HCE Blog

When you think of fruit rich in vitamin C, we’re sure you think of oranges. But, did you know pomegranates are rich in vitamin C, too? Pomegranates contain 48% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C!  Vitamin C is important for a variety of functions in your body, including your immune system. Fresh pomegranate juice is your best source of this powerful vitamin. Drink a cup of pomegranat...

The past few days we’ve been discussing the benefits pomegranate has on the inside of your body, but it has some great benefits for the outside, too!    The antioxidants in pomegranate are as good for your hair as they are for your immune system! Antioxidants make hair follicles stronger and improve blood circulation, both factors that stimulate hair growth. Add pomegranate juice to your hair...

We keep mentioning drinking pomegranate juice in our blogs. It can be a little on the pricey side buying a bottle of pomegranate juice on its own. Did you know it’s easy to make pomegranate juice yourself? All you need is a sharp knife, a bowl of water, a sieve, a blender, a clean bowl, and pomegranates of course!  Cut the pomegranates in half and gently break those halves into smaller section...

Say cheese! It turns out, pomegranate is good for your teeth! (It also pairs well with cheese, but that’s beside the point…) Even simply chewing pomegranate seeds can help scrub your teeth of plaque buildup due to the seeds’ high fiber content. Drinking pomegranate juice adds even more of a plaque-fighting advantage to your arsenal! Pomegranates are alkaline, so their juices don’t erode the en...

Pomegranates are immunity boosters! They are packed full of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. In fact, studies show pomegranate juice has a higher concentration of antioxidants per cup than wine or green tea, which are also high in antioxidants.    Pomegranates contain three types of antioxidants: tannins, anthocyanins, and ellagic acid. These antioxidants are important in keeping your bo...

If you suffer from stomach ulcers, Crohn’s disease, digestive issues, or an inflammatory bowel disease you may want to consider adding one powerful superfruit to your diet: the pomegranate!   The pomegranate’s powerful antioxidants help prevent gastric ulcers and can aid in soothing upset stomachs. This fruit is packed with B-complex vitamins which help your body convert your food into energy...

We know cancer is linked to smoking, but did you know it can also lead to type 2 diabetes?  Studies show that those who smoke regularly are almost 50% more likely to develop diabetes than those who don’t smoke. The risk jumps even higher for those who are heavy smokers! Smoking makes it harder for your diabetes to stay under control. Smoking causes inflammation in the body which can damage cel...

We mentioned earlier this week how important being active is for those who are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.  Moving around and working your muscles improve their ability to use insulin and absorb glucose! This puts less strain on your insulin making cells in your pancreas and decreases the likelihood of your body forming insulin resistance. So, trade some of that sit time for fit ti...

We know here in the South sweet tea and sweetened coffee drinks are staples. Neither of these drinks, though, are good for people with diabetes. It may be hard for you to stomach, but unsweetened coffee and tea can help reduce blood sugar levels, increase insulin sensitivity, and reduce the risk of diabetes.   One of the best teas for you is green tea. It can help reduce your blood pressure a...

Skipping out on processed foods is easier said than done. Grocery markets are flooded with them! While some processing is necessary for some foods, like the bacteria-killing pasteurization process for milk, others add in chemicals and other hard to read ingredients to prolong shelf-life. While processed foods are bad for everyone, they can be especially dangerous for those with an increased ris...