Purple Protective Power Punch! Or something...

Happy Easter!! A wonderful time of miracles and renewal!

I hope it's been a relaxing, blessed weekend for you all :)

I had an amazing weekend of stress-relieving fun - starting with a brisk walk to a cross-training class at Body Boutique, where my instructor kicked encouraged me through several rounds of push-ups, walking lunges, jumping rope, and trying to lift my toes to my hands as I hung from a bar! (My toes never made it anywhere near my hands, just to let you know!) ;-)

Then I did a quick half mile jog to my weekly free yoga class at LuluLemon Athletica! What a great class it was! The first half was some good leg strengthening poses (no more!! I was so tired after the cross training!) but thankfully the second half was just a lot of deep stretching, deep breathing, and calming.

Ahhhh, peaceful :)

After that, I made a few shopping stops to get some last minute food items, then home to my dear Dave to spend a chunk of time in the kitchen! We popped in some Artemis Fowl audio books, and whipped up a health storm!

I tried my first GREEN JUICE! Wow, what a shock to the system! Instead of blending a bunch of greens with fruit, I basically just put the greens through my juicer, sans fruit. An entire head of red-leaf lettuce, handful of spinach, one whole cucumber, two stalks of celery, and half a lemon. Talk about a power kick! While I normally love the health benefits of fiber from the whole food, now and then, juice is great! This fiber-free juice goes quickly through your digestive system, the minerals and nutrients being easily absorbed into your blood stream. A quick kick of tons of nutrition! The flavor took some getting used to, but I was on such a health-high from the morning workout, that I was loving replenishing my system with minerals and health!

We are also trying our hand at making home-made sauerkraut! Rich in beautifying minerals and digestive probiotics, it's a great food to have on hand - if you can find it without being pasteurized. So, I have NO idea how our batch will turn out, but I'll let you know Friday when it's done!!

We also made up some salads, sprouted some sunflower seeds and quinoa grains, and Dave made raw vegan chili all on his own!! I was so proud :) He had enjoyed it so much when I made it last time, that he wanted to learn the recipe so he could make it on his own!

And another success? I made vegan burgers - that he liked!!! Amaranth, millet, onions, carrot, celery, spinach and seasoning... they didn't taste like burgers, but they were good! And once we loaded them up with tomato, onion rings, a dab of ketchup, and he used some A1 sauce... we wrapped it in a collard leaf rather than a bun, and went to town! We were both shocked at how much we liked them! It was an easy recipe from a book, and it's another one he hopes to learn!

So that was my Saturday. What a day! We relaxed in the evening, just basking in the glow of nutritious food.

And tonight, I had fun playing with a new food: açaí berry!

Probably many of you have heard of this new "superfood" berry - the media loves to promote the latest "cure all." And I won't go that far! But it's yet another tool for your belt of beauty, your weapons of wonder! Like most berries, açaí berries are rich in age-fighting antioxidants, and carry a lot of health benefits. So, this weekend, I bought some frozen açaí puree, and tonight I tried my first smoothie with it!

I should play with the recipe some more, and come up with some clever name... but for tonight, I just went with Purple Protective Power Punch, or Protective Purple Paradise! (Protective to your health and beauty because of the antioxidants, fibers, and healthy fats!)

2 scoops chia seeds (about 2 Tbs)

2 cups Coconut milk (I used So Delicious Original flavor)

1- 3.5oz packet Açaí berry puree

2 Tbs organic cacao powder

1 tsp vanilla

1 Tbs local honey (or sweetener of your choice, to taste)

Soak the chia in the milk for about 10 minutes, so they can plump up. Then add all to your blender, and blend away to smoothness!

This lovely smoothie packs over 10 grams of fiber, healthy omega fats from the chia, healthy medium-chain fats from the coconut milk, and great antioxidants from the cacao and the acai! Happy health and happy skin, here we come!

Alright, and happy studying - here I come! Time to continue reading my current nutrition book: What to Eat by Marion Nestle. Awesome book about the politics behind food labels and recommendations. Things aren't always what they seem ;-)

Have a good night, and for my Polish friends and family: "Wesołego Alleluja!!!"

"Hallelujah, He is Risen!"

Peace and Prosperity <3

~Katie

Flying and Frying

So we’re back!

Dave and I got to enjoy a little over a week on a tropical island, exploring the culture, and seeing what island life is like! Oddly enough, where we went, it’s not THAT different from the norm. What began as an island of farmers and fresh produce, has become “Americanized” with fast food and buildings. Due to the war, military personnel brought in white rice and canned meat as staples, and over time, this has now become the “elite” food for islanders. Fresh produce is not commonly consumed as often.

But thankfully, it is still abundant! And hopefully, as nutrition education makes its spread, they’ll refocus their habits towards the blessings of food they have – coconuts, avocados, mangos, papayas, numerous rich leafy greens, and more!

Like being on the set for Jurassic Park!

So, how do you travel healthfully? Before we even got to the island, we had to deal with being bombarded by microbes, dehydration, and dangerous radiation!

No, this isn’t some SciFi plot or crazy takeover. This is something almost everyone faces during their lives – some people more than others.

Airplane Exposure to Dangers

When one gets on a plane, one is preparing to assault their body with many dangers. I’m not talking about potential dangers of malfunctions; I’m talking the constant dangers of germs, dehydration, and radiation.

Most of us are already aware that plane flights can be a breeding ground for disease – many people crammed close together for long periods of time, limited air circulation, and not the healthiest of snack options! So we planned about a week ahead to start boosting our immune systems with extra sleep, water, and vitamin C! (Hooray for lemon water!)

Dehydration was an issue for me on previous plane rides. First off, they swipe your water at the check in, so you have to try to find new water on the other side. This time, I grabbed two bottles, and figured I’d get the stewards to keep the water coming! Well… that worked out somewhat. I don’t know if I got stingy stewards or what, but I drained those two bottles in no time, and then was giving an itty bitty cup of water every now and then. I mean, seriously, I’m thirsty! What’s 3 ounces going to do for a 12 hour flight?! And when I’d try to ask for a bottle, they just smiled and walked away. Ugg! Lesson learned – buy even more bottles next time!

And the one that most people are NOT aware of – when you hop on a plane, you are going to be flying at heights that are affected by various forms of radiation.

Eh?

Radiation image from thegreendove.com

While we are constantly getting a “steady drizzle of rain” of radiation from space, the Environmental Protection Agency states “The atmosphere shields us from cosmic radiation, and the more air that is between us and outer space, the more shielding we have. The closer we get to outer space, the more we are exposed to cosmic radiation. This holds true when we live at high altitudes or fly.”

The Federal Aviation Administration put out a report I believe in 2000, for Aircrews entitled What Aircrews Should Know About Their Occupational Exposure to Ionizing Radiation. In it, they state “Ionizing radiation consists of subatomic particles that, on interacting with an atom, can cause the atom to lose one or more orbital electrons or even break apart its nucleus. Such events occurring in body tissues may lead to health problems. For aircrews, and their children irradiated in utero, the principal health concern is a small increase in the lifetime risk of fatal cancer. For both of these groups, exposure to ionizing radiation also leads to a risk of genetic defects in future generations. The FAA recommends limits for aircrews in their occupational exposure to ionizing radiation and provides computer software for estimating the amount of galactic cosmic radiation received on a flight.”

Wow!

Now, I’m not saying one long flight is going to necessarily have fatal effects, but low doses over time can add up. And we’re exposed to these forms of radiation constantly, just more so during flight. If they have to warn crew to limit their exposure, maybe it’s something to take seriously.

Looking out the plane window, over the Pacific

So what can you do? The EPA’s opinion says, “There are no practical ways to shield yourself from cosmic radiation during a flight. You can reduce your exposure while flying by taking shorter flights at lower altitudes. This is often not practical, and the risks from cosmic radiation do not warrant changing your travel plans to reduce your exposure.”

But what else? Hmmm… what do I always harp about?? Eat naturally, and keep yourself healthy! :)

So how did Dave and I handle these damaging assaults?

We started our morning with a big glass of lemon water to get a last little kick of vitamin C, then we made sure to get some good antioxidants in us, to help protect our cells! I wanted to do a giant green smoothie to take to the airport, but it was so early, and I ran out of time. So we just munched on some fruits and nuts. But keep it light! No sense weighing your body down with digestive needs when you want to reserve some energy for fighting off germs and radiation! ;-)

The day before our flight, I went to Whole Foods and stocked up on a few snacks: some raw pecans; trail mix of pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, cranberries, cherries, and other fruits; another trail mix for the way home, full of almonds, apricot kernels, golden berries, and goji berries; a bag of Coco Mole sunflower seeds (sprouted sunflower seeds tossed with agave, cayenne, and cacao powder); and a treat of dark chocolate with over 70% cacao!

Good antioxidant-rich foods, to help keep me from being too hungry! And then I tried to limit my intake of any of the airplane’s foods. Processed, heavy meals that do little to help keep your system running at its ideal level!

So that was the first part of trying to have healthy travels! And things you should consider if you fly often. Holidays are coming up, and those are popular times to travel. These are good tips for car trips, too!

Boost your immune system early; keep water on hand; eat antioxidant-rich foods but eat light. Oh, and make sure you get up and stretch to keep your blood flowing and moving all those nutrients around!

So stay tuned, there’s more Saipan to share :)

~Katie

Greetings from the other side of the Pacific!

End of the Veggie Run!

Welcome to the end of the work week! (For most, that is.)

I am here to give you the update on how our final Fruit and Veggie Run went!

Wednesday I was feeling great - still loving the abundance of fruits, though admittedly a little tired of salad with no dressing ;-) But I just kept at it - last day, right?? And we had dinner plans with the dad, meeting at Applebee's.

Uh-oh. That sounds tantalizingly dangerous!

So, what's a good little nutritionist do? She plans ahead! I scour their website and hunt down the menu to see what would be acceptable for me. Lo and behold, a beautiful salad is part of their menu! The Asian Crunch Salad - romaine lettuce, cucumber, red onions, roasted red peppers, and sweet peas! I decide to just order it without the chicken and almonds, and dressing on the side.

I don't need no steenking dressing! I has my lemon!

(Mine came without the chicken though!!)

So, with that plan in mind - off we go! The only splurge I make is to keep the almonds - I am hungry and the salad just doesn't sound filling enough without some extra protein. So there it is! A lovely salad - and I devoured that sucker!

....and then we sat there for another hour conversing and laughing and having good times, and Dave had half of his burger sitting there, taunting me.

Evil burger.

A chink in the armor - I ate that half of that acid-forming burger.

Then a damaging blow to the armor!

The men wanted dessert - and oh what a dessert it was! A Maple Butter Blondie and a Chocolate Chip Cookies Sundae staring me in the face.

My rational mind began telling me all the reasons that I didn't want those resplendent foods: they're not really food, they're just "edible foodlike substances," I have worked too hard to bomb that heavily; processed food junks up the system, dairy can cause mucus formation for me... ok, well maybe one little bite....

And those men and their small stomachs! They couldn't finish their desserts! So I did. Ah well, it was enjoyable and tasty - though quickly past the pleasure of the taste buds and then just sat like a brick in the stomach. And that dairy and/or burger sure did affect my mucus production. I felt more congested and drainy that night than I have in a long time!

My body began working to digest all of that, and I don't know if it was just coincidence, but I was so tired! I couldn't even stay awake on the drive home! Thankfully Dave drove!

And the next morning, I woke with a lethargy like none other, and still some mucus buildup in my throat. And no appetite. By the time lunch rolled around, I felt somewhat hungry again, so I enjoyed a fresh veggie salad - but something was still undigested. That salad felt like it just sat there, blocked, and I felt all bloated and cramped. Yuck!

So it's back to my lighter fair again! Yesterday I went back to fruits and veggies and a few nuts. And this morning - so much better! I went to the gym, did my 3.1 miles on the treadmill - and didn't want to get off! So I just kept a'truckin'! Then for the last few minutes, I even cranked up the pace a bit! My 3.1 miles turned into 4.85!! Ahhhh, the body just seems to function better on lighter, colorful foods!

I have a luscious alkalizing green smoothie with me today (my happy desk companion as I type!) and some soaked wild rice to wrap with spinach and sprouts for lunch.

To quote my dad's old-time computer game hero, Duke Nukem: "Ahhhh, much better!"

Happy Friday! Lots of love :)

~Katie

Viva la Veggies!

Good evening, everyone!

Sorry for not posting lately - I guess I let my "staycation" get me a little lazy! My goal to sweat every day ALMOST happened... but I let a visit from my sister give me "reason" to slack. Ah well. I know I could have gone for my jog while she rested, but it was just such a nice cozy home, and I didn't feel like leaving!

But it's back to the grind! Dave and I have been enjoying playing guinea pig on ourselves. 6 days, nothing but fruits and veggies. (Is this a long-term plan? No. It would not be something to recommend long-term, but for less than a week, we were curious!)

Day 1 started out great! Dave admitted that his system was loving the easy digestion, and that he didn't feel so "bogged down" with trying to process junk. He was a whirl-wind Mr. Mom and spent the whole day checking off tasks left and right, and getting the home all clean!

Then the end of day 1 came.... and we both crashed. Tired, and I had a splitting headache. But we just went to bed early, slept a solid 10 hours (yikes!) and began days 2 and 3.

Those days were rough (I would have posted, but we were so tired from it!) Still felt lethargic, some brain fog, and the headache only slightly diminishing. Fruit-packed smoothies helped give us some natural sugars for energy; and adding some veggies helps sustain the long term health. Saturday evening, I pulled out some veggie wraps for us. Dave's supportive comment: "when I saw those plates of nothing but veggies - no cheese, no dressing... I thought I was going to die!" A little dramatic, but that's my man! And that brave soul managed to eat two entire wraps!

Admittedly, with only lemon for seasoning, they were a little bland, but still amazing nutritional sources! So much goodness wrapped into one little bundle! And easy on the digestion!

Pure Veggie Wraps

Shredded carrots

Raw corn

Mung bean sprouts

Onions

Chives

Broccoli sprouts

Lemon Juice

Large Veggie Leaves (ie: collards, Romaine, cabbage)

Top a large leaf with items of choice, squeeze a little lemon juice if desired, roll and devour!

I enjoyed cabbage leaves just because they are so sturdy. The Romaine tended to break and leak more! But all are good and healthy!

Day 4 is bringing back some energy. Dave was actually up and awake today, and I feel great! Having fun playing with the kids at work (enjoying some old-school Michael Jackson "Thriller" with one little boy!) and finding time to let you all peek in on our craziness! :)

Dave has forbidden me to mention the "holy name of Chipotle" for the next few days. Ha! He has also had dreams of Oreo Cakes, and dwells on thoughts of hot dogs and M&Ms. Hopefully his cravings for junk will soon start to lessen - mine have! I am craving fruit! Craziness!

I hope your week is off to a wonderfully energetic beginning! See you again soon!

xoxox

~Katie

Chocolate Peppermint Tea!

After showing you my glorious over flowing garden, I figured I'd share with you my tea! (And I'll literally share it with you if you come visit!) ;-)

Peppermint oil has long been thought of as a tummy soother - helping with nausea, indigestion, IBS, and other such ailments. It also may be a cancer fighter! In animal studies, it stopped the growth of pancreatic, mammary, and liver tumors! Peppermint oil is also a natural anti-microbial, killing off nasty bacteria such as Helicobacter pylori (which may cause stomach ulcers), Salmonella, E. coli, and the "super bug" methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)!

And, take a big breath of fresh air, because peppermint oil can help your respiratory system!So here is it: a simple, beautiful tea - just a few peppermint leaves, two stevia leaves for sweetness, and warmed (not hot!) water. I crushed the leaves in between my fingers to help release their natural flavor, then let it sit in the warm water for a few minutes.

Simple, Sip, Ahhhh!

~Katie

Wednesday Words: Whole Grains 201 - Sprouting!

Hello, class! Welcom back to your finally Whole Grains class! (For now... who knows when more fun information will pop up!) I know you've been rivited waiting for this! :-P

Pop quiz:

1. What are the three edible parts of a grain?

2. What are the two power-packed parts that are usually reduced or removed when processing for refined, white flour products?

3. What should the first ingredient be when choosing a Whole Grain? What should it NOT be?

4. What types of oats should you avoid due to sugars and other additives?

5. You're not actually planning to write out answers to these, are you?

I hope maybe you can recall at least a few of those answers! But if not...

1) bran, germ, endosperm
2) brand, germ
3) "whole" ___ (wheat flour, oat flour, etc) not "Refined" or "enriched"
4) flavored instant oats! (Oat groats are the least processed, followed by steal-cut, then you get into your rolled oats and quick-cookers. These are all healthy!)
5) probably not ;-)

So on to sprouting!

Sprouting seeds and grains for nutrition is a concept I only came across in the last year or so, when I was studying different type of diets. Raw foodists will not cook food, so when it comes to grains, they will often soak them to the point that the little germ begins to grow a tail! It sprouts! (Remember, the germ is the baby seed within the kernel that can grow another plant!) The theory is that is has all this awesome nutritional power locked in that seed - after all, it has to grown another plant! (Though usually, you grown your seed in nutrient-rich soil, so, sometimes foodies grow their sprouts in little trays of soil - but that's more intensive.)

Remember the ol' school days when you took a sunflower seed, laid it on a damp papertowel, then pressed it against a clear cup so you could see it? Eventually, it began to sprout and grow a sunflower! It's the same concept - using water to begin the growth process of the plant, since the seed has growth-inhibitors on it allowing it to remain dormant until it is time to stretch and grow! However, in sprouting, instead of letting the seed fully grow into a new plant, once the tail has grown a bit (anywhere from a few centimeters to a few inches) people will eat them! They may be added to salads, sandwiches, wraps, smoothies...

Now, since at first I had only seen raw foodists promoting sprouting (and sometimes over promoting as some magical cure-all...) I was skeptical. I have bought broccoli sprouts from the store now and then just for variety on my salads. But I finally found a site that convinced me to give it a more serious look. The Whole Grain Counsel has a page on sprouting, and the science and research behind it. Nice! Of course, there are also some studies saying there is no benefit... who do you believe? The jury is still out, sadly. But, hey, maybe give it a try yourself and just see what you think!

You can sprout your own grains, but for now, I just wanted to share about products made from sprouted grains. (I know, I know - I usually say to try to limit processed foods - but unless you want me to get into the details of the sprout-it-yourself process, this is a more convenient option for now!)

The fisrt brand I heard of was Ezekiel Breads, and also Genesis Breads - and they fanned out beyond just breads into tortillas, English muffins, ground flours, and other grain products! (I am not specifically endoring those brands above others - they are just the two I have seen in my store. Look around! Experiment! Try something new!) They are usually stored in the freezer section of stores, and do tend to cost more. I go through them slowly, so I don't mind it now and then as a treat! I also like them for the flavor - they get some good hearty flavors iwth pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and other wonderful nutty additions!

So, the Whole Grains Counsel has a page on sprouted products, and here are some key points form it:

-some people find these products easier to digest since the enzymes have helped begin the process of breaking down the large-chain carbohydrate molecules

-increase the amount and bio-availability (ease for your body to use) some vitamins

-increases many of the grains' key nutrients, including B vitamins, vitamin C, folate, fiber, and essential amino acids often lacking in grains, such as lysine

-may also be less allergenic to those with grain protein sensitivities

-sprouted brown rice fights diabetes, reduces cardiovascular risk

-sprouted buckwheat protects against fatty liver disease.

-sprouted barley decreases blood pressure

So hopefully research will continue in this area, but the outlook is promising! I have actually been soaking some wild rice for the last few days, and hope to try a new recipe with that tonight! I'll keep ya posted on that!

Allrighty then! That's it for whole grains! There's the bell; time for lunch; class dismissed!

~Katie