Summer is nearly at our doorstep, and many of us are working on getting into shape for the fast-approaching beach season. Perhaps we could stand to lose a few pounds, or perhaps we're mainly interested in a spring cleanse and in getting fit and healthy. Whatever the case, now is the perfect time to include more fresh greens and raw foods in our diets.

An excellent way to do this is to indulge in salads of all kinds. Lettuce, endive, watercress, and parsley are examples of tasty greens that provide a delicious base for a nutritious salad. The Cayce readings emphasize the purifying properties of lettuce, suggesting that "plenty of lettuce should always be eaten by most every body; for this supplies an effluvium in the blood stream itself that is a destructive force to most of those influences that attack the blood stream. It's a purifier." (404-6)

Mediterranean Diet Lowers Blood Pressure

One of the best ways to dress up your salad is with an olive oil dressing. Olive oil is an important component of the Mediterranean diet, which has been credited with helping people live longer, healthier lives. The findings of a new study reported in the May 2009 issue of the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition indicate that eating a Mediterranean-style diet high in vegetables, fruit, fish, and olive oil may improve vascular health and reduce the risk of hypertension (high blood pressure). Many of the recipes provided in Edgar Cayce's Diet Plan for Optimal Health and Weight Loss are inspired by the Mediterranean diet, which is compatible with Cayce's nutritional recommendations.

Whole Grains Promote Weight Loss

If you like to eat a slice of bread with your salad, or if you enjoy the crunch of croutons in your bowl of greens, make sure they're whole-grain! The Cayce readings recommend whole grains for those interested in achieving their ideal weight: "Those of bread—keep those that are of the whole wheat, or those of the rye, or those of the nature that are easily assimilated, and we will find in two to three months a normal body, with the proper weight, proper adjustments, and feeling better…" (2261-1)

Cayce's advice is once again confirmed by a study reported in the January 2008 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, which showed that a diet rich in whole grains can promote weight loss. Whole grains provide superior nutrition because they contain the full spectrum of nutrients found in the grain kernel. The fiber in whole grains also assists in controlling blood sugar levels by slowing down the rate of food passage through the intestinal tract, resulting in a more gradual release of glucose into the blood stream, thus decreasing the feeling of hunger.

To be sure, starchy foods of all kinds, including breads, must be kept within limits for those wanting to lose weight, but whole grains in moderate amounts can help to support your weight-loss efforts.

Almonds Add Nourishment and Satiety

To add extra crunch and nutrition to your salad, sprinkle it with whole or sliced almonds, or simply eat a few on the side. Those familiar with the Cayce dietary recommendations know the high value given to almonds in the readings, which suggest that everyone should take two or three almonds each day for general good health and to prevent tumor formation. Several recent studies have confirmed the almond's high content of disease-fighting antioxidants, as well as its ability to promote weight loss.

Research conducted at Purdue University and published in a recent issue of the prestigious American Journal of Clinical Nutrition also showed that chewing almonds thoroughly, about 25 to 40 times, appears to increase the absorption of the almonds' beneficial fats and increase the feeling of satiety, thus suppressing hunger and aiding weight-loss efforts. The Cayce readings, too, emphasize the importance of chewing all foods well for optimal digestion and assimilation of nutrients.

A handful of almonds is a great mid-morning or afternoon snack, which also helps stave off hunger pangs if your meal is late and you need to reach for something nutritious to munch on. Remember to chew your almonds (and any other foods!) well, and you will feel less hungry for longer!

Grapes and Grape Juice Aid Weight Loss

The Cayce readings recommend grapes and diluted grape juice—two parts juice to one part water taken half an hour before meals and again at bedtime—to help combat obesity by correcting glandular imbalances; in other words, to promote a type of metabolic reconditioning. A study from the University of Montpellier, published in a recent issue of Molecular Nutrition and Food Research, suggests that grape polyphenols may indeed reduce obesity by influencing certain metabolic pathways.

With the grape season nearly upon us, don't miss the opportunity this summer to fill up on delicious disease-fighting and weight-loss-promoting grapes and grape juice!

The Sun—Your Best Source of Vitamin D

Make optimal use of sunshine this summer to get your fill of the best source of vitamin D, which numerous recent studies have linked with greater health, immunity, and longevity. Click here to read an excerpt from one of Simone Gabbay's books, on the rejuvenating effects of sunlight.