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.

Antioxidant Spices May Reduce Negative Effects of High-Fat Meal

We thought you would find this herbal information interesting ... In a new study, researchers at Penn State have found that eating a diet rich in spices may reduce the body's negative response to high-fat meals.



Researchers added two tablespoons of the herbs rosemary, oregano, cinnamon, turmeric, black pepper, cloves, garlic powder, and paprika to meals given to men aged 30-65 who were overweight, but healthy. These spices reportedly increased antioxidant activity in the blood by 13% and decreased insulin response by 20%.



The two tablespoon of spices provides an equivalent amount of antioxidants to those contained in 5 ounces of red wine or 1.4 ounces of dark chocolate.



>>To read the full-text research review, click here.



>>For more information about using herbs to support optimal health and wellness, visit ACHSedu online here for a schedule of upcoming holistic nutrition and herbal medicine classes. Or, call (800) 487-8839 for more information!





Reference:

e! Science News. (2011, August 10). Antioxidant spices reduce negative effects of high-fat meal. Retrieved from http://esciencenews.com/articles/2011/08/10/antioxidant.spices.reduce.negative.effects.high.fat.meal

Juicing is a Natural, Easy-to-Use, and Affordable Way to Help Flush Toxins

It's that time of year again ... time to give the body a boost with a little clean up and clean out.

Juice therapy—or juicing—is a natural, easy-to-use, and affordable way to help flush toxins, leftover wastes, sitting sedentary in your body. Flushing toxins helps improve major body functions, as well as overall vitality, energy, healthy skin, and heart health, to name a few benefits.

Here are some common juicing fruits and vegetables, and the heath support they are associated with:

• Apple: general cleanser, fights infection, and stimulates digestion
• Apricot: blood builder, constipation, and skin problems
• Lemon: gout, arthritis, laxative, and sore throats (always dilute)
• Cabbage: obesity, antiseptic, duodenal ulcers, and constipation
• Celery: all arthritic disorders, builds blood, and diuretic

Juice is a relatively mild cleanse and can be done at home daily. One 8-oz glass would be a healthy addition to the daily diet. Why juice? First—when made into juices, fruits and vegetables have concentrated amounts of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and antioxidants. Second—juicing increases the bioavailability of these nutrients. (Bioavailability is the rate at which a substance, in this case the health properties of the juiced fruits and vegetables, are absorbed by the body. In general, juiced fruits and veggies are absorbed by the body at a faster rate than when eaten whole or cooked.)

Juice fresh. Don’t juice, then store for later consumption. Doing this can lead to a loss of minerals, vitamins, and enzymes. You can make juices from fruit combinations or vegetable combinations, but do not mix fruit and vegetables. The combination of fruit and vegetables impairs digestion and limit the assimilation of nutrients.

Do you juice? We want to hear from you! Post your best juicing tips and recipes.

Moroccan Argan Oil Antioxidant-Rich, Potential Skin and Dietary Support

Do you use argan (Argania spinosa) oil?

Also called Morocco ironwood, argan oil is from the soapwood family and has a history that can be traced back more than two million years.

Argan is a culinary oil and a cosmetic oil, and has traditionally been used in both skin and hair care. Medicinally, argan oil has been used to help heal wounds and with rheumatism and arteriosclerosis.

The oil, pressed from the trees’ kernels, contains more than 80% unsaturated fatty acids, vitamin A, and large quantities of vitamin E antioxidants and sterols; it may be very nourishing when used on the skin and may be effective as a dietary supplement.

Currently, there are about 50-60 women’s cooperatives in Morocco producing argan oil the traditional way. These cooperatives are growing in number as a resource for Berber women to revive the traditional hand-pressing method of extracting argan oil and to ensure an income. Read more about the women’s cooperatives on the Targanine website.

Traditionally, argan oil is hand-pressed by the Berber women. First the trees’ fruit pulp is allowed to dry; then it is removed. The remaining nuts are cracked between two stones so the kernels can be used undamaged. The kernels are lightly roasted and then ground by hand. An oily paste forms and the oil is removed through the use of lukewarm water and constant kneading. It is then decanted.

The picture in this blog post is from ACHS President Dorene Petersen, who recently hiked through the Atlas Mountains in Morocco and watched the women hand pressing the oil. Check back with ACHS Facebook for more info from Dorene about the medicinal properties and products of argan oil, and pictures from the women's cooperatives.

Here are some links to recent research articles about potential medicinal properties and uses of argan oil that you may find interesting:

1. Effect of dietary argan oil on fatty acid composition, proliferation, and phospholipase D activity of rat thymocytes

2. Consumption of argan oil (Morocco) with its unique profile of fatty acids, tocopherols, squalene, sterols and phenolic compounds should confer valuable cancer chemopreventive effects

3. Effect of Argan Oil on Platelet Aggregation and Bleeding Time: A Beneficial Nutritional Property

Share your experience using argan oil. Do you prefer it to olive oil? Is it more moisturizing than your traditional skin care base oil?

The Many Health Benefits of Blueberries

Blueberries are a summer fruit staple. They add a splash of vibrant color to fruit salads and desserts, and a punch of sweet, yet tart flavor. But did you know that blueberries also provide an excellent source of vitamin C, fiber, manganese, and antioxidant properties.

Research shows a serving of blueberries can contain as much as 25% of our daily requirement of vitamin C, which helps promote a healthy immune system as well as helping to maintain healthy gums and the absorption of iron. Blueberries also contain fiber, which helps support heart health and healthy cholesterol levels, as well as healthy digestion.

In addition, "according to the USDA database of the antioxidant activity of selected foods (ORAC values), blueberries rank among the highest on a per serving basis," as noted by the Nutrient Data Laboratory Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center (BHNRC) Agricultural Research Service (ARS).[1]

For more information about the many health benefits of incorporating blueberries into your daily diet, check out the below sites. Then comment with your favorite blueberry recipes, collection and preserving tips!!

For general information and research links, visit the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council: http://www.blueberrycouncil.com/nutrition.php

"12 Surprising Reasons to Eat More Blueberries": http://www.care2.com/greenliving/12-surprising-reasons-to-eat-more-blueberries.html

"Blueberries: Fountain of Youth" from Mother Earth News: http://www.motherearthnews.com/grow-it/blueberries-fountain-of-youth.aspx

For blueberry recipes like whole-wheat blueberry bars, visit the Eating Well website here: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/whole_wheat_blueberry_bars.html


References
[1] Accessed online 8/16/10 at http://www.blueberrycouncil.com/nutrition.php