Cooking with Fall Greens: The Health Benefits of Kale

Fall is here and with it rich greens like kale, spinach, arugula, and spicy mustard greens -- all of which can be grown in your fall garden! Greens add flavor and color to meals, as well as necessary nutrients to support optimal health.

Kale, for example, is a rich source of antioxidants, including carotenoids and flavonoids, which may help protect the body from the effects of oxidative stress*. Dr. Weil includes a useful definition of oxidative stress on his website here.

Kale also may support the body's natural detox process.* Its sulfur compounds are thought to support Phase II detoxification - the step in which toxins in the liver are turned into neutral substances, making them easier to eliminate from the body.

Plus, it's tasty eaten raw or added to cooked meals. We like to saute our kale with onions, garlic, olive oil, and a sprinkle of fresh nutmeg. >> Download this kale recipe and a recipe for baked kale on ACHS Facebook (facebook.com/ACHSedu) here

Have tips for growing leafy greens like kale in your fall garden? Post them here! We'd also invite you to share your favorite kale recipes - variety is the spice of life!



*This information has not been reviewed by the FDA. It is intended for educational purposes and is not intended to treat, diagnose, cure, or prevent disease. Before making any significant changes to your health and wellness routine, it is always best to consult with your primary care physician or naturopathic doctor.

Welcome to the First Day of ACHS Fall Term 2011

Hey there-

Just a quick note welcoming you to the first day of fall term 2011. We hope you enjoyed your summer and are ready to start a brand new school year. We're looking forward to working with you and are honored you have chosen to study with us.

At ACHS, we value a warm, friendly, small-college atmosphere and care very deeply about each and every one of our students. Heading back to school can raise some unanticipated questions. To help you start the fall school term confident and focused, we've posted answers to some questions we’re frequently asked about online studies, work-life balance, and careers in holistic health.

To review the frequently asked questions, stop by ACHS Facebook (www.facebook.com/ACHSedu) or click here: http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=10150297431273733

ACHS Facebook is a friendly, easy forum to learn more about the ACHS student experience. We encourage you to post comments, ask questions, and start a conversation with other ACHS students and graduates here and on Facebook.

Have a great start to fall term 2011!

New Page Urban Herb Botanical Teaching Garden Launches

Hey there! ACHS has a launched a new page, Urban Herb Botanical Teaching Garden, dedicated to ... you guessed it ... our campus herb garden! Visit us here.

And be sure to check back frequently for new photos, botanical events, and garden tips.

While you're on Urban Herb Botanical Teaching Garden, feel free to leave a comment or post your best garden tips. We'd love to hear from you!

Help Us Build a List of Favorite Colorful and Nutritious Foods for National Nutrition Month

March is National Nutrition Month and the theme is "Eat Right with Color!" An easy way to start improving your nutrition is to include a variety of color on your plate, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and dairy.The American Dietetic Association further suggests Americans "take time during National Nutrition Month to look at their eating patterns and begin to make the small improvements that, over time, add up to significant health benefits."

We asked our ACHS Facebook fans to help us build a list of favorite colorful and nutritious foods. If you're looking for some new ideas and to add some variety to your diet, our fans suggest: yellow sweet peppers, kale, cabbage, broccoli, red tomatoes, red (orange) lentils, bell peppers, lemons, blueberries, purple potatoes, onions, garlic, spinach, collard greens, parsnips, turnips, beets, carrots, and rutabaga.

> See the complete list on ACHS Facebook and add your favorites!

ACHS Photo of the Week: Check Out the Honey Bees, Nature's Farmers

Photo of the Week submission "winner" Letisha Smiths says about her photo "Not sure what this plant is. Found on the side of a dried river bed and the honey bees were all over it. Nature's little farmers!"

Our fans are posting guesses on ACHS Facebook. What's your guess? Visit http://www.facebook.com/ACHSedu to comment and see previous Photo of the Week submission winners.

To see your botanical photo on ACHS Facebook and blogs, email your photo to communications@achs.edu with a short descriptive caption. (Of course, you must own distribution rights for the image and be OK with having it posted to ACHS social media.)

Beautiful Garden Guest on Our Last Passionflower

We just snapped this photo from the ACHS Herb Garden. The last passionflower (Passiflora) to bloom attracted a cool little guest to the garden! A grasshopper? A cicada? What do you think?

If you enjoy this image, please share it with your friends and family. Email it. Post the link to your Facebook page. Send it out through Twitter. And ... thanks!

Planting Herbs in the Fall: Which Herbs Are Best for Your Zone?

It’s the first day of fall (already!). Can you believe how quickly the seasons are passing? Of course, it may feel a bit more of a dramatic shift here in Portland, Oregon, because we had a short summer. Cooler temperatures than normal and more rain.

But it looks like fall is here. The leaves are turning from crisp greens to fiery jewel tones and the air has more moisture. The rain in coming! But before the weather turns for good, it’s time to plant our fall herbs. Planting in the fall gives herbs the chance to root so they are ready for harvest in the spring.

The best herbs to grow depend on the grow zone you live in. Before you make your selection, we suggest you find your climate zone on the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map to ensure what you want to grow is compatible with your zone. Here’s the link: http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html

Portland, for example, is hardiness zones 8-9. There can be lower levels of light here in the fall (and certainly in the winter), so Portlanders may want to select shade-loving herbs, such as parsley and peppermint.

Or, if you live somewhere that gets too cold for herbs to thrive and/or does not get enough direct light, consider growing your herbs in containers, so that you have the option to move them around (or even take them indoors, if needs be).

You also may want to concentrate on bulb herbs—like garlic, fennel, and saffron—which should be planted in the ground in the fall at least six weeks before the first freeze.

If you live in the Pacific Northwest, you may find this Monthly Garden Calendar from the Oregon State University Master Gardeners Program: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/calendar/ - september

You may also enjoy the article “The best herbs to grow in fall” for ideas about which herbs to plant: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/gardening/calendar/ - september

We hope your first day of fall is fantastic and look forward to hearing more about your fall herb garden. Post any planting tips, photos, suggestions …. here!

We’ve also started the discussion “What’s your favorite thing about fall?” on Facebook. Join the discussion here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Portland-OR/American-College-of-Healthcare-Sciences/99091122240

Have You Seen Numen? It's the first feature-length film to explore traditional herbal medicine use in the US!

Have you heard of the new documentary Numen: The Nature of Plants? If not, you may want to check out the film's website. Numen--or, the animating force in nature, as defined in the film--is the first feature-length film dedicated to the exploration of traditional herbal medicine in the United States.

In addition to footage of medicinal plants, the film features interview spots with herbal medicine leaders, including Drs. Tiearona Lowdog and Larry Dossey, and Bioneers Co-Founder Kenny Ausubel (and many others!) on whole-plant medicine, ecological medicine, environmental toxins, the limits of allopathic medicine, and spirit and healing.

Watch the 10-minute preview here: http://www.numenfilm.com/ The film's website also includes links to info about the film, the filmmakers, and a resource guide.

We added Numen's Facebook page to our favorites. Here's the link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Portland-OR/American-College-of-Healthcare-Sciences/99091122240

Scratch 'n Sniff Internet a Reality?

One of our Facebook fans posted the comment "scratch and sniff internet would be great right now" in response to the "Uplifting" aromatherapy blend we shared. That got us thinking ... what does the world have to say about the possibility (and how great would that be for sharing aromatherapy blends!)?

Believe it or not, if you type "scratch and sniff internet" into Google, several pages of results come up. Now, we're not saying these results are necessarily "realistic," but you have to take pause and marvel at the idea of it all.

Here's a blog we found that explores the trends in digital scent technology (a step up from scratch and sniff) ... decide for yourself ... Digital Scent Technology Blog

To download our "Uplifting" aromatherapy recipe, visit ACHS on Facebook here!