Papaya Power!!!!!

There are perhaps only several fruits which you can have daily servings of and say you are doing wonders to your health. Among the fruits on the top of that list is Carica Papaya or simply Papaya. Out here in the tropics the fruit grows in abundance and year round. The locals can attest to it's many healing and rejuvinative properties and they plant these fruit because of that. Papaya has many health benefits and this is because this fruit is loaded with vitamins, minerals, and trace elements. Not only that, it has digestive enzymes which can help our digestive system. Let's tackle Papaya's attributes:

What's in Papaya?

Did you know that a serving of papaya contains over 300% of our recommended daily intake of Vitamin C? It's also rich in Folate, the B-complex vitamins, Vitamin A ( which has been shown to be beneficial for patients with COPD or Lung Cancer), Vitamin E, Vitamin K, loads of dietary fiber, as well as essential trace elements like magnesium and potassium.

Papaya as a health and natural form of preventive medicine?

Papaya is as good as it gets in boosting our immune system. During cold and flu season this fruit is especially helpful as a preventive measure against viral infections brought about by colds and flu. Also, papaya has a high content of B-carotene and bioflavinoids which are natural forms of protection against a myriad of diseases from heart disease, colon cancer, lung cancer, hypertension, degenerative diseases such as osteoarthritis, it increases wound healing, helps decrease inflammation, prevents formation of cataracts, and many others.

Papaya for your Heart?

Papaya is VERY GOOD for your HEART. It is rich in anti-oxidants such as Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, and beta-carotene which help prevent the oxidation of cholesterol in our circulatory system. By lowering the oxidation of cholesterol we lower the incidence of cardiovascular diseases such as Atherosclerosis and Coronary Heart Disease which are leading causes of emboli formation leading to Stroke and Myocardial Infarction. Of course, a low fat diet won't hurt either. That and exercise, of course.

Papaya and Weight Loss?

Papaya is one of those fruits that fills you up with no guilt. Well, a 100 gram serving contains somewhere around the neighborhood of 40 calories so you can definitely eat more. It's ability to help you lose weight is attributed not to any one of it's benefits but, rather, the total sum of what it does for you. By enhancing and rejuvinating our digestive system, it allows OUR digestive enzymes to extract the most from the foods we eat and ITS digestive enzymes (Papain and Chymopapain) helps break down the protein that we eat.

Papaya and beautiful skin?

Papaya is a very good skin exfoliant. It's high content of Vitamin A helps rejuvinate and replenish the epithelial cells of our skin. Aside from its benefits for having beautiful skin, papaya can make wounds such as scrapes, minor cuts, or minor abrasions heal faster.

Papaya for Cancer?

Papaya is a natural laxative. People who are often constipated would greatly benefit by eating ripe papayas. Papaya when taken on a daily basis and often during the day, tones the digestive system as well as rejuvinates how the digestive system digests our food. This, along with its anti-oxidant properties help prevent Colon Cancer. Taken with green tea it has been shown to prevent Prostate Cancer, as well. Well, if you really think about it, a fruit high in anti-oxidants WILL PREVENT many types of cancer, not just the previous two I just mentioned.

Papaya and Youth?

Ever wondered why Christopher Colombus called this fruit "The fruit of the Angels!!"? Well, it was something new for the early discoverers I'm sure but imagine coming from a long voyage in the sea and anything that is a fruit that was part of the provisions on board had long since been rotted and here you are landing in the New World and eating this wonderful fruit and suddenly feeling rejuvinated in a couple of days. You too would be screaming "The fruit of the Angels!!" ,indeed.
Papaya helps you feel young because it increases your vitality, making you feel rejuvinated everyday, increasing your levels of activity.

Papaya for GERD?

People suffering from GERD (Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease) or LPR (Laryngo-Pharyngeal Reflux) can greatly benefit from eating papaya. These conditions constantly irritate the esophagus causing a myriad of symptoms such as heartburn which is quite discomforting. Papaya helps make esophageal healing faster. Also, these people are usually on medications called Proton Pump Inhibitors (i.e.- Omeprazole) to decrease the stomach's acidity ( it's the acid which causes esophageal damage) and papaya's digestive enzymes help break down the food we eat, especially protein.

So there you have it. The wonders of this power fruit. A fruit of the Angels indeed. Thanks once again and I'll see you in my next post. You guys love and take care of yourselves and one another. JowelMD signing out.