Do you have to always be so NEGATIVE Chef Roy? Aren't there good things about the modern world?

Man, someone tore me a new one.  Yes, I do have to be so negative all the time.  There are many many terrible things in our world and most people have absolutely no idea that their health and livelihood is at risk.  Not just food additives, but from the horrific amounts of agricultural chemicals used and the runoff is causing environmental problems, the GMcrop fiasco, Bee Colony Collapse from neonicotinide insecticides, vaccine manufacturers not having any accountability for their deadly products, graft in politics, gun laws, legal decisions and the mob mentality, and of course, that big pothole on 91st. 

But there are good things in the world, and not just the internet and the ability for me, and anyone really, to discuss and converse with anyone else in the world.  But there are some really cool things that you can add to your diet that will have positive benefits to your life, may in fact help to prolong your life and extend the quality of that life at the same time.  Simple things, that have not only been shown to have health benefits, but will make your food taste better.  And after all, isn't that part of it, increasing the enjoyment of the life we live is a big part of it all. 

1. Cinnamon:  Some pretty new research came out a couple months ago that showed that eating cinnamon daily will help to detoxify your body of aluminum.  If you're like me, you cooked a lot on anodized or just plain aluminum cookware back in the day before we knew about the link between aluminum and Alzheimer's Disease.  Before my mind disappears completely, I now take a gram a day, and eat it more on a lot of the stuff I cook.  
2. Ginger and Turmeric:  Wow, these are some of the coolest roots in the culinary world.  The list of benefits is huge.  Antibacterial, antiviral, antispasmodic, antiinflamatory, aids digestion, relief from nausea, and a whole host of other good things.  And they taste great.    
3. Basil, Oregano, Rosemary, Cilantro and Thyme:  All spectacular herbs for adding flavor, and a huge hit of antibacterial and viral work to your blood stream.  All four have tremendous antioxidant properties, are high in fiber, vitamins, minerals and again, all taste great.  Even the dried herbs are helpful, but a few pots of them growing on a window or porch will make the world a better place for you.  
4. Cardamon:  This ancient Aryuvedic spice has properties that researchers are still finding out about.  Just the great digestive aid and how if you take some daily it might (as has been shown in clinical trials) eliminate the need to take antacids and any of those horrific medications to prevent your stomach from performing its function.  Like Prevacid, which when you read about all the scary side effects, a little cardamon is a great thing.  
5. Peppermint:  Okay, I love peppermint.  I drink a half a gallon of peppermint and stevia tea everyday.  It is so good for you, it makes you smile, (and the weird sex thing as well, email me) and helps to detox your system from all the crap you ingest in the rest of you existence.  If you do nothing else to help yourself, drinking peppermint tea or adding chopped fresh leaves to salads or whatever will improve your life in ways you might not imagine.  
6. Saffron:  I have read a lot about this herb lately, and it truly is a miracle aid to cure a huge number of ailments from Alzheimer's to macular degeneration to weight loss.  I don't eat a lot of it, well, cuz I'm broke.  The stuff is not cheap.  I have a few grams of the stuff and am going to start to try some here in the near future.  
7. Sweet Potatoes:  Such a huge amount of nutrition is one little root.  These guys should never be served up with tons of sugar and little HFCS marshmallows, that is so gross to destroy their identity.  I love them, I eat them often, and they are a miracle food. 
8. Organic Papaya Seeds:  Yeah, most of us dump them in the bin, but try washing them and going from there.  When dried, and ground, they are a bit peppery and herbaceous.  Chewing them increases saliva production and enhances digestion.  They are packed with protein, vitamins and minerals.  Bet you didn't see all that did you.  Remember, only organic papaya are good for you, most Hawaiian papaya are Genetically Modified. 

I have listed on another entry some of the really important things to add and to remove from your diet, and in case you missed it, click here.  (Ten things to add and Ten to remove)   Anyway, to those that only read my blog it might indeed seem as though I am pretty negative about everything.  I'm not.  I really am a bright cheery guy that loves the good things in life, good food, great conversations with intelligent cognitive people, a fine wine, a great crafted beer, a well constructed and aged cigar, and cooking.  I am seeing what most people tried to hide from, the destruction of their world.  I think the Romans tried hard to look the other way as their leaders destroyed the lifestyle they thought they had, but sadly realized all too late that their freedoms were transient, and only given as long as they denied the methods that allowed them to have that life.  Sort of like the US today, we just don't want to admit it.  But our leaders go to the bank almost daily with the profits of their betrayal to you that elected them and grant the denizens of our destruction that very ability. 

It's your world too, take a little responsibility for your little part of it.