Yum Friday Recipe: Pink Salt & Pepper Truffles

1 Jun

Pink Salt & Pepper Truffles, by Natalia KW

I’m excited today to post this wonderful recipe for raw chocolate truffles from raw food chef, Natalia KW.  Check out her beautiful website  http://www.nataliakw.com  with other great raw recipes including wonderful-looking raw Chocolate Cherry Truffles.  Yum!  These chocolate recipes show that you can eat fabulous desserts that are also body and skin friendly.

This recipe centers around raw cacao.  Anything chocolate has its beginning with cacao (cuh-COW).  Cacao is the edible part of the cocoa bean.  While cacao is filled with hundreds of beneficial nutrient compounds, these nutrients do not get passed into your favorite chocolate bar.  Processing, cooking, & refining destroy the nutrients.   

Antioxidants (flavonoids especially) are one of the nutrients that are plentiful in cacao.  Antioxidants as we have reported are important to skin health and aid in repairing any damage to skin from sun, aging, acne, eczema, etc.  A report in Clinics in Dermatology (2009) said, “consumption of flavanol-rich cocoa acutely increased microcirculation of the skin….”(1).  Skin microcirculation  increases blood flow thereby delivering more nutrients to the skin and expatiating removal of toxins.  

However, don’t think you are getting these healthy benefits in milk chocolate and other common chocolate treats.  Besides being destroyed in processing, the antioxidants in cacao have also shown to be inhibited in the presence of dairy ingredients.  Studies also show that cacao has anti-microbial and reduces inflammation (2).  It’s also a great natural mood enhancer.  Of course, moderation is advised because cacao also contains caffeine.

So, enjoy these decadent truffles knowing you are also helping your body and skin.

Pink Salt & Pepper Truffles

by

Natalia KW

Exotic chocolate blends are pretty hot right now and I love to come up with exciting combinations.  I’ve always loved slightly salty chocolate and was looking for a spice to complement my favorite Himalayan salt–and to offer a bright contrasting color.  The pink peppercorn was perfect!  It’s actually a berry–a bit sweeter than black pepper, but still spicy with hints of citrus.  The raw chocolate truffle base here is ultra simple, so feel free to get creative and mix up your own favorite flavors.  

  • 3/4 cup raw cacao powder
  • seeds of one vanilla bean
  • 1/2 cup pitted medjool dates
  • 1/4 cup raw honey
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1 teaspoon ground pink peppercorns
  • 1/8 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt, course ground

Instructions:
Place the cacao powder and vanilla bean in a food processor.  Pulse gently to combine.  Add the dates, honey and coconut oil and process until sticky and smooth.  To make each truffle, roll about one tablespoon of chocolate into a 1″ ball with your hands until very smooth.  In a small bowl, mix the salt & pepper.  Place a pinch of salt & pepper on the top of each truffle as a garnish and press to set.  Place the garnished truffles in the refrigerator for one hour to firm.  Indulge with pleasure!

Natalia is available for coaching to help those who want to heal their body and be healthy through raw foods. 

“Raw foods work their magic when integrated properly and sustainably—for your unique lifestyle.  When these foods are practical to prepare and at the same time, deeply pleasurable, you discover your sweet spot.” 

You can contact her through her website: http://www.nataliakw.com/contact/

1 Davis, Stephen BS, Perez, Robert PhD, “Cosmeceuticals and Natural Products: Wound Healing.”  Clinics in Dermatology (2009) 27, 502–506.  Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1600 NW 10th Avenue,
Room 2089, Miami, FL 33136, USA.  online: http://www.worldcocoafoundation.org/scientific-research/research-library/Cacao_HumanNutrition.asp#Antimicrobial.

2 “Cacao Research: Human Nutrition,” World Cacao Foundation.  Online: http://www.worldcocoafoundation.org/scientific-research/research-library/Cacao_HumanNutrition.asp#Antimicrobial

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Yum Friday Recipe: Kombucha Salad Dressing and Kombucha Green Smoothie

25 May

We are very happy and exited to share two wonderful recipe from guest blogger, Lis Viehweg, M.A., CNFC.  Lis is a Denver-based Certified Natural Food Chef.  Lis created two fantastic recipes using kombucha:  Passionberry Kombucha and Fresh Raspberry-Tarragon Salad Dressing and Green Kombucha Smoothie.  Can’t wait for you to try them.

Kombucha Salad Dressing by Lis Viehwig

Kombucha is a fermented tea loaded with probiotics enzymes.  It is said to have originated in Russia in late 19th century.  It comes in different flavors and is sold in most natural foods stores in the refrigerated section.  All the benefits Lis addresses below help the skin by allowing the skin to receive more nutrients.  Also, when toxins are prevented from forming or are reduced, they won’t show up on the skin in the form of  wrinkles, dry skin, blemishes, eczema, keratosis pilaris, etc.

Kombucha:  Fizzy, Fermented, and Fabulous

by:

Lis Viehweg  M.A., CNFC
Certified Natural Foods Chef

Trust me, your stomach can use all the help it can get.  Friendly bacteria, contained in probiotic food sources, are just the guys for this job.  Probiotic enzymes improve immunity (so you don’t get sick) and help your body absorb vitamins and minerals better (so you don’t get sick AND you feel better, to boot).  Win-Win.  The fermentation process enhances the enzyme content of foods and chemically kick-starts digestion. 

Food that remains undigested in your gut can lead to such unappetizing outcomes as cell damage and toxic strain on the liver and kidneys, thus creating a “perfect storm” environment for allergies, inflammation that is a causative agent for diseases such as cancer, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, and immunity issues.  So drink your kombucha, children.  Or eat it!  Kombucha is an easy additive to smoothies-  I’ve included my favorite green smoothie recipe.  But one day, I said to myself:  I wonder how kombucha would work as a salad dressing?  Et voila. 

Passionberry Kombucha and Fresh Raspberry-Tarragon Salad Dressing

Ingredients for Dressing:

Kombucha Salad Dressing by Lis Viehwig

½ cup fresh raspberries
2 Tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon
½ cup Passionberry kombucha ( any fruity kombucha will do)
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey or agave nectar
½ teaspoon freshly-squeezed lemon juice
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Sea Salt or Grey Salt
Freshly-ground  Pepper to taste

Method:

Muddle raspberries and tarragon in the bottom of a mixing bowl.  Add kombucha, Dijon mustard, honey, and lemon juice; whisk to blend.  Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking constantly until the mixture thickens.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Yield:  1 1/2 cups

_______________________________________________________________

Green Kombucha Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 cup green kombucha
1 small apple (preferably organic), unpeeled and cut into chunks
1 banana
1 cup of frozen strawberries
A big handful of (organic) greens:  salad greens, baby spinach
1 Tablespoon chia seeds (optional)

Method:

Throw all of the ingredients into a blender and whirl until smooth.  If you like your smoothies thicker, add more frozen strawberries or ice cubes.
Note:  Chia seeds are a good source of fiber and Omega 3 fatty acids, important for good digestion and a healthy heart, among other things.

Yield:  approximately 2 ½ cups

Besides being a natural foods personal chef in the Denver area, Lis is available for healthy food consultations and specializes in transforming cultural/traditional recipes into healthy ones.  You can contact her: lis@foodie1.com.

Lis Viehweg M.A., CNFC
Certified Natural Foods Chef
Honest Chow.  Real, good food prepared with care and a dash of humor by the curly girl….
lis@foodie1.com

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15 Whole-Body Tips for Acne Prone Skin

21 May

I’m very familiar with the ups and downs of acne because one of my children has it.  She went through the entire gamut of traditional medical methods to heal it.  This included 2 treatments of Accutane, which had devastating consequences.  Improvements were temporary at best.  It was a whole-body approach & YSO clear skin products that got it under control for good.  Below are  some of our suggestions to get you started towards an acne free complexion.

Inflammation and out of balance hormones are the major contributing factors to acne.  In order to gain control of acne, the body needs to be brought back into balance.  Contrary to conventional wisdom, diet and lifestyle do play a part in feeding acne and also in healing it.  Incorporating a whole-body approach helps to bring hormones into balance and reduces inflammation thereby helping to clear skin.  Diet and life style do make a difference.

Here are 15 tips to help you get started.  It does take diligence and commitment in order to see improvement.  And it may take several weeks.

  •  Eliminate or reduce foods with added hormones. Dairy, factory raised meats. Organic milk contains natural hormones; skim milk has less.
  •  Reduce body inflammation and bring hormones into balance by increasing omega 3.  Fish, walnuts, ground flaxseeds, Brussel sprouts, spinach, kale, and salad greens.
  •  Do not over cleanse your face.  It will dry it out, irritate, and cause over-stimulation of oil glands.
  • Be gentle with your skin.  It’s a fallacy that acne prone skin is tougher than other skin types.  Perfumes, detergents, chemicals in cleansers, toners, etc can irritate acne, make it worse.
  • Whole body approach includes exercise.  Exercise helps bring fresh oxygenated blood to the skin, which brings nutrients. Exercise sans make-up, wash face afterwards.

  • May seem counter intuitive, but the right plant oils can help balance oils in acne prone skin. Ingredients in lotions can irritate and clog pores, increase oil production.
  • Try yoga.  It’s great for bringing body into balance.  Finding the right class is important.  Find one that is not over -weighted with poses, but also has breath, meditation & relaxation as a large part of class.
  • Eat fresh fruits and vegetables daily.  Eat organic if possible.  Acne prone body has enough to fight/balance without additional chemical/hormones.
  • Keep hydrated with clear liquids aka H2O – not vodka ;) .  Alcohol messes up balance in body, esp. women. Stays in body longer.  Cucumbers and melons also help with hydration.
  • Eliminate or greatly reduce granulated sugar and corn syrup in your diet.  Replace with raw honey or agave.
  • There may be other skin conditions besides acne contributing skin problem & compounding acne, such as seborrhea, rosacea, or eczema
  • Check for food triggers.  These are foods that you may be sensitive to and are not aware of.  They will cause inflammation and complicate healing of acne.  Eliminate trigger foods one at a time for a couple weeks to notice any difference.  Common ones: wheat, gluten, meat, corn, soy and dairy.
  • Reduce stress.  Learn to live from your heart/soul more and the mind less.
  • Don’t use thick make-up to cover the acne.  It doesn’t hide it and only makes the condition worse.  Know, feel, & believe you are BEAUTIFUL.  I say so!!

Now through Sat, May 26th, 2012 we will help you get on the right track with a 30% off special for our clear skin products. http://www.yumscrub.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=65

Our Clear Skin Set comes with a free booklet with detailed information on the whole-body approach to clear skin.

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Help with Wrinkles from Smoking & Recipe for Face Scrub

30 Apr

A customer from one of online retail sites where we sale our products asked us about what can be done about wrinkles from smoking.  We thought we’d share our answer here in case it can help others.  We also include a facial exfoliator recipe that can be made at home.

[C]an you help me with deep wrinkles from smoking?

You don’t mention your age or whether you have another skin condition, such as acne.  (I mention this because the question is listed under our acne serum.)  Both of these will determine the extent how much improvement you will see.   That said.  A two prong approach is needed.  First, you need to take steps that nourish and enhance the skin through diet and lifestyle.  Secondly, you need to prevent further damage to the skin.   And if you haven’t  given up smoking, that is where you need to begin.  Your skin has no chance of improving and will only get worse if you continue to smoke.

Wrinkles from smoking are a result of free radicals.  Smoking creates an inflammatory response in the body. Basically, among other things, smoking reduces the production of collagen and elastin.  Both are vital to smooth, healthy skin and as we age we naturally start to lose both; this can be accelerated by our lifestyle.

Antioxidants and anti-inflammatories are main keys to keeping the skin healthy and for reducing the effects of the environment and lifestyle on the skin.  Both our Argan Acne Serum and Argan & Allies Hydrating Serum contain anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory ingredients.

Regular exfoliation also helps to smooth out the appearance of wrinkles.  I exfoliate the skin on my face several times a week (actually almost daily) using our Coco-Mint Scrub.  (We are in the process of formulating a face wash for dry skin.)  The thing to remember is to use an exfoliator that is hydrating.  Below is a recipe for making a face scrub.

Do not use any products including cleansers that contain detergents– such as those that lather–because they will dry out your skin.  Dry skin enhances wrinkles.  You want to avoid any anything that dehydrates the skin.  In other words, you want to do all that you can to add moisture to the skin and prevent moisture loss.

Also, I always rinse my face with the coldest water possible to not only close the pores but to tighten the skin.   Keeping the skin moisturized and exfoliating regularly are what you can do on the surface.  However, we are firm believers that topicals alone cannot improve and keep skin healthy.  You need a whole-body approach that includes good nutrition, exercise, good skin care, and mental/emotional balance.  Healthy nutrition is most important.

Keep this in mind when choosing foods to eat: The skin is the last organ to receive nutrients.  So, your diet needs to be nutrient rich.  Eat fresh fruits and vegetables daily (if possible organic).  Dark green leafy vegetables have many skin loving nutrients.  Reduce or eliminate foods that are suggested to cause inflammation (meat, dairy, fast foods, fried foods, sweetened carbonated beverages, artificial sweeteners  etc.).  Vitamin C helps skin to rejuvenate; so it’s important to include foods with vitamin C.   Also, wear a hat that protects your entire face when in the sun.  The sun will only continue to damage the skin.

While we love sugar for use on the skin; internally it and caffeine contribute to wrinkles and dehydration.  Eliminating them helps to improve the texture and appearance of skin.  Drink plenty of water daily and avoid as many chemicals as possible.  Also, alcoholic beverages dehydrate the body, so avoid drinking them.

Exercise brings fresh oxygenated and nutrient rich blood to the skin.  Meditation is also helpful.  Yoga facial exercises help to strengthen the muscles underneath the face thereby reducing the appearance of wrinkles.  Check online; there are many sources for facial exercises.

Check out our blog: yumscrubblog.com.  We offer many suggestions in greater detail for healthy skin, including skin-loving recipes.

As you can see, it will take diligence and commitment to try and reverse the damage to some extent and prevent further damage.  Good luck.

If you have a question or comment about skincare, please email us we would love to help.

Love and Light, Yum Scrub Organics Team

Here’s the recipe to make your own face scrub to use… until we get ours launched :)

Yum Scrub Organics Orange-Lavender Face Scrub

1/2 cup organic sugar (if the sugar crystals are too large for your skin, you can grind them for 30 sec. or so in a blender).
1/2 cup organic plant oils (unrefined if possible) – almond, sunflower, safflower, avocado, olive are good choices
3 drops organic orange essential oil
3 drops organic lavender essential oil

Mix together.  Store in a jar.  Test on a small area of the face to make sure there isn’t a skin reaction to one of the ingredients.  Scoop some exfoliant into the palms, and massage over face and neck.  Rinse thoroughly with cool to cold water.  I usually allow my skin to dry naturally, which doesn’t take long here in Colo.  Apply hydration.

Disclaimer:
This information is for educational purposes only, it is not intended to treat, cure, prevent or, diagnose any disease or condition. Nor is it intended to prescribe in any way. This information is for educational purposes only and may not be complete, nor may its data be accurate.

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Look of Girl’s Brain Changes to Boy’s Brain with Small Dose of Chemicals

26 Apr

We’ve been advocating about reducing chemical exposure and consumption for years because our over dependence on chemicals are killing us and our planet.  However, there is a new spin; small doses of chemicals can alter hormones and make changes in the body.  How small?  Amounts that are equivalent to 1 drop in 20 Olympic size swimming pools.  This is from researchers at Tuft University who do not ask if chemicals are killing us, but are researching whether small amounts of chemicals change our brains.

The answer is yes.  Their research has found that small amounts subtlety change the brain (animal studies), so that a girl’s brain changes to look like a boy’s brain!  And these are not exotic chemicals; they are chemicals that we come in contact with everyday.

Photo: greenpack.rec.org

Dr. Laura Vanderberg, a developmental biologist at Tufts University, points out that regulatory agencies (FDA, EPA and I am adding companies using chemicals) test chemical safety by giving animals large amounts of chemicals that kill them then drawback to a “safe” level for humans.  But, the problem is they do not test the safe amount to see if it is truly safe.  Maybe like me you thought they did.  It would seem to be a no brainer to ask if the “safe” amounts are really safe.

VANDENBERG: What we find is that there’s overwhelming evidence in animals that BPA is associated with drastic changes in mammary gland development, also changes in the induction of mammary cancers, and changes in the sensitivity of the animal to carcinogens. So it makes you more sensitive to a carcinogen.
Excerpt from Living on Earth, March 16, 2012.

Laura Vandenbery,  goes into more on how small amounts of chemicals affect us in this interview with Living on Earth  http://www.loe.org/shows/segments.html?programID=12-P13-00011&segmentID=1.   Please listen or read the transcript; it is worth your while.

One of the things she says is the use of chemicals are so ingrained in our society that it is hard to shop our way out of the problem because we cannot tell by the labels which ingredients are hormone mimickers.  Of course, there is one way you can reduce chemical consumption.  That is to buy all-organic or 100% organic when you can.

Remember:  Only 100% organic or all-organic assures that there are no chemicals in the product.  “Organic and “Contains Organic” can by law have a certain percentage of chemicals.

Back when we started reducing our own chemical consumption there wasn’t much research or interest in research on chemicals effect on the body.   So, it great to see new light being shed on the growing concern over the use of chemicals in our lives.  And friends, this is why we are an all-organic body-care line.  With all the marketing hype from mega cosmetic companies, small all-organic or 100% organic companies get lost in the noise.  Support all-organic companies; it requires much more effort to formulate products without chemicals than with chemicals.

Reference:

“The Dose Doesn’t Always Make the Poison,” Living on Earth.  Week of March 16, 2012. http://www.loe.org/shows/segments.html?programID=12-P13-00011&segmentID=1

Thanks to Green Beauty Team for the tweet on the Living on Earth article. twitter.com/greenbeautyteam  and  greenbeautyteam.com

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What Does Love Got to Do with… Beautiful Skin?

2 Apr

When you feel love, when you love, and feel loved the energy from these feelings comes through you and manifests itself in many, many ways.  The glow and health of your skin is one of the ways that love is reflected.   Your skin looks brighter, wrinkles are kept at bay, and skin conditions improve all with love.

With love as the inner center of your experience, you radiate outward.  In addition, when love is your dominant force, you want to take better care of yourself.  So, you eat better, exercise, and you are involved in healthy relationships and activities.  Love brings happiness and joy, and the cells in the body pick up on this energy communicating in ways that lead to a healthier body.  And healthier, better-looking skin is one of the beneficiaries of these responses to love.

["Smile, it enhances your face value."  Truvy (Dolly Parton) in "Steel Magnolias"]

See for yourself.  Try loving every day throughout the day no matter the difficulties you have for thirty days.  See if your skin doesn’t look better and your life feel better.  Here are some thoughts and tips:

Love is not a mental exercise; words alone don’t make love.  Words need to be connected to feelings.  Think of someone or something that doesn’t need to give you love back for you to feel love (a baby, small child, puppy, pet, flowers, etc.).  Got the feeling?  That is love.

[The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.  Helen Keller]

Now with that feeling, love yourself first unconditionally.  Just don’t say your love yourself, feel it in your entire being.  Loving yourself is not selfish as many of us as many of us have been taught to believe.  In fact, in order to love others fully, you need to love yourself first.  Everyday practice loving yourself.  (You can check in with how you are doing with this by observing how you are treating others in your life and those whom you meet during the course of your day.)

Every morning before you get out of bed and every night before you go to sleep list all the things you love.  Just don’t stop at ten or twenty things keep on going. Gratitude is an expression of love, so you could also list all the things you are grateful for.  Don’t forget the people that make your life possible (fireman, policemen, people who make it possible to have electricity and running water, sidewalks, farm workers, etc.). 

[“When eating bamboo sprouts, remember the man who planted them.” — Chinese Proverb]

What about those difficult people in your life?  Find something to love about them.  Send them love; they are most likely in great need of loving themselves.

Express in words and feeling love and appreciation to people in your life everyday.  Mentally pass on love and happiness to people you meet (grocery clerk, barista, bus driver, bank teller, etc.)  Elbert Einstein on of the greatest scientific minds of all times gave gratitude a 100 times a day:

[A hundred times every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life depend on the labors of other men living and dead and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I received and am still receiving.]

 The upside to love is there is no downside.

BTW – When you buy our products, you are getting love.  We put and send love in every bottle.

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Whole-Body Approach to Skincare

19 Mar

So, just what is a whole-body approach to skincare?  A whole-body approach is just that.  In order for the skin to be healthy and beautiful, or to heal a skin condition, it takes more that just topicals applied to the skin.  It involves all the aspects of your life.

In our collective psyche, skin has been viewed as something outside ourselves, meaning we often don’t see that our skin’s condition is as much dependent on our internal workings as any of the other body’s organs.

While skin is the largest organ in the body, I would venture to guess it is one of the least understood.  Much of how we view skincare is a trickle down effect from doctors.  They often approach skin disease and diseases in general through a myopic lens, focusing just on the disease.  Since the advent of the predominant pharmaceutical culture, physicians have stopped trying to heal the body or be healers.  For example, most dermatologist still harp that food, lifestyle, mental attitude do not have a part in acne.  Why is it so hard for them to connect the dots when diseases, such as scurvy that have skin manifestations are a result of improper nutrients?

On the other hand, a whole-body approach to acne says that the body is out of balance and needs to be brought back into balance with proper nutrition, exercise, stress reduction, etc.  It also involves the use of skincare products, but doesn’t just rely on them or pills as a cure. Dermatologists who do not counsel patients who have skin conditions about the effect of proper nutrition, exercising, mental attitude, stress, etc. on the skin are doing the patient a disservice.

The skin is an organ and is affected by our lifestyle just as any other organ is in the body.  Don’t get lolled into thinking that because we can see a layer of it on the outside that its not being affected by what you eat, think, do, and feel.

While Yum Scrub Organics produces skincare products, we know that products alone can’t do the job.  No matter the marketing hype from any cosmetic or pharmaceutical company, wrinkles, blemishes, eczema, psoriasis, backne, acne, dryness will not go away/stay away or diminish with just a skin-applied product.  Big spending advertising is another way we are lolled into thinking the skin is something separate from the rest of our body.  However, the right product can certainly play a large role in skincare (or we wouldn’t be in the business).

To really enhance the beauty or healing of your skin, you do need to also go deep inside.  A whole-body approach to skincare then is about all that makes you–you.  It involves what you eat and drink and what you don’t eat and drink; exercise, mental attitude/mindset, and spiritual development.  With regard to spiritual development, we are referring to the inner path or who you are as a person that comes from deep within–not the religious connotation of spirit.

Applying a whole-body approach, you embrace a natural healthy lifestyle that benefits your whole body.  You see the body as interconnected, what affects one part of the body affects another part and affects the whole body.  With this in mind you approach the care of your whole body–physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual–with mindfulness.  If you apply this approach, your skin will radiate and of course your entire body will be much healthier.

Browse through some of our posts to get some suggestions on some whole-body techniques.

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Yum Friday Recipe: Asian Style Anti-Inflammation Soup

16 Mar

I love soup; I could live on it.  They are easy to make; you can be very creative with ingredients; they are healthy and everything is in one bowl to eat.  Let me retrace my steps a bit to “healthy,” and add that most soups are healthy.  Those heavily creamy mixtures that are also cheese laden, not quite so healthy.  You know who you are broccoli, cauliflower, cheese, and one I just saw online, “Cream Cheese Potato Soup.”  Whoa!   My arteries are clogging at the thought while my mouth is watering with a craving.  Not for me, though, the dairy would send my stomach into a tailspin.

Lately, my soup tastes have been going  Asian  with a hunger for ginger, turmeric, and a thinner broth.  And that is where this recipe comes in.  It relies on those ingredients as the base spices.  It is also a very versatile soup, lending itself to easy adaptations.

While there are some really great nutrients in the vegetables in this soup, the stars are the spices and herbs.  It is heavily dosed with anti-inflammatory ingredients, such as ginger, turmeric, garlic, onions, and cilantro.  So, the bottom line is this soup is really good for the skin and because of its anti-inflammatory ingredients it’s great for skin conditions, such as acne, eczema, psoriasis, keratosis pilaris, etc.  Including this soup in your regular diet along with foods high in omega 3, fresh fruit, and fresh dark green vegetables will have your skin glowing.

Ginger has been used in eastern cultures for centuries as “food medicine.”  Turmeric in Ayurvedic medicine is considered a healing food for acne and other skin conditions.  If you can get fresh turmeric, it’s the best.  While dried is good, fresh turmeric has a smoother, less pungent taste then it’s dried form.  Asian markets and larger Whole Foods carry it.  It really makes a difference in the taste.  But, I don’t always have fresh turmeric on hand, so I use the dry form. 

The base of the soup always has either vegetable or chicken stock, onions, ginger, turmeric, cilantro, and garlic.  While I change-up certain vegetables, I always include onions, some type of mushroom and greens (spinach, kale, watercress, etc.).  Really, the soup is delicious with just those three vegetables.  And it great served with lime wedges.  Lime juice adds another level of flavor. 

I love using homemade stock, but hey, time doesn’t always allow for it.  When I use commercial stock, I use a very good quality stock and always organic.  I also find commercial stocks much more condensed in taste, so I dilute them.   Usually, I dilute them about half stock and half water.  Vegetable stock I may dilute a bit more.

This soup is a great one to play with for flavor and ingredients.  I usually serve it with bean thread or rice noodles.  Lately, however, we have eaten it without any starch, or I have really enjoyed serving it with sticky short grain rice.  That’s what I love about it, you can play around with the ingredients.  For examples, if I could eat shrimp I would probably add some at the end of the cooking process.

The other thing I enjoy about making this soup is that the vegetables are rough cut.  They aren’t diced in small pieces, so it really speeds up the time.  The soup can be made in about 30 minutes or less, depending on the vegetables added. 

Yum Asian Style Anti-Inflammation Soup – serves 6

64 oz homemade chicken or vegetable stock – if using commercial stock dilute 32 oz of stock with 32 oz of water
1 large onion cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced – about 4 cups
2 cups sliced mushrooms of any variety (frozen shitake nice to have on hand for this soup)
2  cups rough cut chopped greens (spinach, kale, swiss chard, watercress)
½  cup chopped cilantro
1 Tablespoon fresh grated ginger
2 – 3 teaspoons fresh grated turmeric (if using dry turmeric, 2 teaspoons)
4 cloves garlic chopped
1 Tablespoon chopped jalapeno or other hot pepper (optional)
salt/pepper to taste
6 lime wedges
4 – 5 cups prepared rice noodles, or 4 cups cooked rice (optional)

If serving with rice noodles, start the noodles soaking.  If serving with rice, start cooking rice.

In a large pot, add the stock, onions, ginger, turmeric, garlic, salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat so soup simmers.  Cook about 12 minutes; add the mushrooms and greens, cook about 10 minutes; add cilantro.  Taste for seasonings. You want a nice balance between the ginger and turmeric.  Simmer for additional 5 minutes.  Serve as is or over rice noodles or rice.

Options
other vegetables – If you use other vegetables, make sure to keep a nice balance of the amount of vegetables used so the soup remains brothy.  Also add the vegetables that take longer to cook first, so the softer vegetables, keep their color. 

Some vegetables suggestions: celery, carrots cut on diagonal.  If you use celery or carrots, add them with the onions and cook until tender soft.  Other vegetables, such as snow peas or peas, add in the last 5 minutes to keep their texture and color.

Add a couple tablespoons of tamari or soy sauce.  If you do this, reduce or eliminate the salt.

Add a little shrimp in the last few minutes.

Add some bean sprouts last 5 minutes of cooking

Sometimes I sauté the onion (carrots and celery too if being added) in some extra virgin olive oil for a few minutes then add half the spices (ginger, turmeric, garlic) and sauté for about a minute or so before adding the chicken stock.  Then I add the remaining portion of the spices after the stock begins to simmer.

Happy Eating

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Get Your Happiness On

7 Mar Hot Air Balloons Take Flight

So, for skin to be healthy and beautiful, you need good nutrition, good sleep and rest, exercise, a skincare regimen, great products (ha-hum), etc.  However, there is something we tend not to relate with healthy, beautiful skin and that is happiness and laughter.  Do not underestimate what feeling happy and laughing can do for the skin. 

Happiness and laughter bring a natural glow to the skin.  Feelings of happiness, reduce stress and lower blood pressure, which gets reflected on your skin with less wrinkles, improvement in skin conditions, such as acne and eczema, and more suppleness.  With less stress and worry, more nutrients flow to your skin instead of being directed to bodily functions that are a part of the body’s “fight and flight” response.

An Angel We Can All Love

Kick Start Your Happiness Gene
Okay, we don’t really know if there is a happiness gene.   But imagine there is one, and we are going to turn it on.

The quickest way to turn on your “happiness gene” is to think or list all the things you love, every little thing and every big thing you can think of.  Just keep going and going and going with the list.  Hand-n-hand with love is gratitude.  Again, list all the things big and small, you are grateful for.  If it’s hard getting started, think of all the people whose work makes your lifestyle possible: farmers, utility workers, builders, grocery workers, farm workers, automobile designers and workers, etc. 

Albert Einstein, one of the greatest scientists ever, gave thanks and gratitude 100 times a day every day.

A hundred times a day I remind myself that my inner and outer lives are based on the labors of other people, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving.

Here are few videos and images to jump start your happiness! Yeah, some are cute, some funny, and some ridiculous.  Enjoy.

Ridiculous Happiness

Lizards Get Happy Too

Blossoms Bring Hope

Joyous Abandonment: It's Catchy

Piggy Possum...Too Full to Move...Caught Red Handed

Nothing Like a Good Roll in the Snow

Sign of Spring

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Take the Woe out of Winter’s Dry Skin

20 Feb

Yesterday CNN Health promoted a segment about ways to help dry skin during the winter months.  I hung around to see what  I could learn.  I was disappointed; it was the same old tired information that has been repeated year after year after year, and it is the same information that is on almost every website discussing dry skin.  CNN’s report was basically a fluff piece, something that is not uncommon in television news. 

Is This How Your Skin Feels?

Their expert (dermatologist) suggested not to take hot showers or baths; keep the showers short; apply moisturizer; give extra attention to joints (elbows and knees).  Common sense tell us the same thing.  It really annoyed me that CNN (ditto to other news outlets that do this) has an almost unlimited amount of resources, and this was the best it could come up with.  While the suggestions are helpful to some extent, they will not give much relief.  I know.  I did them for years.  So, I am going to pick-up where CNN left off and give you some other insights and suggestions to help get your dry skin under control.

Things That Can Worsen Dry Skin
Definitely, winter’s dry air and the dry air heat in homes and offices create the perfect setting to suck the moisture right out of your skin.  At the same time, however, there could be things that contribute to your dry skin that you do not notice during other times of the year because the dryness is not as severe.  During, say the summer months when there is more humidity in the air, your skin may not be as dry.  Therefore, you may not notice factors other than winter that contribute to your dry skin woes.  Even if that is not the case with you, these still may worsen winter’s dry skin: 

  • Trigger Foods.
    You may have a sensitivity or allergy to certain foods that reveals itself on your skin.  Wheat, gluten, yeast, corn (including corn by-products), dairy, and sugar are usual suspects.  For example, wheat, yeast, and sugar make my dry skin and seborrhea worse.  An elimination diet is  an easy way to see if certain foods bother you.  With an elimination diet, you eliminate one food for a certain period of time and then reintroduce it.  
  • Alcohol.
    Drinking alcoholic beverages increases dry skin because it dehydrates the body.  For women, this is even more so because women have less body water then men ( (52% for the average woman v. 61% for the average man) to begin with.  Also, alcohol stays in women’s body longer then men because women metabolize it slower, which will affect the skin in numerous ways.
  • Caffeine.
    Too much caffeine will also worsen dry skin.  Caffeine is a diuretic that increases the excretion of water from the body; thereby increasing dehydration.  Also, too much caffeine can cause nutrients to be excreted from the body.  Since the skin is the last organ to receive nutrients, a lack of or decrease in them will affect it.
  • Smoking.
    Really nothing more needs to be said.  Smoking is bad any way you look at it. Period.
  • Wool and Lanolin.
    You may be allergic or sensitive to wool.  Of course, you don’t wear wool in the summer, so you would not notice it.  If you are sensitive or allergic to wool, it will make your dry skin worse.  Since lanolin is derived from wool, lanolin in products can make you dry skin worse.
  • Glycerin.  
    Humectants, such as glycerin,     are believed to draw moisture to the skin.  However, that is not the case for everyone.  Some people (self included) dry skin becomes worse when using glycerin products.  Also, research has shown that in dry climates and when humidity is low (winter – less than 65%)  glycerin draws moisture away from the skin.  Another thing to watch out for is petroleum derived glycerin.  This is a cheaper version of glycerin.  Also, glycerin can be obtained from animals.  Petroleum and animal based glycerine can be harsh for your skin.  If you want to use glycerine, make sure the product states that it is a vegetable form.
  • Chemicals and Petroleum-based Ingredients.
    They can irritate the skin, making dry skin itchy and drier.  Often they are added because they are cheap.  Products made with them are marketed to make them alluring to the consumer.  They are often used to emulsify; preserve; give a certain feel or texture, and/or scent skincare products.
  • Lotions.
    Lotions can build up on the skin; therefore not giving skin a chance to shed dead skin cells.  If dead skin cells are not removed, your skin will be flakier.
  • Sugar/ artificially sweetened carbonated  beverages.  
    Stop or reduce your consumption of these because of the chemicals, such as phosphoric acid, and sugar.  They will irritate already dry skin and too much phosphoric acid found in many sodas (esp. colas) interferes with absorption of some nutrients, such as calcium and vitamin K.  Vitamin K is an important skin nutrient.      
  • Cleansing bars.
    What is usually referred to as “soap,” is generally a detergent.  These detergent bars can be too harsh for dry skin.  The same with most commercial shower gels; they are too harsh for dry skin.

Things That Can Help Dry Skin
Dry dead skin cells hang around because there is not enough oils to help them to flake off.  Skin oils keeps skin moisturized as well as help with the removal of dead skin.  The plan then is to find ways to increase skin oils, keep moisture in, and remove dead skin cells.  Try these suggestions and see if they help you combat dry skin:

  • Increase omega 3 fatty acid intake.
    One of the symptoms of omega 3 deficiency is dry skin.  And as we have stated several times on this blog, most Americans are deficient in omega 3 while being high in omega 6.  Omega 3 and omega 6 need to be in balance.  Due to the western diet, Americans are out of balance with these essential nutrients.
  • Eat fresh vegetables and fruit daily.
    Dark green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale, collards, and broccoli (not a leafy vegetable, but is skin loving) have many skin-loving nutrients.
  • Eat foods high in vitamin C.
    Research shows that vitamin C helps with wrinkles and dry skin. Vitamin C helps form collagen.
  • Drink WATER daily.
    There is nothing like good ‘ol water for keeping skin hydrated.  Juice, soda, coffee, and tea don’t count.
  • Use a warm air vaporizer or humidifier.
    Place one in your bedroom and/or home.
  • Exfoliate regularly, at least once a week. 
    Because there is not enough oil on the skin, dead skin needs to be manually removed.  I exfoliate every time I shower.  Be careful, do not use harsh detergent exfoliators.
  • Water filter for the shower head.
    Chlorine in water is dry skins worst enemy and winter only makes it worse.  So invest in a water filter for the shower head; they start at about $35.00 – $45.00 dollars; you’ll thank me.  They make a huge difference.  And if you want to take a bath, you can run the water through the shower filter (takes awhile, but worth it).  A dechlorination ball also works great for baths.  We’re familiar with Rainshower Dechlorination Crystal Ball.  You use it by placing the ball in the tub as it fills with water.
  • Moisturize skin at least 2x day.
    But do not use just any old moisturizer, moisturizers are not created equal.  Of course, we prefer plant oils and botanicals to lotions.
  • Keep skin covered.
    This help skin to retain as much moisture as possible.
  • Exfoliate the bottoms of your feet.
    Nightly before going to bed scrub the soles with a body brush.  Afterwards, massage a plant-based oil into them (extra virgin olive oil, almond oil, coconut oil, etc.) and put on cotton socks.  Your feet will love you for it.  The bonus is that this routine is very relaxing and will help you to sleep.
  • Pamper dry hands.
    Apply moisturizer (plant based) and wear a pair of cotton gloves over them to bed.
  • Spritz face throughout the day. 
    Use an herbal hydrosol (skin loves rose and lavender) to add moisture to your face during the day.  It’s an especially good way to moisturize skin while wearing make-up.  You can also use plain distilled water in a spritzer.

These are our suggestions to help winter’s dry skin.  If you have a suggestion we missed, we would love to hear it.  Just add your comment below.

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