Eat A Rainbow?

Hello again, my lovelies! It's springtime (almost summer!), and I hope you're well on your way to achieving your goals that you set in the New Year.

As health conscious as you may be, you might find yourself in a food rut. You know...eating the same foods every day out of habit. As much as you might love kale (and um, who doesn't?), there's a whole world of other veggies waiting for you. Purlpe, blue, red, orange, yellow, and white fruits and veggies should be in your rotation daily. That Skittles ad that encourages you to "taste the rainbow" isn't that far off the mark. Except I'm talking about a rainbow of colors of fruits and veggies, not sugary, artificially colored candy. Just so you know =)

Phytochemicals

So what gives fruits and vegetables their beautiful color and aromas? Phytochemicals, of course! The word means "plant chemicals". They're what makes eggplants purple-y blue, tomatoes red, and sweet potatoes orange. According to the Produce for Better Health Foundation (PBH), "It is thought that phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals, and fiber all present in fruits and vegetables, work synergistically in whole foods to promote health and lower disease risk." In other words, eat your fruits and veggies for health! Being the Veganfashionista, you know I believe health=beauty. Read on to find out how you can get both.

Blue/Purple: These fruits and veggies get their pigment from phytochemicals called anthocyanins, which are amazing antioxidants that protect your cells from damage from free radicals. They can help maintain a healthy blood pressure, lower your risk of certain cancers, and support healthy aging. Good, 'cause I'm gonna want to age gracefully, please! These dark-hued guys also contain flavonoids which may help prevent heart disease by keeping our blood vessels healthy. Choose from blueberries, eggplants, figs, plums, purple grapes, and blackberries daily.

Red: The carotenoid lycopene, and anthocyanins (to a lesser degree than your blue/purple fruits & veggies) give red fruits and veggies their color. Lycopene is also an antioxidant that can help reduce heart attack risk, and prostate cancer. It also protects your skin from damage from the sun. Certain flavonoids are are also present that can help reduce inflammation and urinary tract health. 

Examples of these red powerhouses are watermelon, cherries, cranberries, red apples, tomatoes, red onions, strawberries, and red cabbage. Red beets are especially helpful in helping to detox the blood, clearing up dull skin.

Green: Green fruits and vegetables obtain their color from the plant pigment chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is very similar to our own blood. Healthy blood flow and sufficient oxygen allow our bodies to rid itself of toxins. So, it makes sense that some of the health benefits of chlorophyll are its ability to cleanse and detox the blood and body, wound healing, help fight skin disorders, and act as an alkalizer. Sounds like glowing skin to me! Some of these green guys such as cucumber, dark leafy greens, peas, and celery also contain the phytochemicals lutein, which is very important for your eye health. Another phytochemical group called indoles are found in broccoli, kale, and cabbage may help to protect against some types of cancer. Folate, which is a B vitamin found in leafy greens such as kale and spinach, help reduce the risk of birth defects.

Yellow/Orange: You're probably already familiar with beta-carotene. It's one of the carotenoid phytochemicals that give orange fruits and veggies their color. Beta-crypthoxanthin and alpha-carotene are two other orange pigmented carotenoids, which is converted to vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A plays an important role in healthy vision and immune function, as well as skin and bone health. Carotenoids also pigment yellow fruits and veggies. Research has shown that carotenoids can help reduce the risk of heart disease as well, and certain cancers such as those of the lung, esophagus, and stomach.

Orange and yellow fruits are often an excellent source of vitamin C, which helps synthesize collagen formation. As we age, collagen production slows down, resulting in thinner skin, wrinkles, and aching joints. Yuck! Keep that skin smooth as a baby's and creaky knees at bay by keeping your kitchen stocked with these beautiful colors.

Examples of this group are cantaloupe, lemons, carrots, butternut squash, papaya (choose non-GMO!), yellow apples, mangoes, pumpkin, pears, yellow peppers, pineapple, oranges, sweet potatoes.

White: White produce derive their color from phytochemicals anthoxanthins. Many white fruits and veggies also contain allicin, which lab studies have shown to inhibit the growth of human colon cancer cells. Allicin may also help lower cholesterol and blood pressure. Choose from bananas, cauliflower, garlic, ginger, mushrooms, onions, parsnips, potatoes, jicama.

Whew! The fact is, there's over 10,000 known phytochemicals in plant-based foods, and we don't know all of their health benefits. Still, with all of the beautiful colors, aromas, and tastes they provide...along with these amazing health and beauty benefits, there's really no reason for you to eat the same ole kale salad every day. I'm just saying.

Until next time,

Love & Happiness,

Nikki

Sources: www.phytochemicals.info/phytochemicals/allicin.php

               Today's Dietician: Color Me Healthy — Eating for a Rainbow of Benefits 

               By Juliann Scheffer  Vol. 10 No. 11 P. 34

               Gentleworld.org "Phytochemicals: Eating from the Rainbow"

               Livestrong.com "Vitamins That Produce Collagen"

Bitter Sweet

Hello again, lovelies!

I'm willing to bet that you ate something with sugar today. Even if it was an apple, it contained natural sugars (fructose). The fact is, our bodies need sugar to function. It breaks down the foods we eat into glucose for energy.

The problem arises when we consume unhealthy, refined sugars (sucrose, high fructose corn syrup, refined fructose). This leads to a whole list of problems such as a weakened immune system, obesity, diabetes, and allergies among other health issues. Sugar feeds bacteria, yeast, fungus, and parasites. It depletes the body of needed minerals and affects our brain function (brain fog, anyone?). In this excerpt from the book Sugar Blues by William Dufty, Dr. William Coda Martin classified sugar as a poison since  when ingested, it causes or may cause disease.

While the healthiest foods are whole foods, you can still opt for alternatives to refined sugar in your diet. Note that even some of them on this list may not be a good fit for you if you already have certain food allergies or sensitivities, or yeast overgrowth. Do your research, check with your health advisor, and then use in moderation if applicable. I didn't include the very popular agave nectar in this list because of the light shed on the amount of fructose it contains-higher than high fructose corn syrup! It's lower on the glycemic index, and extracted from the blue agave plant causing its widely promoted healthy status. Check out this article by Dr. Andrew Weil. Again, do your own investigating and make informed decisions!

Stevia Extract

Stevia comes from the leaf of the stevia plant native to South America, and is not actually a sugar. It is 200-300 times sweeter than sugar. It has an aftertaste similar to licorice, and some find it bitter. It has a glycemic index of less than 1, so it doesn't adversely affect your blood sugar level. It also doesn't feed yeast. Be sure to buy pure stevia extract, and not some of the artificial stuff like Truvia or Stevia in the Raw. Instead, try SweetLeaf or Now brands, which contain pure stevia extract.

Blackstrap Molasses

Ironically, molasses is the by product from processing sugar cane or beet into table sugar, so you have all the nutrition left behind. Blackstrap molasses is obtained from the 3rd boiling. Be sure to use an organic, unsulphured brand. Molasses provides iron, calcium, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and zinc, and is alkalizing to the body. It is dark and thick, and has a very distinctive flavor you may have to get used to, but before processed white sugar came along, it was commonly used as a sweetener. If used in baking instead of white or brown sugar, you'll need to make the correct adjustment to account for the liquid.

Coconut Sugar

Coconut (or coconut palm sugar) was originally made from the sugary sap of the Palmyra palm. It’s also made from the sap of coconut palms. The sap is placed under heat until the liquid has evaporated. Reportedly, it retains iron, zinc, calcium and potassium during this process, but it also is high in calories. Use it sparingly. It has a relatively low glycemic index, because of the level of the fiber inulin. Note that some coconut palm sugar is mixed with cane sugar...please avoid those!

Raw Honey

Raw honey is honey that has not been heated, pasteurized or processed. Pasteurized, liquid honey is easily found on grocery store shelves. You would have to obtain raw honey from a local source. Raw honey is alkaline-forming and contains natural vitamins (vitamin C and most of the B vitamins), enzymes, powerful antioxidants and other nutrients. These nutrients would be destroyed during the heating and pasteurization process. Raw honey has anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties. Be aware of its high sugar content if this would pose a problem for you.

The bottom line is to avoid as much added sugar in your diet as you can for your optimal health. I continually preach to be aware and informed of what you put into your body. I know there's a lot of information out there and new research coming out seemingly everyday, but make it your priority to stay on top of your nutrition and health. I'll do my best to help you with that!

Until next time,

Love & Happiness,

Nikki

No More Lies!

Happy New Year, my lovelies! We had an amazing Christmas and New Year, and hope you did also. I've got a feeling that 2014 is going to whip by even faster than 2013 did. I'll try my best to be prepared and make use of every single moment that I'm blessed with. I'm amped!

If you saw my latest YouTube vid, I talked a bit about my holistic health coaching business. I launched Get This Glow! Health & Wellness and I couldn't be more in love with what I'm doing. Living a happy and healthy life is everything to me. There is nothing like seeing a positive change in a client's physical, emotional, and spiritual state. Yet, so many people choose to live in an unhealthy way. Why? Because...

It's Easier

Let's face it. Change is hard. Yet so is being depressed, overweight, anxious, and resentful! At some point, we have to use our adult decision making capabilities and get out of the unhealthy rut. I found an article about the following study on about.com:

A study performed in 2005 by an epidemiologist at Michigan State University found that most Americans don't do everything they can to lead healthy lifestyles.
The study published in journal Archives of Internal Medicine, looked at four basic characteristics that are part of a healthy lifestyle:

• Being a non-smoker.
• Exercising 30 minutes or more five days per week.
• Eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day.
• Maintaining a healthy weight with a BMI under 25.

The lead researcher was quite surprised with his findings: of 153,000 adults, only three percent followed all four steps for a healthy lifestyle.

Come on, America! Thankfully, we can change these findings by incorporating small edits to our routine daily. Drink more water. Go for a walk. Add one more fruit or veggie to your meals each day. Socialize, or get together with friends or family to help elevate your mood! Try cutting out fast food, processed foods, and excess sugar for 30 days and see how much better you feel.

 

Szechuan tofu w/broccoli and rice noodles. Cook it at home so you control the ingredients. Healthier and more delicious than any fast food meal out there!

I Can't Afford It

Yes you can! If you're spending $5-7 per day on lunch at a not-so-healthy restaurant, you've got up to $35 per week that you could be spending on healthier choices. Buy fruits and veggies that are in season so that they are less expensive. Check out your local farmer's market. You support your local economy and get fresher produce in the process. Or, start your own garden. You just need a small area in your backyard, or a medium sized planter to get started. Nothing beats eating food that you grew yourself!
Cut out soda and sugary drinks. Install a simple water filter on your kitchen faucet to save on bottled water and plastic waste, or invest like we do in a water dispenser unit. We refill our 5 gallon jugs at our local grocery store for $1.86 each. You read that right.
Cook more of your meals at home and take leftovers to work with you. If cooking is not your thing, then take a fun cooking class or invest in yourself by purchasing (or borrowing from the library) a few simple cookbooks. Start a healthy potluck day at work and swap recipes. Make sure you use brown rice and other good grains such as quinoa and wild rice, as well as pasta, potatoes, beans, and lentils in your cooking rotation. Not only are they good for you, but reasonably priced as well.
See? You can afford to eat healthy...and enjoy it!

source:yummly.com  recipe: Martha Stewart

For the quick and easy roast veggie and arugula with pasta recipe shown above, go here.


I hope this post shed some insight on any blocks someone might have had to kick starting a healthy lifestyle. I feel a part two of this post coming on possibly in my near future =) In the meantime, check out my new site Get This Glow! Health & Wellness and tell me what you think!
Be well, lovelies.


Until next time,

Love and Happiness,

Nikki