Nutrition Tip #1. Better Nutrition a Step at a Time

A lot of people want to do something good for their health, but they don’t know where to begin. They read a few books, go shopping and end up more confused than when they started out. In the end, you’re no healthier than when you began, just because you can get overwhelmed. So on the road to better health, here is one thing you can do for yourself and your family. Ready? Here it is:

EAT AN APPLE.

That’s it. Simple. Each day, between the hours of 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., eat an apple. If you reguarly eat some sort of other snack, like a bag of chips or cookies or a vodka, then replace it with your daily apple. And it’s even preferred that the apple you eat is organically grown.

Whether you have an ideal diet of organic, fresh foods, or whether you have the typical diet that consists mostly of foods that come in bags, plastic and boxes, eating an apple each afternoon will be great for your health.

Apples are good for your teeth, gums, liver, heart, kidneys, brain, lungs and digestion. It’s one of the only foods, in fact, that is recommended for all kinds of bowel problems. It has been found that eating apples helps to reduce blood cholesterol, improve bowel function, reduce risk of stroke, prostate cancer, Type II diabetes and asthma.

• Quercetin, a flavonoid abundant in apples has been found to help prevent the growth of prostate cancer cells
• Phytonutrients in the skin of apples inhibited the growth of colon cancer cells by 43%
• Phenols such as flavonoids (found in apples) have inhibitory effects on the developments of carcinogenic substances in the bladder, thereby reducing risk of bladder cancer, especially in smokers

Source: University of Bristol, United Kingdom, “Apple Nutrients,” 2008
Apples contain vitamin C, healthful sugars, fiber and antioxidants.

A recent BBC article stated:

Compounds in apples and apple juice called phytonutrients act in much the same way that red wine and tea do to delay the break down of LDL or “bad” cholesterol.

When LDL oxidises, or deteriorates in the blood, plaque accumulates along the walls of the coronary artery and causes atherosclerosis (a dangerous thickening of the artery).

“This new research certainly gives credence to the rhyme ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away!’”

The research is published in the Journal of Medicinal Food.

Medical News Today extols the benefits of apples and apple juice to the brain:

New research from the University of Massachusetts Lowell suggests that consuming apple juice may protect against cell damage that contributes to age-related memory loss, even in test animals that were not prone to developing Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

“This new study suggests that eating and drinking apples and apple juice, in conjunction with a balanced diet, can protect the brain from the effects of oxidative stress – and that we should eat such antioxidant-rich foods,” notes lead researcher Thomas B. Shea, Ph.D., director of the University of Massachusetts Lowell’s Center for Cellular Neurobiology and Neurodegeneration Research, whose study was just published in the latest issue of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. Although more research is needed, Shea is excited about these brain health findings, which are encouraging for all individuals who are interested in staying mentally sharp as they age.