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Thinking about going raw?

Thinking about going raw? | The Organic Beauty BlogSummer is the absolute perfect time to be incorporating more raw foods into your diet.  Raw foods are alkalizing, cooling, cleansing (not to mention slimming!), nutrient-dense, and have the perfect carbohydrate balance for a high-energy summer.   Try making fresh green juices, salads, fruit, raw nuts and seeds, and sprouted raw grains a bigger focus in your summer eating, and you will be amazed at how much more energized, light, and happy you will feel.

Summer is also the ideal time to transition into a 100% raw food diet, if you have ever considered going that route.  Although a completely raw foods diet is a little too hardcore for me, I totally respect the determination and willpower necessary to make it happen (and definitely envy the boundless energy, amazing skin, and teeny tiny waistlines of those who go totally raw).  But going raw doesn’t have to be an all or nothing endeavor!  I myself love doing occasional raw food cleanses, and going raw for just a couple of days can do a lot of amazing good for your body.  Even having a raw breakfast and dinner, and a normal, healthy, cooked lunch can be an amazingly cleansing detox for 3-5 days!

Making the transition to a raw foods diet can be a grueling process if you don’t have access to the right resources to aid you.  Here in New York, we’re lucky enough to have tons of options (like my beloved Pure Food and Wine) for experiencing raw foods, but you don’t need to live in the big city to enjoy the benefits of a raw, or occasionally raw diet.  The Institute for Integrative Nutrition (my alma mater) recently posted a really great list of raw foods resources on their blog, with great recipes, books, films, products and kitchen tools that form the Ultimate Raw Food Resource.  Check it out for some great ideas!

Organic Beauty Raw Watermelon Gazpacho
I’ve been seeing watermelon gazpachos popping up on menus all over NYC, and wanted to share my own version. This super yummy twist on popular, chilled soup is one of my favorite refreshing summer dishes… perfect for the 90+ degree weather!

Ingredients:

Thinking about going raw? 2 | The Organic Beauty Blog8 cups seedless watermelon, chopped
1 local cucumber, peeled and chopped
1/5 of an organic red or yellow bell pepper, chopped
2 tbsp minced shallot
1 organic jalapeno pepper, diced
1/2 avocado, chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil
2 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp organic rice wine vinegar
3/4 tsp sea salt (or to taste)

Combine all ingredients except the avocado in a large mixing bowl.  Blend about 3 cups of the mixture at a time, and pour into a separate bowl.  When all of the soup is completely blended, chill for at least 10-15 minutes, then serve, garnished with a handful of chopped avocado and sprouts.  If serving as an appetizer or amuse bouche, use glasses, if as an entree, the soup looks gorgeous in a white bowl.

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Nip Seasonal Allergies in the Bud

Seasonal Allergies | The Organic Beauty Blog

After a blissfully allergy-free spring, I walked out of the house yesterday morning and instantly started sneezing and sniffling.  I check the allergy report for Brooklyn and saw that the pollen level was labeled as high.. which definitely explained why so many other people on the train and in my office seemed to be suffering from similar symptoms.

Seasonal allergies affect nearly 40 million Americans, which becomes really apparent this time of year. There are over-the-counter medications, of course, but many people experience side effects (dry mouth and throat, fatigue, headaches, hoarseness, feeling jittery or spacey) that can be as bad as the allergies themselves.  And long term use of prescription allergy medication is responsible for a whole host of unpleasant effects like high blood pressure, glaucoma, osteoporosis, and stunted or delayed growth in children.  Luckily, there are steps we can take to treat the symptoms naturally, or prevent seasonal allergies altogether!

Neti pots are by far the most effective weapon against seasonal allergies, and can be used as both a preventative measure and as treatment.  Basically, netis are traditional ayurvedic tools that look like little tea pots (traditionally ceramic, though commercial, store-bought netis are plastic) with a special spout small enough to fit in your nostril.  When filled with lukewarm water and a powdered saline solution, the liquid irrigates and cleanses the nasal passages, and also thins the mucus built up in there, flushing it out of your nose.  If you are prone to seasonal allergies, start using a neti pot daily a little before your symptoms would typically start.  Regular use will strengthen your nasal cilia, improving their ability to remove allergens, bacteria, and other irritants from your nose before they start causing problems.  If you’re already experiencing symptoms, you can start using your neti morning and night to flush out allergens and ease congestion.

Apple Cider Vinegar is a magic cure-all that I’ve written about before (see: The Magic of Apple Cider Vinegar), and healing the symptoms of seasonal allergies is just one of its many benefits.  When I got to work, sniffling and sneezing yesterday, I instantly poured myself a glass of water with a tablespoon of organic, raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar, and I kid you not, an hour later, I was totally fine.  And the effects lasted for the entire day!  I started my day off today with the same formula before I even left the house, and had absolutely no sign of allergies.. even though the pollen count was even higher today!

If you’re lucky enough to have access to local honey (like, seriously, from-within-a few-miles local is best), that can be a huge boost to your allergy fighting powers.  Regularly consuming local honey (and chewing on the honey combs too) helps to desensitize your immune system to the pollen in your area, effectively rendering it harmless to your body!  Eat 2 tablespoons of local honey (raw and organic, whenever possible) every day starting two months before allergy season, and you’ll notice a big difference!

Lastly, the right supplements can help your system fight off seasonal allergies.  Studies have found that high levels of vitamin C (around 2000 mg a day) significantly helps those prone to allergies avoid symptoms, due to its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant qualities.  Omega 3 fatty acids (which are another general cure-all) have also been found to decrease inflammation and symptoms of seasonal allergies.  Eating lots of foods like salmon (wild-caught) and walnuts, and/or supplementing with a high quality fish oil (around 2g a day) will help with allergies as well as a host of other health benefits.

So next time you start sneezing and sniffling, don’t reach straight for the OTC medications or sprays.. Try some natural solutions first that will boost your overall immunity and health, without any long or short term side effects!

Gluten: Mortal Frenemy?

Gluten Mortal Frenemy? 2 | The Organic Beauty BlogGluten has been getting a lot of attention of late, as celebrities and health practitioners promote the benefits of a gluten-free diet, while other medical professionals and nutritionists taut it as a necessary nutrient and poo-poo the recent rise of gluten-free eating trends. With all the confusion, questions about gluten are ones I receive most often from my clients and readers.  What exactly is gluten?  Is it bad for everyone?  What are the benefits of a gluten-free diet?  Do I need to eliminate gluten? Read on to demystify this food once and for all.
What is gluten, and why is it problematic?
Gluten is a protein composite present in many breads, grains, and cereals like wheat, barley, and rye, as well as many vegetarian meat-substitutes.  It has a gluey texture that holds together dough and can give a hearty texture to fake meats.  It is this same gluey substance that can gum up the sensitive microvilli that line our intestinal walls, causing a whole slew of uncomfortable symptoms ranging from bloating and gas to malnutrition, skin problems, chronic fatigue, depression and even autism (you can find a more exhaustive list below).  As estimated 1 in 133 people have a genetic predisposition to the more sever end of these problems (see Celiac’s Disease Foundation for more information), others have a legitimate allergic reaction to wheat, but for most people (an estimated 1 in 20 Americans), sensitivity to gluten is a bi-product of an already damaged gut.  Diets high in processed foods, sugar, and alcohol that are low in nutrient- and fiber-rich foods can increase mucus in the intestines, making it very difficult to comfortably digest gluten (as well as dairy and soy).  Prolonged use of antibiotics and exposure to environmental toxins can also cause this damage to occur.  The recent rise in awareness and diagnosis of gluten-related disorders is due in no small part to these factors now being so much more present in our daily lives.  Eliminating these co-factors from our diet and lifestyles (in addition to temporarily eliminating gluten and other irritant foods) can give the damaged gut a chance to heal, and thereby, help us to again enjoy glutenous foods (in moderation).  So, in short, gluten is usually not, in itself, unhealthy.

Do I suffer from a gluten sensitivity?

As I hinted at above, eating glutenous foods can have terrible effects on a body that has an already damaged gut, wheat allergy, or genetic predisposition toward Celiac’s disease.  The symptoms in all three of these cases tend to overlap quite a bit, so determining which you may be suffering from might require some professional guidance.  Symptoms of gluten sensitivity can include:

  • Abdominal cramping and bloating
  • Gas
  • Diarrhea and/or constipation
  • Anemia
  • Vitamin deficiencies
  • Unexplained weight loss or gain
  • Joint pain
  • Eczema
  • Fatigue, low energy, and weakness
  • Asthma or other breathing problems
  • Infertility and irregular menstrual cycle
  • Depression and mood swings
  • Migraines and headaches
  • Autism
If you regularly experience any of the above, do a little experiment:  completely eliminate gluten from your diet for 2 weeks, and see if the condition improves.  If it does, well, there’s your answer.  If a lifetime of avoiding gluten doesn’t seem like your cup of tea, work with a holistic practitioner to naturally heal your intestinal villi and gradually incorporate gluten back into your diet.  If you are diagnosed with Celiac’s, I’m sorry, but the GF life is the life for you.  But there are so many delicious alternatives to gluten out there now, that with a little guidance, I promise, you won’t even miss it!
A lot of people just assume that experiencing these symptoms is normal, and ignore what their bodies are telling them.  In addition to being generally unpleasant, letting these symptoms go untreated can lead to much worse issues down the road… Left untreated for long periods of time, a gluten intolerance can lead to osteoporosis, neurological disorders, bowel cancer, and diabetes. So if you even suspect that gluten may be the culprit of any of the above symptoms, definitely try eliminating it for a period of time and see how you feel.  (And as always, feel free to contact me if you need more guidance.)

I don’t have any of these symptoms, but isn’t a gluten-free diet healthier?
There is no easy answer to this, but in short, no.  Gluten is not inherently unhealthy.  That being said, SO many people suffer from gluten sensitivities that they are not even aware of and a slew of related symptoms that avoiding it can be a great relief.  For those that have established that gluten is not an issue for them, there is no direct benefit Gluten Mortal Frenemy? | The Organic Beauty Blogfrom avoiding it.  I have found, however, that there are those for whom wheat can have a negative impact on weight.  If you find that wheat and wheat products make up a large portion of your diet, going gluten-free can have the nice little side effect of helping you cut down on processed grains, particularly those with white flour (which have a direct impact on weight gain).  Gluten-free grains like quinoa are super high in protein and other beneficial nutrients, making them definitely preferable to common wheat-based foods like pasta and white breads, and if going gluten-free helps to make the transition to healthier grains, then it could be a great choice!  For those looking to lose weight, going gluten-free can also help a lot with making healthier choices when eating out (ie: a vegetable dish over pasta with cheese) and traveling (ie: some dried fruit or nuts instead of pretzels).
Ok, I want to go GF.. But what do I eat?
Just walk down the aisle at your local Whole Foods or health food store and you’ll see what a huge market GF has become.  Everything from breads to pastas, cookies to flours (even chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream!) are now available gluten-free.  BUT, if you’ll notice, all of those foods I listed should definitely not be topping out the list of what we should be consuming regularly.  As with any healthy diet, the bulk of what we eat should be home-cooked, where we have control over the ingredients we use.  There are so many amazing websites and cookbooks full of delicious gluten-free recipes (Gluten Free Goddess is a personal favorite of mine) that it’s really just a matter of readjusting the ingredients you use regularly, and you can still enjoy all of your favorite meals!  

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the process of making the transition to a gluten-free diet, or need help determining if you might have a gluten sensitivity, I can help!  Check out NU Health & Wellness for more information.
Sources:
Beck, Melinda (2011).  Clues to Gluten Sensitivity, The Wall Street Journal

Spring Detox: Shed Winter Weight and Get Your Energy Back!

Spring Detox | The Organic Beauty Blog

I’ve written a lot about the benefits of seasonal cleansing, but it being spring, I want to go into a little more depth about the importance of getting your system detoxified and cleaned out after a long winter.  Basically, if you’re only going to do one cleanse a year, this is the time to do it.  If you’re up to doing a more intensive cleanse, check out my article on how to detox and cleanse the right way. For those who aren’t quite ready to go all out, you can reap a lot of the benefits of a detox just by consciously incorporating cleansing, seasonal spring foods into our diets to reverse the effects of winter.

In the winter months, our bodies naturally crave more warming, protein-rich, heavier foods that insulate us (physically and even psychologically) against the cold, comfort us, and provide an additional boost to our immunity to keep us healthy.  Often times, those foods cause us to gain a bit of winter weight (which is totally normal, and can even be healthy!)…  However, come spring, our bodies have an innate need to shed that weight, detoxify the organs from the heavier winter diet, and get light and healthy for spring.  Spring’s harvest provides us with all of the foods to start making this happen:  astringent bitter greens and roots, antioxidant berries, and super nutrient-rich sprouts, which all serve as an antidote to the heavier vegetables, grains, and in some cases meat and diary that we’ve been consuming all winter.  The spring is a time of rejuvenation and cleansing in nature, and it has the same purpose for the human body: to detoxify the system and to reset our ability to burn fat.

In early spring, animals are naturally drawn to eating more bitter roots that serve to cleanse the intestines of built up mucus from our winter diets.  We, too, should focus on incorporating spring’s root vegetables into our diets for this same purpose.  As we transition out of the the colder months, we should eat more celeriac, beets, new potatoes, radishes, turnips, jicama, and fennel, which are all super cleansing and break down our intestinal mucosa.  You can supplement and intensify this effect with dandelion root tea, which also has a detoxifying effect, particularly on the liver.  Make sure to up your water intake during this period, and cut down (if not completely eliminate) heavy foods rich in mucous like dairy, oily or fried foods, processed sugars or artificial sweeteners, and anything overly salty.  In addition to gently cleaning out your intestines and detoxifying your organs, you will also be eliminating excess water weight from winter.

Once you’ve begun to clean out your intestines, the next step is to fertilize your gut with healthy bacteria.  Having the proper balance of intestinal flora is vital for proper digestion (and elimination), which is what keeps old, stagnating food from getting stuck in your system and causing bloating, weight gain, and a whole mess of other unpleasant digestive issues.  Luckily, mid-spring provides us with a bounty of delicious and astringent leafy greens and sprouts that refertilize your gut and also make up a perfect light, low-fat seasonal diet.  As you move into April/early May, try to comprise as much of your diet as possible of watercress, baby spinach, dandelion greens, chicory and endive, as well as bean and alfalfa sprouts which are all super high in nutrients and full of healthy flora.  These light, fresh and springy foods are the perfect antidote to slow, heavy and cold winter foods, and will do remarkable things to your body and your energy levels.

The last step to a super effective, spring detox is to flush out the lymphatic system.  Lymphatic stagnation is something that effects most of us year round, but can have the most profoundly negative effects as we come out of the winter months.  Chronic colds, weak immunity, sore joints, weight gain, headaches, depression, and low energy are all symptoms many experience during the winter months, and a lot of them are due to our impaired ability to flush out toxins and fat through our lymphatic system.  Late spring provides us with the perfect harvest of berries to get our lymphatic system moving again, and flush out all the toxins we have dislodged from our intestines and internal organs.  Once the weather begins to warm and the berry season starts, we can start eating tons of seasonal cherries, raspberries, blueberries and strawberries to flush out our newly balanced intestines destagnate our lymphatic system.  As this flushing occurs, energy levels soar, immunity is boosted, and we can say goodbye to sniffles, sore joints, aches and pains.

The seasons provide us with ways to cleanse our system, maintain healthy weight, and be in our best health possible.. all it takes is some intuition to eat what is seasonally available at the time when it is offered by nature.  By taking the time to reset our digestion and metabolism in the spring months, we are able to recharge our ability to burn fat and detoxify our organs naturally, without having to take extreme measures or go on difficult deprivation diets.  Spring’s harvest features the year’s most potent toolkit of foods to get our bodies on track for maximum health.  It is the most vital time for cleansing and gives us the easiest set of directions to follow to lose weight, gain energy, and clean out our bodies.. Just by eating what the season gives us!

For a convenient chart of spring’s seasonal foods, see Dr. John Douillard’s Spring Grocery List

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Foods for Your Best Performance Yet

Foods for Best Performance | The Organic Beauty Blog
When I was preparing one of my most difficult roles to date, the title role in Ariadne auf Naxos, I was having a lot of difficulty hitting the high notes in the main aria during our evening rehearsals.  At other times, at home and during lessons, it was no issue at all, but when our 6pm rehearsals came around, 9 times out of 10, I bombed it.  I was getting desperately frustrated when my conductor asked me what I ate before rehearsal.  I usually just grabbed a smoothie on my way, and ate dinner afterward.  He pointed out that this was likely the problem.  But I was so paranoid at that point about making the situation worse with the wrong foods, that I didn’t know where to start.
We all know what foods to avoid before going on stage.  Dairy, coffee, heavy, starchy foods can create mucus or dry you out, making it difficult to sing or project your voice clearly (not to mention hitting those high notes!), and making your body feel weighted down and sluggish. But what are some foods that enhance your ability to perform?
A balanced meal, no less than an hour before going on stage can be the difference between a struggling, lackluster performance, and an energized, impressive one.  Many performers tend to err on the side of extremes, eating too little the day of a performance, or loading up on carbohydrates and rich foods to feel “grounded” and “supported.”  Both of these tendencies are not only unhealthy, but they also keep you from performing at your best.  What kind of foods to eat largely depends on when you are performing.
If you’re performing in the morning, make sure to eat a balanced breakfast with a form of protein.  A couple of organic eggs with some sprouted whole grain toast and berries, or steel cut oatmeal with almonds and cranberries (made on water or almond milk, not dairy milk) are great choices.
If you’re performing mid-day or in the early evening, a slightly larger meal is best to keep your blood sugar level throughout the performance.  A large salad with a variety of brightly colored, organic vegetables, some beans or nuts, and a mild, non-dairy dressing works really well.  My personal favorite pre-performance food (and the one that got me through Ariadne) is sushi with brown rice.  The fish provides a great, lightweight protein, and the brown rice is ideal for slow-burning energy.  Just go easy on the wasabi, which can aggravate vocal chords.  If fish isn’t your thing, a small piece of free-range chicken with some brown rice or quinoa can do the trick as well.
Either way, make sure to drink lots of water or tea, and stay away from alcohol, caffeine, or carbonated beverages day of.  Eating the right foods gives you the energy to get through a performance at the top of your game, helps keep your voice clear and strong, and helps you look your best as well (which is especially important if there are any corsets or leotards involved!).

Nut Butter Death Match: Almond vs. Peanut

Image via fitsugar.com

Peanut butter has long been a standby of moms and lazy 20-somethings nationwide… More recently, it has gained renown in the world of dieting as a healthy snack and protein-rich breakfast option.  But is peanut butter really the best choice?  Many signs point to no.

Eating peanuts or peanut butter in any quantity beyond a taste here and there carries the danger of introducing mycotoxins into the system, which, even in low doses can have immuno-compromising effects.  Peanuts often times are contaminated with aflatoxins, which are a result of molds that grow on peanuts as they are harvested from underground.    Although the USDA monitors levels of aflatoxins in peanuts and peanut products, the levels they consider reasonably safe are, as usual, a lot higher than what is advisable for smart people who want to limit their exposure to carcinogenic and otherwise harmful toxins.

I first became aware of this less than favorable characteristic of peanut butter when I received a list of dietary recommendations from my doctor to help me fight off some potentially pre-cancerous cells a little over a year ago.  (Incidentally, after adopting all of her suggestions, including eliminating peanuts from my diet, the cells cleared up without the need for any medical procedures).  Being a lover of nut butters myself, I was eager to find a replacement for peanut butter that had just as potent nutritional benefits.  When I started eating raw, organic almond butter, I was so thrilled to find that it not only tasted loads better than peanut butter, but also was arguably healthier! Almond butter has less saturated fat, more calcium and iron, and is substantially higher in vitamin E than peanut butter.  Combine that with the lack of harmful mycotoxicity, and the winner is clear!

ALMOND BUTTER TAKES THE CAKE!

My favorite brand is Once Again Raw Organic Almond Butter. I love the consistency of the crunchy almond butter.  And looking at the ingredients just makes me so happy… nothing but almonds!  There are other good ones out there, but just make sure to read the label.  There should be nothing in there but raw, organic almonds.

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How to Detox or Cleanse the RIGHT Way

What Is Detoxing?

Regardless of how well we eat and how much we minimize our exposure to harmful toxins, our bodies can derive a whole lot of good from a detox or cleanse that is approached responsibly.  Toxins can build up in our livers, kidneys, and digestive tracts, leading to a whole slew of uncomfortable phenomena:  fatigue, constipation, skin breakouts, low libido, premature aging, and weight gain… not to mention far worse, long-term effects like lowered immunity, liver toxicity, and, yes, the big C.

The practice of detoxifying the body is an ancient one, from the ancient Greek and Roman concepts of “autointoxication,” to the ritual fasts that are a part of nearly every single documented religion (used for both spiritual and health benefits).  Today, we know more about the effects of these practices, and have honed in on methods that are less extreme, but equally beneficial, and can fit into our busy, everyday lives.  Cleanses can vary in intensity from juice fasts, to raw food diets, to taking special supplements to detoxify various organs.  Here are the easiest and healthiest ways to detoxify and cleanse your system, from least to most intensive.

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nymag: “Vegetables are the New Meat”

NYmag declared in last week’s issue that Vegetables Are The New Meat, in an article describing New York’s new found love for all things vegetable.  David Chang, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, even Mario Batali are all adding vegetable-focused cuisine to their new restaurants and menus.  And it’s about time!!  With all the city’s amazing farmer’s markets, bursting at the seams with colorful, delicious, local produce, New Yorkers are wising up to the idea that a delicious, 5-star meal does not need to be centered around a meat or protein to be amazing, satisfying, and worth the money.  So get over your meat-and-potatoes mindset, and start chowing down some black kale, sunchokes, and kabocha squash!

Also check out:
Six Veggie Staples
and Quiz: Are You a Vegivore?

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Ladies, Lay off the Fries and Chips!

A new study in the British Journal of Cancer found that acrylamide, the chemical that is released when starchy foods (particularly potatoes) are fried at high temperatures, is associated with an average of 40% greater risk of breast cancer among pre-menopausal women.  So not only do fried foods pile on the pounds, make your skin breakout, and increase your risk of heart disease, they now officially cause cancer as well…  Think about it… are those Fritos really worth that much risk?

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The Organic Beauty Book List 2010

There is a whole lot of information out there about health, beauty, and food, some of it a little more contradictory that we would like.  Some advocate local over organic produce, some the other way around; some say there is no way to be healthy and keep meat in your diet, others say the only an omnivore can be truly healthy; some push a hard line DIY lifestyle as the only way to keep your body and home safe and toxin free, others say everything in moderation.  So how do we figure out which advice to follow?

My philosophy has always been to soak up as much knowledge as possible, and use common sense and a knowledge of one’s self and one’s own habits to figure out what works best.  There is no universal cure-all or answer that will work for everyone.  That said, there have definitely been some books that have been instrumental in my figuring out where to be strict and where to let things slide, as well as helping to create a general knowledge base that informs my decisions of what to put in, on, and around my body.  Check out a few of these titles, or go the distance and read ’em all to make yourself a fabulously educated Organic Beauty!

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