Fairly Green - Kale: How Good Is It?

I am trying to get back on track with my health and eating habits. So far, so good. I actually have been walking/exercising more and eating healthier since my return from Australia.

I decided to look into kale - it seems to be the new "hot" green to have. A year ago it was wheat grass and lately it's kale.  I see kale everywhere - in everything from smoothies to pizza. I think kale tastes very bitter but I was willing to give it another shot after my niece made me a very nice and tasty kale salad. Why is kale so good for you?

1.   Kale is rich in calcium, lutein, beta-carotene and vitamins A, C and K.
2.   It is only 33 calories per one-cup serving.
3.   It is a strong anti-inflammatory food and it's filled with omega-3 fatty acids. We know that omega-3 is helpful for arthritis, asthma and autoimmune disorders. I've got arthritis in my index finger and my neck which requires some attention. Sheeesh.
4.   Kale helps to keep your estrogen in balance. This is very important for women who are concerned about breast cancer and for those with estrogen-dominant illnesses like fibroids, fibrocystic breast disease or endometriosis. Eating kale is a natural way to help combat these diseases.

Is there anything bad with kale - can you overdo your kale intake, I wondered? The answer surprisingly, is YES. Raw kale is high in Vitamin K and should be eaten very sparingly if you are on blood thinners (and maybe not at all). The deep green of kale means that this cruciferous vegetable contains something called oxalates, which some testing has found to promote kidney stones. And worse news - high intake of kale has also been linked to hypothyroidism.

My husband can't eat kale but it would be a good addition to my diet. My alternative go to food is still Miessence Deep Green, of course, which contains freeze dried kale, plus 6 other super cleansing alkalizing green foods and vegan source of vitamin B12. I stir it into a 1/4 cup juice, chug it down and I am good to go. It's a good and easy source for all my mineral needs.

                        

So don't have a kale smoothie every day (which does seem to be a trend among some celebrities) and slowly introduce it into your diet. Like any food, variety and moderation is best. A trick to making kale less bitter, is to roll the crunchy leaves, cut out the fat vein in the leaf, chop and toss with a little lemon. Add tomato and balsamic dressing and it's pretty tasty. Happy health to you.

Your Fairly Green buddy,

                                                                              Karin

                                                                     

Do You Really Need a New Years Resolution?

Another January is here and we are presented with a clean slate to change things up if we want to. I wonder whether I should . Will I give up in a few weeks? Why bother, I ask myself. And it's always the same for me - exercise more, eat better. So this year I am changing up my game.

 It takes three weeks to break an old habit and three weeks to adopt a new habit. Here are my contenders:

1.  Look in the mirror in the morning and be thankful for something every day. I keep saying I'm going to try this - it's easy and it sounds like a great way to start my day.

2. Who said I have to be Superwoman? I tend to think that I 'have' to do everything, which is nonsense. Don't ask me where this comes from, but I really need to give this up.

3.  Eat 1 organic apple every day (well OK 5 days a week). If I pick anything in the lose weight/be more healthy arena, this will be it. I do this for months on end, and then just stop -- go figure.  Apples contain a multitude of wonderful properties for your health and even your brain.


4. Diffuse anger. Anger is not worth the stress it creates. I can choose not to get angry at ignorance or stupidity. I'm most likely not going to change anyone or their opinions - so why let it bother me.


5. Be kind more often. Every one is happy with kindness in the air.

6.  Substitute my afternoon coffee for a Berry Radical - it will give me a boost for that afternoon slump and it has an ORAC value of 4000 per teaspoon. That teaspoon is chock full of antioxidants and a heck of a lot better for me than coffee.

                                                    Miessence Berry Radical Superfood

Well there you have it. I think it's a pretty good list to choose from. What do you think? Did you make any goals for 2014? If you did, be kind to yourself and if you choose some New Year resolutions, don't make them too tough.
       Your Fairly Green buddy,
                   Karin

De-Stress with Food

The holidays are right around the corner….I know, scary isn’t it. 83% of Americans agree that stress can have an impact on their health, but only 29% say they know how to handle stress well. We all know that exercise helps stress, but did you know a variety of foods can help reduce stress-induced symptoms?
Certain foods contain vitamins and minerals that actually reduce the symptoms associated with stress and anxiety.

Avocados and Bananas: Both of these fruits are loaded with potassium, an excellent mineral that

helps keep blood pressure low. Make a batch of guacamole, or a protein shake with bananas. Just add some slices of avocado to a salad or a banana to your morning cereal.

Fish: Fish such as salmon and tuna contain omega-3 fatty acids, which can actually calm your nerves. In one study, students who were preparing for an exam, took omega-3 supplements and reported a 20% drop in their anxiety levels. Most types of fish contain important B vitamins, which are also stress-busters. Many types of fish are high in vitamin B12, which is particularly vital to serotonin production. In fact, a lack of vitamin B12 can lead to depression. For lunch, have a tuna salad or sandwich or add some grilled salmon to your salad 
Blueberries: This little blue power house is packed with antioxidants and vitamin C, which are potent stress relievers. As an added bonus, blueberries are low in calories - can't get better than that. Blueberries are also high in fiber, which can help alleviate digestive problems that arise during times of stress. Mix into plain non-fat Greek yogurt or oatmeal, or sprinkle on a salad.

Almonds: To replenish your body’s vitamins and minerals, grab a handful of almonds. Almonds are packed with vitamin B2 (riboflavin), magnesium, and zinc. B vitamins and magnesium help boost serotonin production, which is a feel-good chemical your body produces mainly to regulates your

mood and anxiety level. Zinc is essential to maintaining ideal energy and hormone levels. Both are linked to stress management.

Milk: Milk contains vitamins B2 and B12. These vitamins contain antioxidants that help destroy free radicals that are connected with stress. My preference, almond milk is also both high in B vitamins. Do you remember when we talked about having milk/almond milk to help you sleep - it  contains tryptophan which helps you to relax. Add milk to your smoothie or protein shake to make it a bit creamy and keep you calm!

Looking for Easy: Berry Radical is the ticket.
1 teaspoon Berry Radical
1 cup milk (almond milk)
1 teaspoon organic sugar (or Raw Organic Stevia)
Warm up a cup of milk and mix all the ingredients together.

A cup will give you a natural boost in the afternoon plus help fight off stress with high levels of antioxidants and yes, blueberries too!

I love the holidays but they do add stress to my life and trust me, I have to work on my health just like you do. I have to keep reminding myself to stay on target with exercise and not indulge in too many yummy, but bad-for-me snacks! But we can do it....a little bit at a time.

Your Fairly Green Buddy
Karin

8 Cool Cucumber Facts

Cucumbers are in your shopping cart occasionally, right?  Well here are 8 reasons to add cucumbers to your diet more often. 

Alkalize your body:   Cucumbers are one of the top green veggies to help keep your body in an alkaline state.  If your body is in an alkaline state, disease will be unable to grab a foothold. Remember, fruits and veggies and minimal meat and dairy.

Vitamins: You may be surprised to learn that cucumbers actually contain some great vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, Folic Acid, calcium plus loads of potassium, magnesium and zinc.  Cucumbers actually help provide many of your daily vitamins.

Fight Cancer: Cucumber contains some cancer fighting agents. Surprise! It contains
secoisolariciresinol, lariciresinol and pinoresinol.  These are 'plant lignans' and there is recent evidence to suggest that these lignans help reduce cardiovascular problems and hormone associated cancers (breast, uterine, ovarian, and prostate).

Arthritis and Gout: Cucumber is an excellent source of natural  mineral silica that promotes joint health by strengthening  connective tissue. Cucumber lowers level of uric acid in your system which can help relieve arthritis and gout pain. 

Hair and Nails: The wonderful mineral silica, contained in cucumber,  is also a boon to your hair and nails.  It makes nails stronger and hair shinier.  

Eliminate Toxins: Since cucumbers contain a lot of water, it is like a little broom cleaning away the waste products out of your body.  Eating a lot of cucumber will help dissolve or keep kidney stones at bay. 

Weight Loss and Digestion: Cucumbers have a high water content and lower calorie count so they are an ideal source for people who are dieting. Use lots of cucumber in your salads or munch on cucumber sticks with low calorie dip.  The fiber in cucumber is great for your digestion. 

Cholesterol: Researchers have found that sterols help decrease cholestrol levels.  Guess what?  Yup, cucumbers contain sterols to help lower your cholesterol.  Who knew!

Cucumber is an easy 'green' to add to your life. I love cucumber salad and make it every week.  It's quick and easy.  Now I'm going to add cucumber snacks to my lunches.  How about you?   

          Your Fairly Green buddy, 
                Karin

Karin's Easy Cucumber Salad
2 seedless cucumbers, peeled, thinly sliced (preferably organic :)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon organic sugar (or stevia to taste)
1/4 Teaspoon dill

1. Shred cucumbers (slice paper thin) and add salt. Let drain in colander for 5 minutes.
2. Mix yogurt, vinegar, sugar together. Add cucumbers and dill. Toss and serve chilled.

  


 

An Apple a Day - Reasons to Eat Organic

Welcome to Fairly Green, an easy way to add tidbits of information to help live a cleaner, greener life. Fairly green...that’s me..... I eat mostly organic...but I’m not a vegetarian. I grow organic peaches and I grew an organic garden this year, which was pretty successful. I do use certified organic skin care products (Miessence - of course). I do not eat stuff that comes from a can or a box....well, almost never. See what I mean? Fairly green. So this is to help us all become better at being green which will give us better health. Where did I start?  Many years ago I started with organic apples and slowly added other "clean" elements to my life.  I found the Australian company, Miessence in 2009 and created ALLwaysorganic.com when I fell in love with all the certified organic products they offered.  I am always learning and sharing.  Becoming healthier is a process.  Bits of information + like-minded people = Fairly Green. An Apple A Day Our first baby step into fairly green is to eat organic apples. Apple season is right around the corner, so this is a good start. Remember that old saying: an apple a day keeps the doctor away?  There actually is scientific evidence that an apple a day, does keep the doctor away. Here’s 6 reasons why: Immune booster: apples contains Vitamin C which improves your immune system. A lot of people who lack Vitamin C in their diet have poor healing, bruise easily and have bleeding gums. Prevent Heart Diseases: the reason it can prevent both coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease is because apples are rich in flavonoid. Flavonoids are also known for their antioxidant effects. Prevent Cancers: notice the plural. Apples help protect against cancer. Researchers at Cornell University have identified several compounds—triterpenoids—in apple peel that have potent anti-growth activities against cancer cells in our liver, colon and breast. Fight cholesterol: apples contain phenols, which have a double effect on cholesterol. It reduces bad cholesterol and increases good cholesterol. They prevent LDL cholesterol from turning into oxidized LDL, a very dangerous form of bad cholesterol which can be deadly. Protects your brain from brain disease: this is something many people don’t know. Apple has substances called phytonutrients, and these phytonutrients prevents neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson's. Healthier Lungs: unique to apples is phlorizin, a flavonoid. Researchers at the University of Nottingham found that people who ate 5 apples or more per week had lower respiratory problems, including asthma. Now I've been eating organic apples for several years now and I didn't know all this great information.  You don't need any more reason to put some nice juicy organic apples in your shopping cart.           Your Fairly Green buddy,                        Karin Organic Skin Care Products | Organic Hair Care Products | Organic Cosmetics