The Power of the Pomegranate

Pomegranates not only taste great, but they also have lots of medicinal benefits.

The composition of pomegranates is quite unique, being composed as a mixture of different bioactive compounds. The high levels of bioflavonoids, ellagitannins, catechins and anthocyanins give powerful health benefits to pomegranates.

The Benefits of Pomegranates

Here are 5 benefits of this powerful fruit:

  1. Pomegranates are loaded with nutrients. Pomegranates are high in vitamin C, potassium, fibre, vitamin K and folate. These nutrients are needed for the body to carry out regular functions, like digestion, breathing and preventing illness.
  2. Pomegranates may prevent and be used to help treat certain cancers. Some primary research suggests that pomegranates may help prevent cancer development and slow down the spread of cancer, particularly prostate, breast, skin, lung and colon cancers.
  3. It lowers blood pressure. Pomegranates are considered anti-hypertensives meaning that they can reduce blood pressure. Studies have shown that drinking 1 cup a day of pomegranate juice can reduce both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. We love Pom juice! Available at local grocery stores.
  4. It is anti-inflammatory. Pomegranates are great at reducing inflammation. They have been studied in a number of different inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and cardiovascular disease.
  5. Pomegranates may help with depression. Pomegranate juice contains phytochemical compounds that stimulate serotonin and estrogen receptors, improving symptoms of depression and increasing bone mass in lab animals

The De-Seeding Technique

Taking the seeds out of a pomegranate is no easy task. It can be a messy, sticky scene. When we eat a pomegranate this way, we lose out on some of the nutrition that is in the pomegranate juice.

Luckily, Dr. Mason-Wood ND has a trick for getting pomegranate seeds out while preserving the juiciness and reducing the mess. Cut the pomegranate in half, put the cut half face down into your palm and fingers. Hold your hand over a large bowl. Then, take a wooden spoon and hit the back of the pomegranate. The seeds should fall out of the pomegranate, through your fingers and into the bowl.

Watch the video to see Dr. Mason-Wood’s ND trick for pomegranates in action.

Pomegranate Recipe Ideas

Because pomegranate seeds are so small, they are easy to add to a number of different dishes. Two of the easiest ways is to throw it into your favourite salad for a burst of flavour or add it to your smoothie. Here are 3 dishes we are excited to try.

Turkey Tacos with Pear Pomegranate Salsa Taco

Adapted from Ali Martin’s Pear Pomegranate Salsa and Dr. Chris Bjorndal ND in The Essential Diet:  Eating for your Mental Health. 

INGREDIENT:

Pear Pomegranate Salsa

      • 2 fresh pears (any kind), cored and diced
      • 1 fresh pomegranate, seeded
      • half a red onion, diced
      • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
      • juice of half a lime

Jack’s Taco Seasoning 

      • 1 tsp ground cumin
      • 1 tsp ground oregano
      • 1⁄2 tsp onion powder
      • 1⁄2 tsp garlic powder
      • 1⁄2 tsp paprika
      • 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 tsp cayenne pepper (ground) 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 tsp cayenne pepper flakes

Turkey filling

      • 1 tsp olive oil
      • 1 lb. ground lean turkey
      • ¼ cup crumbled cotija cheese
      • 3⁄4 C water
      • Whole-wheat tortillas
      • Optional: fresh lime wedges, extra chopped fresh cilantro, sour cream,  diced scallions, and tomatoes.

DIRECTIONS:

    1. Make the seasoning by tossing all the ingredients together
    2. Make the salsa. Toss the pears, pomegranates, red onion, cilantro leaves and lime together until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
    3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Break up the ground turkey into small pieces and cook thoroughly (5 minutes). Drain the fat and reduce the heat. Add the taco seasoning mix and water, then stir to blend the spices with the meat. Reduce the heat to simmer.
    4. Lay one tortilla out on a serving plate.  Place a few slices of turkey in a line down the center of the tortilla.  Then add a few spoonfuls of salsa and a sprinkle of cotija cheese on top of the Turkey.  Serve immediately.

 

Pomegranate and Orange Salmon from Taste of Home

Taken from https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/orange-pomegranate-salmon/

INGREDIENTS:

      • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
      • 1 skinned salmon fillet (about 2 pounds)
      • 1/2 teaspoon salt
      • 1 medium navel orange, thinly sliced
      • 1 cup pomegranate seeds
      • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
      • 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill

DIRECTIONS:

      1. Preheat oven to 375°. Place a 28×18-in. piece of heavy-duty foil in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Place onion slices in a single layer on foil. Top with salmon; sprinkle with salt. Arrange orange slices over top. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds; drizzle with oil. Top with a second piece of foil. Bring edges of foil together on all sides and crimp to seal, forming a large packet.
      2. Bake until fish just begins to flake easily with a fork, about 25-30 minutes. Be careful of escaping steam when opening packet. Remove to a serving platter; sprinkle with dill.

 

Pomegranate & Pear Green Salad with Ginger Dressing by Cookies and Kate

Taken from Cookies and Kate  

INGREDIENTS:

Salad

      • ½ cup raw pecans (halves or pieces)
      • 5 ounces baby arugula
      • 2 ounces (about ½ cup) goat cheese or feta, crumbled
      • 1 large ripe Bartlett pear, thinly sliced
      • 1 Honeycrisp or Gala apple, thinly sliced
      • Arils from 1 pomegranate

 

Ginger dressing

      • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
      • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, to taste
      • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
      • 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
      • 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
      • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
      • About 10 twists of freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

  1. To toast the pecans, place them in a skillet over medium heat. Toast, stirring often, until they’re fragrant and starting to turn golden on the edges, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the pecans from the heat and roughly chop them (no need to chop if you started with pecan pieces). Set aside.
  2. Arrange the arugula across a large serving platter (or bowl, but the salad looks prettiest on a platter). Sprinkle the chopped pecans and crumbled goat cheese over the arugula. Fan out your slices of pear and apple and arrange them across the salad in sections (see photos). Sprinkle all over with fresh pomegranate seeds.
  3. To prepare the dressing, combine all of the ingredients and whisk until blended. Taste, and if it isn’t quite zippy enough, add another teaspoon of vinegar.
  4. Wait to dress the salad until you’re ready to serve (the dressing will wilt the greens over time). When you’re ready, drizzle the ginger dressing lightly all over the salad (you might not need all of it). Serve promptly.

References

1. Zarfeshany A, Asgary S, Javanmard SH. Potent health effects of pomegranate. Adv Biomed Res. 2014;3. doi:10.4103/2277-9175.129371
2. Pomegranates, raw Nutrition Facts & Calories. Accessed December 10, 2020. https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/2038/2
3. Sharma P, McClees SF, Afaq F. Pomegranate for Prevention and Treatment of Cancer: An Update. Molecules : A Journal of Synthetic Chemistry and Natural Product Chemistry. 2017;22(1). doi:10.3390/molecules22010177
4. Asgary S, Keshvari M, Sahebkar A, Sarrafzadegan N. Pomegranate Consumption and Blood Pressure: A Review. Curr Pharm Des. 2017;23(7):1042-1050. doi:10.2174/1381612822666161010103339
5. Sahebkar A, Ferri C, Giorgini P, Bo S, Nachtigal P, Grassi D. Effects of pomegranate juice on blood pressure: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Pharmacol Res. 2017;115:149-161. doi:10.1016/j.phrs.2016.11.018
6. Danesi F, Ferguson LR. Could Pomegranate Juice Help in the Control of Inflammatory Diseases? Nutrients. 2017;9(9). doi:10.3390/nu9090958

https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/2038/2

The Foundations of Immune Health: Part 1 – Sleep

In Naturopathic Medicine, prevention is one of the founding principles that we follow. One of the ways we can ensure the prevention of illness is by ensuring that our immune system is healthy. Having a strong immune system means that we are able to defend against illnesses so that we either do not get sick or have a very short illness period.  To build a strong immune system we must look at its foundational building blocks. These include…

      • A good night’s sleep
      • Stress management
      • A healthy diet
      • Exercise and time outdoors
      • Appropriate supplementation

With the start of school and the current pandemic, these foundations are now more important than ever. For the next couple of weeks, we will be sharing tips about how to best implement the foundational building blocks and some of the best ways to support your immune system.

This week we will be discussing sleep and the impact it has on immune health.

Sleep and the Immune System

 

When we get sick, we often also get tired. This is the body’s natural way of telling you that it needs sleep to help you get better. Sleep plays a major role in regulating the immune system. When we sleep our bodies produce and release proteins called cytokines. Cytokines are used to help the body effectively fend off any infection or illness coming our way. Sleep is also key in establishing immunological memory. It allows the body to store information about a current infection or illness so that the next time it is exposed to it, the immune system can quickly and effectively fend it off.

Sleep deprivation can leave a person susceptible to many different illnesses. While many supplements can be prescribed to help with sleep, we must first address how lifestyle plays a part in sleep. One of the best ways to get a good night’s sleep is by establishing a regular routine. This means getting up at the same time every day, creating a relaxing bedtime routine and going to bed at the same time every night. You can read more about the different sleep hygiene tips we have here and here.

If you struggle with sleep and are looking for support, book an appointment so that we can help support you and prevent illnesses.

7 Tips for Healthy Ageing

Ageing is a natural and normal process. Although ageing can not be stopped, there are many different things you can do to prevent feeling old. Here are some practical tips you can apply to your everyday life to help ensure that you are healthy ageing.

1. Get 7-8 hours of sleep

Sleep plays an important in reducing mental and physical ageing. Sleep helps to consolidate memories, clear toxins, repair tissues and promote muscle growth. Decreased sleep has been linked to high inflammation rates, cognitive impairment and chronic disease which all play a role in unhealthy ageing. It is important to get a good nights rest and aim for 7-8 hours of sleep every night.

2. Exercise

Exercise helps to improve cardiovascular function, muscle strength, bone density, mental health and improves immune function. All of these are can result in increased longevity. Try to get at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise each week.

3. Weight control

As we age, the risk for many different chronic illnesses increases. These risks can be further increased if a person is overweight or obese. These illnesses include type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and mobility issues. To promote healthy ageing it is important to maintain a healthy weight. If you need help starting this process, check out our 8 tips for weight loss and call the clinic for an appointment (587-521-3595).

4. Eat Vegetables and Fruits

Fruits and Vegetables are high in antioxidants. As we age, the number of antioxidants in our body’s decrease. Eating antioxidants can help prevent chronic disease, and ageing processes that occur as a result of free radicals, as discussed in last week’s article. Some of the vegetables and fruits highest in antioxidants are blueberries, blackberries, kale, and spinach.

5. Not smoking or vaping

Free radicals can cause a lot of damage to our skin, hair and organs which are typically associated with getting old. One of the main sources of free radicals is smoking. When something is smoked (tobacco, marijuana, or even meat), there is an reaction called incomplete combustion that occurs. This creates free radicals that are linked with unhealthy ageing.

6. Limited alcohol consumption

Alcohol can increase the amount of inflammation in the body, which can lead to chronic disease and decreased organ, tissue and cellular function. Alcohol also decreases the immune function and depletes some vitamins, such as vitamin B1 (thiamine) which is important in turning our food into energy. In an older population, it is important to monitor alcohol intake closely as it can cause falls, which is one of the major causes of older adults having to move into more assisted living facilities. Ensure that you are limiting alcohol and drinking lots of water to best support healthy ageing.

7. Seldom snacking

Because one of the processes that occurs in ageing is glycation, it is important to monitor what is put in the body and how often. Consider limiting snacks, as it improves insulin sensitivity. This means that the body is able to take up and utilize the sugars to make energy for the cell. Therefore, there is less sugar in the blood to make Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs) and cause damage to our cells. Try eating only at 2-3 times a day and eliminate any snacks you may be having in between.

Despite growing older every day, we want you to feel the best you’ve ever felt physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Healthy ageing can start with these 6 easy tips. If you need more guidance, Dr. Mason-Wood is happy to help.