Antioxidant: bioflavinoids and raw foods
Antioxidant: bioflavinoids and raw foods
I wonder how many people start craving cherries in February or March, strawberries in April or any other berries about 2 months before they are ripe like I do! The reason I believe I crave such foods is because they have something my body not only wants, but needs: antioxidants and more specifically: bioflavinoids. This antioxidant is so vital and easily missed after orange/grapefruit season and before berry season. Today I’d like to discuss the benefits of bioflavinoids, where you can get this important and delicious antioxidant, and the therapeutic uses of bioflavinoids.
Bioflavinoids are not only an antioxidant, they also affect blood, connective tissue (which is skin, gums, ligaments and bones), red blood cells, teeth and the strength of capillary walls. Now when we think of capillaries, most of us conclude that it helps with varicose veins, hemorrhoids and maybe high blood pressure; while bioflavinoids help with all of these ailments, strengthening capillaries also helps prevent vision loss. The health of the capillaries behind the eyes contributes to either good or bad vision. Bioflavinoids directly feed these capillaries.
The effect of bioflavinoids on the blood is also not to be underestimated. High blood pressure is widespread in this country and there are many drugs to combat it. Bioflavinoids help cleanse the blood and therefore help reduce high blood pressure. It is said that if your blood is pure, you cannot get sick. If you can stay on a clean diet (raw foods) for 90 days, all your blood cells will be replaced, according to Dr. Paul Bragg. Cells are replaced anyway, but the factor is the health of the cells. Our bodies are designed to recover quickly with a proper diet. I think it’s interesting that blood cells are the first to be replaced.
It has also been said that “you are only as old as your arteries”. With the effect that bioflavinoids have on our arteries, increasing bioflavinoids will not only go a long way toward maintaining our internal well-being, but our skin will also benefit from these bioflavinoids, as the antioxidant aspect of bioflavinoids helps prevent wrinkles and sagging.
Bioflavinoids are found in abundance in nature: in the skin and pulp of most fruits, apricots, berries, broccoli, buckwheat, cherries, grapefruit, grapes, lemons, oranges, papaya, black pepper, plums, prunes and rose hips, nettle tea , tomatoes. What a delicious way to get antioxidants and bioflavinoids! I remember what Hippocrates said: “Let food be thy medicine, and food thy medicine.” I couldn’t agree more. I have never ceased to be amazed by pharmaceutical company advertisements for certain drugs that have such a long list of side effects that they are sure to never ask my doctor about that medicine! While everyone has to make their own health decisions, I prefer to increase my intake of bioflavinoids from raw foods simply because they are a delicious way to good health. One more note here: there are no animal sources of this vital nutrient.
Now, even though there are no side effects from bioflavinoids that the drug companies have to warn you about, I will tell you this, uh, humorous story. During my fourth pregnancy I drank a lot of lemon water. I like about half a lemon with a little honey. I drank 2 or 3 glasses of this every day, maybe more. I just loved it. Well, when I went into labor (I actually stayed at home) I gained a centimeter every hour until it was time to push. One small problem: the water bag hadn’t broken. My midwife told me he was very fat. So we decided to open it, even though we could have waited, we just weren’t feeling very patient at the time…and Jordan came out 10 minutes later. Also, with my third child she was practically born in her bag! So beware all you healthy eating pregnant ladies out there, your bag might be nice and fat. But it could be worse to have a thin bag that breaks too soon!! Anyway, you have a few stories to tell when you have nine kids, don’t you?
In terms of therapeutic applications, bioflavinoids have been used to help with allergies, asthma, bleeding gums, broken capillaries, bursitis, colds, depression, dizziness (caused by the inner ear), eczema, flu, hemorrhoids, high blood pressure, miscarriages , rheumatic fever and varicose veins.
In conclusion, I believe that bioflavinoids are an essential part of the human diet. I have read otherwise but I do not agree with these claims as there is a lot of research done that shows the benefits we can get from this powerful antioxidant. So don’t just eat your vegetables, eat your fruits and enjoy good health.
#Antioxidant #bioflavinoids #raw #foods
