The American Psychological Association recently conducted an annual survey of 7,000 Americans. The results show just in the past five months, anxiety about the economy has jumped from 66 percent to 80 percent. Americans are stressed about their personal finances and the economy, and to cope with stress, the survey found that up to 48 percent said they have overeaten or consumed fatty, unhealthy food.

The relationship between diet, psychological stress, social, and environmental factors is complex; however, it has been well documented that individuals chronically exposed to stressful situations over consume junk food. Of course, this results in weight gain and an increase in fat-derived hormones such as cortisol. Some medical researchers believe this additional fat is associated with type II diabetes metabolic syndrome. For sure, it puts you on a trajectory for future metabolic problems.

One common statement is you are what you eat,  but this is not true when we look at people suffering from stress, anxiety, or depression. Since foods cannot make you stressed, anxious, or depressed, they can’t completely cure you; however, there are foods that can help you feel better and boost your mood.

We call it comfort food for a reason. It’s the nutritional equivalent of a hug. My favorite is Jewish penicillin aka chicken soup to the unwashed masses. Diet can help with stress, but only if it is part of a complete program to deal with the root cause such as Chris Greens’ acclaimed Conquering Stress does.

Often, people who have been diagnosed with depression also have lower folate levels than people who were not depressed. A good source of folate is lentils. This high protein food is a diet staple around the world for a good reason. Lentils also contain iron, calcium, magnesium, heart-healthy soluble fiber, phytochemicals and folate, a B vitamin, which helps the body manufacture blood cells.

This rich and creamy soup is low in fat and full of great health benefits. Red lentils are used in this soup because they dissolve and get mushy unlike the green and brown lentils. Another key ingredient used is miso paste, which adds a richness and buttery-like flavor that is comforting and filling without the use of cream and butter. Miso is a fermented soybean paste that is high in protein and can be used in place of salt to get your daily requirements for trace minerals like copper, manganese, and zinc.

Ingredients
1 Tablespoon coconut oil (or other cooking oil)
2 organic shallots, minced
1 organic celery stalk, small dice
1/2 teaspoon each organic cumin, oregano, curry powder (optional), and sea salt
1 organic red pepper, small dice
1 cup organic dried red lentils, sorted for stones and washed
4 cups filtered water
1 stalk organic corn, kernels removed
1 Tablespoon organic red wine vinegar
3 Tablespoons organic white miso
Small handful organic parsley, minced

Preparation
Heat oil in medium stockpot over medium heat. Add shallots, celery, and pinch of sea salt and cook for a few minutes. Stir in spices and red pepper and cook for 5 minutes more.

Add lentils and water and bring to a boil. Add corn and simmer for 20 minutes until lentils get soft and creamy.

Turn off heat. Dissolve miso in a small amount of water and stir into soup. Add parsley, vinegar, and season with salt as necessary.

Resource: Paleo Recipe Book

As is obvious to readers of Mind Mart, orange is my favorite color. But orange is much more than just a pretty color. Orange pigment in food signifies nutrition. People with poor diets generally eat beige food—fries, bread, etc. In the case of orange fruits and vegetables the color means beta carotene and vitamin C–sometimes even the phytonutrient lutein as in the case of pumpkin and summer squash.

Some of the healthiest orange fruits and vegetables are sweet potatoes, squash, pumpkin, carrots, mangos, oranges and papaya. Let’s look at why these top 7 orange fruits and vegetables are so incredibly healthy–

As part of the root family, sweet potatoes are one of the best orange foods. They have huge amounts of beta-carotene, manganese, copper, fiber, B6, Potassium, iron and just about anything else you think you could possibly pack into a small potato-like case.

Here are some interesting facts you might not know about sweet potatoes:

• Sweet potatoes are known to help stomach ulcers and inflamed conditions of the colon.
• Sweet potatoes appear to play a part in preventing cancer in certain organs and glands due to its high Vitamin A content.
• Due to the high content of Vitamins A and C, sweet potatoes help remove free radicals which damage cells.
• Sweet potatoes are great for people with diabetes because they help stabilize blood sugar levels.

Two foods that are closely related are Squash & Pumpkin and are loaded with fiber as well as beta-carotene.

• The squash family of vegetables is great at fighting off cancer, especially lung cancer, reducing the risk of heart disease and aiding in fighting against type-2 diabetes.
• Pumpkins specifically are great for urinary tract support and aid in the function of the kidneys. Years ago, pumpkin seed oil was even used to treat burns and wounds.
• Carrots, another root veggie, are a great food for eyesight, and the richest vegetable source for beta-carotene. Carrots reduce cholesterol and the risk of heart disease, help prevent macular degeneration, and help control insulin levels to those with diabetes.
  
• While cooking foods typically removes some of their nutrients, this isn’t so with carrots. Lightly cooking them actually helps to release the carotenes, which are otherwise trapped.
• Some of your favorite fruits are also some of the healthiest out there:
• Mangos are high in iron and help fight against anemia and reduce kidney problems, fever, and respiratory problems. They can even relieve clogged pores of the skin.
• Oranges, the typical orange fruit, is not so typical when you take a closer look.
• Because of the vitamins and antioxidants in an orange, they’ve been proven to help with asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, prevention of kidney stones, high blood pressure, arthritis and diabetes.
  
• Oranges eaten in larger amounts can even decrease a runny nose.
• Papaya contains digestive enzymes, which help break down some of the more difficult foods in our stomach, such as beans, dairy, and even meat. Due to the high fiber content, papaya also helps with constipation and even upset stomach.
• The one thing papaya has been known for around the world is its ability to prevent nausea, including morning and motion sickness if taken in the juice form.

If you’re looking to heal yourself of disease through your diet, consuming orange fruits and vegetables are a great way to get healthy. Combine them with a few servings of dark green vegetables and you have yourself a winning combination.

Most people hear cherry and their mind instantly goes to pie. I hear cherry and my mind goes to one of my favorite old movies — The World of Suzie Wong. In one nightclub scene Suzie, who can’t read, points to the menu and orders a cherry flip and vinaigrette — a really hellish tart combination. We didn’t know it then, but the tartness of the cherry is what makes it such a super fruit.

A super fruit is a fruit that has more than its fair share of nutritional goodness. Many dietitians suggest color coding your diet nowadays since the bright colors in foods usually indicate potent phytonutrients including anthocyanins – plant pigments that have been linked to a variety of health benefits. Cherries fall into the super fruit category because they’re rich in anthocyanins as well as melatonin, which aids with sleep, beta carotene (vitamin A), Potassium, magnesium, iron, folate and fiber. See why it’s considered a super fruit?

Cherries, as you have probably figured out, make a good snack just as they are. They keep well for several weeks in a cool dry place. There are three main kinds of cherries: Bing, Lambert, and Rainier. I hear people talking about Bing cherries mostly.

A good cherry will be shiny and smooth like it was wet and have a deep red color. If you rub the skin, it won’t wrinkle up. The fruit itself should be firm to the touch with no breaks in the skin. The cherry will stay firm as long as the stem is still attached.

Many people prefer sweet cherries, but cherries can be sweet or tart. I prefer to buy mine at a farmer’s market. The one thing about visiting the farmer’s market is that your eyes are bigger than your refrigerator and your stomach. The fruit looks so delicious that you want to buy some of everything. So, you may find yourself with a surplus of cherries after you have tried to eat several handfuls in one or two sittings.

Never fear. There are a few things that you can do if you find yourself with surplus cherries. Consider baking the ever popular cherry pie — it’s a perennial favorite. For those die hard cherry lovers you can always put your surplus cherries in a fruitcake — and we all know how long a fruitcake lasts.

For a twist on your favorite salad, cut up a few ripe cherries and throw them on top. Cherries are also appropriate as a nice garnish for non alcoholic drinks like Shirley Temples. Speaking of toppers, cherries can be used in a glaze and drizzled on top of a piece of pound cake or New York cheesecake for that matter. For holiday drinks, float a few cherries in the punch bowl. They also go well in yogurt with a bit of granola thrown in for good measure.

Sweet Cherry and Vegetable Salad

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh sweet cherries, pitted
1 cup sugar snap peas
1 cucumber, seeded and sliced
1 cup radishes, sliced
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Instructions:

Fill a medium saucepan with water. Place over high heat and bring to a rapid boil. Add the sugar snap peas and blanch 1 minute. Remove from heat and rinse with cold water to cool. Drain well.

Place the drained sugar snap peas in a large mixing bowl. Add the cherries, cucumbers and radishes and toss to combine. In a separate bowl pour both vinegars together. Add the sesame oil. Stir slightly to combine. Stir in the sesame seeds. Sprinkle in the pepper and stir well. Pour over the top of the vegetables and cherries. Cover tightly and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours. Stir to combine the flavors before serving.

Note: The cherries not only add a little sweet to the vegetables but they are a good source of the vitamins needed in a daily diet.

Nutritional Information (Approximate Values):

119 calories, 4 g protein, 2 g fat, 22 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 2 mg cholesterol and 474 g sodium per serving.

Resource: Meal Planning Made Simple

One of the keys to staying on any diet when you are trying to lose weight is to maintain stable blood sugar levels. A balanced raw food diet that includes several small meals throughout the day delivers consistent nutrients that don’t cause blood sugar to spike and drop. That means you are less likely to reach for a candy bar for a quick burst of energy when you start to feel tired in the middle of the afternoon.

It is that quick drop in blood sugar that makes you feel sleepy about 30 minutes after eating sugary snacks and high carb foods. But when you eat raw foods that are high in fiber, healthy fats and proteins – like apples, sunflower seeds, carrots, almonds and walnuts – your blood sugar and energy levels stay stable throughout the day.

Since a balanced raw food diet includes healthy fats, people who have tried to lose weight on ‘low fat’ diets and learning to be disciplined enough to ignore their hunger pains will be glad to know that eating raw foods presents an easier and more effective approach.

Low fat diets often result in over eating because fats actually play an important role in creating the feeling of being ‘full’. So when your diet includes healthy fats from natural sources like fish oil, nuts and seeds, you will feel satisfied when you have had enough to eat, and naturally stop eating. And you won’t be walking around all day feeling hungry.

Another benefit of a raw food diet that helps with weight loss is the fact that you can snack on healthy raw foods throughout the day instead of depriving yourself of food. There’s no need to grit your teeth and force yourself not to eat if you’re hungry between meals – as long as your between meal treats are on the raw foods list.

Of course, you will still need to learn deal with emotional eating habit like raiding the fridge out of boredom or rummaging through the pantry when you feel lonely. But from a food standpoint, you can usually eat until you are full on a raw food diet and still lose weight.

These days, fresh fruits and veggies seem to cost more and spoil sooner. As much as I love fresh fruit and veggies, their shelf life makes them a use it or lose it type of food. If you and your family prefer fresh produce to canned, one way to be sure they won’t spoil is to dry them.

Dried fruits can serve as a great alternative to candy. Instead of leaving out cupcakes and cookies full of sugar, try dried pineapple or apple slices. The sweetness of the fruit is concentrated when it’s dried, and the taste will explode in your mouth.

Learning to dry fruit is a fairly easy process. You don’t need to buy any fancy equipment. Investing in a few sealing jars would be nice so that storing the fruit will be easier, but it isn’t a necessity. Sealing jars can be found fairly inexpensive at many supermarkets.

To start, gather all of the fruits you want to dry. Most fruits make good choices. Some of the more common ones are: pineapples, apples, plums, grapes, apricots, and tomatoes (yes they are a fruit!). If you favor lemons, limes, or other citrus fruits, you will be drying the peels and not the fruit itself.

All fruit and equipment needs to be clean and thoroughly dried before beginning. Drying racks are needed if you plan on air drying outside or using an oven. Some pieces may be done before others so rotating the trays in the oven gives you a chance to remove any fruit that is already dried and replace with another.

Slice the fruit into small pieces. Apples need to be cored and peeled before slicing. Tomatoes can be cut into slices or quarters and salted before drying. Grapes and plums are okay as is because the skin doesn’t affect their taste.

If you prefer to use the microwave to dry your fruit, place small batches in the microwave on the turntable tray. Fruit pieces should be evenly spaced to allow for air circulation while drying. Set the microwave to the defrost setting in order to dry the fruit. It will take about thirty to forty-five minutes. Check after thirty minutes and gradually add time as needed. It is not recommended that tomatoes be dried via the microwave because they should be dried at approximately 120 degrees for about twenty-four hours.

You can eat some of these tasty treats as soon as they are dried or you can save some for later. If storing for later, let the fruit cool before placing in sealing jars or plastic bags. Dried fruits will keep for up to two weeks in a cool dark place. However, these fruit treats are so scrumptious they may not even last for that long.

Dried fruit has a multitude of uses. It can be eaten as is or mixed into sauces and batters as a flavorful addition. Drying your fruits will save you money because it makes the fruit last longer than normal and gives you a reason to eat more of it.

Resource: Healthy Meal Planning

Bananas are one of the most widely eaten fruits. They are easy to handle, go anywhere, and kids love them. But bananas are in danger of disappearing from the planet. In fact, the bananas we eat today, are not even the same species that our grandparents ate.

Who doesn’t remember the commercial with the girl who had the basket of fruit on her head. It was a commercial for Chiquita bananas. Bananas are portrayed as a food for monkeys and other primates, but humans love them too. They are are rich source of much needed Potassium.

In the West we eat them for snacks and with our breakfast cereal, but in developing countries people eat many more bananas and depend on them as a primary food source. While bananas taste sweet, much of their history isn’t. The term banana republic refers to the banana barons who controlled and destroyed countries in pursuit of wealth and power via this fruit.

Americans eat more bananas than apples and oranges combined, yet woefully, bananas are being destroyed by a fungus called Panama Disease. It is incurable and pretty much wipes out a banana plantation within a few years. Interestingly, the bananas of today are a species that was selected to be resistant to Panama Disease after the banana of our grandparents day was destroyed about 50 years ago.

Banana scientists believe that in 10-20 years the banana fields of South and Central America will succumb to the same fungus that has swept through the banana fields of Asia. A small clump of contaminated earth is all it takes.

Bananas are quite susceptible to many diseases. To make matters worse, most species of bananas are clones of each other. As they have no seeds, bananas are grown by making cuttings to grow a new tree. So, the Cavendish banana, which is the banana most of the world eats, is virtually the same exact fruit — vulnerable to the same diseases.

While Panama Disease is the worst to afflict bananas, there are a host of other deadly diseases that must be controlled for bananas to make it to your breakfast table. There are many chemicals that are used to ensure bananas continue to make it to your local supermarket.

The organic bananas at health food stores may be chemical free, but they don’t help the problem. There isn’t enough land to grow organic bananas to make it a viable option. This is because organic bananas must be grown at higher altitudes and cooler temperatures — a rare commodity with global warming.

By all accounts, the Gros Michele banana of days gone by was a bigger, tastier banana; however, it was wiped out by Panama Disease. The Cavendish banana that we are all familiar with is actually an inferior banana in taste. It is also more difficult to ship because it must be boxed whereas the tougher Gros Michele could just be thrown onto a boat.

I learned so many interesting facts about bananas from Dan Koeppel’s book that I could have made this a three-part article. I’ll never look at bananas as merely fruit again. Truthfully, they’re more like pawns in world politics with Mother Nature holding the trump card. In any event, appreciate this fruit while it’s with us because it’s future is far from certain.

Resource: Healthy Meal Planning