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When you hear the words “aloe vera” bottles of green or white gel that you apply to sunburns might come to mind.  Aloe vera is indeed a good remedy for not only sunburns, but also for many other skin rashes and diseases, but it also has many other uses and benefits.

Raw aloe gel contains vitamins A, C, and E, many major minerals including calcium, fiber, and polysaccharides.   Polysaccharides are long chains of burning carbohydrates that provide steady energy over a period of time. The polysaccharides in aloe lubricate our joints, brain, nervous system, and the skin, according to David Wolfe.

Most importantly, for those of us who are trying to lose weight and get fit, aloe vera has been shown to help you lose weight and gain lean muscle mass when it is ingested.

Aloe vera is helpful for many digestive problems and can also aid in the recovery from digestive illnesses, such as an ulcer.

Wolfe says, that raw aloe vera gel has been shown to aide the normalization of blood sugar, which helps to lessen the symptoms of diabetes.

Aloe vera can be used topically to heal dozens of skin ailments, such as acne, burns, insect bites, poison ivy, and stretch marks.  Aloe has also been shown to help get rid of many forms of fungus, such as Athlete’s Foot.

For ideas on where to buy aloe vera, how to use it in your diet or life, and for recipes, ask us or visit sunfood.com.

According to David Wolfe, “it is estimated that for three billion years marine phytoplankton have directly supported virtually all living creatures in the ocean, and indirectly, all living creatures on land.  Marine phytoplankton produce more oxygen than all of Earth’s forests combined!”  They also produce more sulfur than all of the world’s life forms combined.  These organisms are very powerful so you can only imagine the benefits they provide your body.

The most vital benefit of marine phytoplankton is that its make up is exactly what human cell membranes need to carry out their metabolism.  Research also indicates that marine phytoplankton contains every nutrient needed for the creation and maintenance of new cells.  Another very important thing to note is that marine phytoplankton is 100 percent available to the body, meaning when you eat it not a single part of it is wasted or unused by the body.

Some of the benefits of using marine phytoplankton are energy throughout the day, an improved immune system, aches and pains decrease, improved speed and safety of detoxification, losing weight, improved memory, feeling stronger and more athletics, normalizing blood sugar imbalances, fewer cravings, improved concentration, better sex, faster recovery, nervous system repair, improved calm and well-being, better sleep, improved digestion and circulation, improved eyesight, and feeling younger! And this is just a partial list of the benefits of marine phytoplankton.  A complete list can be found at sunfoods.com.

Marine Phytoplankton is also thought to improve numerous conditions including type-2 diabetes, skin disorders, depression, asthma, and infertility.

One last key thing to note about marine phytoplankton is that it is an ideal superfood for those needing to work extra hard in high-stress environments without much sleep and who require long-term energy and focus without the use of stimulants.  For those of us with small children, busy work or travel schedules, or students, this superfood is essential.

Blue-green algae differ from spirulina in that they prefer fresh water as opposed to salty water.  Algae are unique and fascinating organisms in that it is estimated that they are responsible for 80-90 percent of the planet’s overall food and oxygen supply.

AFA are the richest source of chlorophyll found in nature.  Chlorophyll helps build our blood and helps fight leukemia as well as certain types of skin and liver cancer. It also helps to deoderize our bowels.

Benefits of AFA include: they are easily digestible and are one of the most utilizable protein foods in all of nature.  They contain forty major and trace minerals! Minerals are incredibly important for our bodies, and we often do not get enough of them in our normal diet due to processed food and cooked food.  Minerals are necessary to build every tissue in our bodies including our bones, teeth, skin, hair, nails, internal organs, muscular system, immune system, and nervous system.

AFA is an excellent source of B vitamins, which help make energy immediately available for our bodies.

AFA algae are a complete protein source, containing roughly 60 percent protein.  AFA algae also has a strong ability to help us focus and pay attention, and, according to Wolfe, is even beneficial to those who have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD).

AFA algae contain a chemical, which is naturally made in our bodies, called PEA.  PEA appears to inhibit appetite and help people lose weight when they consume AFA blue-green algae.

Not only does AFA blue-green algae help your body to feel good, it also naturally aides in weight loss.  Ask us how to incorporate this in to your diet!

Spirulina is a type of blue-green spiral algae that is generally consumed as a powder.  Initially, when I was learning about superfoods, the idea of eating algae was not appealing to me.  However, I soon discovered that the benefits of spirulina for the body far outweigh my initial snap judgment.

Spirulina is an algae superfood that consists of 65-71 percent protein. This happens to be the highest concentration of protein found in any food, including meats! We know how important protein is for our bodies.  Protein helps us build muscle and strength and also helps with endurance, balancing blood sugar, balancing brain chemistry, neurological health, rapid healing, etc. Spirulina is considered to be a complete protein source and contains all eight essential amino acids.  It is also rich in Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, E, and K.  Unlike animal meat, spirulina is a raw and natural source of protein that never needs to be cooked and thus is able to retain all of its nutrients.  Another interesting characteristic of spirulina is that it contains as much iron as red meat.

The benefits of spirulina, as all superfoods, are endless!  Spirulina helps make your skin and hair shiny, strong and soft.  It is also thought to help reduce allergies.

David Wolfe says, “Spirulina is an excellent source of dietary sulfur.  Sulfur helps improve the immune system, physical strength, flexibility, agility, complexion, hair’s shine, speed of healing, and the functionality of your liver and pancreas.  Sulfur also helps rid our tissues of toxins.”

Spirulina can be unappealing at first due to its sulfur taste and smell, but spirulina powder can be used in smoothies, fresh juices, etc.  You can blend the powder in with your foods to mask the taste.  For ideas on how to use spirulina in your diet, check out sunfood.com.

Honey, in its organic state, is rich in minerals, antioxidants, and enzymes.  Honey is also an extremely healing food that provides a very digestible and soothing form of sugar (energy) to the body.

Honey is made from the nectar that bees drink from flower blossoms and is a universal medicine, sweetener, and nutrient resource.  Research of honey has shown that it increases reflexes, mental alertness, and IQ.  Honey is also shown to provide relief for many things such as bowel and gastrointestinal problems, cancer, and staph infections, which are infections of various body tissues.  Honey has an antibiotic effect on many bacteria causing diseases.  It is also known to topically heal wounds such as abrasions, bedsores, burns, cuts, and ulcers.

Bee pollen is the most complete alkaline superfood found in nature.  It contains 18 vitamins, all 22 essential amino acids, and up to 11 different major enzymes, many of which aid in digestion.  It is also a deliciously tasting, energy-rich source of complete protein.

Bee pollen increases strength, endurance, energy, and speed.  It provides a quicker recovery from exercise and returns heart rate to normal.  It is also known to increase muscle growth and definition.  Pollen also has a high presence of B vitamins, which helps build up our stress-defense shield, increases longevity, helps clear acne, and assists in reversing the aging and wrinkling.

There are many more benefits that these two bee products provide the body, this is just an overview.  Not only is bee pollen a healthy food to add to your diet, it also helps aid in your exercise program.

Bee products, which include honey, pollen, royal jelly, and propolis, are the next superfood I am going to give you an overview of. I am going to start with talking about propolis and royal jelly. Before reading David Wolfe’s book, Superfoods, I had never heard of propolis or royal jelly so I started investigating to learn more.  For those of you, like me, who are in the dark about these two things, let me explain.  Propolis is the substance that seals the hive.  It is, in essence, the protector of the hive; it keeps unwanted things from entering the hive, such as parasites and diseases and predators.  Wolfe describes propolis as, “ a waxy, highly medicinal, immune supporting and antibacterial substance collected and produced by bees.”  Propolis protects the bees against bacteria and viruses and it can also be used by humans for use as an antibacterial, antifungal, and antibiotic.  Propolis contains a myriad of minerals, amino acids, fats, vitamins C and E, and B-complex.  According to Wolfe, propolis has also been used to treat many conditions including arthritis and asthma.

Royal jelly is made from the combination of pollen and honey within the bodies of a special group of bees.  It is secreted from the glands of these bees and is a thick, milky substance that determines the development of a queen bee from other ordinary larva.

Royal jelly is thought to be rejuvenating and regenerating for the body, due to the presence of B vitamins, which inhibits the aging process, maintaining skin tone, promoting sexual vitality, alleviating arthritis pain, and acting as an antidepressant.

It is also known to help those with Alzheimer disease and helps protect against heart disease.  For more information watch the videos we have provided.

Maca is a superfood root.  It is in the same family of plants that includes broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale, turnips, and radishes.  Traditionally, maca had been used in South America to enhance fertility in both humans and animals.  Historically, the maca root also has a reputation as a powerful strength and stamina enhancer.  According to Mr. David Wolfe, maca is what we call an adaptogen, “which means it has the ability to balance and stabilize the body’s glandular-hormonal system, nervous system, cardiovascular system, and musculature.” In other words, an adaptogen helps us be able to “adapt” to certain stressful circumstances by countering various adverse reactions our body encounters.  Just like all of the superfoods, Wolfe writes about, maca has numerous benefits, and this is just a brief overview of them.  Besides increases energy and endurance, maca increases oxygen in the blood, physical strength, and libido.  Wolfe also writes that maca supports the endocrine system (our glandular system), the adrenals, the thyroid, and typically one’s mood, and helps support healthy hormone production.  As we have already seen, the adrenal glands are important for many bodily functions, and we want to back them up however we can so that they function properly.

Maca is known to improve dozens of conditions, including, but not limited to, chronic fatigue, depression, menstrual discomfort, and poor memory.  It is rich in various vitamins and minerals, like all superfoods are.  Maca is generally consumed as a dried, raw, organic powder and can be used in many recipes and ways.

The next superfood I am going to introduce you to is called cacao, which is a type of nut (seed).  Cacao comes from the seed of a fruit of an indigenous American jungle tree.  According  to David Wolfe, the cacao bean “has always been and will always be Nature’s number-one weight loss and high-energy food.” Cacao beans contain no sugar and have a low fat percentage compared to other nuts.  Cacao enables you to lose weight because it contains minerals that aid is shutting off appetite.  I, for one, find this very comforting, since I am a fan of eating chocolate and of losing weight.  Satisfying my chocolate cravings and losing weight sounds ideal to me!

Cacao contains the highest concentration of antioxidants of any food in the world.  Antioxidants protect us from age-related health conditions and illnesses.  They are often added to diets in hopes that they will help maintain health and prevent diseases, such as cancer.

Cacao contains numerous vital vitamins and minerals, including magnesium, iron,  zinc, and vitamin C.  These vitamins and minerals all have important functions in your body.  Cacao is also rich in serotonin, which helps us be able to deal with stress more easily.

Another interesting fact about cacao beans is that they are not abundant in caffeine.  Contact One World Fitness to learn more about cacao and how it ties in to your weight loss.

Do you ever find that you are unable to shake the soreness from your muscles after you exercise? Do ever experience pain in parts of your body that you cannot seem to get rid of?  There might be a reason for this!  One of the effects of your adrenal glands not working properly is a lack of anti-inflammatory hormones, which are hormones that help reduce the redness, swelling, pain, tenderness, heat, and disturbed function of an area of the body. This means that when you finish exercising there is an excess of inflammation in the body’s muscles, tendons and connective tissues.  This interferes with weight loss because the stress hormone triggered by pain in the body can block fat-burning hormones.  Any extra stress can overwhelm the adrenal glands.  If your adrenal glands are not working properly this may also affect your oxygen levels, causing you to feel out of breath even when you are not doing strenuous activities or exercise.  It is therefore essential that you follow a certain exercise program to ensure your stress level remains low and you can lose weight effectively.

The first superfood I am going to talk about is goji berries.  Goji berries have a combination of therapeutic actions on the human body.  A major function of the goji berry is to invigorate and strengthen the body to help it deal more easily with stress by supporting the adrenal glands.  The adrenal glands are located on top of your kidneys.  One of the many jobs that the adrenal glands have is to counter stress by producing several different hormones in our bodies.  The over action of the adrenal glands create excess fat on your body.  A deficiency of adrenal hormones can cause you to crave chocolate and salty foods, which also leads to weight gain and weight loss problems.

Goji berries are also responsible for boosting immune function, protecting the liver and keeping other vital organs healthy, improving eyesight and blood quality, and delivering anti-aging compounds.  On top of what I have already mentioned, the goji berry is a complete form of protein, containing over 20 vital minerals and vitamins B1, B2, B6, and E.

The key to healthy and effective weight loss is a combination of nutritious and fulfilling foods and a proper exercise plan for your body created just for you by a member of our One World Fitness Staff.