Favorites for Beautiful Hair and Skin

Happy end-of-the-month post!

I hope you have found your way over to the new and growing ADDN site, subscribed, and are enjoying revisiting the old blog posts!  I had forgotten some of the information and recipes I've shared, and it's been fun getting re-motivated to take care of my health!

As the weather is turning colder, I am seeing and feeling the dryness settle in.  My hands don't want to stay moist and the cracks are looking like a dry desert!  Ugg!  And the hair is getting the flyaway wisps everywhere!  No fun!

So here is a list of some of my favorite foods to maintain health, happy skin and hair!

Five Beautifying Foods and Drinks:

WATER

It may seem simple, but proper hydration is critical!  Correct fluids are important for the health of your skin cells and scalp.  Clean, filtered water will support your skin and hair health.  Eating abundant produce will also allow you to get a good intake of water, since fruits and veggies are water-rich!

COCONUT WATER

Or, you can opt for coconut water, because it will also supply a nice dose of minerals, which your hair will drink up!  Minerals and hydration in one - what a nice treat!

HEMP

Hemp will have good omega-3 fatty acids in whatever form you find it: hemp milk, hemp oils, or hemp seeds.  But my form of choice is the seed, because then you are also getting a lustrous 11 grams of protein with each serving!  Omega-3s help with scalp health and generating hair follicles.  Protein is a large part of the make-up of a strand of hair, so adequate protein is important for strong, shiny locks.

 BERRIES

The deep hughes of dark berries and cherries come from the phytonutrient group called anthocyanidins.  These phytonutrients help the collagen fibers link together in a way that strengthens the connective tissue matrix, keeping your skin strong and healthy.  Plus they have good vitamin C which works in partner with Vitamin A for healthy collagen.

SWISS CHARD

This often praised vegetable has yet another wonderful benefit!  It is a rich source of biotin.  Deficiencies of biotin have been linked to numerous skin and hair problems, such as hair loss, seborrheic dermatitis, and even cradle cap in infants!

So there you have it!!  Five foods for fabulous skin and hair!

I hope September has treated you well, and October is even better!

Hugs!
~Katie

Mixing it up with Trail Mixin'

Good morning, my friends!  I hope you had a wonderful weekend!

One of the things Dave and I did was make a trip to Bob Ronker's Running Spot, because I have taken up the hobby of trail running.  I decided that, while I enjoy pavement running, I wanted to get more in to nature.  So, I signed up for a 4 mile trail run in two weeks!  And if I am to be running in the muck, that means it is time to get shoes just for that!

So we went to get some trail shoes for me!  Aaaand, well, while I had originally been planning on some basic trail shoes, I got giggly happy looking at some of the crazy "Vibram Five Fingers" shoes that are so popular with barefoot runners!  

Look at those crazy things!!  But, as I have read, a lot of people prefer running with this "minimalist" feel - you have the ability to flex individuals toes, you can feel the ground better, and you're forced into a gentler stride rather than pounding on your heels because the thick soles of other shoes keep you from feeling the pain of  bad form.  They ended up being the same price as the other trail shoes I had been looking at, so I just went with it!  They made me so happy because they were fun, and SO comfortable!  And since I usually hate wearing shoes to begin with, I thought my tootsies just may prefer these.  I have to plan a day to get out to a trail and try them out!

And with trail running comes trail mix snacks!  I usually like to make my own so that I know what's in them, and can make it however I want.  An easy mix can just include nuts, dried fruit, and dark chocolate bits.  Then you can season if you like with salt, cinnamon, cayenne, etc.  Whatever flavor floats your boat!

Here's my mix this week:

Simple Trail Mix:

Pecans

Almonds

Pumpkin Seeds

Dried fruit mix (raisins, papaya, pineapple, cranberries)

Dark Chocolate (88% cocoa)

Dash of sea salt

Toss in a jar or other container, shake, rattle, and run!

And this is such a healthy snack, too!  Nuts and seeds are good sources of proteins and healthy fats, great for exercise and healthy joints.  Pecans are rich in antioxidants (great help healing after a good workout), almonds are a good source of calcium to help with strong bones good for pounding the pavement (or trail now!), and pumpkin seeds have a collection of wonderful minerals.  Fruit and chocolate add a little carb kick for quick energy, and salt helps replenish what you may have lost sweating.  What a great treat after a long run!  

...Now I just need to go TAKE that run so I can enjoy the snack! ;-)

Happy week!  See you all back here later!

~Katie

Dining on Iodine

While we spent time on the beaches, we would often see a lot of different sea plants washed up. And it made me think of all the seaweeds that, sadly, I do not care for eating, but wish I liked! I am working to incorporate more, and have found a few options thus far.

Iodine is critical for a healthy thyroid (which helps regulate our metabolism) and for normal development of the body and brain. Deficiency in the US is pretty rare now, since table salt has iodine added to it.

But what if you don't want to use fortified supplemental salt, and are trying to get away from processed sodium?

You can find it in natural salty sea plants!

No, I don't recommend combing the beach for whatever wash-ups you find to toss in your salads! ;-)

But there are a number of sea plants you can buy and add to your eating habits. While there are thousands of different sea vegetables, some options are nori, hijiki, wakame, arame, kombu, dulse, and kelp. And, in addition to being amazing sources of iodine, sea vegetables hold a host of health benefits! They may help reduce estrogen-related cancers; they are good sources of different antioxidants; they contain a unique compound called fucoidans that provide anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anticoagulant, antithrombotic, and antiviral properties; and they contain a vast array of other health and beauty minerals! They contain calcium, copper, iodine, iron, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, vanadium, and zinc.

Iodine doesn't stay in your system very long, so it is important to get it regularly. I bought a little shaker of raw kelp granules, and I'll just sprinkle a tiny dash of that on salads or vegetable plates. It has a light salt flavor, no fishy flavor, and has more than enough natural iodine in it - so you don't need much at all, meaning this baby will last me for a while.

I've also had raw kelp noodles from Loving Hut before, and it was delicious! I have been told that Sea Tangle sells a good product, and hope to try it sometime!

I have also purchased some nori sheets, and hope to try making a sushi-style veggie roll sometime, but I am still a bit intimidated by the sea salt flavor. But I figure the kelp is a good starting point for me!

So however you choose your iodine, consider something new with sea vegetables and try to ditch the table salt. You can buy flakes to sprinkle on foods, toss strips with salads or veggie mixes, add bits to soups, make your own wraps, or whatever other ideas you come up with!

Happy little sea plant sitting in the sun :)

~Katie