Summertime Cleansing

The temperature is rising outside…have you checked your internal gauge lately? If the heat is rising, and if signs of pitta imbalance are starting to appear, or you notice that toxic residues may be building up from poor digestion, it may be time to do a summertime cleanse. Not only will it help you have a more enjoyable summer, you will also be preparing your immune system for the health challenges that come with fall and winter!
A gentle whole foods cleanse at home can be the perfect way to get rid of any left-over kapha imbalances from the spring, prepare your system for the upcoming pitta season, or wash away any pitta imbalances that have already started accumulating.
A whole foods cleanse is a simple way to reset your entire system by removing accumulated toxins and strengthening digestion. In the summer, it is especially important to give the digestive system a boost, because the digestive fire is naturally low during this season as the body seeks to keep cool by dispersing heat throughout the body. That’s why nature provides lighter and easier to digest foods in the summer season. Summer fruits and vegetables also play a role in detoxifying your liver and cleansing the digestive tract. Healthy digestion actually supports immunity, since a major part of your immune system is found in the gut (in the form of lymphatic channels). And by keeping the digestion strong and healthy in the summer, these lymphatics stay clean and ready to go when cold and flu season rolls back around in the fall.

So how is a summer cleanse different than other times of the year? The basics are the same. For more detailed reading on how you can benefit from an Ayurvedic cleanse and a basic 7 day home regimen, download our free cleanse Ebook, Ayurvedic Cleansing: Waste Be Gone! . Below are some tweaks that you can apply to customize your cleanse for the summer:

• For your massage, consider Pitta Massage Oil instead of plain sesame, as this will give you the benefits of soothing herbs. Or, for a really cooling experience, try mixing it with coconut oil.

• Add sweet vegetables and greens to your diet. You can do this throughout the summer; during the actual cleanse, be sure to eat them in a cooked form. Enjoy asparagus, beet greens, cabbage, broccoli, celery, cucumbers, kale, collard greens, summer squashes, and bell peppers. Garnish your foods with some yummy cilantro and a touch of coconut. You can also try Everyday Greens to supplement the greens in your diet.

• Make a cooling detoxification tea by boiling ½ tsp each of cumin, coriander, and fennel in 2 cups of water. Add a few leaves of fresh mint for a refreshing treat.

• Also try a cleansing tea made from dandelion greens boiled in hot water. Before drinking, add a little honey and lime to taste if desired. Great for the liver!

• Use supplements to support the tissues where imbalanced pitta tends to build:

• Blood and Skin: Cooling and cleansing herbs like neem and manjistha are great during this season. Try them together in Blood Cleanse.

• Liver: As a predominant part of the cleansing system of the body and the major seat of pitta, the liver is not only affected by physical pitta imbalances, but also mental and emotional pitta imbalances, such as anger and hatred. You can also support a healthy liver with Liver Formula or for and added boost try the powerful effects of Kutki Liquid Extract.

• Intestines: Pitta can accumulate in the intestines, especially the small intestine, which can lead to abdominal discomfort. Amalaki, known for its immune supporting benefits, also has an affinity for cleansing pitta from the intestines.

Once you are done with the cleanse, enjoy the light and sweet things that summer has to offer, including berries and other sweet fruits. Ayurveda recommends that summer is also the time to enjoy the company of friends and family who are also sweet and refreshing; cooling colors like green and blue; soothing yoga and cooling pranayama; and calm evenings in the moonlight. Now doesn’t that sound like just what your pitta needs?
http://www.banyanbotanicals.com/summertime_cleansing

Quinoa, Red Pepper & Cucumber Salad with Avovado and Lime

From Yoga Journal-August 2012

1c quinoa
1 garlic clove, pounded to smooth paste with pinch of salt
1 large shallot, finely diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
3.5 T fresh lime juice
1/2 c olive oil
1 medium red pepper, halved, seeded and diced
1 small cucumber, peeled and seeded, cut into 1/4 inch dice
1/2 c cilantro, roughly chopped
2-3 ripe avocados

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook quinoa until tender...approx 12-15 minutes.. Drain and allow to cool.
2. Put the garlic, lime juice, shallot and jalapeno in a small bowl and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes.  Add the oil and whisk to combine.Add more salt and or lime juice to taste.
3. Put quinoa, red pepper, cucumber, and chopped cilantro in a bowl. Drizzle half of the vinagrette into the bowl and fold to combine. Taste and add more salt/lime juice to taste.
4. Arrange the sliced avacado on top. Drizzle the remaining vinagrette.

Enjoy! This was quite tasty and was a great lunch for me!

“Zero Trans Fats” – Don’t Be Fooled

Posted by: John Douillard DC | June 26, 2012

Did you think that Trans Fats were one health concern you didn’t have to worry about anymore? Sadly, it isn’t true.
On January 1, 2008 the FDA issued a regulation that requires manufacturers to list trans fats on the nutrition facts labels of packaged foods. Overnight, almost every chip, cracker, cookie and croissant that was once loaded with trans fats was now inaccurately labeled “zero trans fats.”
Please do not be fooled. “Zero Trans Fats,” according to FDA standards, does not actually mean zero, and most Americans are still consuming significant amounts of hidden, in the FDA’s own words, “extremely toxic,” trans fats.
Read on to find out more about the hidden trans fats in your diet and the damaging effects they may still be having on your health!

________________________________________________________________

Article-At-A-Glance

Though labeling of trans fats has been strictly regulated by the FDA, exceeding the limit of “safe consumption” is very easy to do, and most Americans more than double this amount daily.
Though no longer listed on labels, trans fats are still hidden in many restaurant and packaged foods—even those that line the shelves at health food stores.
Additionally, you may be creating trans fats in your own kitchen!
Trans fats are molecularly different from beneficial natural fats. Know how they are different and why the molecular structure of trans fats makes them detrimental to your health. Learn how to avoid them in packaged foods, and in your kitchen.

Dangerously Over the Limit

According to the Harvard School of Public Health, trans fats kill tens of thousands of Americans each year, and they recommend that consumers completely avoid them.
The American Heart Association deems 2.0 grams per day to be the limit for safe consumption of trans fats.
According to the FDA, however, the average American still consumes 5.6 grams of trans fats per day, and according to the American Heart Association (AHA), average daily consumption may be over 12 grams a day.

Are They Really That Bad for You?

“Trans fat is, gram for gram, twice as bad for your cholesterol score as saturated fat,” says Meir J. Stampfer, MD, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health.
In fact, trans fats are so bad for the heart that, according to Dr. Stampfer, if you replaced just 2 percent of the calories in your diet that now come from carbohydrates with trans fat, your risk for heart disease would skyrocket by 93 percent!
According to researchers, trans fats are to blame for anywhere from 70,000 to 288,000 heart attacks (fatal and nonfatal) in Americans each year.

The Math

According to the 2008 FDA regulation on trans fat labeling, a product may have less than 0.5 grams per serving and still be advertised as “zero trans fats.” As mentioned above, the American Heart Association suggests eating no more than 2 grams of trans fats per day.
In other words, just over 4 servings a day of certain packaged foods, which may not even list trans fats on the label, will put you over the recommended safety limit.
You may be thinking that you hardly ever eat four packaged foods per day, but remember, serving sizes are often deceptively small in processed foods, and it’s easy to eat two or three servings without realizing it.
Exceeding the 2 gram limit is very easy to do. Most folks exceed the safe range eating multiple serving sizes of a “zero trans fat” bag of chips, crackers, or a handful of cookies. Keep in mind that even health food store brands may contain these harmful fats.

The Hidden Trans Fats

While the FDA has demanded trans fat labeling for packaged foods, no labels are required for foods served in restaurants.
Trans fats abound in fries, buns, muffins, chips, and baked goods at restaurants, coffee shops, and most everything in a fast food chain. These hidden trans fats are not listed anywhere, and restaurants are not required to disclose the trans fat content of the food they serve in any other way, making it impossible to know if you are ingesting it.
For the record, most fried foods and foods cooked with oil in restaurants are loaded with trans fats, as are most baked goods.

What is a Trans Fat?

Trans fats are molecularly different from naturally occurring beneficial fats, causing them to behave differently on the shelf and in your body:
Trans Fats

• Man made trans fats stick and clump together and cause heart disease.
• Are very stable and have a long shelf life.
• Are indigestible and cause liver congestion and arterial damage.
• Raise bad LDL cholesterol and lower good HDL cholesterol.

Good Fats

• Beneficial natural fats don’t stick or clump inside the arteries and tissues of the body.
• Are essential for the structure of the cell wall.
• Are loaded with essential omega 3 and 6 fatty acids that humans must get in the diet as our bodies do not produce them.

The Details

In nature, most fatty acids occur in what is called the cis-configuration (good fat) rather than the trans-configuration (mostly bad fat). Molecularly speaking, the double bonds on a cis fatty acid are always on the same side of the chain. The hydrogen atoms in these bonds repel each other, forcing the fatty chain to bend or kink. This kink keeps the fats from stacking, sticking or clumping together. Imagine trying to stack bent logs—no matter how hard you try, they will never stack closely enough together to not have any space in between.
Because of this, the cis fatty acids don’t clump or stick together and thus stay thin and do not clog arteries. Moreover, they are essential as building blocks for the cellular membranes.
Trans fatty acid chains, which are mostly man made, have their double bonds on the opposite sides. The bonds do not repel in this case, keeping the fatty acid chain straight as compared to the more natural bent cis-configuration. These straight fatty acid chains stack easily, tending to clump and stick together more easily than the cis-configurated fats. Back to our log analogy, just as straight logs will stack closely, trans fats will naturally stick, clump, and become hard.
Sticky or hard fats are much harder for the body to process, thus raising bad LDL cholesterol and lowering good HDL cholesterol. In this way, they are directly linked to cardiovascular risk.

Three Types of Trans Fats

(1) The worst type of trans fat is the synthetic form that is created as a result of oil hydrogenation. Hydrogenation is a process of driving hydrogen atoms into a fatty acid to saturate the fat with more hydrogen atoms to make it more stable, thus giving the oil a longer shelf-life.
The more saturated the fat, the stickier it becomes and the more challenging it is for the body to digest. These man-made saturated trans fats have a longer shelf life, are more stable, more solid, and much less digestible.
(2) A second structural type of trans fat is produced at very low levels when foods, especially meats and oils, are overheated or charred. They are also harmful. This is why it is recommended not to eat the skin of a chicken, or cooked fatty meats. This is also why the only truly safe oil to cook with is coconut oil, and small amounts of butter and ghee.
(3) A third type of trans fat is naturally-occurring. Low levels are found in butter, dairy and some meats. These low levels of trans fats are considered safe.

Where to Look for Trans Fats

Here is a partial list of foods containing synthetic trans fats:

• Baked Goods: almost all have trans fats (due to hydrogenated oils)
• Bread: almost all have trans fats
• Butter: has a safer, natural trans fat
• Cakes & Frosting: almost all have trans fats
• Cereals: some have trans fats
• Candy: most have trans fats
• Cookies: almost all have trans fats
• Crackers: some have trans fats
• Fast Foods: almost all have trans fats
• French Fries: almost all have trans fats (in oil)
• Fried Meats: almost all have trans fats (in oil)
• Ice Cream: some brands have trans fats
• Lard: some brands have trans fats
• Margarine: most brands have more than 35% trans fat
• Peanut Butter: some brands have trans fat
• Pies: almost all have trans fats in dough
• Pizzas: almost all have trans fats in dough
• Popcorn: almost all have trans fats in oil
• Potato Chips: almost all have trans fats in oil
• Puddings: almost all have trans fats
• Vegetable Shortening: almost all have trans fats

Suggestions for Cooking at Home

- Water saute veggies (use water instead of oil as the lubricating agent) and add oil at the table.
- Try baking oil free muffins and breads.
- Dry roast veggies and, if desired, dress with oil once they come out of the oven.

Conclusion

Just when we thought the FDA had eliminated Trans Fats, we find out they still loom large and we must, once again, take our health into our own hands. Buyer, Please Beware: cooked-oil-derived trans fats are a recipe for disaster, but easily avoided once you are aware of where they hide.
Sources:
1. 2008 FDA Trans Fat Label Regulation
2. American Heart Association (AHA) Trans Fat Safe Ingestion Limit
3. Harvard School of Public Health; Meir J. Stampfer on Trans Fats
Comment via Facebook:
How has this article helped you? Note: Please keep dialogue constructive. We cannot give personal health advice and you may not get a response. If you have questions please contact us by email or phone. Your comment will only show up on your Facebook page if you leave the "Post to Facebook" box checked when you click "Comment"

Tags: cholesterol, diet, food safety, healthy fats, heart health, holistic health, trans fats

Challenge for the Week-Start Green

Lately, you will notice a lot of my posts are on green smoothies and juicing and the benefits of an alkaline diet. Now that summer is technically here, those of us that try to "eat with the seasons" can enjoy all types of fresh produce that is local. One great way to get more veggies and fruits is to start with them in the morning instead of waiting until dinner to notice that you have had 1/2 serving of each.  My philospohy with this is to try to add them wherever you can so that you make it achievable.

Breaking the fast of the night's slumber is important to do the right way. Starting off your day with a healthy breakfast can be such powerful fuel for the day. It is like filling up your gas tank. Do you want to fill it with sugar and acidy breads and dairy or with alkaline greens which have so much energy that you can tap into now? My challenge for you is to start green. Try a smoothie or green juice right after your hot water in lemon drink. If you need more fuel then perhaps follow with some  steel-cut oatmeal, nuts or something that is nutrient dense. 

Here are my 2 green start recipes for the week:

The Healthy Green Drink
1 bunch watercress
1 green apple
1 lime peeled
1/4 cucumber
4 mint leaves
1 banana (optional)
Fill blender with ice or water and add ingredients.

* Watercress adds a nice spiciness while the mint and cucumber cools it down. Watercress is high in iron, iodine, vitamins A, C and E and folate.

The Liquidate
2 c dandelion greens
3-4 dates (pitted)
2 tsp raw almond butter
1 c coconut water
1 c blueberries (frozen or fresh) * can sub raspberries
 Add first two ingredients. Blend until smooth, adding water and coconut water as needed. Add fruit and almond butter.
* Note this one is a good liver purifier! Dandelion greens are rich in beta-cartene, vitamin A, fiber, Potassium, Iron, calcium, magnesium, B vitamins, and was ranked #4 is the most nutrient rich green veggie. It is knows as the disorder herb!

I also add to all my shakes: Maca powder, bee pollen and flax oil. Maca tastes similar to a malty taste. I found all my greens at New Seasons Market.

Try the challenge and let me know how you feel. :)

Alkaline & Acidic Foods Chart: The pH Spectrum

By MindBodyGreen

MBG wellness expert, Kris Carr gave us a great introduction to pH, now check out this informative chart on the pH spectrum, which summarizes what foods are acidic or alkaline forming.

What do you think?

Published June 15, 2012 at 9:00 AM

How to Make the Perfect Green Smoothie

1. Choose Your Leafy

Greens (Spinach, Kale, Chard, etc)

2. Pick A Couple More

Alkaline Veggies (avocado, cucumber, celery, lime)

3. Choose Your Fruit (I recommend a small amount of: strawberries, blueberries, banana)

4. Choose Your Liquid (hemp, almond or rice milk, coconut water, water)

5. How about some nuts? (almonds, brazil nuts, peanuts)

6. Add Some Seeds and/

or Superfoods (goji berries, spirulina, maca, Vitamineral green powder, algae)

7. Maybe throw in a bit of oil (coconut or flax)

8. Add a little sweetness (limit this as well and elminate if possible: honey or dates)

Enjoy!

Strawberry Avocado Hemp Smoothie

Strawberry Avocado & Hemp Smoothie {elephant Tuesday’s}

Posted on June 5, 2012by Caley Alyssa

As posted on elephant journal
I have an unhealthy obsession with avocados. I eat them almost every day, in any way I can…smoothie, hummus, salad, wrap, or the good old go-two guacamole.
Adding 1/2 avocado to a smoothie first thing in the morning is an awesome way to start out your day. It makes any smoothie super thick and creamy, curves your appetite all morning, and gives you tons of good fats to use as energy for whatever your day has in store…morning yoga class, run, walkin’ the pup! It’s a extra special added bonus when you can combine avocado’s with protein, like Hemp. This is a raw, vegan (non-animal) source of complete protein and packs a ton of nutrients to boot including fiber and essential fatty acids.
Eating protein and fats together in a meal can stabilize blood-sugar levels that would normally be spiked from carbohydrates, and make your body switch from glucose burning metabolism to a fat burning metabolism. This protein/fat combo is actually best in the winter time when your body needs to store the excess fat and protein for warmth and energy, but in a cooling smoothie mixed with fresh strawberries, it can work well in the summer too!
Now, go get ‘em, Tiger!
Ingredients:

• 1/2 avocado
• 6-10 fresh strawberries (green included)
• handful of your favorite greens (I used spinach as I had some on-hand from the Bloomsdale Salad)
• 1 scoop Ruth’s Foods Hemp Protein Powder
• 1/2 cup coconut water
• 3 ice cubes
• optional: vanilla/vanilla bean, honey, agave

Directions:

1. Blend.
2. Give Thanks.
3. Enjoy!

Coconut Kale

By Kathryn Budig

My friends recently emailed me an amazing kale salad recipe but what would you know....I was lacking several of the key ingredients. Determined to have kale for dinner, I went through the cabinets and came up with my own version and it turned out absolutely delicious! Yet another way to enjoy the divine dark leafy green,,,enjoy!

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil*

2 T Amino Acids*

1 bunch Dino kale, washed and chopped into inch size pieces*

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

1/4 cup raw pine nuts

sea salt to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix olive oil and amino acids into a bowl. Toss kale and coconut with the oil and amino acids mix until well coated. Spread evenly onto a cookie sheet and dust with a light sprinkle of sea salt. Bake for 10-12 minutes stirring occasionally. Add pine nuts and watch closely as they burn fast. Bake for another 2-3 minutes or until you can smell the pine nuts. Remove from oven and serve.

*I love using Luicini for olive oil and Bragg’s for Amino Acids. Also, some people like to de-vein their kale first, but I dig the extra crunch. Try both ways and see what suits you.

The Major Rule for Eating Fruit

By Ella Leché

There's no doubt that eating fruit is important to our overall health and wellbeing. Fruit is healthy for you, we all know that, but, it's good to know that eating it should follow some general guidelines to fully benefit our health. It's just not as simple as putting it into our mouths whenever we feel like it. Learn about the proper ways to eat fruit and your whole body will thank you with less digestive problems and tons more energy.

Incorporating fruit into our diet, the proper way, gives our digestive system more powerful benefits through vitamin intake and improved digestion. Looking at the nutrition of fruit, most fruits are a great source of fiber, potassium, vitamin C and folate and so much more. Their nutrients help guard against disease, lower rates of heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure. However, eating fruit carelessly without any nutritional knowledge could bring on more problems to our health than benefits. Here is the major rule about eating fruit:

Fruit should be eaten alone or with other fruit on an empty stomach.

This is because when fruit is eaten, the digestive process works very quickly and our body uses different enzymes to digest the fruit. The simple sugars contained in fruit need time to be completely absorbed by your body. When fruits are eaten alone, your stomach can more easily process all of the nutrients, fibre and the simple sugars contained in the fruit. This is the optimal 'proper way' to benefit from the fruit you eat. If you eat fruit close to a meal, especially right after a larger meal and combine with other foods, it's held in the stomach too long along with other foods and will rot and ferment in the gut. If you experience indigestion, heartburn, burping and and other digestive discomforts and you blame on the meal - it could be the combination of the food, the fermentation with fruit that causes your upset stomach. If left uncontrolled it could lead to other health problems that stem from the digestive tract.

Applying this rule is very simple. We eat approximately 3 large meals a day, so space out your fruit servings in between. If this means you need to glance at the clock occasionally and calculate when you could eat the apple you brought along with you, then you do that. And aim to have it about 1 hour before a meal, or 2 hours after your meal. For heavier meals, like pasta or burgers, you need to let that food digest for even longer before you add fruit with all its acid into your stomach, about 3-4 hours. If you've just had a mixed green salad for lunch, same rules apply but for a much shorter time, about 1.5 hours.

The best time to eat a bounty of fruit is either first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, or as a mid-morning snack (which I prefer) - in between breakfast and lunch. It's a good idea, to just eat more fruit at one time, whether it's fruit salad, an apple or a fruit smoothie. (3-4 servings of fruit is a proper daily requirement, that's 2 1/2 - 2 cups of fruit). If you feel very hungry after your fruit servings, pay attention to what you've had for breakfast and maybe your meal planning needs to be adjusted. You should be able to wait it out about 1-2 hours with success. That will ensure all the fruit is processed and gone into your body to do what it's supposed to do.

Definitely avoid eating fruit close to bedtime as there's plenty of sugar in fruit to spike up your energy and keep you up when you need your sleep.

Smoothie lovers! It is fine to consume nut milk or coconut milk with fruit, but in small amounts and not every time. Therefore, nut butters, nut milk, or non-dairy yogourt (such as soy) will not strain the digestive system too much. And adding a single serving of a low-glycemic fruit, such as an apple to your green smoothie will be fine and will not create a lot of problems for you as long as you keep the fruit serving to a minimum and it too is consumed apart from a larger meal. However, ideally it is best to stick with eating raw fruit alone - or leave alone!

Dried fruit holds the same recommendations. Keep in mind it's also too sweet and too addictive. Limiting portions of the dried fruit you eat is essential - think of a date as a special occasion ;)

If you do eat fruit on an empty stomach, you will gain the proper nutrients that fruit - nature's perfect gift - will offer to your health and wellbeing. You will avoid most digestive problems, feel energized, promote weight loss and you'll look and feel fantastic because your body will be fully absorbing all the vitamins, fiber and healthy carbohydrates that it needs to function in good health.

Published May 30, 2012 at 11:20 AM

 

About Ella Leché

Ella Leché is a self-healing-goddess of a rare neuromuscular disease. A diet change has transformed her life and she shares her secrets to health and happiness on her blog Lifeologia. Ella is a passionate solution-driven individual who also keeps herself busy as a mom of a 5 year old, and photographer/graphic designer in her work-from-home business. Creativity and a passion for health and nutrition help her find the perfect balance towards happiness. You can find Ella on her blog: Lifeologia and Facebook.

7 Benefits of Quinoa

7 Benefits of Quinoa: The Supergrain of the Future

By Julie Wilcox

Quinoa dates back three to four thousand years ago when the Incas first realized that the quinoa seed was fit for human consumption. According to WHFoods quinoa “was the gold of the Incas” because the Incas believed it increased the stamina of their warriors. The Quinoa Corporation calls quinoa the “Supergrain of the Future. ”

Who would not want to reap the benefits of this amazing superfood?

Here are seven health benefits of quinoa:

1. Quinoa is one of the most protein-rich foods we can eat. It is a complete protein containing all nine essential amino acids.

2. Quinoa contains almost twice as much fiber as most other grains. Fiber is most widely known to relieve constipation. It also helps to prevent heart disease by reducing high blood pressure and diabetes. Fiber lowers cholesterol and glucose levels, may lower your risk of developing hemorrhoids and may help you to lose weight as it takes a longer time to chew than does other foods because it makes you feel fuller for longer and is less “energy dense” which means it has fewer calories for the same volume of food.

3. Quinoa contains Iron. Iron helps keep our red blood cells healthy and is the basis of hemoglobin formation. Iron carries oxygen from one cell to another and supplies oxygen to our muscles to aid in their contraction. Iron also increases brain function because the brain takes in about 20% of our blood oxygen. There are many benefits of iron some more of which include neurotransmitter synthesis, regulation of body temperature, aids enzyme activity and energy metabolism.

4. Quinoa contains lysine. Lysine is mainly essential for tissue growth and repair.

5. Quinoa is rich in magnesium. Magnesium helps to relax blood vessels and thereby to alleviate migraines. Magnesium also may reduce Type 2 diabetes by promoting healthy blood sugar control. Other health benefits of magnesium include transmission of nerve impulses, body temperature regulation, detoxification, energy production, and the formation of healthy bones and teeth.

6. Quinoa is high in Riboflavin (B2). B2 improves energy metabolism within brain and muscle cells and is known to help create proper energy production in cells.

7. Quinoa has a high content of manganese. Manganese is an antioxidant, which helps to prevent damage of mitochondria during energy production as well as to protect red blood cells and other cells from injury by free radicals.

Julie Wilcox is the founder of The Julie Wilcox Method (JWM), an innovative approach to healthy living encompassing fitness, yoga, and nutrition. An expert across all three categories, Julie blends her life-long passion for athleticism with the mind, body, and spiritual aspects of yoga, as well as with healthy, moderate, and sustainable diet advice. Co-founder of the acclaimed ISHTA Yoga studios, Wilcox has created The Julie Wilcox Method for a fresh, easily accessible, and multi-faceted approach to all elements of yoga for anyone everywhere!

Wilcox began her career in health and wellness as an aspiring Olympic gymnast, later transitioning to dance. Although she ended her dancing career to study at Harvard, she was determined to maintain the same level of discipline and fitness she had always known.

Website: juliewilcoxmethod.com

Facebook: juliewilcoxmethod

Twitter: @JWilcoxMethod

YouTube: juliewilcoxmethod

Aloha Granola

BEE’S ALOHA GRANOLA

From my friend Becky! :)

4 C. OLD-FASHIONED OATS

¼ C. BROWN SUGAR

½ C. WHEAT GERM

½ C. PUMPKIN SEEDS

¼ C. SESAME SEEDS

¼ C. FLAX SEEDS

1 C.  UNSWEETENED COCONUT (WIDE)

½ C. CHOPPED MACADAMIA NUTS

1 TSP. CINNAMON

½ TSP. SEA SALT

THOROUGHLY COMBINE ABOVE INGREDIENTS IN A LARGE FLAT PAN

MIX THE FOLLOWING IN A SMALL SAUCEPAN AND HEAT UNTIL DISSOLVED:

¼ C. GRAPE SEED OIL

¼ C. SAFFLOWER OR COCONUT OIL

½ C. MILD HONEY

1 TSP. VANILLA

POUR OVER OATS MIXTURE AND STIR TO COAT

BAKE AT 275  , MIXING EVERY 10 OR 15 MINUTES

AFTER 30 MIN. SPRINKLE ON 2 TSP. CHOPPED FRESH GINGER AND BAKE ANOTHER 15-30 MIN.

Redydrate the Right Way

Rehydrate the Right Way John Douillard, DC

Do you find yourself trying to get the most effective workout possible by gulping sports drinks during exercise? Many people who work so hard during exercise are sabotaging their weight loss and fitness success without realizing it. Join me as I discuss how to maximize your hydration routine during exercise and get the results you deserve. One of the biggest mistakes folks make when they exercise is poor hydration choices. Well-marketed sports drinks – even ‘healthy’ or ‘natural’ ones - are loaded with sugar and, unless you are a professional endurance athlete, you simply don’t need them. Gatorade, while loaded with electrolytes, also has tons of sugar - up to 42 grams of sugar in 24 ounces of the fitness drink. That is almost the same amount of sugar in a whole package of Twizzlers licorice, and nearly twice the amount contained in one serving of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream! I think we know that licorice and ice cream are sources of needless fatty calories. But when we are sucking down that Gatorade during a workout, few realize it is just as bad. It packs the same amount of calories, delivers the same amount of sugar, and layers the same amount of fat where you don’t want or need it. Some choose “healthier” rehydration drinks during exercise, such as Vitamin Water. Vitamin Water contains 27 grams of sugar per bottle. Though lower in sugar than Gatorade, it’s still a very high amount of sugar for the body to process. The gels and goos that are the current fad are not much better. Then there are the after-workout drinks, gels, and protein bars designed to build muscle mass and strength. A PowerBar – perhaps the most famous after-workout bar – has lots of good protein, but also packs a whopping 26 grams of sugar that quickly converts into body fat. Read Labels The bottom line is that the human body is just not equipped to process that much sugar at once. These energy/rehydration sports drinks deliver such a surge of sugar into the bloodstream that the body gets pushed into an emergency state. It must process the excess sugar urgently, because allowing it to remain in the blood is dangerous. The next time you are in a health club or grocery store, read the label on some of those so-called “healthy” sports drinks. Pay special attention to the sugar content, you may be shocked! Don’t Undermine Your Hard Work The quickest way for the body to lower blood sugar is to convert it quickly and effortlessly into fat in the form of triglycerides (body/belly/hip fat), or to raise cholesterol levels. Knowing this, I cringe as I watch folks sucking down their Gatorade, Powerade, and Vitamin Waters. I want to tell them, "No, No, No, stop drinking that stuff! You are making FAT with each gulp, while working so hard to burn it off!” Do you realize that it takes 14 hours of moderate exercise, like hiking or biking, or 6 hours of vigorous exercise, to lose just one pound of body fat? If you took an hour-long vigorous fitness class three times a week, it would take two weeks to lose one pound of body fat. Exercise and activity are the major ways for the body to reduce its fat stores. Now that you know how long it takes to burn just one pound of real body fat, don’t undermine all that hard work with a sweet, fat-generating sports drink! The best hydration beverage on the planet is - Water. The truth is, very few of you will ever push yourselves hard enough to need to replenish electrolytes from a workout. The Tarahumara people, identified as the best runners in the world, routinely run 50, 75 and even over 100 miles a day in the hot Copper Canyon desert of Mexico, and they have probably never even tasted Gatorade! Once in a while, in extreme circumstances, they will add chia seeds to their water to boost their reserves and continue to run through the mountains in the desert heat. Why Can’t I Run Like the Tarahumara? The reason most of us cannot do that is because we have become lousy fat burners. We have conditioned the body to be fed every couple of hours and de-conditioned the body to make energy last, effectively robbing us of the endurance that has allowed the human species to survive. Do You Think You Can’t Live Without Your Sports Drink? If you just cannot continue working out without the aid of a sports drink, stop the workout. By that time, you have already exercised too much! When you feel the need or craving for a sports drink, realize that this is a sign of your blood sugar lowering. The blood sugar is the body's first choice for fuel. If you do not feed it with more sugar, the body will naturally adjust to the low blood sugar by kicking into fat metabolism - and you’ll start burning fat and losing inches! But, if instead, you suck down 27 grams of sugar in the form of a sports drink, the body will say, "Oh, wait! I think the sugar is coming. Cancel the order to burn fat!" Your Hydration Challenge Make water your only beverage for one month and see how you feel. Replace your coffee and tea with hot water and your soft drinks with room temperature water. Try to follow this hydration protocol for one month: Wake up: Drink one glass of water*. Breakfast: Sip room temperature or hot water with breakfast. Between breakfast and lunch: Drink a glass of water. 15-20 minutes before lunch: Drink a glass of water. Lunch: Sip room temperature or hot water with lunch. Between lunch and supper: Drink a glass of water. 15-20 minutes before supper: Drink a glass of water. Supper: Sip room temperature or hot water with supper. Between supper and bedtime: Drink a glass of water. In Addition: Hydration During Exercise 15-30 minutes before exercise: Drink 1 glass of water. During exercise: Take sips or small drinks of room temperature water. After exercise: Drink a glass of water. Total: Drink 6-8 glasses of water per day. * A “glass of water” means 8-12 ounces, depending on your size and weight; 6-8 ounces for vata men and women, 8-12 ounces for pitta or kapha men and women. Don’t know your type? Take our free Body Type Quiz here. Don’t Misread your Body’s Thirst Signals Many articles now suggest drinking only when you are thirsty. The problem with this is that the hunger and thirst centers in the brain are very close. Because of this, thirst is often misread as hunger, or the need for Gatorade rather than water. This Hydration Challenge is designed to break the sports drink and/or sugar and snack habit, and reacquaint ourselves with the good taste and great benefit of just plain water.

2 Quick & Easy Lunches on the Fly

By Brigitte Meinders

I am one of those people who brings my lunch to the office at least 4 out of 5 days per week, usually 5 out of 5 days. My reasons include the fact that I haven’t found a place near my office that serves anything worth spending $10 for and I like to eat clean and know what is going into my food. Here are two super quick and easy recipes that you can throw together and bring to the office to keep in the fridge or bring with you to the beach or on a hike for a light and clean meal.

1) Simply Delicious Black Bean Salad

This super quick and easy recipe can be played around with and modified. This is ALWAYS a hit no matter where I bring it… for lunch or as a side to a dinner or BBQ.

Ingredients:

• 1 16-oz can organic black beans, rinsed
• 1 whole tomato, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro (or to taste)
• ½ white onion (or to taste), finely chopped
• Juice of 1 half of a lemon or lime (depending on preference – both are great!)
• ½ ripe avocado (optional, but adds a creamy goodness that is irresistible)
• 1 jalapeno, sliced (also optional, but an excellent addition for those who like some heat)
• Pinch of salt

Mix it all together in a large bowl and it is good to go! Goes wonderfully with some whole grain toast, and if you are looking to make a creamy dip, just mash all the ingredients and you get a delectable black bean hummus.

2) Quinoa with Mushroom and Asparagus

Another quick fix when in a bind, this recipe can be modified to include any veggies you have in your fridge and need to use up. I happen to love mushrooms, and the Asparagus adds a nice crunch!

Ingredients:

• ½ cup Quinoa (dry)
• 1 cup of water
• ¼ white onion, chopped
• ½ a bunch of asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
• ½ a package of sliced mushrooms
• Soy sauce (low sodium)

In a small sauce pan, add the quinoa and water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, put the heat on low and let simmer for 10-15 minutes. In another pan, add a splash of oil and sauté the onion until almost clear (about 3 minutes.) Add the asparagus, splash a little bit of soy sauce and stir for another 2 minutes. Then add the mushrooms and a little more soy sauce, mix well and let simmer over a medium heat until all the veggies are cooked to taste. Once the quinoa is cooked, pour it over the veggies, mix it all together, add more soy sauce to taste, and your lunch is good to go!

Published May 11, 2012 at 10:20 AM

 

About Brigitte Meinders
Brigitte Meinders is a New York City born yogi, writer, traveler and animal lover. She is a Wellness Program Manager at a health club in New Jersey who loves to inspire people to become their best selves possible. She enjoys spending time with her husband and two dogs, friends and family, and living, loving and laughing in the sunshine as much as possible!

Website: ShiningSoulYoga.com
Twitter: @Brigitte212 and Facebook: ShiningSoulYoga

10 Vegan Sources of Protein

By Mara Tyler

Meat-eaters will never stop asking and vegans always get sick of hearing it:

“How do you get your protein?”

The image of a skinny (not to mention gangly and dread-headed) hippie has typically been the poster child of veganism. After all, there’s no way we can be muscular, fit and even bulky as vegans, right?

Wrong.

Vegan athletes like Brendan Brazier, Rich Roll, and Jimi Sitko are changing the negative stereotypes, proving that plant-based protein can not only build strong muscles, but can keep a vegan healthy enough to run, swim, bike, dance or pump iron – no flesh-eating necessary.

So how do you get your protein? Here are 10 vegan sources to try on for size:

1. Veggies: Yep, good old greens will pack a protein punch. One cup of cooked spinach has about 7 grams of protein. The same serving of French beans has about 13 grams. Two cups of cooked kale? 5 grams. One cup of boiled peas? Nine grams. You get the idea.

2. Hemp. No, you don’t have to get high to get your protein. But toss 30 grams of hemp powder in your smoothie and get about 11 grams of protein – just like that.

3. Non-Dairy Milk. Got (soy) milk? A mere 1 cup of soy or almond milk can pack about 7-9 grams of protein. Eat with some fortified cereal and you’ve got a totally vegan-friendly breakfast.

4. Nut Butter. Eat up your peanut butter, almond butter and cashew butter. A couple of tablespoons of any one of these will get you 8 grams of protein.

5. Quinoa. I kinda think quinoa is God’s gift to vegans (and gluten-free peeps!), as it’s versatile, delicious and delivers about 9 grams of protein per cup.

6. Tofu. Four ounces of tofu will get you about 9 grams of protein. And at about 2 bucks a pop, it’s a cheap vegan’s BFF.

7. Lentils. With lentils, you can make rice dishes, veggie burgers, casseroles and more. One cup cooked delivers a whopping 18 grams of protein!

8. Beans. They really are the magical fruit. With one cup of pinto, kidney or black beans, you’ll get about 13-15 grams of protein, a full belly and heart-healthy fiber.

9. Tempeh. One cup of tempeh packs abour 30 grams of protein! That’s more than 5 eggs or a regular hamburger patty.

10. Sprouted-grain bread. Pack a sandwich with vegan sprouted-grain bread and you’ll get about 10 grams of protein in the bread alone.

Still want to ask me where I get my protein? Yeah. That’s what I thought.

Published May 10, 2012 at 12:45 PM

 

About Mara Tyler
Mara Tyler is the author of “Cheap and Simple Vegan Recipes,” a no-nonsense book for vegans who want easy and affordable meals. She’s also the managing editor of Healthy Bitch Daily, a vegan lifestyle website. With a mission to make veganism accessible to anyone, she promotes progress, not perfection. When she’s not making a mess in the kitchen dreaming up vegan recipes, she can be found hiking or looking for bliss in yoga.

Why You Should Drink Warm Water & Lemon

By Ashley Pitman

The way you start each day is incredibly important. Whether you're a mom, a coach, a writer, a small business owner or a yoga teacher, what you do first thing in the morning matters.

According to Ayurvedic philosophy, choices that you make regarding your daily routine either build up resistance to disease or tear it down.

Ayurveda invites us to get a jump-start on the day by focusing on morning rituals that work to align the body with nature's rhythms, balance the doshas and foster self-esteem alongside self-discipline.

Your mind may say you have to check emails, take the dog out, get the kids out the door, that you can't be late for work or that you just don't have enough time to cultivate your own morning rituals.

But, if you can only make time for one ritual that will improve your health, let it be this.....

Start the day out with a mug of warm water and the juice of half a lemon.

It's so simple and the benefits are just too good to ignore. Warm water with lemon:

1. Boosts you're immune system

Lemons are high in Vitamin C and potassium. Vitamin C is great for fighting colds and potassium stimulates brain & nerve function and helps control blood pressure.

2. Balances pH

Lemons are an incredibly alkaline food, believe it or not. Yes, they are acidic on their own, but inside our bodies they're alkaline (the citric acid does not create acidity in the body once metabolized). As you wellness warriors know, an alkaline body is really the key to good health.

3. Helps with weight loss

Lemons are high in pectin fiber, which helps fight hunger cravings. It also has been shown that people who maintain a more alkaline diet lose weight faster. And, my experience is that when I start the day off right, it's easier to make the best choices for myself the rest of the day.

4. Aids digestion

The warm water serves to stimulate the gastrointestinal tract and peristalsis—the waves of muscle contractions within the intestinal walls that keep things moving. Lemons and limes are also high in minerals and vitamins and help loosen ama, or toxins, in the digestive tract.

5. Acts as a gentle, natural diuretic

Lemon juice helps flush out unwanted materials because lemons increase the rate of urination in the body. Toxins are, therefore, released at a faster rate which helps keep your urinary tract healthy.

6. Clears skin

The vitamin C helps decrease wrinkles and blemishes. Lemon water purges toxins from the blood which helps keep skin clear as well.

7. Hydrates the lymph system

This cup of goodness helps start the day on a hydrated note, which helps prevent dehydration (obviously) and adrenal fatigue. When your body is dehydrated, or deeply dehydrated (adrenal fatigue) it can't perform all of it's proper functions, which leads to toxic buildup, stress, constipation, and the list goes on. Your adrenals happen to be two small glands that sit on top of your kidneys, and along with your thyroid, create energy. They also secrete important hormones, including aldosterone. Aldosterone is a hormone secreted by your adrenals that regulates water levels and the concentration of minerals, like sodium, in your body, helping you stay hydrated. Your adrenals are also responsible for regulating your stress response. So, the bottom line is that you really don't want to mess with a deep state of dehydration!

Adopting just this one practice of drinking a cup of warm water with lemon in the morning for a month can radically alter your experience of the day. Don't be surprised if you begin to view mornings in a new light.

Like I said, the recipe is really simple - a cup of warm (not hot) water and the juice from half a lemon.

In the comments below, tell me which one of these benefits is going to get you to try this morning ritual. Or, if you're already a lemon water junkie, what specific benefits have you noticed?

From Mind Body Green

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4769/Why-You-Should-Drink-Warm-Water-Lemon.html

Published May 10, 2012 at 10:30 AM

 

About Ashley Pitman
As a Wellness Educator, Cleanse Specialist crusader for whole-body nourishment, Ashley Pitman supports thousands of people in achieving a hot body and radiant beauty with a blend of raw food education, Ayurvedic inspiration, guided detoxes courses, and lots of loving encouragement. All the action takes place at Vixi.com, a digital ashram for wellness-inspired people looking to use food as medicine and health as a spiritual practice. Stay devoted to your radiance and well-being by joining the free weekly newsletter with health and lifestyle tips that work

Kale & Brussels Sprout Salad

You can view the complete recipe online at: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/368295



Kale & Brussels Sprout Salad
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 small garlic clove, finely grated
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt plus more for seasoning
Freshly ground black pepper
2 large bunches of Tuscan kale (about 1 1/2 pounds total), center stem discarded, leaves thinly sliced
12 ounces brussels sprouts, trimmed, finely grated or shredded with a knife
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/3 cup almonds with skins, coarsely chopped
1 cup finely grated Pecorino

Combine lemon juice, Dijon mustard, shallot, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper in a small bowl. Stir to blend; set aside to let flavors meld. Mix thinly sliced kale and shredded brussels sprouts in a large bowl.

Measure 1/2 cup oil into a cup. Spoon 1 tablespoon oil from cup into a small skillet; heat oil over medium-high heat. Add almonds to skillet and stir frequently until golden brown in spots, about 2 minutes. Transfer nuts to a paper towel�lined plate. Sprinkle almonds lightly with salt.

Slowly whisk remaining olive oil in cup into lemon-juice mixture. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Dressing, kale mixture, and toasted almonds can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cover dressing and kale mixture separately and chill. Cover almonds and let stand at room temperature.

Add dressing and cheese to kale mixture; toss to coat. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Garnish with almonds.


Bon Appétit
November 2011
by Susan Spungen

Getting what you need....nutrition stack ups

I eat a mainly vegetarian diet and sometimes I hear..how do you get all your nutritional needs? Here is an how plant based diets can stack up to a typical diet with respect to the nutrients we all really need to stay healthy.

Protein
Protein provides the amino acids you need for growth and repair of tissue. An average woman needs 60g and a man needs 70g. One cup of cooked beans has 15g of protein, barley 11g, cottage cheese 15g. The key is variety so that you get a good balance of amino acids.

Iron
Iron assists with delivery of oxygen to the cells. A deficiency can cause fatigue, poor immune system response, and mental fog. Women need 18 mg, (pregnant women need 27mg)and men need 8 mg. Iron rich options for vegetarians include: kelp,black strap molasses, wheat bran,pumpkin seeds, almonds,beans, dark leafy greens, and lentils. There are two forms of iron. The type that is taken from animal sources is easily absorbed but not the case with plant based sources. It is good to pair these options with good sources of Vitamin C to aid in absorption. Examples are tomatoes, peppers and citrus fruits. You can take this as a supplement but there can be side effects with elimination from the supplement. Note that high intakes of Calcium, Magnesium and Zinc can also interfere with iron absortion.

Vitamin B-12
B-12 is vital for maintenance of nerve and red blood cells. It is also used to make DNA. We all need 2.4 micrograms daily. This is abundant is fish, meat, poultry and eggs it is more difficult to find in plant based foods. My best source of it is nutritional yeast. You can sprinkle this on veggies into oatmeal or into your meal. You need about 2 tsp full. Algae is also a good source. I like live blue-grean algae from Kathlamath Falls-E3Live. Some milks also supplement with B-12.

Calcium
Calcium is needed for bone health and for proper enzyme activity. The contraction of muscles depends on calcium. I do not cosume much dairy so I get my calcium from my hemp, soy or rice milk mainly. Actually kale is a better source of calcium than milk! Other sources are tofu, spinach, chickpeas and broccoli. Most of us need 1000mg daily. Sometimes supplements are good for this one as long as they are paired with Magnesium but beware of the amounts they provide. Most do not provide the RDA. I prefer calcium citrate over carbonate due to its absorption. Caffeine, alcohol, protein and sugar increase calcium excretion. Calcium deficiency can result in muscle cramps, osteoporosis, high blood pressure and colon cancer.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega 3 fatty acids are important for cardiovascular, eye, and brain health. If you do not consume fish, you may be low in EPA and DHA fatty acids. The general recommendation is 0.3 to 0.5 g for men and women. Another important fatty acid is ALA which is abundant in flaxseed, walnuts, soy, and canola oil. Aim for 1-2 g per day. The body can make EPA and DHA from ALA sources but you will need to consume more. Algae supplements provide some DHA and so do some eggs. Some symptoms of fatty acid deficiency are fatigue, dry skin, hair and cracked nails, maldigestion, immune weakness, forgetfullness, and aching joints.

More to come...

10 New Reasons to Eat Veggies

http://www.lifespa.com/article.aspx?art_id=178

by John Douillard, DC

You know you should be eating your vegetables, but do you know why? Did you know, for instance, that eating more vegetables can help you reduce stress, increase attentiveness, reduce cravings, and lose weight? The truth is, while most of us know we should be eating plenty of vegetables, few of us actually eat enough. The US Food Guide Pyramid recommends that we eat 3-5 servings of veggies a day, yet studies show that only 22% of Americans do. Here are 10 reasons you may not have known for piling on those greens. Once you read these top ten unsung reasons for eating veggies, I hope you will have all the motivation you need. Article at a glance: Learn how eating more veggies can help you: - increase attentiveness - release toxins - protect yourself against high cholesterol and heart disease - stabilize blood sugar - alkalize your blood - balance your taste buds - restore the flora in your gut - and more! Number One: A Reason to Chew Have you ever eaten a bowl of fresh, either lightly steamed or raw veggies? If you have, you may have noticed one simple fact - it takes time to chew. Unlike a sandwich, which you can eat quickly, eating veggies demands more dedication to chewing. Studies conducted by the chewing gum industry have linked the act of chewing to many beneficial effects on the nervous system. One study from St. Lawrence University found that students who chewed during tests outperformed non-chewing students in five out of six cognitive tests due to what they called, "mastication induced arousal." Another study from Cardiff University measured increased cortisol (a stress hormone) production, faster heart rates, and increased attentiveness - all from chewing. These test results were not linked with the sugar content in the gum, nor the flavor of the gum chewed. As a result of the overwhelming research in this area, students today are actually encouraged to chew gum during tests. While the advantages of cortisol production and “mastication induced arousal” are debatable, here is a list of amazing benefits to be reaped from chewing: Chewing stimulates the production of salivary digestive enzymes like amylase in saliva, which lubricate the esophagus and the chewed food in the digestive tract. Chewing relaxes the end of the stomach - called the pylorus - allowing food to be released into the small intestine more easily. Chewing stimulates taste receptors in the mouth, which in turn triggers the release of hydrochloric acid, or HCL, in the stomach. HCL is responsible for processing hard-to-digest proteins, like casein in dairy and gluten in wheat. Inadequate chewing has been linked to digestive issues such as gas, bloating, and other forms of indigestion. Chewing also forces us to relax and take time to eat, rather than race through every meal. In other words: The more you chew, the better you digest. So sit down to a meal of veggies and chew your way to better digestion. Number Two: Take it From the Gorillas Gorillas, whose digestive system most resembles that of humans, eat more than half their body weight in ounces of vegetables a day. They literally spend all day munching on veggies. While it may be unrealistic to match their consumption, experts agree we should be eating up to one, or even two, pounds of veggies each day. Gorillas also eat fruits, grains (in their natural unprocessed form), and a small amount of meat. Number Three: Release those Toxins Vegetables are loaded with fibrous cellulose, which scrubs the intestinal villi, provides bulk for the stool, and binds toxins for escort out of the body. Without enough cellulose in the digestive tract, bowel movements - and the consequent elimination of toxins - are dramatically compromised. Cholesterol, along with other toxins, is attached to bile in the liver. Vegetable cellulose attaches to the bile and escorts it, with toxins in tow, out of the body through the stool. Without enough vegetable cellulose in the diet, up to 94% of the bile (with cholesterol and toxins attached) is re-absorbed by the liver and the blood, which raises cholesterol and increases risk of cardiovascular disease. Number Four: Your Armor Against Heart Disease Most Americans gets their cholesterol tested regularly to screen for heart disease, the number one killer of Americans. The cholesterol that is connected with heart disease is called low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, and is often referred to simply as, “the bad cholesterol”. Cholesterol becomes “bad” through the process of oxidation. Vegetables are the number one source of antioxidants in the diet, neutralizing the process of oxidation. When vegetable intake is low, antioxidant levels crash, allowing the fats in the blood to oxidize. Low vegetable consumption is directly linked to the oxidation of LDL and, ultimately, high cholesterol and heart disease. Major protective phytonutrients found in vegetables, including flavonoids and carotenoids, have been shown to reduce heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and some cancers. Number Five: The Ultimate Low-Calorie, Blood-Sugar Stabilizing Food Group Vegetables are extremely low in calories. A cup of vegetables averages about 50 calories. By contrast, nuts and seeds can have as many as 750 calories per cup. Moreover, the body uses almost the same amount of energy to chew and digest vegetables as it receives from them, thus, they are called a “free food,” or a food with a very small caloric load. Breaking down the cellulose fibers in vegetables takes time, which allows the carbohydrates to be released slowly. This helps keep the blood sugar stable. You can see why vegetables are the ultimate low calorie, blood-sugar stabilizing food group. Vegetables are also low in fat and have zero cholesterol. In fact, 95% of all vegetables have less than one gram of fat per serving. Eating plenty of vegetables stimulates the breakdown of fat already stored in the body, and helps the body burn this fat for energy. Number Six: Alkalize! Most experts agree that the diet for optimal health should be 1/3 acidic and 2/3 alkaline. In nature, the winter harvest is a mostly acidic one, high in grains and meats. In the spring and summertime, nature’s bounty of alkalizing fruits and vegetables helps the body naturally detoxify the heavy stores of winter. Alkalizing the body helps keep the blood healthy and the lymphatic system moving, maintaining a constant natural detox. Challenge yourself this spring to make two-thirds of your diet alkaline - it is more challenging than you might think! See my Acid/Alkaline Food list here. Number Seven: Balance the Six Tastes Vegetables provide the body with the oft-overlooked tastes of bitter, astringent, and pungent. In a society largely addicted to the sweet, sour, and salty tastes, large amounts of vegetables have been replaced with a diet rich in grains and bread, meats, dairy, and eggs. According to Ayurveda, the six tastes are to be included with each meal. This balances not only the body, but the mind and emotions as well. In Ayurveda, the word for “taste” – rasa - is the same as the word for “emotion,” echoing that food is fuel for the body, mind, and spirit. A diet high in the sweet and salty tastes can overly-satisfy the senses and, in time, create a dependency on those sweet and salty foods. Studies show that these foods activate dopamine receptors in the brain. Dopamine is the "I’ve gotta have it hormone," and it plays a part in any addiction. It is a “diminishing” hormone, meaning that the more you stimulate it, the more of a substance it takes to stimulate it to the same degree. Soon, the natural sweet taste of vegetables (think of them as complex sugars wrapped in fiber) gets replaced with the more potent, quick-acting sweet taste found in breads, dairy, and sweeteners. To balance this major cultural addiction to the sweet and salty tastes, we must significantly reduce those tastes and add generous, nearly gorilla, amounts of veggies back into the diet! Number Eight: Spring Cleaning In the spring, when the snow begins to melt and the ground softens, deer dig up rhizomes to eat. Rhizomes, or surface roots, are loaded with astringent and bitter constituents that scrub the intestinal villi of old and hardened mucus congestion. It is like a spring cleaning of the gut. These early spring roots also stimulate liver function and blood purification. So don't forget the root vegetables like beets, burdock, carrots, ginger, radish, onions, garlic, dandelion, turmeric and most spices. Number Nine: Nature’s Pro-Biotics Green vegetables, especially the spring greens, are loaded with chlorophyll. Chlorophyll fertilizes the intestinal villi and aids in the proliferation of the good intestinal bacteria, which are essential for digestion, assimilation, detoxification, and intestinal waste removal. This is a natural way to get the pro-biotic result, without a supplement. In contrast, most pro-biotic supplements do not encourage the growth of your own flora. They work well only while you take them, but the benefits stop when you discontinue taking them. The production of intestinal flora may be one of the most important factors linked to optimal health. When we take nature’s cue and load our diet with alkalizing veggies in the spring, we naturally restore healthy intestinal flora. Number Ten: Vitamins and Minerals (That Your Body Doesn’t Make) Vegetables deliver vitamins that the body does not make, including the water-soluble B-complex vitamins such as B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, biotin, and choline, as well as Vitamin C. The water-soluble vitamins are not stored in the body, so they must be ingested daily. Without adequate amounts of veggies in the diet, many of these vitamins may become deficient. Vegetables are also a rich source of the fat-soluble vitamins A and K, and some Vitamin E. Vegetables are also the primary source of minerals in the diet. For instance, the main source of calcium for humans should not be dairy, but green leafy veggies. As far back as 1936, in a well-publicized report entitled, “Document 264 from the Department of Agriculture”, the 74th Congress stated that, "99% of the American people are deficient in minerals, and a marked deficiency in any one of the more important minerals actually results in disease." That same report from 1936 stated that, "virtually all soils in the United States are mineral deficient." In 2001, The Journal of Complimentary Medicine pointed out that US and UK Government statistics showed a decline in trace minerals of up to 76% in fruit and vegetables from 1940 to 1991. Perhaps this makes a case for mineral supplementation, but first and foremost, we must focus on getting as many veggies in our diet as we can! * Always eat organic when possible. Top Tip for Getting More Veggies: Try veggies for breakfast! Start the day off right by adding steamed greens to your am fare. It might seem unusual at first, but you’ll quickly get used to how good you feel.

Shredded Radish Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

Serves 2-3
From May issue of Portland Monthly
Recipe from Abby Fammartino

2 bunches of fresh radishes
1-2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
lettuce of your choice ( I used steamed spinach and then rainbow chart to make mine a little different)
1 Tbsp lemon peel
1/2 c olive oil
1/2 c lemon juice or white wine vinegar
2 tsp raw honey
sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Slice radishes. Rinse lettuce. Whisk remaining ingredients together and for vinaigrette and dresh the radishes and garlic generously. Place radishes on top of lettuce.
Enjoy!

Veggie Orzo Bake

This is similar to a recipe I posted recently but I like it equally as well and wanted to share it. It came from my friend Sandy Buchanan. Thank you Sandy!

1 1/3 c orzo (I used whole wheat)
3 eggs or egg substitute
1/4 c bread crumbs
1/3 c parmesean
2 Tbsp Basil Pesto
3 plum tomatoes chopped
1 bunch of fresh spinach or 10 oz frozen, thawed
2 garlic cloves
15 oz can of garbanzo beans
French fried onions to taste (I got the Natural ones)

Cook orzo 9-11 min. Drain and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Steam spinach.
Combine all ingredients (other than the french fried onions) and pour into a casserole dish and bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Sprinkle french fried onions on top and bake another 10 minutes. Serve!
Enjoy!