Tag Archives: clean eating

GINGER SHOT RECIPE AND FACTS

 

Ginger is a great ANTI-FOOD —» it’s anti-viral • anti-septic • anti-histamine • anti-inflammatory and just great if you have a head cold or sinus congestion.  It’s INTENSE NUTRITION!  BAM

If you live near a beloved JUICE BAR ♥, go in and ask for a Ginger Shot.

They’ll make one up for ya!

Or try this RECIPE from DELICIOUSLY ELLA

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 a lemon
  • 1 large knob of ginger, about 50g

Peel the ginger, then put it into a juicer and collect the juice. Squeeze the lemon either by hand or using a citrus press. Mix the juice of the ginger and lemon together, then drink the shot – don’t sip it though as it’s not the most delicious thing!

↓  THE CHALLENGE  ↓

Can you take a GINGER SHOT and keep a straight face like my little man Iver?

Now here’s a Juicy Tip from Juice Therapy •••
For a warm, comforting, nutritious drink, put a few slices of lemon and ginger along with a teaspoon of manuka honey into hot water.

Because ginger helps to tame nausea, it is beneficial for people undergoing chemotherapy and its associated nausea as well as for pregnancy and its associated morning sickness.

Ginger has been referred to as “the king of anti-inflammatory foods” and is incredibly useful for any inflammatory problems in the body from rheumatoid arthritis to easing muscle pain after strenuous activity and exercise. The reason it is such a powerful anti-inflamatory is because it contains compounds or essential oils called gingerols that help to interrupt the inflammation process. Essentially they interfere with an enzyme called cyclo-oxygenase (COX) that is involved in switching on inflammation and instigating pain. When we experience a cold, we feel all bunged up with mucus, although actually most of that feeling actually comes from inflammation of the of the mucous membrane in the nose and sinuses. Most conditions and pain in the body are associated with inflammation including all muscle pain, arthritis and even skin conditions. … read more here

For some fun Juicy Trivia, check out Juice Therapy! 

A ginger shot is one of the assignments in our Fall Bingo Challenge!  This is a great way to say motivated in November… Let’s do this together!  Come read → HERE ←about the challenge and get your family and friends in on this one… it’s gonna be FUN!!

bingo final

♥ HAVE A HAPPY HEALTHY SEASON ♥

 

 

HOMEMADE CONDIMENTS!!!

Meet Tricia and Cary Bush.
Tricia is one of my good friends, and my official LIVING HEALTHY Mentor!  She is a focused, uncompromising homeschool mom.  Somehow, she runs the healthiest home I’ve ever seen for her husband and 5 children!  


 
I’m now very excited to say that Tricia is passing along her HEALTH wisdom to more of us through her new 
Isn’t that a great idea?  
 

Continue reading

HUMMUS and BELL PEPPERS

Cut up some peppers and grab some hummus.
PERFECT.SUMMER.SNACK
source

By choosing COLORFUL, SWEET BELL PEPPERS
instead of chips, you will…
  • Lower your risk of cancer!
  • Improve your immune system!
  • Fight against vision loss!
  • Protect against cardiovascular disease!
  • Help keep fluids & minerals in balance!
  • Enhance muscle function!
  • Help regulate your digestion!

I LOVE chips, but when I look at it this way, I have NO problem putting down the bag and grabbing the veggies!

HUMMUS
No cholesterol or saturated fats!
Rich in protein!
A great source of calcuim!

The 14 Anti-Aging Foods List

We can’t turn back time, but we CAN

 slow down the inevitable aging process 

that we all must face!

We can improve our quality of life and reduce our risk of age-related diseases by what we eat!

Choose HEALTH by choosing these

Anti-Aging Foods:

  1. Wild Salmon

  2. Green Leafy Vegetables

  3. Blueberries

  4. Nuts

  5. Apples

  6. Cruciferous Vegetables

  7. Beans

  8. Pomegranate Juice

  9. Red Wine

  10. Prunes

  11. Dark Chocolate

  12. Oatmeal

  13. Spices and Herbs

  14. Tea


Anti-Aging: 14 Tea

Every Tea has its own health benefits!

KINDS OF LOOSE LEAF TEAS

  • White Tea – least processed, purest; very little caffeine.  Contains antioxidants that are wonderful for skin and complexion.

  • Green Tea – has only 5-10% of caffeine compared to coffee, has healthy antioxidants, good for skin & teeth, helps maintain cholesterol and healthy blood sugar levels

  • Oolong Tea – 15% of the caffeine in 1 cup of coffee, good for weight loss

  • Black Tea – 20% the caffeine in a cup of coffee, helps maintain cholesterol levels, helps with cardiovascular function and good for circulation

  • Herbal Tea – rich in Vitamin C, typically caffeine-free, YUMMY iced or hot, and broken down into 3 categories:

  1. Rooibos Tea : (Red Tea) lots of vitamins & minerals, antioxidants, caffeine free, promotes digestion and supports immune system, skin, teeth & bones

  2. Mate Tea : gives the same energy as coffee, but without the jitters, can curb appetite, and contains 21 vitamins & minerals

  3. Herbal Infusions : pure herbs, flowers, & fruits

  • Blooming Tea – flowering teas – actually “bloom” as they steep

  • Tea Blends – mixing different teas is a great way to get a variety of flavors and add a variety of health benefits to your body!

An example is Teavana’s Detox Tea Blend.  This contains a white tea, green tea, oolong and peppermint herbal tea!

What’s your favorite Tea?

Anti-Aging: 12 Oatmeal

OATMEAL


Add oatmeal to your normal diet to slow down the aging process because it

  1. lowers cholesterol

  2. boosts immune system

  3. stabilizes blood sugar

  4. reduces risk of diabetes

  5. has special antioxidants to protect heart

  6. prevents breast cancer

  7. gluten-friendly – it has a small amount of gluten but studies have shown that adults and children with celiac disease can tolerate it

Add other Anti-Aging foods to your oatmeal… like

Check out  Mr. Breakfast.com for 144 

different ways to make oatmeal!

Let me know what you try and how you like it!

Anti-Aging: 10 Prunes

PRUNES…Dried PLUMBS

One of the healthiest foods!

They are most commonly known as a natural laxative, but there are numerous other benefits from these fruits.

Prune Nutrition Facts

HealwithFood.org
Glycemic Index (GI) Rating: Although rich in simple sugars, prunes do not cause a rapid rise in blood sugar levels, possibly because of their high fiber, fructose, and sorbitol content. Therefore, prunes have a low GI rating of 29. The Glycemic Load (GL) of prunes is 9.57 (low).
Calories: Prunes have about 240 calories per 100 grams (67 calories per 1 ounce).
Macronutrients: Prunes are rich in carbohydrates. They are also an excellent source of dietary fiber (6.1 grams per 100 grams). Prunes contain very little protein and hardly any fat.
Vitamins: Prunes are a good source of vitamin A and vitamin K.
Minerals and Trace Elements: Prunes are a good source of potassium, copper, boron and magnesium.
Phenolic Compounds: Prunes are rich in phenolic compounds (184 mg/100 g) such as neochlorogenic and chlorogenic acids.

Anti-Aging: 6 Cruciferous Vegetables

CRUCIFEROUS VEGETABLES

Cruciferous vegetables are from the mustard family ::

MUSTARD GREENS, CABBAGES, BROCCOLI, CAULIFLOWER, 

BRUSSELS SPROUTS, KALE


They prevent and slow down aging in the body!

They are filled with vitamins, fiber, and disease-fighting phytochemicals.

By adding these foods to your daily diet, you may be lowering your risk for cancer!

Some have shown to STOP the growth of cancer cells

for tumors in the:

  1. breast
  2. uterine lining (endometrium)
  3. lung
  4. colon
  5. liver
  6. cervix

                                        according to the American Institute for Cancer Research

These vegetables fight against the overload of 

free-radicals that cause cancer by reducing oxidative stress.


Cruciferous veggies also protect against cardiovascular disease.  Studies have shown that diets rich in these foods lower amounts of inflammation in the body!

Which cruciferous vegetables have the most vitamin A, vitamin C, and folic acid?

The answers are:

  1. Kale (vitamin A)

  2. Broccoli (vitamin C)

  3. Brussels sprouts and broccoli (tied for folic acid)

Brussels sprouts have the most vitamin E (about 9% of the Daily Value) and vitamin B-1 (15% Daily Value). And it’s broccoli and Brussels sprouts again that have the most healthy plant omega-3s: A cup of broccoli contributes about 200 milligrams, and a cup of Brussels sprouts about 260 milligrams.

Here’s a comparison table of cruciferous vegetables, including the nutrients for which they contribute at least 10% of the Daily Value. Keep in mind that about half of the fiber in cruciferous vegetables is super-healthy soluble fiber.

Per 1 cup:

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Cabbage

B. Sprouts

Bok Choy

Kale
(steamed) (frozen, cooked) (raw) (cooked) (cooked) (cooked)
Calories 44 34 22 60 20 36
Fiber 5g 5 2 4 3 3
Vitamin A 33% DV 1% 2% 16% 62% 137%
Vitamin B-2 16% 9% 3% 11% 10% 8%
Vitamin B-6 17% 12% 7% 21% 22% 14%
Vitamin C 165% 75% 38% 129% 59% 71%
Folic Acid 23% 18% 10% 23% 17% 4%
Magnesium 12% 5% 4% 10% 6% 7%
Potassium 14% 7% 6% 14% 18% 8%
Omega-3s 200 mg 140 mg 60 mg 260 mg 100 mg 100 mg

Tips for Enjoying Cruciferous Vegetables

To maximize taste and nutrition, here are some tips for buying and cooking cruciferous vegetables:

  • Don’t overcook cruciferous vegetables. They can produce a strong sulfur odor and become unappealing.

  • You can buy several types of cruciferous vegetables ready-to-go in the frozen or fresh packaged sections of your supermarket, including broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts.

  • No raw veggie platter is complete without dark green broccoli or snowy white cauliflower florets.

  • Add raw broccoli or cauliflower florets to your green salad to give the nutrients a big boost.

  • Add chopped cruciferous veggies to soups, stews, and casseroles.

  • When buying fresh broccoli, look for firm florets with a purple, dark green, or bluish hue on the top. They’re likely to contain more beta-carotene and vitamin C than florets with lighter green tops. If it has yellow in it or is limp and bendable, the broccoli is old — don’t buy it.

according to WebMD

Cauliflower Tomato Soup

One of my family’s favorites from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients


  • 1/4 cup sliced leek (white portion only)

  • 1/4 cup chopped celery

  • 1 tablespoon butter or margarine

  • 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup, undiluted

  • 1 1/4 cups water

  • 1 cup fresh cauliflowerets

  • 1/2 cup frozen peas

  • 1/4 teaspoon dill weed

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions
  1. In a saucepan, saute leek and celery in butter until tender. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 12-16 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Brown Rice and Steamed Broccoli & Cauliflower

I use this as a side dish or a stand alone meal.

  • cook the brown rice according to the instructions

  • steam either frozen or fresh broccoli & cauliflower

  • combine them

  • drizzle Braggs Liquid Amino’s and Flax Seed Oil on top and mix

  • if you are really feeling healthy, sprinkle kelp flakes over the rice and veggies!

OK, now it’s your turn.  I want to hear from you.

PLEASE share your Cruciferous Vegetables recipes!

The Dirty Dozen

This is the 2011 list of the fruits and vegetables that were found to contain the highest levels of pesticides. 
  1. APPLES – always make the list, have been found with up to 40 different pesticides- organic is best with all apple foods (juice, apple sauce,…)

  2. CELERY – more that 60 different pesticides have been detected

  3. STRAWBERRIES – always on the list, frozen contains smaller amounts of pesticides

  4. PEACHES

  5. SPINACH

  6. NECTARINES – imported nectarines test to have much higher amounts of pesticides

  7. GRAPES – especially imported – including raisins

  8. SWEET BELL PEPPERS – all colors

  9. POTATOES – over 35 different pesticides have been found by the USDA- sweet potatoes are a great alternative with far less

  10. BLUEBERRIES – even when they don’t make the list, cranberries and cherries are also high in pesticides

  11. LETTUS – including spinach

  12. KALE and COLLARD GREENS  – just in the last 2 years has made the list with a rise in pesticides


Other foods that need to be organic:

  • FATTY MEAT
  • MILK
  • COFFEE
  • WINE


Now, the GOOD NEWS:  There are lots of CLEAN foods free from pesticides that you don’t need to go organic with!

  • Watermelon
  • Grapefruit
  • Kiwi
  • Cantaloupe – domestic
  • Pineapple
  • Mango
  • Avocado
  • Onions 
  • Sweet Potatoes
  • Sweet Corn
  • Sweet Peas
  • Asparagus
  • Eggplant
  • Cabbage
  • Mushrooms

Foods like Avocado have a wonderful protective skin.  
This will keep chemicals from getting into the food.
I always wash the outside of the avocado, for example, before cutting into it so I don’t drag any chemical that might be on the outside of the skin into the food.
Read more HERE.