Benefits Chart

Just got this in my email and thought I would share it. Hope you enjoy!

apples	Protects your heart	prevents constipation	Blocks diarrhea	Improves lung capacity	Cushions joints
apricots	Combats cancer	Controls blood pressure	Saves your eyesight	Shields against Alzheimer's	Slows aging process
artichokes	Aids digestion	Lowers cholesterol	Protects your heart	Stabilizes blood sugar	Guards against liver disease
avocados	Battles diabetes	Lowers cholesterol	Helps stops strokes	Controls blood pressure	Smoothes skin
bananas	Protects your heart	Quiets a cough	Strengthens bones	Controls blood pressure	Blocks diarrhea
beans	Prevents constipation	Helps hemorrhoids	Lowers cholesterol	Combats cancer	Stabilizes blood sugar
beets	Controls blood pressure	Combats cancer	Strengthens bones	Protects your heart	Aids weight loss
blueberries	Combats cancer	Protects your heart	Stabilizes blood sugar	Boosts memory	Prevents constipation
broccoli	Strengthens bones	Saves eyesight	Combats cancer	Protects your heart	Controls blood pressure
cabbage	Combats cancer	Prevents constipation	Promotes weight loss	Protects your heart	Helps hemorrhoids
cantaloupe	Saves eyesight	Controls blood pressure	Lowers cholesterol	Combats cancer	Supports immune system
carrots	Saves eyesight	Protects your heart	Prevents constipation	Combats cancer	Promotes weight loss
cauliflower	Protects against Prostate Cancer	Combats Breast Cancer	Strengthens bones	Banishes bruises	Guards against heart disease
cherries	Protects your heart	Combats Cancer	Ends insomnia	Slows aging process	Shields against Alzheimer's
chestnuts	Promotes weight loss	Protects your heart	Lowers cholesterol	Combats Cancer	Controls blood pressure
chili peppers	Aids digestion	Soothes sore throat	Clears sinuses	Combats Cancer	Boosts immune system
figs	Promotes weight loss	Helps stops strokes	Lowers cholesterol	Combats Cancer	Controls blood pressure
fish	Protects your heart	Boosts memory	Protects your heart	Combats Cancer	Supports immune system
flax	Aids digestion	Battles diabetes	Protects your heart	Improves mental health	Boosts immune system
garlic	Lowers cholesterol	Controls blood pressure	Combats cancer	kills bacteria	Fights fungus
grapefruit	Protects against heart attacks	Promotes Weight loss	Helps stops strokes	Combats Prostate Cancer	Lowers cholesterol
grapes	saves eyesight	Conquers kidney stones	Combats cancer	Enhances blood flow	Protects your heart
green tea	Combats cancer	Protects your heart	Helps stops strokes	Promotes Weight loss	Kills bacteria
honey	Heals wounds	Aids digestion	Guards against ulcers	Increases energy	Fights allergies
lemons	Combats cancer	Protects your heart	Controls blood pressure	Smoothes skin	Stops scurvy
limes	Combats cancer	Protects your heart	Controls blood pressure	Smoothes skin	Stops scurvy
mangoes	Combats cancer	Boosts memory	Regulates thyroid	aids digestion	Shields against Alzheimer's
mushrooms	Controls blood pressure	Lowers cholesterol	Kills bacteria	Combats cancer	Strengthens bones
oats	Lowers cholesterol	Combats cancer	Battles diabetes	prevents constipation	Smoothes skin
olive oil	Protects your heart	Promotes Weight loss	Combats cancer	Battles diabetes	Smoothes skin
onions	Reduce risk of heart attack	Combats cancer	Kills bacteria	Lowers cholesterol	Fights fungus
oranges	Supports immune systems	Combats cancer	Protects your heart	Straightens respiration
peaches	prevents constipation	Combats cancer	Helps stops strokes	aids digestion	Helps hemorrhoids
peanuts	Protects against heart disease	Promotes Weight loss	Combats Prostate Cancer	Lowers cholesterol	Aggravates  diverticulitis
pineapple	Strengthens bones	Relieves colds	Aids digestion	Dissolves warts	Blocks diarrhea
prunes	Slows aging process	prevents constipation	boosts memory	Lowers cholesterol	Protects against heart disease
rice	Protects your heart	Battles diabetes	Conquers kidney stones	Combats cancer	Helps stops strokes
strawberries	Combats cancer	Protects your heart	boosts memory	Calms stress
sweet potatoes	Saves your eyesight	Lifts mood	Combats cancer	Strengthens bones
tomatoes	Protects prostate	Combats cancer	Lowers cholesterol	Protects your heart
walnuts	Lowers cholesterol	Combats cancer	boosts memory

Vegan

Well, I'm officially going vegan. I am cutting eggs and yogurt from my diet starting today. Since I'm still a smoker (trying to quit, not working) I don't need the cholesterol in the eggs, and I can do without yogurt. I allow myself only two occasions to cheat on my lifestyle/diet: weddings, and mom's homemade chicken soup when I'm sick. I will also go back to eggs if I ever get a place where I can have chickens, raise them myself, collect the eggs, and let them live out long, happy lives.

What supplements do I take?

Supplements are, as a rule, an addition to a healthy lifestyle. They are intended to give you what you do not get enough of, or in some cases, cannot get. I take B12, probiotics and Omega 3.6.9 supplements now that I don't eat animal products, D3 since I don't go outside often (and especially during the winter), and a multivitamin and calcium-magnesium mix that isn't included in the multivitamin, and chlorella and/or chlorophyll supplements because the quality of fruits and veggies is not spectacular nowadays. That's seven different supplements, and I'm adding astaxanthin soon. (I also take bio plasma every once in a while out of curiosity, and echinacea when I'm sick.)

I use this as a general rule: Dr. Oz's Supplement Guide
The brands I use are Vitacost Synergy Once-Daily multivitamin, Vitacost Yaeyama Chlorella, Vitacost Ultra Calcium-Magnesium, and Vitacost vegetarian Omega 3.6.9. (Vitacost is just so easy for me to use, as they have my rice brand, Lotus Foods, my bean brand, Eden Foods, and several other awesome products.) I chose my multivitamin because it has no calcium and magnesium, giving me the option to take that separately, and it has coQ10, ALA, B12 and Quercetin. It also has at least 100% the daily value needed for each vitamin or mineral, but no excessive amounts of any.

However, other than the few things I don't have a taste for (peaches, pistachios, limes, apricots, and ginger to name most) I eat healthier than anyone I know personally. I just don't eat all those good things when I'm supposed to, and those things may not always be organic or fresh. Smoothies are juices are one way to try to get enough vitamins and minerals, but I, like most people, don't make them regularly enough.