 Macro Minerals are necessary in building bones, maintaining fluids, maintaining proper Ph in body tissues, transmitting nerve impulses, maintaining cell membrane structure and facilitating enzyme action.
The five major minerals in the human body are calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and magnesium. These are macro-mineral, which, unlike trace minerals, is needed by the body in large amounts. Experts recommend 300 mg of magnesium for woman and 400 mg for me. Magnesium is found in dark leafy greens, legumes, nuts, and whole grains. The American Heart Association recommends 1,500 milligrams (mgs) of sodium per day for most adults. Less than 2 percent of Americans get the recommended 4,700 mg per day. Though most of us associate potassium with bananas, other foods such as leafy greens, potatoes, legumes, and salmon provide more. Fiber It helps control your weight, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, ease constipation, fight inflammation, and boost your immune system. Adding a regular rotation of whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, and fruits and vegetables to your diet will help you get the recommended 20 to 30 grams of fiber daily. Phosphorus is one of the most abundant minerals in the body. It normally makes up about 1% of total body weight. Phosphorus is required for normal functioning of every cell in the body but most of it, approximately 85%, is bound with calcium to form bones and teeth. Calcium phosphate is the major mineral component of bones. Foods high in phosphorus are cheese, milk, meat, legumes, whole grains The mineral calcium is important for bone health and blood pressure control; adults need 1,000 to 1,200 mg per day. Besides dairy products, calcium is also found in almonds bok choy, broccoli, broccoli robe, kale, canned salmon with bones, tofu, and white beans As a group, minerals are one of the four groups of essential nutrients, the others of which are vitamins, essential fatty acids, and essential amino acids.
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 Fish is an important part of any healthy lifestyle. Fish is a good source of proteins, vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fats. It is recommended to have a least two servings of fish a week. One of these serving should be from an oily fish as they contain the omega-3 fats which has been linked to the reduction of heart disease.
Oily fish include: salmon mackerel trout herring fresh tuna sardines pilchards. Non-Oily fish include: haddock plaice coley cod canned tuna skate hake Try mixing it up, choose a variety of fish in your diet for optimal health and great flavor!  Good fats are, well, good! We all need good fats in our diet but it is important that we understand which fats are good and which fats are bad. The American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fats, and increasing unsaturated fats for optimal health.
Saturated fats are the fats we need to stay away from. Saturated fats are responsible for the rise in “bad” cholesterol in our blood which in turn increases our risk for heart disease. Foods such as cream, poultry with skin, and cheese should be eaten in moderation. Based on a 2000 calorie per day diet, the average person should only eat about 13-20 grams of saturated fats per day. Unsaturated fats are the good fats that we should be adding to our diet. Unsaturated fats have been found to improve blood cholesterol levels, ease inflammation, stabilize heart rhythms. Foods such as avocado, coconut oil, and salmon are good options to add to our diets. Based on a 2000 calorie per day diet, the average person should eat about 40-62 grams of unsaturated fats per day. Please remember to talk to your doctor before making major changes to your diet. Love your coffee but working to find ways to make your life healthier? Cutting the cream out of your coffee is a great way to do that. Many people find they enjoy the flavor of black coffee by making a few small changes. First, I recommend that you chose a good organic coffee that is roasted in small batches. Look for coffee that is low is in acidity. Secondly try adding a small amount of salt to your grounds before you brew your coffee, this can help in reducing the bitterness. Third, enhance the flavor naturally by adding cinnamon, vanilla bean, or nutmeg to your grounds to gently add additional flavor. But finally, if after all this you still cannot skip the creamer, just chose a better option for your creamer. Unsweetened Almond Milk, Coconut Milk, or Nutpods is a healthier option that still tastes great. The most important health benefit to coffee is the ritual of making, relaxing, and savoring your coffee. Enjoy this time, build it into to your routine to get your mind as healthy as your body.  The USDA recommends that we eat at least 2 servings of fruits and 3 servings of vegetables each day. Sound daunting? It doesn't have too. Start with small steps; a banana on your breakfast cereal, blueberries for a mid morning snack. Dark green leafy salad for lunch, with tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers and onions and your are done! But remember, you can always have more than 5 servings of those yummy fruits and veggies so don't stop at lunch! How much is a serving of fruits and vegetables? Vegetables: 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables (about the size of a small fist), 1/2 cup of other vegetables or 1/2 cup of vegetable juice. Fruits: 1 medium fruit (medium is defined as the size of a baseball); 1/2 cup chopped, cooked or canned fruit; or 1/2 cup juice. Here is a great tasting healthy salad recipe to help get you started. Salad (Three servings of vegetables and one serving of fruit) 1 cup (packed) of spinach 1 cup (packed) of kale 4 oz cold shrimp 1/2 cup tomatoes 1/4 cup onions 1/4 cup avocado Dressing 1/8 cup apple cider vinegar Juice from half a lemon 3-6 Stevia Drops Mix well Toss all veggies and shrimp together with dressing and enjoy! Juicing in the New Year Did you know there are drinks other than water that are good for us? This is not to say you should replace your water with these drinks but that you should add to your health routine. All of the drinks featured here will have strong health benefits that we can all use. Things like fighting indigestion to cancer fighting to bone health, to brain support. Making these juices at home to avoid any additives like extra sugar is even better. Let us know what your new favorite drink is and how it has helped you! Happy New Year everybody!
Kale Juice I know you have been hearing about kale for a while now, and that is because it is so so good for us. The dark leafy green known as kale is crammed full of vitamins and minerals, is high in fiber and low in calories. Kale supports bone health, digestion, heart health, it’s a natural detox, it is an anti-inflammatory, and keep us regular. All of this in one drink! Try juicing Kale in a home juicer with some lemon for the added benefits that lemons bring to the table like cleansing your liver, stimulating bile production, helping with digestion, and boosting your immune system. • 1 large bunch kale • ½ lemon, peeled 1. Process kale, and lemon through the juicer. 2. Serve immediately. Tomato Juice The benefits of tomato juice are numerous in helping to protect us from certain cancers and it is believed to be due to the lycopene. Lycopene is found in processed tomatoes and is believed to protect against, lung, stomach, pancreatic, colorectal, esophageal, oral, breast, and cervical cancers! And if that is isn’t enough it is also believe to support heart health. 3 cups tomatoes 3 celery stalks Optional Add ins Tabasco sauce 1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. black pepper Garlic Onions Parsley Basil 1. Process tomatoes and celery through the juicer
Pomegranate Juice Pomegranates are so full of antioxidants that is believed they help prevent inflammation, support heart health, and protect against many cancers. This simple juice recipe will leave the tart flavor of the pomegranate, be refreshing, and help you to stay healthy! 1 Pomegranate 1 cup water 1. Put pomegranate seeds into your blender, run your blender a few times so that the seeds are broken up.
Beet Juice Have you ever truly realized the benefits of beets? Yup, you read that right, beets! Well in case you haven’t here goes; beets can lower your blood pressure, boost your stamina, and support your brain and liver. Beets are high in magnesium, calcium, and iron and have no trans or saturated fats! So juice up a glass of beets and start your journey to healthy. However you should drink beet juice with other fruits and veggies due to the high levels of oxalic acid in beet juice. One to three fresh beets 1. Wash the beets well, removing any dried dirt or mud from their surface.
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