Summer Superfoods That Help you Burn Fat, Ease Pain, Relax and Sleep Better

Turns out that some of my favorite summer foods that are in peak season right now have some amazing ingredients that could help slim us down, boost our mood and make us healthier.

Plums  contain vitamin K which boost production of a clotting agent called thrombin.  There’s enough vitamin K in just one plum that could help bruises fade away quicker, assist in fat flushing and also shrink and fade spider veins. 

Blueberries are pretty well know for their antioxidant benefits, however this little favorite berry of mine has also been found to help boost memory, reduce the chances of Alzheimer’s and help cure urinary tract infections.  The scientist at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, TX have also recently learned that 1/2 C of blueberries can help stave off cravings for hours because they contain chemicals that help stabilize your blood sugar so your less hungry and they also posses plant compounds that enable foods to be burned quicker rather than stored as fat.

Carrots  can help you breath better.  French researchers have proven that munching on carrots can shave off two years even in smokers lungs.  The antioxidants, carotenoids protect your lungs from environmental irritants and other damage related to age according to Daniel Nadeau M.D. co- author of The Color Code.  Harvard researchers also half found that the pigment alpha carotene that gives them their orange color can reduce your risk of lung cancer by as much as 63%.

Coleslaw is also another big cancer fighter.  Cabbage isis near the top of the National Cancer Institutes list of cancer-fighting foods.  Lab studies have actually proven that its natural detoxifying agents prevent precancerous cells from growing and multiplying.  They’ve also proven that cabbage can lower blood levels of cancer causing synthetic hormones in  as little as five days.  Just one cup a few times a week also slashes your risk of stomach cancer by 52% and breast cancer by more than 60%.

Avocados  can calm you down in a hurry if you’re feeling a bit frazzled.  They’re loaded with relaxing magnesium and potassium which both not only help keep your electrolytes in balance if you sweat a lot, but they also ease anxiety.  Avocados also contain the B vitamin pantothenic acid (B5) which helps increase your stress reducing hormones and their good fats lower cortisol which is responsible for belly fat storage.  So in the end they not only will help you stay calm, but they could help shrink your belly too.

Cherries contain antioxidants called anthocyanins (also give them their red color) which block specific enzymes from transmitting pain signals to the brain.  Researchers at Michigan State University have found that snacking on 2 C of tart cherries per day can relieve pain and inflammation 10 times better than aspirin.

Watermelon can help you out if you suffer from insomnia.  Researchers in Australia have found that eating a cup of watermelon two hours before bedtime helps you fall asleep twice as fast as those who didn’t eat any.  Polyphenols in the watermelon also speeds up the production of tryptophan and serotonin which are the two compounds that induce sleep.  Scientist at the National Institutes of Health have also found that eating a few slices before bed time can prevent night time awakenings and extend your deepest stage of sleep by as much as 27%.  No wonder I’ve been sleeping so good lately?  Watermelon also packs another bonus.  Because it’s more than 90% water, watermelon sends the "I’m full" signal to the brain which can reduce late night snacking.

Isn’t it awesome that these delicious summer time treats do more than cool us off?