We are excited about our newsletter. The articles are designed to help you and your family have a healthy lifestyle.

This month we are discussing Article: Ginger and Garlic: Wonder Foods and A Case for the Radish!

We have also included a great recipe for Shrimp, Tofu and Broccoli Stir-fry. A combination of tofu and shrimp gives you plenty of ShapeWorks™ protein.

When my son came down with a terrible headache and the beginning of a rasping cough, my daughter-in-law strode into the kitchen and made him her well-known concoction for colds and flu: pressed garlic, minced ginger, honey and hot water.

“Maybe some Tylenol would help him as well,” I suggested.

“This will do,” she said. ”Trust me.”

And she was right. The next morning, he was on his feet, bright, alert and symptom-free.

His quick recovery comes as no surprise to me. Ginger and garlic have been for centuries the most popular of home remedies. Closer inspection reveals why they work so well and why, in straightforward cases of colds and flu, they are perhaps even better alternatives than over the counter prescriptions.

Ginger has been used as both seasoning and medicine for over 50 years. During the Middle Ages, it was used against the plague. Today, it is used for ailments that run from simple colds and sniffles to rheumatoid arthritis.

Its effectiveness against headaches has been documented. Taken at the first sign of migraine, ginger can reduce the symptoms and severity of headaches by blocking prostaglandins—the chemicals that cause inflammation in blood vessels in the brain. This anti-inflammatory activity in ginger can shorten the discomfort of headaches, colds and flu.

As well, ginger blocks the production of substances that cause bronchial congestion and stuffiness. Its main compounds, gingerols, are natural cough suppressants.

It works as well to reduce joint swellings in people who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis. A recent study found that ginger eased the symptoms in 55 percent of people with osteoarthritis and 74 percent of those with rheumatoid arthritis. Considering the health implications of drugs like Vioxx and Celebrex, ginger seems a much safer and more cost-effective alternative.

Ginger works like aspirin to thin the blood. A study involving Danish women between the ages of 25 to 65 years, one group of whom consumed 70 grams of raw onion daily while a second group consumed 5 grams of ginger daily for one week, showed unequivocally the benefits of ginger. When the researchers tested both groups of women, they found that ginger, more clearly than onion, reduced thromboxane production by almost 60 percent. Thromboxane compounds stimulate the clumping of blood platelets and the constricting of blood vessels. By dissolving the clumping quality of blood platelets, ginger reduces blood clots and the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

But this is not all! Ginger can also relieve menstrual cramps. Chemical compounds in ginger act as anti-spasmodics inhibiting painful contractions of both smooth muscles of the digestive tract and the uterus.

Garlic is no less powerful. The restorative powers of garlic have been known to the ancient Egyptians who gave garlic to slaves constructing the pyramids in order to increase their efficiency and stamina.

Garlic, like ginger, reduces the tendency of blood to clot. Garlic improves blood flow throughout the body, not just in the coronary arteries. It acts as a vasodilator by causing blood vessels to expand and blood pressure to drop. Researchers at the Garlic Research Bureau in Suffolk, England, recently reported that “even small amounts of Garlic, say 3 or 4 grams, will have a pronounced effect on fibrinolytic (breaking down of blood clots) activity…in doses from 25 grams ( 10 cloves) to 50 grams Garlic seems to be highly effective in promoting beneficial changes in blood fat composition and platelet adhesiveness.”

It also lowers cholesterol, tryglycerides and LDL cholesterol levels while also increasing the beneficial cholesterol HDL.

And it has anti-tumor properties. Garlic oil inhibits enzymes that curtail the production of protaglandins ( many cancers are prostaglandin dependent). Research in China also shows an inverse relationship between the incidence of stomach cancer and garlic intake. Studies even suggest that garlic may lower the risk of colon cancer by 35 percent and stomach cancer by as much as 50 percent. Garlic inhibits the formation of nitrites, chemicals that could trigger stomach cancer. There is also laboratory evidence that garlic can shrink cancers of the breast, skin and lungs.

One more thing-- garlic’s essential oil is excreted through the lungs, which means that it is particularly effective for clearing respiratory ailments.

No wonder my son made such a rapid recovery. He took the kids tobogganing down the hill, returning all of them later that afternoon, cheeks red and happy.

“No more sniffles?” I asked him.

“I feel great!” he said. ”That stuff Paulina makes--it works every time!”

A runner for 27 years, retired schoolteacher and writer, Mary Desualniers is now doing what she loves--running, writing, helping people reclaim their bodies. Nutrition, exercise, positive vision and purposeful engagement are the tools used to turn their bodies into creative selves. You can subscribe to Mary's newsletter by contacting her at http://www.GreatBodyafter50secrets.com or visit her at http://www.greatbodyat50.com Published 01/25/2006 | Diet & Nutrition | Unrated
Article Source: ArticleWorld.net

Most people eat them raw, with a little salt. If you'd like your radishes to be a little crispier and a little less sharp in taste, put them in ice water for a couple hours before you plan to eat them. There are also a number of ways to cook them. Boil a half inch of water, add the sliced radishes, and then cover and simmer until tender, adding more water if necessary. Cook five to ten minutes. To microwave, place a half pound of sliced radishes in a microwave safe dish with 1 tablespoon of water or broth. Cook for approximately four minutes.

If the taste of raw radishes is a little too pungent for some, try them steamed. Their bright red skin will turn pink on steamed radishes. The easiest way to steam them is to place whole radishes in a vegetable steamer and cook over boiling water until barely tender. Cook approximately eight to twelve minutes. Another way to prepare our friend, the red radish, is to stir fry them. Sliced radishes combine well with other vegetables and meat in stir-fries. Don't over cook them or they'll become mushy. Cook approximately three to five minutes.

As Cliff Claven would say, "It's a little known fact that ..." radishes were first cultivated thousands of years ago in China, then in Egypt and Greece. In Greece they were so highly regarded that gold replicas were made. (Now that's some serious radish lovers!)

So the next time you walk past radishes in the grocery store or at the market, back track a few steps and pick up a bunch or two. Or better yet, plant some in your garden this year. Radishes are one of the very first vegetables ready for harvest in the spring. They will in turn, ready your soil for other veggies! Give these little guys a chance again.

Source: http://www.articlecircle.com
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Ingredients for sauce:
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice wine or chicken broth
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon prepared ketchup
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
3 teaspoons cornstarch

Combine sauce ingredients in a small saucepan over medium high heat, and cook, stirring until mixture boils, thickens and clears. Set sauce aside.

Spray a large skillet with pan spray. Heat skillet over medium heat. When hot, add tofu and cook until slightly brown. Remove and set aside. Add olive oil and then garlic, ginger and scallions. Stir-fry for a few seconds, but do not allow the garlic to brown. Add the shrimp and continue to stir-fry until the shrimp is pink and almost cooked through. Add the blanched broccoli florets and stir-fry for another minute, until hot, then add tofu. Finally, pour in the sauce mixture and stir quickly to mix.

Nutritional Analysis Per Serving:
Calories: 420
Protein: 50 grams
Fat: 14 grams
Carbohydrates: 23 grams