component in ginger responsible for reducing pain and increasing mobility. Inflammation can sometimes be silent in the body, on a cellular level, without our noticing it, setting the stage for disease formation.

When consumed on a regular basis, people with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis may experience less joint pain and find that it’s easier to move around.

Holistic Nutrition Tips

Summer is here!  Have you taken advantage of the season’s goodness with regards to fruits and vegetables??

Our bodies thrive on the micro nutrients (vitamins and minerals) found in the summer’s harvest.

All fruits and vegetables are loaded with antioxidants that help us to fight off free radical damage to our cells which can lead to premature aging and a host of other diseases.

Red tomatoes, yellow peppers, purple grapes, blueberries, yellow peaches, green cucumbers and squashes..... the list is endless and eating this “rainbow” of color is the best way to help your body deal with free radicals!

Need some help getting those foods in? Try my recipe below for an easy summer dessert that pairs fruit with good fats, nuts and whole grains!

Summer Fruit Crisp Recipe

Anita Capizzi RN

Anita's Healthy Tips

Today, in honor of the most patriotic day of the year, July 4, I offer you a recipe for a nutritious and EASY dessert to accompany any picnic or barbecue!

Creme Filled Strawberries  -   read through recipe first!

1 carton strawberries

1 carton of organic heavy cream

blueberries

Wash and hull strawberries, cutting ends so that they sit flat on plate.

Make a batch home made whipped creme using organic heavy whipping cream.

If you have never done it before, it’s easy! It’s best to use a bowl that has been chilled in the freezer for 30 min or so. To the bowl, add 1 carton of organic heavy whipping cream and sweetener, if using. It’s perfectly fine without sweetener, though!

Using an electric beater, beat on high until soft peaks form, which should take only a few minutes.

You may find the little stickers on your produce a bit annoying and hard to peel off, but they do have a huge purpose- and it’s not to just to speed you through the check-out line. In fact, that number is telling you a whole lot more.

If  the first number of the five digit PLU (price look-up) code is 9, it means that the produce was grown organically.  For example, if the barcode reads 94663, then it is organic because it has 5 digits and starts with a 9.

Anita's Healthy Tips                       

Summer officially starts this week, on Friday, June 21. Most of us have air conditioning these days, but many of us can remember sleeping on sticky sheets with the fan in the window during the summer! Which never worked, by the way!! When it gets hot, who wants to be in the kitchen using the oven or the stove? Now is the time to try all those recipes that don’t require cooking!!

Salads of all types - green salads, fruit salads, raw kale salads, gazpacho soups, cold cucumber or melon soups, and caprese salad - taste wonderful and don't heat up the kitchen.

Know Your Fruits and Veggies: The "Dirty Dozen" and The "Clean 15"