Food for Thought

One More Reason to Enjoy your Tea
In general, oxidation is a process that is widespread and crucial for life. However this process can also damage cells when not controlled. Antioxidants can be found naturally in both plants and animals; their role is to protect against the damage caused by oxidation. The damage-causing elements that result from oxidation are known as 'free radicals'. Stress to the body caused by Free Radicals can lead to various diseases and illnesses. In fact, oxidative stress is likely the root cause of many of the common degenerative disease seen in our society.
 
Antioxidants attack Free Radicals and prevent their damage
Antioxidants are found in many foods but can be found in significant quantities in beans, grains, fruit and vegetables. Tea also contains a great deal of Antioxidants. All teas from the Camellia tea plant are rich in polyphenols, which are antioxidants. In fact, some research points to tea as having eight to ten times as many polyphenols as fruits and vegetables!
 
Currently, the bulk of research points to the myriad of health benefits of drinking tea. For example, scientists have found that regular tea drinkers (people who drink two cups or more a day) have less heart disease and stroke, lower total and LDL cholesterol, and that they recover from heart attacks faster.  Tea is a tasty and health-promoting beverage that should be enjoyed daily!

Annie Salsberg, ND, Naturopathic Doctor, Part-time Faculty and Clinic Supervisor, & Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine + founder of Benoosh Tea Company www.benooshtea.com

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Try this Lemon Lime Shake today for lunch.
 
The basic building blocks of food are carbs, plant based proteins, and fats, this shake has healthy sources of each, to replenish your inner & outer skin today! Lemon Lime Shake (recipe below) with citrus, coconut, cucumber, and avocado!
•    1½ Hass avacado, roughly chopped
•    1 large cucumber, roughly chopped
•    1 ½ c young Thai coconut meat, roughly chopped
•    4 c young Thai coconut water
•    ¼ oz Stevia powder
•    ½ c lemon juice
•    ¼ c lime juice
•    Small pinch of Himalayan salt
Combine all ingredients in a high-power blender such as a Vita Mix and blend well until completely smooth. Makes 3 servings.
 
Denise Mari, founder of organic avenue http://www.organicavenue.com
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dinner like a pauper

Feast at breakfast, eat moderately at lunch, and start winding down your intake at dinner and you'll notice something amazing - you'll lose weight! Why? Because you're eating according to your metabolism and optimizing blood sugar control. Our bodies are naturally revved up in the morning so eating a big meal works with that. It also ensures a good steady supply of blood sugar until lunch and leaves us more time to burn the calories. In evening, metabolism naturally slows, as does our activity level, so a heavy meals makes no sense. I know, this can be tricky if you're used to running out the door with little or no breakfast, or if dinner parties are a staple in your social life. But if you make this change, your body will thank you for it.
 
Dr. Joey Shulman is the author of The Metabolism Boosting Diet and is the founder of The Shulman Weight Loss Clinic. For more information, please visit www.drjoey.com or www.shulmanweightloss.com

 

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Eat "good" fats throughout the day
Most of us don't have a good ratio of good fats to bad fats in our diet and this causes inflammation in our bodies that lead to health problems like heart disease, diabetes and cancer. A lack of the good (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) fats also can make our skin and hair dry, encourage belly fat, dampen our mood, and decrease fertility and libido. That's because these fats are essential for maintaining a youthful appearance and for production of neurotransmitters and sex hormones. So grab a handful of nuts or seeds, put some olive oil or avocado on your salad and definitely make sure you get in at least two servings of oily fish per week!
 
Dr. Joey Shulman is the author of The Metabolism Boosting Diet and is the founder of The Shulman Weight Loss Clinic. For more information, please visit www.drjoey.com or www.shulmanweightloss.com

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Quinoa is not just for lunch or dinner, try it for breakfast for a protien boost and a change from oatmeal!

These two recipes are created by Martha Stewart and the Wanna Be Chef

Breakfast Quinoa with Berries

Ingredients
•    2 cups whole or low-fat milk, plus more for serving
•    1 cup quinoa, rinsed
•    3 tablespoons light-brown sugar, plus more for serving
•    1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for serving
•    1 cup (1/2 pint) fresh blueberries, plus more for serving

Directions
1.    Bring milk to a boil in a small saucepan. Add quinoa, and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer, covered, until three-quarters of the milk has been absorbed, about 15 minutes.
2.    Stir in sugar and cinnamon. Cook, covered, until almost all the milk has been absorbed, about 8 minutes. Stir in blueberries, and cook for 30 seconds. Serve with additional milk, sugar, cinnamon, and blueberries. Makes 2 cups

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Hot Banana Breakfast Quinoa 

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 3 minutes

Ingredients(For 1 serving):

    * 1 banana, mashed
    * 1/3 cup cooked quinoa
    * 2 eggs
    * 1/4 teaspoon salt
    * 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
    * Nuts, nut butter, dried fruit, or sweetener for toppings

Method:

   1. Combine the mashed banana, quinoa, eggs, salt, and cinnamon together in a small bowl and mix thoroughly.
   2. Transfer the batter to a ramekin or other microwave-safe bowl, leaving a little room at the top to prevent overflow.
   3. Microwave on high for 3 minutes or until the center is cooked through and set.
   4. Top with nuts, dried fruit, and/or sweetener and eat hot.

The texture, as you can see, is soft and spongy almost like a baked bread pudding. You could also try baking it in the oven for 12-15 minutes which would result in a similar texture and flavor.