Healing Benefits of Orange~

Orange has always been my favorite color, even as a kid I took a bashing from others telling me that ‘no way was orange a cool color’. And, it so happens that I love many orange foods, doesn’t nectarines scream summer? Maybe some mango juice to cool you down or pumpkins in the fall? Crisp awesome carrots in your stir-fry? Or, how about some orange peppers in your fajitas? I even love me some juicy oranges or tangerines, but sadly I am allergic to the orange (as a fruit) and have to view from a far. Orange to me is like liquid sunshine, whether in food, drink or color form.

Orange colored foods provide vitamins and nutrients that also help to maintain a healthy immune system as well as protect heart and vision health, and reduce cancer risk. Tsang notes that the beta-carotenes in some orange fruits and vegetables may also play a part in preventing cancer, particularly of the lung, esophagus, and stomach. “They may also reduce the risk of heart disease and improve immune function,” she says. Orange colored fruits and vegetables contain beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, flavonoids, lycopene, potassium and vitamin C. these nutrients reduce age related macula degeneration and the risk of prostate cancer, lower LDL cholesterol and blood pressure, promote collagen formation and healthy joints, fight harmful free radicals, encourage alkaline balance, and work with magnesium and calcium to build healthy bones, as well as it keeps the skin healthy and builds body immunity.

In Dr. Andrew Weil’s Guide to Healthy Eating (fall 2009)he states that fruits and vegetable get their orange colored from plant compounds called carotenoids, including beta-carotene and alpha-carotene. These phytonutrients have been linked to lower risks for several conditions. One June 2009 study, for example, found that a diet including carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of breast cancer, particularly in premenopausal women. Other research suggests that people who have high blood levels of carotenoids have a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease. Carrots have long been thought to benefit eyesight, likely due to these phyonutrients, which have also been link to a lower risk of macular degeneration. In addition, carotenoids may reduce risks of rheumatoid arthritis and boost immunity.

Orange and yellow citrus fruits, meanwhile, are great sources of the antioxidant vitamin C, which may lower the odds of developing osteoarthritis, diabetes, and cancer. Like carotenoids, C is an important vitamin for warding off macular degeneration. Plus, citrus helps to protect the heart and strengthen bones. Oranges and orange juice, as well as cantaloupe and papayas, are also full of folate, which helps prevent birth defects and protect against cardiovascular disease, depression, and some cancers. And, don’t forget the skin: Citrus peels contains d-limonene, a phyonutritent with cancer- protective effects. Research has shown drinking hot black tea with citrus peel reduced the risk of squamous cell skin cancer by 70 percent, while animal studies suggest that antioxidants found in oranges and tangerine peels may lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. (p38-39)
Carotenoids give fruit and vegetables a yellow or orange hue. Carrots, yellow squash and apricots contain beta-carotene. Your body converts the beta-carotene in pumpkins, carrots and sweet potatoes to vitamins important for healthy eyesight and mucous membranes. Eating food that contains carotenoids reduces your risk for developing macular degeneration, a common eye disorder that may lead to blindness. Yellow and orange foods containing carotenoids can help reduce your risk for developing cancer and heart disease.
Pick, cantaloupe, peaches and nectarines oranges, tangerines, mangoes and apricots. And include papaya, sweet potatoes, butternut and delicate squash, pumpkin, carrots, and orange peppers into your diet to get allthe fanstaic benefits of the world of orange goodness!

Working with color therapy Orange benefits include Healing properties: Orange is warm, cheering, non-constricting. Orange has a freeing action upon the body and mind, relieving repressions. Orange shows new possibilities and other options in life. Stimulates creative thinking and enthusiasm, and helps assimilate new ideas.It is also helpful in dealing with excess sexual expression.

Orange stimulates the lungs, the respiration and the digestion. Increases the activity of the thyroid. Reliefs muscle cramps and spasms. Increases the amount of mother milk.


Orange is the color of the sacral chakra. The sacral chakra is located between the lower abdomen and the navel. It governs the lower back, hips, sexual organs, kidneys, stomach, liver and adrenal glands, and any imbalances in the sacral chakra are believed to cause ailments in these regions. The sacral chakra rules issues of sexuality, creativity, emotional connection, intimacy, and desire. An imbalance in the sacral chakra can lead to being out of touch with your feelings, poor boundaries, disconnection with your sense of pleasure, and excessive resistance to change. A well-balanced sacral chakra produces feeling of emotional fulfillment, as well as a healthy sex drive, open creative expression, passion for life, and a full enjoyment of the pleasures of life.





Credits:http://www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/fruits-vegetables.shtml#ixzz1I0eRHPuW and Dr. Andrew Weil’s Guide to Healthy Eating (fall 2009) http://www.meditationgongs.net/tag/chakra-balancing http://www.deeptrancenow.com/colortherapy.htm Photos: http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/latest/best-farmers-markets-0917 - http://www.utahagenda.com/peach-days/ http://nyclovesnyc.blogspot.com/2008_11_01_archive.html purple/yellow peppers http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2008/07/31/oranges-great-green-pr/ oranges http://edusolnepal.com/zest&page=3

Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/349802-what-are-the-benefits-of-eating-multiple-colored-fruits-and-vegetables/#ixzz1I0pET4qf

New Book ~ Chakra Foods for Optimum Health

Grilling, Gurgling, and Gulping: Top 8 Summer Foods for Men(1) Spice up meats – Did you know that spicing up your meat can protect you from toxic compounds formed during cooking? A recent study by Dr. Li and fellow researchers ( May 2010) demonstrated that adding a spice blend to hamburger meat before cooking resulted in a 71% decrease in a toxic compound that promotes cancer and heart disease. This blend contained eight different spices, primarily ground
paprika, oregano, garlic, and ginger. Two other potent spices, black pepper and curry (turmeric) have amazing effects in the body. Black pepper contains a compound (called piperine) that helps nutrients to be absorbed in the intestine. And curry has healing properties throughout the body, including the brain, where it has been shown to reduce the accumulation of beta-amyloid (accumulation of beta-amyloid is one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease).
(2) Turn down the heat! – High-heat can lead to setting the body on fire – inflammatory fire, that is! High-heat cooking promotes the formation of harmful substances known as Advanced Glycation Endproducts (AGEs) which have been associated with inflammation, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. A study by French
researchers published in May this year showed that eating high-heat cooked foods resulted in less sensitivity to insulin, lowered body omega-3 fats, and increases in cholesterol and triglycerides compared with eating mildly steamed foods. The acronym says it all – “AGEs” age you! Try to stay young, fresh, and vital with lightly steamed, poached, and raw foods.
(3) Choose fish first – Compared with beef and other land meats, certain fish contain higher amounts of the anti-inflammatory omega-3 fats. These fats are used throughout our bodies, and are especially beneficial for the brain and heart. Just one serving per week compared with no fish consumption resulted in a 12-13% lower risk for coronary calcification, a marker associated with atherosclerotic plaque (Heine-Bröring et al., AJCN, 2010). Additionally, with the brain being 60% fat, it is important to ensure that healthy fats are swimming their way into your brain matter, keeping your thinking sharp and your mood pleasant. The American Heart Association recommends two servings of fish per week.
(4) Cool down with leafy greens – With summer gatherings comes fresh salads, a perfect dish for getting a variety of high-color-powered phytonutrient vegetables like cherry tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, delivered on a bed of cooling greens. Deep, luscious leafy greens like spinach, arugula, and mesclun are rich in folate, an essential nutrient for keeping down blood levels of homocysteine, an amino acid associated with inflammation and cardiovascular disease risk.
(5) Reduce your grip on the salt shaker – Salt is sprinkled on so many processed summer foods, including chips, bread, lunch meats, and cheeses. Too much salt can lead to high blood pressure and heart disease risk in sensitive individuals. Aim for fresh, home-cooked meals where you can control the amount of salt that goes into your dish. And, choose coarse sea salts in place of refined salts for their additional contribution of minerals. For healthy young adults, keep sodium
consumption between 1,500 and 2,300 mg of sodium a day, and if you have high blood pressure, are middle-aged, or are African-American, stay at the low end of that range. If you choose for high-salt, processed food items like packaged grains or prepared frozen dishes, add vegetables and non-salted substitutes to dilute the salt load.
(6) Go for the green – tea, that is! – Instead of beer, try an alternate drink that tastes good and has health benefits – green tea. Iced green tea can be made by steeping several tea bags in a gallon of distilled water in the warm sunlight. Add lemon to make it even more refreshing. The best part is that green tea contains active compounds to assist with burning calories. In a study with animals
predisposed to becoming obese, feeding decaffeinated green tea resulted in less weight loss and better blood fat levels than placebo (Richard et al., Pharmacol Res., 2009).
(7) Color your world red – A group of Harvard researchers compared men’s incidence of prostate cancer with that of their consumption of tomato products, which contain the red-colored plant compound, lycopene. They found that men who consumed more tomato products had reduced prostate cancer, especially when they consumed tomato sauce (higher amounts of bioavailable lycopene) (Giovannucci et al., J Natl Cancer Inst. 2002). Aim for 10 servings of a variety of high-lycopene containing foods per week (tomato sauce, watermelon, tomato soup, whole tomatoes, ketchup, salsa, pink grapefruit, sweet red peppers). Additionally, lycopene-rich foods are important for reducing cardiovascular disease risk.
(8) Don’t get “snowed-in” by sugar – Studies have indicated that consumption of nutrient-poor, high-sugar soft drinks leads to obesity. Sugar is an addictive substance and having a little can lead to being hooked by the intensity of flavor. When the blood sugar spikes, it causes high amounts of insulin to be released,
almost like the ups and downs of a rollercoaster. Over time, this process causes a metabolic disturbance known as metabolic syndrome, which can be high blood fats (triglycerides), high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, low “good” cholesterol, and increased belly fat, ultimately leading to greater risk for chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Instead of sugar, stick to fiber-rich foods that keep your blood sugar balanced, your appetite healthy, and your
energy high! Great fiber-rich foods are legumes, fruits, vegetables and whole grains (instead of white rice, choose brown rice!).

©Deanna Minich, PhD, CN
http://www.foodandspirit.com/