Rosemary is good for your health
Rosemary is used for both culinary and medicinal purposes. The rosemary plant is native to the Mediterranean area, but it is found in other regions such as France and even as far south as South Africa. The plant itself is an evergreen and has leaves that resemble the needles of an evergreen tree. The rosemary plant has leaves that are thick and leather-like in appearance, accented with blooms, which can be blue, white, pink or purple in colour. Another feature of the rosemary plant is its very aromatic smell and the woolly white substance that can be found on the underside of the leaves. The rosemary plant can reach heights of over five feet. The name rosemary is Latin for “dew of the sea” because the plant is often found growing near water.
Cranberries: Evergreen and for ever healthy
Thoughts of the cranberry probably bring forth memories of Ocean Spray commercials or circular slices of the jellied variety adorning a Thanksgiving platter, yet cranberries are one of the most healthful and multifarious fruit available. Found and grown in bogs throughout the northern hemisphere, cranberries are actually a type of evergreen dwarf shrubs or trailing vines. With skinny, wire-like stems and dark pink flowers, they are popular with the honeybee and anyone who likes a sweet fruit with an acidic kick.
In Canada, cranberries are a major commercial crop. They can be made into cranberry juice (hence the images of the Ocean Spray commercials), cranberry sauce, cranberry jelly or dried into candy-like treats, although many people enjoy them fresh.
Cranberries have been increasingly recognized as a super fruit, along with the Acai berry and blueberry, among others, because of their antioxidant and nutrient content.
Vitamins that help improve vision
Eyesight degeneration is something that naturally happens to everyone during the process of aging. Prescription or over-the-counter treatments can help slow or remedy this process and laser eye surgery has been increasing in popularity recently, but there are less expensive ways to prevent or even reverse sight loss. One way is to ensure that you consume specific vitamins through certain foods and by supplementing your diet with vitamins if necessary.
Refocusing your eyes at regular intervals, wearing sunglasses and refraining from unnecessarily straining your eyes are ways to keep them healthy, but proper nutrition is also key.
The different parts of the eye and specifically the retina, the macula and the lens all require a range of different nutrients to function properly.
The primary vitamins necessary for maintaining good eyesight are A, C and E. Vitamin A improves vision during the nighttime and in low-light. A concentrated amount of vitamin A can be found in carrots, spinach, broccoli, sweet potatoes, squash, eggs, cheese and butter. Vitamin C, an antioxidant that aids the prevention of cataracts, can be found in most fruits.
Lutein, found in many green vegetables and eggs, is important to preventing macular degeneration. Lutein is one of many types of cartenoids that can be found in vegetables, all of which help preserve eye health. Aside from fighting cataract development, lutein also slows macular degeneration in the eye that happens normally through aging.
For retinal health, omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil play an important role. One particular omega-3 fatty acid known as DHA has been found to improve colour and depth perception. These oils can be integrated into any diet either by eating fish or by taking fish oil supplements.
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Source: healthtips101.com
