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Properties of fruit – Natures SUPERFOODS not from a packet!

We hear so much about superfoods and there is always a new berry or seed from a far away land packaged up ready to heal us! What about the common fruits you can get easily and eat every day?

Each fruit holds a different set of nutrients and can help you overcome deficiencies you may have or build you in areas you need. Learning to treat your body with these powerful packed goodies instead of supplements or pills or spending money on packaged super foods is the key to longevity, be it fertility, gut health, depression or removing heavy metals.

If I see a clients test results I work out how they can overcome these deficiencies  by adding in more of one fruit or more of a vegetable to build the body up. Once you learn to listen to your body and what it’s asking for you no longer have the need for supplements or crazy diets. And the body stops the addictive craving rollercoaster as really you listen to what it’s asking for and you start to grab natures powerful gifts . . . not the chocolate bar or coffee. . .

So I’ve broken it down as per the food combination chart Food combining and why is it essential for health!-chart.

Sweet Fruits.

Banana

Good for: crohn’s, colitis, adrenal fatigue, digestion, increases fat burning, autism and diabetes, lowers risk of colorectal and kidney cancer. Anti-viral properties.

Contains: potassium,  B6, vitamin C, B5, B2, folate, selenium, manganese, potassium, copper, magnesium.  And a B12 enhancing food.

A good fruit to eat with dates and sweet potatoes 2-3 days before your menstrual cycle to give you energy.

Date

Good for: adrenal support, chronic fatigue, thyroid conditions, diabetes, SIBO, GERD, OCD, lung cancers, autism , ADHD, insomnia when eaten as the last meal, vertigo, edema, candida and anxiety.

Contains:  B5, B3, B2, beta carotene, copper, potassium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, calcium, iron, fiber. And a B12 enhancing food.

I suggest eating these with greens for better absorption of the natural sugars and having some in your bag to stop cravings taking over you.

Fig

Good for: removing parasites, autism, ADHD, asthma, menopause, pylora, sinus and bad eyes sight issues, alzheimers, constipation, eczema, crohn’s, colitis, SIBO, highly alkaline, the skins have anti-septic properties, highly mineralised, a laxative, a intestinal cleanser

Contains: B1, B5, B6, beta carotene, calcium, zinc, copper, manganese, iron, calcium. And a B12 enhancing food.

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Grape – (organic seeded varieties are best)

Good for:  heart and blood vitalisation, filtering the kidneys, keeps blood platelets from sticking together, osteoporosis, cancers (anti-cancer phytonutrients), varicose veins, inflammation, anemia and rheumatoid arthritis, detoxifying,  cleansing, hay fever and allergies, has anti-viral properties, Great for brain fog so make a great afternoon snack!

Contains: resveratrol, antioxidants, quercetin and other polyphenols, boron, high in iron, magnesium and boron.

Jackfruit

Good for: a laxative, energy, building muscles and good for stress and for eye sight.

Contains: high in beta carotene, vitamin C, B2, B6.

Taste like every tropical fruit in one!

Mamey Sapote

Good for: gut health and diabetes.

Contains: anti bacterial properties, vitamin C and calcium.

Tastes like a sweeter sweet potato!

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Sapote (black)

Good for: great for adrenal support.

Contains: high in vitamin C, calcium, phosphorus.

Tastes like a chocolate mouse!

Mangosteen

Good for: cancers, fatty liver, heart conditions, respiratory conditions and adrenal support.

Contains: anti-microbial and anti-viral properties.

Taste sweet and tangy with a perfumed aftertaste!

Papaya

Good for: digestive support, adrenal support, liver disease, ideal for SIBO, fibromyalgia, MS, migraines, eczema, acne, rosacea and skin conditions, lymes disease, cleansing, enhances fat burning, autism, ADHD, adrenal support and fatigue.

Contains: high in beta carotene for skin conditions, high in vitamin C, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, iron. Great for parasites, worms and e-coli infections and especially the seeds when eaten on a full moon.

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Persimmon – (Fuyu & Hachiya) –

Great for: chronic fatigue and adrenal support, constipation as it’s a mild laxative, soothing the digestive system.

Contains: potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and vitamin C.

Sub-Acid Fruits.

Apple –(organic is best)

Great for: an overall tonic and contain pectin, a fiber that’s good for the digestive tract, supports immunity, good for alzheimer’s, skin elasticity, weight loss and diabetes.

Contains: vitamin C, copper, magnesium, potassium, iron, manganese, phosphorus, and trace minerals.

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Blackberry –(organic is best)

Great for: diabetes, ADHD, autism, Alzheimer’s adrenal support, helps build bone density, anti-aging, suppresses appetite, enhances fat burning.

Contains: phytonutrients ,vitamin C, beta carotene, folate, omega 3, 6 and 9 essential fatty acids, vitamin E, vitamin K, manganese, copper, iron, magnesium, zinc , fiber. And a B12 enhancing food.

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Blueberry –(organic is best)

Great for: diabetes, ADHD, autism, Alzheimer’s, adrenal support, chromic fatigue, good for urinary tract and brain rejuvenation, and removing heavy metals when used with (coriander, parsley, barley grass, lettuce and coconut water in a smoothie).

Contains:  antioxidants & phytonutrients, zinc, omega 3 – 6 and 9 essential fatty acids, fiber, vitamin K, vitamin C, manganese, copper, iron. And a B12 enhancing food.

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Cherry

Great for: PCOS, fat livers, cancer, autism, ear infections, acne, adrenal support, urinary tract and bladder problems, detoxifying, laxative, cleanser, reduce inflammation, heightens awareness, lowers bad cholesterol.

Contains: vitamin C, magnesium, zinc, iron, silicon, omega 3, 6 and 9 essential fatty acids.

Lychee

Great for: the blood, metabolism increaser, and helps break down fat and protein.

Contains: high in polyphenols,  iron, folate, vitamin B, vitamin C, copper, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium. Must be eaten ripe.

Taste somewhat like a fragrant grape!

Mango- 

Great for: your kidneys and digestion, a blood cleanser, supports the immune system, lowers bad cholesterol, great for stress, adrenal support, fatty livers, gut health, thyroid conditions, parkinson, kidney stones, epilepsy, bushings syndrome, urinal tract infections, stomach cancers, diabetes and pre diabetes, histamine intolerances and insomnia when eaten as the last meal.

Contains: beta-carotene for the skin, vitamin C, beta carotene, calcium, potassium and high in magnesium.

A great fruit to eat after your menstrual cycle to help support your body.

Nectarine –(organic is best)

Great for: as a digestive aid and cleanser.

Contains: beta carotene for the skin, B3, vitamin C, vitamin E and copper.

Apricot-(organic is best)

Great for: gallstones, lymes disease, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, moulds and candida as it helps bind to them and pull them out, gut health.

Contains: amnio acids such as cysteine and glutamine, rich in beta carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, B5, copper, high in iron, potassium, high in fiber, magnesium and a B12 enhancing food.

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Peach –(organic is best)

Great for: constipation, a diuretic, a digestive aid, a cleanser and very alkalising.

Contains:  B3, vitamin C, vitamin E, potassium, calcium, magnesium and beta carotene.

Pear -(organic is best)

Great for: diabetes, e-coli infections, SIBO, GERD, fatty liver, OCD, migraines, stomach cancer, food poisoning. They are a diuretic, alkaline, digestive aid and cleanser.

Contains: fiber, iodine, vitamin C and copper.

Plum –(organic is best)

Great for: bowel cancer and contraption as its a good laxative.

Contains: high in oxalic acid, beta carotene, antioxidants, phosphorus, and potassium.

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Raspberries – (organic is best)

Great for: lowering bad cholesterol and inhibits certain cancer growth, diabetes, autism, ADHD, stress, adrenal support, fibromyalgia and menstrual cramps.

Contains:  antioxidants, vitamin C , vitamin K, vitamin E, folate, B5, manganese, copper, and iron.

A great food to eat during your menstrual flow.

Acid-Fruit.

Cranberry

Great for: respiratory and urinary tracts, , gallbladders, yeast infections, staph infections, a diuretic, weigh loss, diabetes, ear wax and eat infections, breaks down toxins, balances hormones.

Contains:  vitamin C, tannic and oxalic acids.

Grapefruit

Great for: high in pectin which strengthens blood vessels and capillaries and reduces the accumulation of atherosclerotic plaque in those afflicted with this problem. Grapefruit juice eases constipation and improves digestion but can reduce appetite, helping with weight loss. Good to eat for cancers, heart problems, strokes, constipation, the blood and nerves. Digestive aid, vascular health, removal of in organic calcium from joints so good for arthritis.

Contains: Vitamin c, pantothenic acid, copper, dietary fiber, potassium, biotin and vitamin B1.

Kiwi

Great for: arthritis, OCD, diabetes, adrenal support, SIBO. Removes excess sodium buildup, the enzymes help in correcting and soothing digestive system including acid reflux and anti-aging.

Contains: vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin, E, folate, copper, potassium.

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Kumquat

Great for: anti-aging.

Contains:  calcium, beta carotene, vitamin C, iron, and magnesium.

Lemon

Great for: a potent detoxifier, kills intestinal parasites and dissolves gallstones, great for flu, kidney disease, respiratory conditions, anxiety, cancers, weight loss and rosacea, heart problems, strokes, constipation, the blood and nerves. See Limes too.

Contains:  calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, cleansing, an alkalising effect even though it’s an acid fruit.

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Limes – (yellow when ripe..I know!)

Great for: Limes are good to eat for cancers, heart problems, strokes, constipation, the blood and nerves. Calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, cleansing, alkalising even though it’s an acid fruit. See Lemons too.

Contains: bioflavonoids, citric acid and pectin.

Oranges

Great for: reducing inflammation, shrink tumors, and inhibit blood clots, help with gum disease, kidney stones, anxiety, depression, acne, removing heavy metals. The Herperidin in oranges can help to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, they contain bioflavonoids, citric acids and pectin. Oranges are good for cancers, heart problems, strokes, constipation, the blood and nerves and  digestive support.

Contains: 170 different phytonutrients and more than 60 known falconoid, calcium, vitamin C.

A great fruit to eat the week before your menstrual cycle to help prepare and clean your body.

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Pineapple

Great for: adrenal support, respiratory conditions, ADHD, PCOS, removing heavy metals when used with greens. Promotes joint health, reduces inflammation, a  diuretic, a digestive aid, a cleanser of mucus, and a mild laxative.

Contains: calcium, vitamin C, folic acid, magnesium, manganese and beta carotene.

I suggest eating it frozen to stop your tongue burning!

Pomegranate

Great for: cleansing and building the blood, insomnia, brain fog, adrenal support, heart conditions, diabetes,  urinary tract infections, protects against sunburn, PCOS, removes ear wax, fights prostate cancer and regulates hormones.

Contains: vitamin C, magnesium, potassium and beta carotene.

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Strawberry –(organic is best)

Great for: diabetes, ADHD, heart conditions, alzheimer’s, reduce bad cholesterol, suppress growth of colon, prostate and oral cancers.

Contains: vitamin C, folate, manganese, copper and iron.

Tangerine

Great for: See oranges.

Contains: vitamin C, beta carotene, calcium, copper, magnesium, potassium.

Tomato – (heirlooms and organic are best)

Great for: Tomatoes are filled with antioxidants and phytonutrients, over 9,000 known phytonutrients to date. The main and most powerful antioxidant known in the tomato is lycopene. Lycopene is thought to protect the liver, lungs, prostate gland, colon and skin from sunburn among other things. Ongoing research seems to show that lycopene helps prevent macular degeneration, lower cholesterol, support the immune system and can help prevent and rid cancers. Also has a alkaline residue and reduces inflammation.

Contains: vitamin C, B6, B5 ,B1, vitamin K, copper, iron, magnesium.

Only eat raw do not cook tomatoes!

High Fat Fruits.

Avocado

Great for: colitis and crohn’s and gut health. Helps restores the intestinal lining and gut health, removing polyps, good for liver and to lower cholesterol levels. Great for the brain and growing children

Contains:  vitamin E, protein, iron and copper, Omega 3 essential fatty acids.

A great fruit to eat while you are ovulating and the week after ovulation.

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Durian –  great after work out food as it’s high in potassium and sulfur which makes them a warming fruit.

Contains: vitamin C, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, folate, copper, manganese, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron.

Smells bad but is tasty!

Olives – (not in oil)

Great for: anti-aging, very alkalising, lubricating and cleansing.

Contains: calcium, sodium, magnesium, amino acids, antioxidants, vitamin A and E. High in Omega 3 essential fatty acids.

Coconut fresh meat and water

Great for: autism, gut health, adrenal support, parkinson’s, anti-aging, brain support, alzheimers’s, adrenal support, diabetes, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, heart conditions.  provides protection against UV raises, promotes collagen and contains probiotics.

Contains:  4 electrolytes, anti-microbial fats, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral properties, magnesium, potassium, iron and sodium.

Add coconut water to green smoothies to help the greens like parsley and coriander to remove heavy metals and unwanted acids form the body. A great fruit to eat after your menstrual cycle to help support your body.

These 4 fruits are very high in fat, but are of the best healthiest kind. However, you should eat these foods in moderation. If you are consuming a lot of fruit or you will end up with insulin problems. A low fat raw food diet usually works best for most people look into the 80/10/10 Diet. If you are a slow oxidizer and have weight to loose you should aim for 10% fat in your diet or less. If you are eating a 2000 calorie diet this works out to be about 22 grams of fat per day and this adds up quicker than you might think. One avocado has about 25 grams of fat and one olive has 1 gram of fat. If you are a fast oxidizer you can eat a higher percentage of 20% but be careful not to consume too much high sugar fruit or stay high fat for too long.

Non-Sweet Fruits.

Bell peppers – (orange and red only, green are unripe and not suugested organic is best)

Great for: protects against sunburn, good for the heart.

Contains: beta carotene, vitamin C, folate, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, vitamin E. vitamin K, iron, manganese.

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Cucumber – (organic is best)

Great for: skin and hair, energy, adrenals support, cushing’s syndrome, MS, infertility, the lymphatic system, chronic fatigue and a cooling effect on the organs, great for e-coli infections and yeast overgrowths, alkalising, a diuretic and a great cleanser.

Contains: electrolytes, high in vitamin K (this can be converted to K2 for bone and teeth health), B5, silicon, potassium, copper.

A great fruit to eat after your menstrual cycle to help support your body.

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Tomato – (also an acid fruit see above)

Squash

Great for: contains vitamins A and C, maganese and magnesium, and contains folate, which has been shown to reduce the incidence of neural tube defects and other birth defects.

Contains: carotenoid beta-cryptoxanthin, has decreased incidence of lung cancer. A cup of winter squash contains 15% of the recommended daily allowance of folate.

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Eggplant

Great for: alzheimer’s, autism , epilepsy, cancer, stress, ADHD.

Contains: vitamnins B1, B3, B6, C and potassium, glykoalkaloids and phytonutrients like flavonoids, caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid. The flavonoid nasunin in eggplants, has high levels of antioxidant properties and is known to be a scavenger of free radicals, thus protecting the cells of the body. Nasunin is also known for its ability to protect the fats surrounding the cell membrane of the brain. the chlorogenic acid it contains is known to be the most potent antioxidant that displays antimicrobial, antiviral and antitumor abilities and plays an important role in the prevention of many diseases. Glykoalkaloids invade cancer cells and stimulate the cell’s owns digestive enzymes the culinary definition of fruit excludes these foods, botany declares them a fruit because of their seeds. They are low in sugar and fat and are great to add to salads or just to eat alone as part of a low fat raw food diet. Best to be steamed whole and then added to salads or raw dips.

Melons.

Melons are one of natures miracle foods, close to our own milk in goodness as they give us all we need. They are one of the best cleansers and I recommend eating mono meals of melons too clear out your system. Melons are to be eaten alone due to there rapid digestion time so make a great breakfast. Read more here: The truth about fruit . . .

Melons are the most alkalising fruits around, high in electrolytes making them a super food for us! They are easily absorbed bioavailable and bioactive so utilised by the body easily.

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Cantaloupe

Great for: immunity support, protects against sunburn, reduces inflammation, a cleanser and great for rehydrating, ideal for diabetes as it helps balances insulin levels and hormones.

Contains: a great nutrient profile, very high in beta carotene, vitamin C, folate, B3, potassium, copper. Great for parasites.

A great fruit to eat after your menstrual cycle to help support your body.

Watermelon – (organic and seeded is best)

Great for: SIBO, adrenal fatigue, heavy metals, adrenal fatigue, protects against sunburn, helps reduce the risk of prostate, ovarian and cervical cancers and a great cleanser, great for rehydrating.

Contains: beta carotene, vitamin C and  copper.

Bittermelon – the fruits and leaves of bitter melon are a good source of minerals and vitamins, such as iron, calcium, phosphorus and vitamin B. The juice from the leaves is also good to prevent and lessen cough, for fever and against ringworms. it is also used to treat sterility in women and alleviate liver problems. bitter melon has some antimicrobial activity and can help infected wounds. Nutritional contents can actually be absorbed by the body’s digestive system of the plant become some of these substances exist in unabsorbable form. It lowers blood sugar levels and addition in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, reducing the patients intake of antidiabetic drugs.

Trusting your instincts . . .

As a new parent you’re bombarded with information and advice from health care workers, family and friends about the ‘best’ way or the ‘right’ way of looking after your child.

But what do you do if that advice conflicts with your instincts? What do you do, if you know in your gut, that following all the ‘good’ advice is not what’s best for your family?

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Society seems to want to condition us to conform to a ‘normal’ way of parenting, a ‘normal’ way of eating and a ‘normal’ way of thinking. But how can we be normal when everyone has their own brand of ‘normal’. We are all individuals and all need an individual approach but thats not main stream health care.

You need to feel confident in trusting your instincts, even if your instincts lead you beyond what you already know and to a scary place.

For me, I learned the value of trusting my instincts in finding the path to better health, nutrition and wellbeing when I began to look for answers to ease physical, behavioural and digestive symptoms being experienced by our then-toddler son William, who was diagnosed with high-functioning autism aged two-year-old.

In those early days before his diagnoses I had applied my own brand of ‘normal’ to transitioning William to solid food, and I was quite certain I had it right. After all, I had worked in the organic food industry, food was my passion and being healthy was a conscious goal.

But, as I applied my knowledge to feeding my child – my gut, my instinct as a mother, told me that something was not right.

I had always fed William organic home-cooked foods that I thought to be healthy but the more I read and saw others’ journeys, the more I realised that was far from what I was doing. At one point he was eating three or four safe foods and a carrot or tomato was causing him skin reactions, tummy pain, behavioral issues and sleepless night. How could this be!

I felt so lost and very depressed but I knew that there were more answers to be found.

So we followed our instincts and started working with a Biomedical Doctor who guided us thorough the midfield that is food sensitivity, intolerances and food allergies. We used supplements to build up what his body was lacking. And the results were clear, our gut instincts had taken us on the right path and we were beginning to see results.

That’s when we moved from working instinctively to purposefully seeking answers. We started moving away from Biomedical treatments to a softer approach of Homeopathy and found that to work for us.

Soon we came across the GAPS Diet and, after the initial hard intro stage and changing our mindset about grains, fats and learning to cope with lots of detox, we started seeing massive improvements cognitively and behaviourally with William, and our younger son Edward. And my husband and I have transform our diets to be happier and healthier.

Our instincts were right. Our instincts have taken us down the right path and have led to happier, healthier life for my family, and a way of eating that has seen William’s stress levels within his body ease, giving him the space to make the most of early childhood intervention therapies.

But best of all, easing the stress within William has given him the opportunity to see beyond the anxiety that autism brings, and has made him calmer so he can now embrace emotionally family, friends and even kindergarten. All of this from a boy, who we were told would never feel empathy, be social or be able to love.

Thank goodness I trusted my instincts.